Information obtained from "History of Woodworth Family"

In the year 1630 a young man from Kent, England, named Walter Woodworth, came to America to one of the vessels of the Winthop Fleet; and in 1633, he is of record as resident of Sceituate, Massachusetts.∼
Walter was born ca. 1612 in England. There are those who believe that he married Elizabeth Rogers, but there is controversy about it. Therefore, I've listed her as Elizabeth Rogers POSSIBLY Woodworth. Walter died in 1686 in Scituate, Plymouth County, Massachusetts.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

MANY THANKS to Donna O'Neill for providing the following information.

FIRST RESIDENCE: Plymouth, Massachusetts
REMOVES: Scituate
FREEMAN: Propounded as a freeman on 1 December 1640 and admitted 2 March 1640/1
EDUCATION: Signed his will by mark. His inventory included his "purse & apparel & books" valued at Ð5 10s.
OFFICES: Scituate surveyor of highways, 4 June 1645, 2 June 1646, 3 June 1656. Arbiter, 4 June 1645, 3 June 1662/3, 9 June 1665. Coroner's jury, 1 July 1680.
Walter Woodworth was in the Scituate section of 1643 Plymouth list of men able to bear arms.
ESTATE: "Walter Woodart" assessed 9s. in Plymouth tax list of 27 March 1634.

Walter, yet a young man, made his way to the Plymouth Colony, and we soon find him settled at Scituate among the "Men from Kent". There appears no evidence that he was yet married. He was a planter and surveyor of highways and settled many of the local disputes and helped establish boundary lines.

He helped layout the town of Scituate, and records show that he paid taxes in 1633. Walter purchased the third lot on Kent Street, which runs along the ocean front at the corner of Meeting House Lane, and there he built a house, the first assignment being 12 April 1633 and the second being 20 Feb 1634.

He is on the 3 June 1662 list of servants and ancient freemen granted land and as a consequence on 4 October 1664 was granted sixty acres.

In that year he owned other land, a tract on the First Herring Brook not far below Stockbridge Mill, where afterwards stood the residence of the poet Samuel Woodworth, and another tract on Walnut Tree Hill, just west of the present Greenbush or South Scituate R. R. Station, which was in early times called Walter Woodworth's Hill. In 1666 he became a purchaser of sixty acres at Weymouth.

The following is from a typed copy of his will:

