A Patriot of the American Revolution for NEW HAMPSHIRE. DAR Ancestor # A130653 (first one to sign the "Association Test" for the town of Weare)

Thomas Worthley was born in Bedfordshire, England in 1691. He ran away from home and came to America in approximately 1705. He landed in Salem, MA, but afterwards moved to Worchester, MA. Then he went to Londonderry, NH; from there to Goffstown near Parker's Station. Finally, he came to Weare in October 1751 and settled near the "Cold Spring" between South Weare and Oil Mill village. He first married Mehitable Yarrow in Worchester, MA who died in Weare. He later married the Widow Mehitable Ordway of Hopkinton. He died at 108 years of age.

Note that his tombstone spells his last name as "Wortley".

"Thomas Worthley (1), originally spelled Wortley, was born in Bedforshire, England, in the year 1691. He ran away from home at the age of 14 years and landed at Salem, Mass. in the year 1705. It is not known how long he stayed at that place but he subsequently removed to Worcester, Mass., where he married his first wife Mehitable Yarrow. From there he went to the province of New Hampshire where we have record of him being in his Majesty's service under command of Captain Tyng in Indian campaigns from June 10th to November 10th, 1726. He was enrolled as THOMAS WORTLEY of Dunstable, now Nashua. He also lived in Litchfield, Londonderry, Goffstown, and Parkers Village before finally settling permanently at Weare, in which town he was the first settler and where he remained the rest of his life. The territory as outlined and embracing the towns mentioned is located in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire. " DAR A130653

"Before he settled permanently he located on the site or very near the house of Mrs. David A. Parker of Parkers Village but was driven off by the Indians. He afterwards returned to this site but was driven off again by the Indians and seeking a new location for his home, built a cabin near the Cold Spring, which he discovered when hunting, and from that settlement came the town of Weare, New Hampshire. He was 85 years of age when the Revolutionary War broke out and was the first one to sign the "Association Test" for the town of Weare. His first wife Mehitable Yarrow, died at Weare and was the first death in town. Her grave, covered with boulders, as was the custom in those days is still plainly visible and is on the farm property of Mr. George Henry Eastman, Weare, N.H. He married for his second wife, Mehitable Ordway of Hopkinton, who lived to be 95 years of age. He died in the year 1799 at the great age of 108 years. "

Children--all by first wife:

• 1. Samuel, born 1729; died about 1770
• 2. John, born Dec. 1731
• 3. Molly, born July 12, 1734
• 4. Susannah, born about 1736
• 5. Thomas, Jr., born about 1739; died 1829
• 6. Timothy, born 1740; died April 14, 1830
• 7. Mehitable, born about 1751
• 8. Jonathan, born 1752; died 1836

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References

• http://www.cowhampshireblog.com/2016/08/28/consumed-by-fire-weare-n...
• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:2484388&...
• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:2484388&...
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Worthley-36
• https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/memories/K2MM-NDL
• < Wear NH 1772: Rebellion Before the Revolution >. The eight "rioters" from Weare who were brought before the court were Jotham Tuttle, Timothy Worthley, Jonathan Worthley, Caleb Atwood, William Dustin, Abraham Johnson, William Quimby and Ebenezer Mudgett.

Thomas Worthley was born in Bedfordshire, England in 1691. He ran away from home and came to America in approximately 1705. He landed in Salem, MA, but afterwards moved to Worchester, MA. Then he went to Londonderry, NH; from there to Goffstown near Parker's Station. Finally, he came to Weare in October 1751 and settled near the "Cold Spring" between South Weare and Oil Mill village. He first married Mehitable Yarrow in Worchester, MA who died in Weare. He later married the Widow Mehitable Ordway of Hopkinton. He died at 108 years of age.

Note that his tombstone spells his last name as "Wortley".* Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Apr 11 2025, 23:45:35 UTC