John Worth and
Ann (Dugdale) Worth

A quick biography. More to come.

John Worth was born 28 Dec 1815[1] in Harberton, Devon, England. He was baptized 18 January 1816 also in Harberton[2]. His parents were John and Elizabeth Worth. His father's occupation was listed as Butcher. John Worth was living in the nearby village of Berry Pomeroy when he and Ann Dugdale of that parish were married on 5 May 1845[3]. His occupation was Yeoman. On 24 June 1845[4], John and Ann were back at the church in Berry Pomeroy to celebrate the baptism of their son, William. Ann was probably close to 9 months pregnant when she and John were married.

In this farming community, it was a practical thing for the bride to be with child when she wed. Children were considered essential to the success of the farm, as free labor on the farm and in the house. So getting pregnant before marriage proved the woman's fertility. It goes against the assumptions we may have about how things were "in those days". But of Ann's 9 siblings that lived to adulthood, at least 4 were back at the church having their firstborn baptized less than 9 months after being married.

John, Ann, and William boarded the St. James, a three-masted, square-rigged ship which was part of the Red Swallowtail Line of New York to London packets. Packets were regularly scheduled mail and cargo ships that took flour, grain, cotton and timber to Europe and returned with steel and iron, in addition to passengers.  The average voyage was 36 days.  They arrived in New York City on 27 March 1846. Also traveling with them was Phillipp Angle (sic), very likely Ann's cousin, Philip Angel. John's occupation was Farmer. He was 30, Ann was 32 (actual age probably 23) and William was 1.

We don't know what route they took, but by September 14, 1850 <census> they were living in Henry county, Illinois[5]. John was 33, Anna (sic) 26, and William, 5. Also in the house was Edward Rossiter, 55,  from England. Further research is needed to determine if he was family or a friend.

On 30 March 1856, in Harberton Devon, John's brother William wrote him a letter[6]. William wrote about his two young children and the hardships of farming with having to pay so much in taxes. He also mentioned their sisters Mary, Susan, and Willmot. In his letter he refers to the letter John had sent him in October of the previous year. John apparently wrote that he had three young daughters. Son William must have died between 1850 and 1855. A third daughter must have been born and died also.

By the time of the 1860 federal census, John and Ann Worth and family were living in Cornwall township, Henry county, Illinois.[7] The post office was Burns. John was 35 and Ann was 30. Their children were Amelia, 9, Emma 7, and George M. (sic). John was a farmer, and his personal estate was worth $400. A nearby neighbor was born in England: Wm Coes, age 34 or 35, farmer, with a $350 personal estate. A laborer living with Coes is George Dugdale, 32, born England, personal property $350. There are several others in the community who were born in England and are about the same age as John Worth.

John Worth worked as a teamster in 1870, according to the 1870 federal census. The family lived in the city of Pella, Lake Prairie township, Marion county, Iowa.[8] John Worth was 50 with $300 in real estate and $300 personal estate. He marked that he was a citizen of the United States. His wife Ann was 49. Children Amelia was 17 and there is a mark in the can not write column. Emma was 14 and attended school in the census year. She also could read but couldn't write; George was 12 and could read but couldn't write. The youngest, Susan, was 8, attended school, and could read and write.

Sometime in the 1870s  John and Ann and children George and Susan moved to Iowa. In the 1880 federal census, they were living in Highland township, Union county, Iowa.[9] John Worth 67 (sic) was a farmer, and could read and write. Ann, 60, could also read and write. George could read but not write, and Susan, 19, could both read and write.

In 1884 John and Ann moved to western Loup County, Nebraska, with son George and family.[10] Susan stayed in Iowa.

In 1885 John made his Declaration of Intention to become a citizen of the Unties States and to "renounce forever all allegiance and fidelity to Victoria Queen of Great Britain and Ireland". He signed his name to the intention on 2 July 1885 in Taylor, Loup county, Nebraska. Although he had said on the 1870 census he was a citizen, perhaps he was in his head and heart, but made it official in 1885.

Ann passed away on 20 May 1884. At the time of the 1885 Nebraska state census, John was living with his son George, daughter-in-law Flora, and grandchildren Grace, Calista, and Ralph in the Sawyer Precinct, Loup county, Nebraska.[11]

On 5 December 1893, John died. He was buried in the Almeria cemetery.[12] So far I haven't been able to find an obituary, and no family stories about John's life or death have been passed down that I am aware of.

In February 1894, as part of settling his estate, the deed was filed for the Timber Claim John had taken out. He completed the requirements to receive land in exchange for planting trees on Lots 3 & 4, Range 20 Township 23 Section 30.

[1] Almeria Cemetery (Loup, Nebraska; Strohl Road, southeast of Almeria, Nebraska), John Worth marker, personally read by Mary Russell Hollowell, 1995.

[2] England, Devon, Harberton - Parish Register - Baptisms, Harberton Parish, (Harberton, Devonshire, England), Parish Registers, page 17, no 133, John Worth, baptized 18 January 1816; "Devon Baptisms", digital images, FindMyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 13 November 2015); citing South West Heritage Trust.  archive reference 347A/PR/1/9.

[3] England, Devon, Berry Pomeroy - Marriage Banns Register, Berry Pomeroy Parish, (Berry Pomeroy, Devonshire, England), "Register of Marriages, No. 1," page 25, no. 49, John Worth & Ann Dugdale, 5 May 1845, digital images, "Devon Marriages," FindMyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 29 November 2015); citing.  South West Heritage Trust, archive reference 333A/PR/1/10.

[4] St. Mary's Church (Berry Pomeroy, Devon, England), England & Wales Marriages 1837-2008, "Register of Births," Baptism of William, son of John & Ann Worth; digital images, FindMyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 20 Aug 2015).

[5] 1850 U.S. census, Henry, Illinois, population schedule, p. 97B, line 39, dwelling 57, family 57, John Worth; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 16 Aug 2015); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M432, roll 109.

[6] William & Ann Worth (Harberton, Devon, England) to "My Dear Brother" [John Worth]. Letter, 3 pages, 30 March 1856. Image of letter, original privately held by Karolyn (Jones) Kovanda, 1980s.

[7] 1860 U.S. census, Henry, Illinois, population schedule, Cornwall Township, p. 218, dwelling 1673, family 1575, John Worth; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 16 Aug 2015); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M653, roll 182.

[8] 1870 U.S. census, Marion, Iowa, population schedule, Pella, p. 167A, dwelling 257, family 247, John Worth; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 16 Aug 2015); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M593, roll 409.

[9] 1880 U.S. census, Union, Iowa, population schedule, Highlanad Township, enumeration district (ED) 257, p. 2, dwelling 15, family 15, John Worth; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 20 Aug 2015); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T9.

[10] Book, Compendium...Western Nebraska Vol I, Compendium of History Reminiscence and Biography of Western Nebraska containing a History of the State of Nebraska, George & Lucinda (Swift) Worth, vol 1; Chicago: Alden Publishing Company, 1909, 1:405-406.

[11] 1885 Nebraska State Census, Loup, Nebraska, population schedule, Sawyer Precinct, p. 14, dwelling 40, family 40, line 41, John Worth; digital images, FamilySearch (familysearch.org : accessed 20 Aug 2015); citing citing NARA microfilm publication M352 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and REcords Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 499,564.

[12] Almeria Cemetery (Loup, Nebraska; Strohl Road, southeast of Almeria, Nebraska), John Worth marker, personally read by Mary Russell Hollowell, 1995.