In the name of God, Amen. I, Walter Woodward, of Scituate, in the jurisdiction of New Plymouth in New England, in America, being weak in body, but of sound mind and perfect memory, praise to Almighty God for the same, do make this my last will and Testament in manner as followeth: First, and most principally, I commend my soul into the hands of Almighty God, my creator, in and through Jesus Christ, my only Saviour and Redeemer, and my body unto decent and ... burial at the discretion of my executors with the advice of the rest of my sons hereafter named. And my temporal estate I dispose of as hereafter followeth: Imprimis. I give and bequeath unto Thomas Woodward, my eldest son, a parcel of upland containing five acres, lying in Scituate aforesaid, bounded by the lands of Henry Ewell on the south and the Common on the north, to be enjoyned to him and his heirs forever. Item: I give unto my two sons, Thomas and Joseph, ten acres of Marsh land, to be equally divided between them, which lyeth by Suzons - bounded by the Marsh of Anthony Collimer on the east, by the Marsh of Thomas Clap, deceased, on the north, in Scituate aforesaid to be enjoyned to them and their heirs forever. Item: I give to Thomas Woodward, my son, one-third part of all my land at Seconet which I purchased. The other two-thirds I give unto my two sons, Benjamin and Isaac Woodward, to be equally divided between them, to be enjoyned to them and their heirs forever, excepting twenty-five acres, of which I do give unto my son Joseph, to be enjoyned to him and his heirs forever. Ten acres of which I do give unto my daughter, Martha, to her, her heirs forever, of which two quantities of land is to be deducted out of the two-thirds of my land lying at Seconet given to my two sons, Benjamin and Isaac aforesaid. All the rest of my land at Seconet, which is yet to be purchased, I give unto my two sons, Thomas and Joseph Woodward, to be divided equally between them, to be enjoyned to them and their heirs forever. Item: I give to Benjamin, my son aforesaid, my dwelling-house with my barns and other outhousing, with all my land, both upland and marshland thereunto belonging, that is to say, twenty acres of upland, be it more or less bounded by land of John Turner to the west and by land of Joseph Otis to the east and six acres of marshland more or less bounded by the land of Joseph Otis to the north east, and by the first herring brook towards the south -- all of which said housings and land with all the appurtenances thereof, the commons and privileges thereunto belonging I give to the said Benjamin, my son, his heirs forever, always provided upon condition that my son, Benjamin, aforesaid, do pay and allow the sum of seventy pounds unto my son, Joseph, and my six daughters, Sarah, Elizabeth, Mary, Martha, Mehitabel and Abigail, ten pounds apiece, to be paid to them at three payments, viz, one-third part of the said seventy pounds to be paid to my said children within three years after my decease and the other two-thirds to be paid in the two following years, that is to say -- in each year a third of the said sum of seventy pounds, and each payment to be paid, the one-half in silver and the other half to be paid in corn and cattell. Further, my will is that my son Benjamin, aforesaid, do allow my two daughters, Mehitabel and Abigail, the lower room or parlor at the northeasterly end of my dwelling house aforesaid, for their use during the time they do live unmarried. Item: I give and bequeath unto my said two daughters, Mehitabel and Abigail, my feather bed with the furniture thereunto belonging and all the rest of my houshold goods I give unto my six daughters, Sarah, Elizabeth, Mary, Martha, Mehitabel and Abigail, to be divided equally among them. The rest of my estate undisposed of by this my last will and testament, I give and bequeath to all my children, all my debts, funeral expenses being first paid, to be equally divided amongst them , Item: I do constitute and appoint my son, Benjamin, aforesaid, the sole executor of this my last will and testament, whom I do appoint my to sons, Thomas and Joseph Woodard, overseers of this my last will and testament. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal the twenty six day of November, 1685. The Mark of WALTER WOODWARD X Signed, sealed and acknowledged in presence of: THEO. KING, Senior, THOMAS PALMER, CHARLES STOCKBRIDGE

The children of Walter Woodward in America all began to use the family name of Woodworth.

Walter signed his will Woodward but the oath of his son and executor Benjamin was signed Woodworth on March 2, 1686.

