WOODWORTH ANCESTORS

Walter [Woodward] Woodworth was born about 1610.  The surnames, Woodworth and Woodward, were used interchangeably. This surname was derived from "wood" and "ward" meaning "a custodian of the forest". Henry Woodward, a settler at Dorchester in 1639, may well have been a brother of Walter's. Walter Woodworth was a puritan and spelled his name 'Woodward'.

Walter Woodworth left Kentshire, England on 20 March 1630 aboard the "Mary and John". Walter Woodward was a bachelor and settled first at the Plymouth Colony, at Scituate, Mass. (1/2 way between Boston and Plymouth). Records show he paid taxes at Scituate in 1633. Walter Woodworth was assigned the third lot on Kent Street, at the corner of Meetinghouse Lane on the Ocean front at Scituate. This may have been the time that Walter Woodworth married Dorothy.. The records show that he also owned two other lots in 1635, located below Stockbridge Hill.

Walter Woodworth and his wife were living in Scituate, Mass when their fourth child, Benjamin was born about 1640 at Scituate, Mass; he was also known as "Walter". The Woodworth family remained in Scituate, Mass. Walter and Dorothy Woodworth had at least eleven children all born in Scituate between the years 1636 and 1662. All the Woodworth children all grew up at Scituate.

On 2 March 1641, Walter Woodworth was admitted as a freeman of Scituate. On 4 June 1645, he was appointed as the surveyor of highways (he was appointed again in 1646 and in 1656), and was frequently a juror. In 1654 Walter Woodworth was a member of the First Church of Scituate. In 1666 (maybe in October 1664), Walter Woodworth purchased 60 acres at Weymouth, and became a rather extensive land owner. Walter Woodworth died on 2 March 1686.

Benjamin Woodworth, born about 1640, was the one who changed his surname to "Woodworth". At the age of nineteen he married  a girl named Deborah at Little Compton, R.I.  Benjamin inherited lands at Little Compton from his father. Benjamin Woodworth was a soldier in the King Philip's War. The King Philip's War occurred between 1675-76. However it is uncertain when Benjamin served as a soldier.

Benjamin and Deborah Woodworth did not have any children for the first ten years of their married life. Benjamin and Deborah Woodworth had seven children between the years of 1670 and 1680. Joseph was the first born; next came Hezekiah. Then a little girl, Catherine was born in 1673. Benjamin Woodworth Jr. was born at Little Compton, Rhode Island in 1674. Benjamin Jr. was the middle child. Deborah had another boy, Isaac two years later. Another girl, Elizabeth, was born in 1678. The youngest child, Thomas was born in 1680. This was the same year that Benjamin Woodworth died at the age of forty.

Deborah Woodworth was left as a widow with seven children all under ten. All seven children grew up and married at Little Compton RI. Benjamin Woodworth Jr. was only six when his father died.  All seven children grew up and married at Little Compton RI.

Benjamin Woodworth Jr. married a girl named Hannah. Benjamin and Hannah had five boys born at Little Compton RI. Of course their first born was named "Benjamin". Next was Ebenezer Woodworth, who was born at Little Compton, R.I., on 12 March 1691. Ebenezer's childhood days were spent at Little Compton with his brothers: "Benny", Ichabod, Amos and Ezekiel.

In 1703, Benjamin Woodworth purchased a large tract of land at Lebanon, CT (later to become the town of Columbia), where many friends and relatives had settled. Benjamin and Hannah Woodworth moved the family to the land he had purchased at Lebanon. Benjamin Woodworth was admitted as an inhabitant of Lebanon on 22 December 1704. Ebenezer was about twelve years old when they moved to the country. The farm was situated at the northeast part of the town.

Since the Woodworth farm was so far from town, Benjamin Woodworth and other neighbors petitioned for a new church. In 1716, Lebanon North Parish was formed. Benjamin died on 22 April 1728 and had twelve children; five children born in Little Compton and born in Lebanon CT.

Benjamin and Hannah Woodworth lived in Lebanon, CT (later to become the town of Columbia), where many friends and relatives had settled. Their farm was situated at the northeast part of the town and as a result, in 1714, he and others petitioned for a new church. In 1716, Lebanon North Parish was formed. The Woodworths had seven more children born at the farm.  Ebenezer grew up on the farm with his eleven brothers and sisters.

Ebenezer Woodworth married at Lebanon, CT, on 27 December 1717 to Rebecca Smalley. Rebecca was twenty and Ebenezer was twenty-six. They had eight children born between 1718 and 1737 at Lebanon. The first five children were all boys (1718-1727). Their first child, Ebenezer Woodworth Jr, was born at Lebanon, CT, on 26 September 1718.

Ebenezer's father, Benjamin Woodworth, died on 22 April 1728 at Lebanon. Being the first son it is assumed that Ebenezer inherited his father's farm. Ebenezer Jr. had five younger brothers and two younger sisters. His youngest brother was seventeen years younger, and his youngest sister was nineteen years younger than he was. His brother, Zerulah was only two years younger. His other sister was eleven years younger.

..........anyway Ebenezer Woodworth Jr was the oldest of eight children born to Ebenezer and Rebecca (Smalley) Woodworth. He grew up at Lebanon with his younger five brothers and two sisters.

Ebenezer Woodworth Jr. married on 2 September 1742 to Hopestill Tryon, who was the daughter of David Tryon of Weathersfield, CT. The Tryon family were early settlers in Wetherfield before 1673. Hopestill's maternal grandparents were the Wadhams who settled in Wetherfield in 1650. Hopestill's other maternal ancestor was Richard Bidwell who sailed to America aboard the "Mary and John" with some many other ancestors.

Ebenezer and Hopestill Woodworth made their home in Lebanon CT. Their first five children were born at Lebanon. Phoebe was born on 31 July 1743. She was named after Ebenezer's youngest sister. Their second child, John, was born on 31 January 1746. Sylvanus was born on 2 January 1748. Elijah was born on 14 October 1749. Lydia Woodworth was born at Lebanon, CT, in 1751.

About 1760, Ebenezer Woodworth Jr. moved his family to Dorchester,  where four more children were born. Lydia Woodworth was nine years old when they moved. Lydia was the middle child and she grew up with her eight brothers and sisters at Dorchester.

Lydia Woodworth married on 1 March (June) 1773 to Increase Porter Jr.

Lydia Woodworth's brother, Sylvanus Woodworth, was at Bunker Hill. The first major Revolutionary War battle took place on Bunker's Hill in Charlestown, a section of Boston, Massachusetts on June 17, 1775.