Puffer Genealogy
WORCESTER, Rev. William
1595 - 1662 (67 years)1. WORCESTER, Rev. William was born in 1595 in Watford, Hertfordshire, England; was christened on 5 Oct 1595 in Watford, Northamptonshire, England; died on 28 Oct 1662 in Salisbury, MA; was buried on 31 Oct 1662 in Salisbury, MA. Other Events and Attributes:
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Notes:
Rev. William Worcester came from England and was settled pastor
of the church first gathered in Salisbury, Mass., sometime
between the years 1638 and 1640. Although not conclusive, good
and persuasive evidence exists to strongly suggest that he was
the son of William Worcester, the vicar of Watford,
Buckinghamshire, England, and was born October 5, 1595. (See
Introduction) He matriculated at St. John's College (Cambridge
University) in 1620. He was ordained deacon at Peterborough
Cathedral on Dec. 21, 1622. He was made Vicar of Olney July 26,
1624 - which office he retained till 1636, when on account of
refusing to comply with the command of his superiors to read to
his congregation from the King's book those portions which
allowed sports and recreations after service on the Lord's day,
he was suspended from his office of Vicar. He came to America a
year or two later. He and others petitioned the General Court
of MA to establish a new settlement. The settlement
was called Colchester and later renamed Salisbury. Here he
continued in the ministry till his decease, Oct. 28, 1662. His
grave in the old cemetery in Salisbury, is covered by a flat
stone upon which a bronze tablet was placed June 21st, 1913,
with the following inscription, -
Here lies buried the body of Rev. William Worcester, the
first minister of Salisbury, who came from England about 1639
and died 1662. This stone was laid on his grave to prevent
disinterment by wolves. This tablet is affixed by his
descendants, 1913.
No production of his pen has been transmitted to posterity to
indicate his intellectual character or attainments. Cotton
Mather, in the Magnalia, enrolls his name in the list of the
"reverend, learned and holy divines, arriving such from Europe
to America, by whose evangelical ministry the churches in
America have been illuminated." Johnson, in his "Wonder Working
Providence," mistaking the name, speaks of the first minister
of Salisbury, as, the "reverend and graciously godly M. Thomas
Woster." And the General Court says in an Order in reference to
the payment of his support, that "they of New Town (now
Amesbury) should
forebear to content themselves with private help, whilst the
Lord pleases to continue so bright a star in their
candlestick."
We may easily believe him to have been a man of exalted piety,
of strong intellectual fibre, of staunch devotion to the
dictates of conscience, of loyalty to his friends, and
interested in the affairs of state as well as of the church.
These traits are not lacking in his descendants. It is worthy
of note that as the generations of the family succeed each
other, the clerical mantle of their worthy progenitor seems to
descend as a direct heritage.
FindaGrave:
GRID=13655851William married SWAYNE, Rebecca on 23 Jul 1650. Rebecca was born in 1616/7 in Salisbury, England; died on 21 Jul 1695 in Ipswich, MA; was buried in Ipswich, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
William married PICKERING, Sarah about 1630 in England. Sarah was born on 23 Apr 1600 in England; died on 23 Apr 1650 in Salisbury, MA; was buried in Salisbury, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
Children:
- 2. WORCESTER, Moses was born on 10 Nov 1643 in Salisbury, MA; died after 1731 in Kittery, ME.
Generation: 2
2. WORCESTER, Moses (1.William1) was born on 10 Nov 1643 in Salisbury, MA; died after 1731 in Kittery, ME. Other Events and Attributes:
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- Religion: 1716, Kittery, ME; United with church
Notes:
He was "a famous hunter of Indians," and was familiarly known by the appellation of "Old Contrary"
Moses married START, Elizabeth before 4 Jul 1676 in Wells, ME. Elizabeth (daughter of START, Edward and LAMSYTT, Wilmot) was born on 10 Nov 1647 in York County, ME; died before Apr 1695. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
Children:
- 3. WORCESTER, Thomas was born about 1680 in Kittery, ME; died on 13 Oct 1779 in Berwick, ME.
- 4. WORCESTER, Elizabeth was born in 1681 in Kittery, ME; died in 1715.
Moses married REMICK, Sarah on 4 Apr 1695. Sarah (daughter of REMICK, Christian and FOSTER, Hannah) was born on 4 Apr 1695 in Kittery, ME; died after 1714 in Kittery, ME. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
Generation: 3
3. WORCESTER, Thomas (2.Moses2, 1.William1) was born about 1680 in Kittery, ME; died on 13 Oct 1779 in Berwick, ME. Other Events and Attributes:
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Notes:
He was a yoeman.
Family/Spouse: HAM, Sarah. Sarah was born in 1682 in Kittery, ME; died in 1726 in MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
Children:
- 5. WORCESTER, Thomas was born on 26 Jan 1716/7 in Berwick, ME; died about 1747 in Berwick, ME.
- 6. WORCESTER, John was born on 2 Nov 1718 in Kittery, ME; died in 1747 in Berwick, ME.
- 7. WORCESTER, Samuel was born on 2 Nov 1718 in Kittery, ME; died in 1787 in Berwick, ME.
4. WORCESTER, Elizabeth (2.Moses2, 1.William1) was born in 1681 in Kittery, ME; died in 1715. Other Events and Attributes:
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Generation: 4
5. WORCESTER, Thomas (3.Thomas3, 2.Moses2, 1.William1) was born on 26 Jan 1716/7 in Berwick, ME; died about 1747 in Berwick, ME. Other Events and Attributes:
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Thomas married SPINNEY, Ann on 20 Jan 1738 in Kittery, ME. Ann (daughter of SPINNEY, John and SHEPARD, Patience) was born on 12 Apr 1719 in Kittery, ME; died about 1813. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
Children:
- 8. WORCESTER, Richard was born on 8 Jul 1741 in Berwick, ME; died on 21 Aug 1807 in Columbia, ME.
- 9. WORCESTER, Deacon Moses Sr. was born on 6 Sep 1742 in Berwick, ME; was christened on 9 Sep 1744 in Berwick, ME; died on 21 Aug 1807 in Columbia, ME.
6. WORCESTER, John (3.Thomas3, 2.Moses2, 1.William1) was born on 2 Nov 1718 in Kittery, ME; died in 1747 in Berwick, ME. Other Events and Attributes:
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7. WORCESTER, Samuel (3.Thomas3, 2.Moses2, 1.William1) was born on 2 Nov 1718 in Kittery, ME; died in 1787 in Berwick, ME. Other Events and Attributes:
- _COLOR: 2
Samuel married HALL, Judith in 1740 in Kittery, ME. Judith was born in 1718 in Kittery, ME; died before 1818 in ME. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]