WALTER WOODWORTH
ORIGIN: UNKNOWN
MIGRATION: 1633
FIRST RESIDENCE: Plymouth
REMOVES: Scituate
FREEMAN: Propounded as a freeman on 1 December 1640 and admitted 2 March 1640/1 [ PCR 2:3, 8]. "Walter Woodward" in Scituate section of 1639 (added after his admission on 2 March 1640/1), 1658, 29 May 1670 and early 1683 lists of Plymouth Colony freemen [ PCR5:275, 8:175, 198, 204].
EDUCATION: Signed his will by mark. His inventory included his "purse & apparel & books" valued at £5 10s.
OFFICES: Scituate surveyor of highways, 4 June 1645, 2 June 1646, 3 June 1656 [ PCR2:84, 102, 3:100]. Arbiter, 4 June 1645, 3 June 1662/3, 9 June 1665 [ PCR 2:85, 4:31, 100]. Coroner's jury, 1 July 1680 [ PCR 6:45].
Walter Woodworth was in the Scituate section of 1643 Plymouth list of men able to bear arms [ PCR 8:191].
ESTATE: " Walter Woodart" assessed 9s. in Plymouth tax list of 27 March 1634 [ PCR 1:29].
He is on the 3 June 1662 list of servants and ancient freemen granted land [ PCR 4:18] and as a consequence on 4 October 1664 was granted sixty acres [ PCR 4:75].
In his will, dated 26 November 1685 and proved 2 March 1685/6, "Walter Woodward of Sittuate" bequeathed to "Thomas Woodward my eldest son a parcel of upland containing five acres" in Scituate; to "my two sons Thomas & Joseph Woodward ten acres of marshland" in Scituate to be equally divided; to "the said Thomas my son one-third part of all my lands at Seconet which is purchased, & the other two-thirds I give unto my son two sons Beniamin & Isaak Woodward" to be equally divided, "excepting twenty & five acres which I do give unto my son Joseph ... & ten acres the which I do give unto my daughter Martha"; "all the rest of my land at Seconett which is yet to be purchased I give unto my two sons Thomas & Joseph Woodward" to be equally divided; to "Beniamin my son aforesaid my dwelling house with my barn & other outhousing with all my land both upland and marshland thereunto belonging, that is to say twenty acres of upland ... & six acres of marsh~land ... upon condition that my son Beniamin aforesaid do pay & allow the sum of seventy pounds unto my son Joseph & my six daughters Sarah, Elyzabeth, Mary, Martha, Mehetabel & Abigaile," £10 apiece, and permit "my two daughters Mehetable & Abigaile" to live in the house as long as they are unmarried; to "my said two daughters Mehetable & Abigaile my feather bed with the furniture thereunto belonging & all the rest of my household goods I give unto my six daughters Sarah, Elyzabeth, Mary, Martha, Mehetabel & Abigaile" to be divided equally; residue of estate to "all my children"; "my son Beniamin" to be sole executor and "my two sons Thomas & Joseph" to be overseers [ PCLR 5:382-83].
The inventory of the estate of Walter Woodworth was taken 25 February 1685/6 and totalled £355 10s., of which £310 was real estate: "one dwelling house & barn & upland & meadow land adjoining thereto with common privileges," £140; "ten acres of salt meadow land," £50; "five acres of upland," £20; and "one whole share of land at Saconet," £100 [ PCLR 5:383-84].
BIRTH: By about 1612 based on taxation in 1633.
DEATH: Scituate between 26 November 1685 (date of will) and 25 February 1685/6 (date of inventory).
MARRIAGE: By about 1641 _____ _____; she died after about 1664.
CHILDREN:
i THOMAS, b. say 1641; m. Scituate 8 February 1666[/7] Deborah Daman, daughter of John Daman.
ii SARAH, b. say 1643; apparently married by 26 November 1685 (father's will).
iii JOSEPH, b. say 1645; m. Scituate 6 January 1669[/70] Sarah Stockbridge [ NEHGR 133:100-01].
iv ELIZABETH, b. say 1648; in court 27 October 1675, 7 March 1675/6 and 22 July 1676 [ PCR 5:181-82, 188, 208] about a child with Robert Stedson (Joseph Woodman calls her sister [ PCR 5:208]); apparently married by 26 November 1685 (father's will).
v MARY, b. Scituate 10 March 1650/1; m. Scituate 24 December 1677 Aaron Simmons (or Simonson), son of MOSES SIMONSON.
vi BENJAMIN, b. say 1656; m. (1) by about 1680 Deborah _____ ("Deborah the wife [and] Elizabeth [and] Deborah the children of Beniamin Woddward" were bp. at Scituate on 16 July 1682 [ NEHGR 57:319]); m. (2) by 1691 Hannah _____ (on 24 June 1691 "Benjamin Woodworth and Hannah Woodworth his wife" acknowledged a deed in which Benjamin sold the land he had inherited from his father [ PLR 3:11]).
vii ISAAC, b. say 1658; m. by an unknown date Lydia Standlake, daughter of Richard Standlake [ PLR 8:172-74, 207-08; NEHGR 87:84].
viii MARTHA, b. say 1660; m. Scituate June 1679 Zachary Daman, son of John Daman.
ix MEHETABEL, b. Scituate 15 August 1662; "Mehittable Woodworth," daughter of "Walter Woodworth" of Scituate, was a victim of witchcraft, "almost bereaved of her senses," 6 March 1676/7 [ PCR 5:223]; unmarried on 26 November 1685 (father's will).
x ABIGAIL, b. say 1664; unmarried on 26 November 1685 (father's will).
COMMENTS: Savage, following Deane, says that the immigrant had a son Walter Woodworth who had children "Mary, b. 1658; Mehitable, 1662; and Ebenezer, 1664" [ Savage 4:648]. There is only evidence of one Walter Woodworth in early New England, as no record refers to Walter Sr. or Jr. The immigrant had daughters named Mary and Mehitable; no record for an Ebenezer is seen.
Paul W. Prindle and Robert S. Wakefield have commented briefly on some errors in secondary sources regarding marriages in this family [ TAG 32:203, 61:140].
In arranging the children of Walter Woodworth, the assumption has been made that in his will he named his sons in birth order and his daughters in birth order. This permits a birth sequence for the children which is consistent with other known dates.
On 7 July 1681 "Walter Woodworth of Scittuate" sued Japhett Turner for tearing down some of his fencing, and was awarded "five shillings damage and the cost of the suit"; the "Bill of Cost," apparently prepared by Woodworth himself, totalled £3 16s. [ PCR 7:238-39]
Contributor: K (Cappon)(Gallagher) T. (48022316) • [email protected]
Walter Woodworth's wife Unknown-

