John Worley, I

brief biography

Rocky Oaks Church history

Of historical interest is the existence of an, approximately, 300 year old, Rocky Oaks Church, of Flat Rock, VA. An entry dated August 12, 1745: "Ordered that a Chappel be built at or near the Reading Place at Worley's as soon as convenient." This building, although modified several times since colonial beginning as a chapel of the Anglican Church, has existed since its completion in 1749. Following the Revolutionary war, when England withdrew her priests, the folks of Flat Rock continued to worship there. It was used continuously and from 1814 until 1996 was a part of The United Methodist Church, Virginia Conference. The building, in 1999, was remodeled by a fellowship of the Church of God. Occupants and owners still use this building for worship services today. This parish was set aside by King William of England as a location for French Huguenot settlers in 1700 and was in Cumberland County. Bishop Asbury stopped and preached there once around 1800 during one of his many trips.

NW Rocky Oaks Methodist, Ohio in 1795 Thishable John James Flournoy-King William Parish Worley's reading place was established. 1745 John Worley was made sexton.

Three Worley brothers came over [from England] and married "little French women". We find in the minutes of the Rev. William Douglas who registered the marriages of three children, of Our Henrico County, Virgiana connections, which descended from John Worley, born in the late 1600, and his wife Esther. How long he lived in the area before he patented land in 1725 in Cumberland County (formerly Henrico County, then Goochland County) is not known. However, we know that John and Esther Worley appear of record prior to 1725 on the headwaters of Swift Creek on the Buckingham Road, south of the James River about 20 miles west of Richmond.

In the middle of the old Buckingham Road near Worley's Reading Place, located almost halfway between the church building and the old residence site of John and Esther, is a very large and very flat rock and said to be a favorite "resting place" for the old Indian Chief Powhatan (better known to most as the father of Pocahontas). Also known as Powhatan' s Rock. This flat rock is a traditional place and is located in the community of Flat Rock, VA. This was the wildest and most remote frontier of the early Virginian Colony, in 1634, when the colony was first divided into shires or counties. The area was called Henrico, later to become Powhatan and then Cumberland County.

The setting up of parishes for the Church of England in a newly settled territory was done with the idea of giving the new settlers some experience of self-government. The church vestry and many of the duties were given to the clerks, or readers as they were called, and sextons to build chapels or churches for religious services and to support the poor and provide for the processing of the land. These clerks were usually senior members of the vestry and had special duties such as presenting to the grand jury persons guilty of committing offenses, purchasing land, and choosing a site for chapels or reading places. These posts were held by, the most influential men. The church wardens were chosen by their own members. The vestrymen served without pay, very public minded, and diligent in performing their duties. One of the vestry's most important duties was to provide a small, local reading place or a chapel of ease for the outlying settlers in very remote areas.

The "reading places" in a colonial parish were usually in private homes where the clerk or readers would lead the service in prayers and sermons to those who could not reach the parish church or chapel. Such places were the frontrunner of parish chapels; as is the case of the Rocky Oaks Church, of Flat Rock, VA.

Our John Worley was just such a man. First a Clerk, we are not sure when he established the "Worley Reading Place", but was probably before 1725. He was later the Sexton of the chapel from 1749 through 1758, when he died. His wife Esther took over the job until she died in 1772. John was paid 500 lbs. of tobacco for the use of his Bible for two years. The same amount was paid him as Sexton and also for building "...horse blocks, window pins and setting up ten benches...". This church still stands today, as a reminder of their Christian faith and our great heritage.

CHURCH: Written by: Carter Alexander Worley, Jr.

from the Notes and Writings of:

comments

Date and place of birth have also been (erroneously?) reported to be:

• 1692 in Cumberland County (at Cumberland?), Virginia
• November 1698 in Henrico County, Virginia
• before 1699 at an unspecified location
• circa 1717 in Cumberland County, Virginia
• circa 1690 in England

Date and place of marriage have also been (erroneously?) reported to be 1716 in Henrico County, Virginia.

Date and place of death have also been (erroneously?) reported to be March 27, 1757 at Cumberland, Cumberland County, Virginia.

Date and place of burial have been (erroneously?) reported to be March 1757 in Cumberland County, Virginia.

