ANCESTORS
OF WILLIAM WORTH
of
Nantucket
Ralf/Ralph de
Paganel/de Paynel, progenitor of the Worth line, was living 1087 and found
in the Domesday Book as Sheriff of Yorkshire. He descended from Roman
pagans who emigrated to Normandy and lived in villages called "pagi.11."
The pagani retained their own beliefs and superstitious rituals in an area
where Christianity was just beginning to thrive. They took their surname
from those villages and became de Paganel ("heathen" or "pagan") and some
took the name de Paynel ("peasant"). Later some became Payne. To this day
you will sometimes find families with the surname of Pagan.
Ralf de Paganel/de Paynel was Tenant-in-Chief of William I, the conqueror,
and a Free Knight. He had four children: Fulk Fitz Paynel, Ralph Fitz
Paynel, Reginald Fitz Payne and Robert Fitz Payne.
Sir Reginald Fitz Payne, our line, Lord of the Manor of Witheridge and
Radford in Plymstock. Inherited from his brother, Ralph, the Worth estates
and added "de Worthe" to his name. He was probably in Devonshire in 1067
with William I, the conqueror.
Robert de Worthe, Lord of Witheridge and Worth.
Alexander Fitz Robert alias de Worthe
Sir Richard Worthe, Knight, married Constance, the daughter of Lord
Rivers.
Sir Hugh Worth of Worthe, Knight, married Avis, the daughter of Richard de
Redvers of Tiverton Castle, 3rd Earl of Devon, and his wife, Avis/Hawise,
who was daughter of Reginald Fitz Roy/Fitz Henry de Mortain, Earl of
Cornwall, bastard son of King Henry I and his mistress, Sibyl Corbet, wife
of Herbert Fitz Herbert. Reginald Fitz Roy/Fitz Henry married Mabel, who
died 1162, daughter of William Fitz Richard, Lord of Cardian, Cornwall,
and granddaughter of Count Robert de Mortain, halfbrother of William the
Conqueror.
Robert Worthe of Worthe, Esquire, married a daughter of William Beauchamp
of Whitlackington.
Richard Worthe of Worthe was at the Worth estate in 1243.
Alexander Worthe of Worth is our next in line.
Richard Worthe of Worth, living 1274, married Maud/ Matilda L'Abbe
(Abbot?). (Harvard Deed #23, 19 April 1362).
Alexander Worthe of Worth, claimant to the Earldom of Devon, 1293. His
claim was denied.
Richard Worthe of Worth, living 1347.
Sir John Worthe, married Cicelye, daughter and coheiress of Sir John
Doddiscombe of Compton Pole and Doddiscombe Leigh.
John Worthe of Worth, married Margaret, daughter of Sir John Willington of
Umberleigh and his wife, Matilda who was the daughter of Sir Walter
Carminow.
Thomas Worthe of Worth
Thomas Worthe of Worth, presented at Washfield 1410; died 1412. He married
Margery, the daughter of Hugh Beauchamp. She was the coheiress with her
brother Humphrey Beauchamp, Lord of Washfield. By this marriage was
acquired 16 additional quarterings to the family arms, including those of
the Clares, Marshalls, Earls of Pembroke. The Beauchamp line descended
from Milo Beauchamp, 4th son of Hugh de Bello Campo, Baron of Bedford.
(Harvard Deed #42 proves the marriage of Thomas Worthe to Margery
Beauchamp.)
Thomas Worthe of Worth, at Washfield in 1425; died 1463.
Thomas Worthe of Worth, Esquire, living 1467, married Isabel, daughter/coheiress
of Humprey de Wolston. This brought four additional quarterings to the
family arms including those of Avenel and Courtenay.
Roger Worthe, Esquire, of Compton Pole and Barnstable, presented to
Doddiscombe 1464; Mayor of Exeter 1462. Married Elizabeth. He is buried at
St. Petrock in Exeter. This is where our Worth line splits from the family
headed by Roger's brother, Thomas Worthe.
John Worthe, Esquire, of Compton Pole.
Otho Worthe, married Alice, daugher of John Myllton, Esquire, of Meavy.
John Worthe, born about 1500 and died before 1600, of Compton Pole in
Maldon. Married Agnes, daughter of John Bodley of Dunscombe, Crediton, a
cousin of Sir Thomas Bodley, founder of the Bodlein Library.
John Worth, born 1520, will dated 10 January, proved 4 June 1596; married
Jane/Joane Clark of Crediton.
John Worth, born 1545; died before 1645, inherited Compton Pole and was in
possession by 1638; married Ellen Harvey, daughter of John Harvey.
John Worth, born 1576, married 1 October 1593 at St. Andrew's Church in
Plymouth, Wilmot Stuttever. He died 1643 at the seige of Plymouth Fort,
Devon. All of their children were baptised at St. Andrew's Church,
Plymouth, Devon, England.
John Worth, baptised 11 April 1606 St. Andrew's; died 1643 at the seige of
Plymouth Fort where his father also died. The family estates were seized
by the crown and government. John married twice, first ca 1626 and had son
Lionel by this union. John married second 15 April 1634 at Uffculme,
Barbara Strong. This union produced Richard, William and Olyve.
William-1
Worth, baptised 25 February 1642 at St. Andrew's, Devonshire. William came
to New England with his older halfbrother, Lionel, and his older brother,
Richard. William-1 moved to Nantucket where he married his first wife,
Sarah-2 Macy, daughter of Thomas-1 Macy and Sarah Hopcott.
This information was derived from "A Genealogical History of the Clark and
Worth Families" by Carol Clark Johnson; "Ancestral Roots of Certain
Colonists" by Frederick Weis; "Plantagenet Ancestry" by Moriarity and from
documents found on the Harvard Law Library web site.