WALTER WOODWORTH Great Migration Begins Pages 2064-2067

WALTER WOODWORTH
ORIGIN: UNKNOWN
MIGRATION: 1633
FIRST RESIDENCE: Plymouth
REMOVES: Scituate
FREEMAN: Propounded as a freeman on 1 December 1640 and admitted 2 March 1640/1 [ PCR 2:3, 8]. "Walter Woodward" in Scituate section of 1639 (added after his admission on 2 March 1640/1), 1658, 29 May 1670 and early 1683 lists of Plymouth Colony freemen [ PCR5:275, 8:175, 198, 204].
EDUCATION: Signed his will by mark. His inventory included his "purse & apparel & books" valued at £5 10s.
OFFICES: Scituate surveyor of highways, 4 June 1645, 2 June 1646, 3 June 1656 [ PCR2:84, 102, 3:100]. Arbiter, 4 June 1645, 3 June 1662/3, 9 June 1665 [ PCR 2:85, 4:31, 100]. Coroner's jury, 1 July 1680 [ PCR 6:45].
Walter Woodworth was in the Scituate section of 1643 Plymouth list of men able to bear arms [ PCR 8:191].
ESTATE: " Walter Woodart" assessed 9s. in Plymouth tax list of 27 March 1634 [ PCR 1:29].
He is on the 3 June 1662 list of servants and ancient freemen granted land [ PCR 4:18] and as a consequence on 4 October 1664 was granted sixty acres [ PCR 4:75].
In his will, dated 26 November 1685 and proved 2 March 1685/6, "Walter Woodward of Sittuate" bequeathed to "Thomas Woodward my eldest son a parcel of upland containing five acres" in Scituate; to "my two sons Thomas & Joseph Woodward ten acres of marshland" in Scituate to be equally divided; to "the said Thomas my son one-third part of all my lands at Seconet which is purchased, & the other two-thirds I give unto my son two sons Beniamin & Isaak Woodward" to be equally divided, "excepting twenty & five acres which I do give unto my son Joseph ... & ten acres the which I do give unto my daughter Martha"; "all the rest of my land at Seconett which is yet to be purchased I give unto my two sons Thomas & Joseph Woodward" to be equally divided; to "Beniamin my son aforesaid my dwelling house with my barn & other outhousing with all my land both upland and marshland thereunto belonging, that is to say twenty acres of upland ... & six acres of marsh~land ... upon condition that my son Beniamin aforesaid do pay & allow the sum of seventy pounds unto my son Joseph & my six daughters Sarah, Elyzabeth, Mary, Martha, Mehetabel & Abigaile," £10 apiece, and permit "my two daughters Mehetable & Abigaile" to live in the house as long as they are unmarried; to "my said two daughters Mehetable & Abigaile my feather bed with the furniture thereunto belonging & all the rest of my household goods I give unto my six daughters Sarah, Elyzabeth, Mary, Martha, Mehetabel & Abigaile" to be divided equally; residue of estate to "all my children"; "my son Beniamin" to be sole executor and "my two sons Thomas & Joseph" to be overseers [ PCLR 5:382-83].
The inventory of the estate of Walter Woodworth was taken 25 February 1685/6 and totalled £355 10s., of which £310 was real estate: "one dwelling house & barn & upland & meadow land adjoining thereto with common privileges," £140; "ten acres of salt meadow land," £50; "five acres of upland," £20; and "one whole share of land at Saconet," £100 [ PCLR 5:383-84].
BIRTH: By about 1612 based on taxation in 1633.
DEATH: Scituate between 26 November 1685 (date of will) and 25 February 1685/6 (date of inventory).

