John Worthington and Sarah Walton

John Worthington, son of Benjamin Worthington and Hannah Malone, was born in 1777 and grew up in Byberry, Philadelphia County. He married in 1805 Sarah Walton, daughter of Joseph and Deborah. Their marriage was contrary to discipline and they were disowned from Horsham Meeting in 6th month 1805. They lived in Byberry and had seven known children there.1 In the 1850 census, they had no children still at home, but their son Walton lived next door with his wife Cynthia and four children. John was 72, Sarah was 68.2

John wrote his will in 1849. He provided for Sarah to stay in the house with an annuity. After her death the farm was to be sold and some of the proceeds to be used for the benefit of son Edward.3 The rest of the estate was divided among the other children. The inventory came to $304, but the expenses and his debts were more than that. John died in 1852; Sarah died in 1858.

Children of John Worthington and Sarah Walton:4

Edward, b. ab. 1806, married Susan Singley5. In 1870 he was a farm laborer, age 63, living with his sister Lydia Praul and her husband William in Northampton. Ten years later he was living with his niece Elmira Tomlinson and her husband Franklin in Somerton.6 Edward died on Aug. 23, 18887, a widower, age 82, died of dropsy and “general  debility”, lived on the Somerton Pike, buried at Byberry.8  Edward and Susan are not known to have any children.

Malvina, b. 1808, d. 1885, married Thomas Carter, son of James Carter and Phebe Tomlinson. They lived in Somerton, Phila. County in 1860, where Thomas was a farmer.9 By 1880, he had retired, at age 69. By then they had no children living with them. Thomas died in 1892. Both are buried at William Penn Cemetery.10 Children: Ann, Mary Louisa.11

Benjamin, b. 1813, d. 1876, m. Lydia Ann Groom, daughter of Evan Groom and Rachel Randall.  In 1848 he was keeping a store. In 1850 they were living in Bensalem, Bucks County, with four children. By 1860 they had moved to Moreland and had another child.12 By 1870 they had moved again, to Warrington Township, Bucks County, with children Rebecca, William, and Rachel.13 Benjamin died in 1876. In 1880 Lydia was living in Cheltenham, Montgomery County, with her daughter Annie and in the same household as her son Emmor and his wife Tamsen.14 In 1900 Lydia was living with Emmor and Tamysen, along with her daughter Rebecca.15 Lydia died in January of 1908, at the age of 89.16 She and Benjamin were buried at William Penn Cemetery. Children of Benjamin and Lydia: Watson, Elmira, Annie Rebecca, William Emmor, Rachel.

George W, b. ab. 1811, m. Harriet Comly, the daughter of Joshua Comly and Amelia Vansant.17 In 1850 they were living in Byberry where he worked initially as a farmer. By 1860 he was a bricklayer. George died in 1861, about fifty years old.18 in 1870, Harriet was living with daughters Mary and Ella.19 In 1880 Harriet was living with her daughter Ella and Ella’s husband James.20 She died on July 4, 1896, of “old age”, age 82, lived in Somerton, buried at William Penn21. Children: Elizabeth, Amanda, Mary, Ella.

Lydia, b. 1815, d. 1902, m. William Praul, lived in Northampton, Bucks County in 1880; he was a farmer. He was the son of John Praul and Martha Tomlinson.22 Lydia Praul died on Dec. 23, 1902, at age 86, a widow, died of “heart disease and debility”; living in Southampton, Bucks; buried at William Penn. William died in 1887 of apoplexy.23 Children: Edward, Lucinda, Theodore, J. Winfield, Thomas, William, Ida.24

Walton, b. 1818, d. 1902, m. Cynthia Tomlinson, daughter of Amos and Sarah. lived in Wrightstown, Bucks County in 1880.25 He died in Aug. 1902 at age 85, living in Wrightstown but buried at William Penn Cemetery.26 Cynthia died in 1889, age 72, also buried at William Penn. Children: Amos, Eugene, Louis, Amy and Sarah.