Family

https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~swilson/genealogy/falk/worley.htm

1. John Worley (b. c. 1690, England, d. by 15 Dec. 1757, Cumberland Co. VA), m. c. 1716 in Henrico Co. VA to Esther --- (d. after 23 Dec. 1771)

Their children:

1. John Worley (b. c. 1716), m. to Esther Langston
2. William Worley (b. c. 1717), m. c. 1734 to Mary Wheat
3. Mary Worley (b. c. 1719, d. by Apr. 1748), m. c. 1736 to Sylvanus Maxey (d. 1770, Virginia)
4. Elizabeth Worley (b. c. 1721), m. by 1742 to Thomas Gibson
5. Judith Worley (b. c. 1723), m. c. 1742 to Humphrey Smith
6. Christian Worley (b. c. 1727, d. c. 1815, Buckingham Co. VA), m. by 1745 to Anthony Agee (b. c. 1719, Virginia)

   ---

   
   

Children documented in the following orphan bond:

Deceased: John Worley, Jr. of Tyrrell Co.

Orphans: Lovel Worley & Mary Worley

Date of Bond: 4 Feb 1744/45

Amount of Bond: 800£

Bondsmen: James Blount & Thomas Blount, Merchts.; William Rhoads; & Thomas Lee, all of Tyrrell Co

Guardian: James Blount, appointed 5 Sep 1744

Witnesses: Nicholas Legall & Fr. Ward

Bondsmen Signatures: James Blount, Thos. Blount, Willm. Rhoads & Thos. Lee

Deceased: John Worley, Jr. of Tyrrell Co.

Orphans: Thomas Worley, Sarah Worley, Ester Worley & John Worley

Date of Bond: 4 Feb 1744/45

Amount of Bond: 1200£

Bondsmen: James Blount & Thomas Blount, Merchts.; William Rhoads & Thomas Lee, all of Tyrrell Co.

Guardian: James & Thomas Blount appointed 5 Sep 1744

Witnesses: Nicholas Legall & Fr. Ward

Bondsmen Signatures: James Blount, Thos. Blount, Willm. Rhoads & Thos. Lee

References

1. http://home.southwind.net/~crowther/Worley/J2XLegal2.htm
2. http://www.ncgenweb.us/tyrrell/TYRBONDS.HTM
3. "Falk Relations: Worley Family" https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~swilson/genealogy/falk/worley.htm cites
   1. Fife, R.H., "The Vestry Book of King William Parish, Va., 1707-1750", The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, 1905. In 13:175-190, "List of Tithables of the Parish of King William for the Year 1735 ... John James Florinoir, John Worley, Sesar, Yemma, Suky, 4"
   2. Pawlett, Nathaniel Mason, Goochland County Road Orders, 1728-1744, 2004. On p. 23, 26, "19 March 1734 O.S., p. 345, Surveyor of Road. John Worley is appointed Surveyor of the Road in the room of Joseph Woodson. ... 20 May 1735 O.S., p. 356, Surveyor of Road. Joseph Baugh is appointed Surveyor of the Road in the room of John Worley."; "20 April 1736 O.S., p. 51, Road to be Cleared. Ordered that the Tithables of Collo. Richard Randolph's two Quarters Capt. Moseley's Quarter, William Clay, Thomas Moor, and John Worley at Jenito Quarter, do work on the road whereof Henry Clay is Surveyor that John Baugh do clear the Road from Ditoways Branch to Watkin's Path and that Henry Clay Keep the bridge in repair."
   3. Reynolds, Katherine, Abstracts of Cumberland Co. VA Will Books 1 and 2, 1749-1782, 1985. Will of John Worley dated 22 Mar. 1757, proved 27 Mar. 1758, names wife Esther, sons John Worley & William, daughters Mary Maxey, Christian Agee, Jude Smith & Elizabeth Gibson, and grandsons Charles Massey & John Worley (son of John).
4. WikiTree contributors, "John Joseph Worley Sr. (1703-1757)," WikiTree: The Free Family Tree, (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Worley-98 : accessed 07 November 2024). cites
   1. The North Carolina Historical and Genealogical Register by Hathaway page 80. < Archive.Org >
   2. Source: S108 Repository: #REPO23 Title: Ancestral File (R) Author: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Publication: Copyright (c) 1987, June 1998, data as of 5 January 1998
   3. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~krworley/p45.htm
   4. Agee lineages : descendants of Mathiew Agé, the immigrant and related families, pg. 28 < FamilySearchBook >