MARRIAGE: By about 1641 _____ _____; she died after about 1664.

CHILDREN:
i THOMAS, b. say 1641; m. Scituate 8 February 1666[/7] Deborah Daman, daughter of John Daman.
ii SARAH, b. say 1643; apparently married by 26 November 1685 (father's will).
iii JOSEPH, b. say 1645; m. Scituate 6 January 1669[/70] Sarah Stockbridge [ NEHGR 133:100-01].
iv ELIZABETH, b. say 1648; in court 27 October 1675, 7 March 1675/6 and 22 July 1676 [ PCR 5:181-82, 188, 208] about a child with Robert Stedson (Joseph Woodman calls her sister [ PCR 5:208]); apparently married by 26 November 1685 (father's will).
v MARY, b. Scituate 10 March 1650/1; m. Scituate 24 December 1677 Aaron Simmons (or Simonson), son of MOSES SIMONSON.
vi BENJAMIN, b. say 1656; m. (1) by about 1680 Deborah _____ ("Deborah the wife [and] Elizabeth [and] Deborah the children of Beniamin Woddward" were bp. at Scituate on 16 July 1682 [ NEHGR 57:319]); m. (2) by 1691 Hannah _____ (on 24 June 1691 "Benjamin Woodworth and Hannah Woodworth his wife" acknowledged a deed in which Benjamin sold the land he had inherited from his father [ PLR 3:11]).
vii ISAAC, b. say 1658; m. by an unknown date Lydia Standlake, daughter of Richard Standlake [ PLR 8:172-74, 207-08; NEHGR 87:84].
viii MARTHA, b. say 1660; m. Scituate June 1679 Zachary Daman, son of John Daman.
ix MEHETABEL, b. Scituate 15 August 1662; "Mehittable Woodworth," daughter of "Walter Woodworth" of Scituate, was a victim of witchcraft, "almost bereaved of her senses," 6 March 1676/7 [ PCR 5:223]; unmarried on 26 November 1685 (father's will).
x ABIGAIL, b. say 1664; unmarried on 26 November 1685 (father's will).
COMMENTS: Savage, following Deane, says that the immigrant had a son Walter Woodworth who had children "Mary, b. 1658; Mehitable, 1662; and Ebenezer, 1664" [ Savage 4:648]. There is only evidence of one Walter Woodworth in early New England, as no record refers to Walter Sr. or Jr. The immigrant had daughters named Mary and Mehitable; no record for an Ebenezer is seen.
Paul W. Prindle and Robert S. Wakefield have commented briefly on some errors in secondary sources regarding marriages in this family [ TAG 32:203, 61:140].
In arranging the children of Walter Woodworth, the assumption has been made that in his will he named his sons in birth order and his daughters in birth order. This permits a birth sequence for the children which is consistent with other known dates.
On 7 July 1681 "Walter Woodworth of Scittuate" sued Japhett Turner for tearing down some of his fencing, and was awarded "five shillings damage and the cost of the suit"; the "Bill of Cost," apparently prepared by Woodworth himself, totalled £3 16s. [ PCR 7:238-39]
Contributor: Kathy CGT. (48022316) • [email protected]