Asenath, b. 1820, d. 1901 of cerebral spinal sclerosis, m. Ezra Tomlinson, lived in Southampton, Bucks County in 1880. She and Ezra were cousins; he was the son of her aunt Martha Worthington Tomlinson. They lived in Southampton and Northampton, Bucks County. He was a farmer, and in 1860 a “restaurant keeper”.27  Ezra died in 1889 at age 69, married, a farmer in Bustleton, buried at William Penn.28 He left a will.29 The “house and garden at the corner” was to be sold to pay his debts, but his widow was to have “the house where I reside”. He wrote it in December 1881, and died in June 1889. He did not name any children; his seven children were grown by then. Asenath died in 1901 at age 85; widowed, living at Richboro; buried at William Penn.30 According to William Penn cemetery records she was living at Churchville. Asenath and Ezra had children Sarah, Martha, Mary, John, Hannah, Lydia and Francis (twins, Francis was a male).31

  1. In the census from 1810 to 1850.
  2. 1850 census, Byberry, Philadelphia County, image 18.
  3. The implication is that Edward was in need of special assistance, although he did marry.
  4. Joseph Martindale, History of Byberry and Moreland, p. 368; Norman W. Swayne, Byberry Waltons, p. 207.
  5. She has been proposed as a daughter of Andrew Singley and Rebecca Tomlinson, although Martindale does not list her as one of their children. (Martindale, 1867, p. 370-372.
  6. 1880 census, Philadelphia County, ED #461, Image 11.
  7. Philadelphia Death Certificates, index 1803-1915, on Ancestry.
  8. Phila Death Certificates, 1803-1915, online on FamilySearch.
  9. 1860 census, Philadelphia Co., Ward 23, Image 526 (There were many Worthingtons around them).
  10. Findagrave.
  11. Mary Louisa married her cousin Evan Jerome Groom, a brother of her aunt Lydia Groom.
  12. 1860 census, Montgomery County, Moreland, Image 43. The children were Watson, age 21, Elmira, age 19, Rebecca, age 14, Wm. Emma (sic), age 12, and Rachael, age 6. The closest post office was Hatboro.
  13. Warrington Township, Bucks Co., 1870 census, Image 13. The children were Rebecca, age 24; William E. age 21, Rachel, age 16. The farm was valued at $15,000, more than the others right around it.
  14. Federal Census, 1880, E.D. #2, Image 53.
  15. Emmor was indexed as Emmit or Emma.
  16. Philadelphia County Death Certificate, named as Lydia Ann Worthington, b. 3/17/1818, d. 1/8/1908, age 89, died of “LaGrippe”, doctor in Bustleton, father Evan Groom, mother Rachel Randall, residence Bustleton Avenue in Somerton, 35th ward, buried from Bustleton Avenue at William Penn.
  17. Norwood Comly, Comly Family in America, pp. 70-71.
  18. Philadelphia Death Certificates index 1803-1915, on Ancestry.
  19. Federal census 1870, Philadelphia Ward 14 Dist. 41 (2nd Enum.), image 6.
  20. 1880 census, Philadelphia County, Enumeration Dist. 588, image 8.
  21. Philadelphia Death Certificates index 1803-1915, on Ancestry.
  22. Home page of the Billiou Descendants of Bucks County. He was the grandson of John Praul and Mary Ridge, as well as Thomas Tomlinson and Phebe Carver, all familiar Quaker names. The page referred to him as John William Praul.
  23. William Penn Cemetery records.
  24. Federal census 1850-1870.
  25. Philadelphia Death Certificates, 1803-1915.
  26. Byberry Waltons, p. 207.
  27. Federal census, 1860. By 1870 he was listed as a farmer again.
  28. Philadelphia Death Certificate.
  29. Bucks County wills, Book 24, p. 207.
  30. Philadelphia Death Certificate.
  31. Federal census, Bucks County, 1850 through 1870.

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