Benjamin Frank Worley (1875-1969)

(NOTE: He went by his middle name.)

with prize bull

The following August 31, 1950, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 1, column 5:

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Worley Mark 52nd Wedding Anniversary

Mrs. Frank Worley

The Worleys have resided on Main street for the past 23 years and have for the past 13 years convenienced their neighborhood with the services of "The Midget Store."

They are the parents of six children, Mrs. Ernest (Irene) Ebert, Mrs. J.C. (Esther) Brown, Elmer, Mrs. Ted (Gladys) Gerner, Guy and Joseph L. (Bee), all of whom live in this community except Guy, who resides in Chicago.

They are loved by 17 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.

The following Aug. 13, 1953, Lowell Tribune artilce appeared on page 4, column 5:

Worleys Plan Reunion, Open House to Honor Mr. and Mrs. Frank Worley

Naomi

A basket dinner will be served at noon and families are requested to bring trheir own table service.

Plan Open House

Open house will be held at the Grange hall from 3 to 5 p.m. in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Worley. The occasion marks their 55th wedding anniversary.

The affair is being planned by their children, Mrs. Irene Ebert, Mrs. Esther Brown, Mrs. Gladys Gerner, Elmer and J.L (Bee) of Lowell, and Guy of Chicago. All will be present with their families for the reunion and open house.

This Aug. 20, 1953, Loell Tribune artilce was found on page 4, cloumn 1:

Frank Worleys Honored At Family Reunion

A bountiful pot luck dinner was served at one o'clock after which a brief review of the early history of the Worley family was read by Rev. Edmond Worley.

The Worleys are of English descent -- the first of the name coming to America with William Penn on his second voyage in 1699. They were Caleb and Rebecca, and they settled in Pennsylvania. Their two sons were Henry and Francis. Worleys of this region are descendants of Francis. John L., whose family gathered Sunday, was the grandson of Nathan, who was born in Virginia Jan. 7, 1773; he married Rebecca * Greer in Kentucky, and moved to Ohio in 1804. Cincinnati at that time consisted of three houses and a fort. For 40 years Nathan was a Christian preacher. His son John was born there. He married Elizabeth Wood and they were the parents of two sons. He died four months before the birth of his son John L., and the boy was reared by his mother's relatives until he reached his 16th year. He came to Lake County, Ind., in 1839, where his mother had preceded him and purchased a claim of land. On November 20, 1840, he married Sarah Beedle, who died in 1841. Their daughter married Henry Latham of Iowa. John L. married Naomi Hathaway in 1843, and their six children were Nathan, Willis, Perry, Benjamin, Maria and Henry. Nathan and Willis served in the Civil War. In 1882 Goodspeed and Blanchard wrote a history of Porter and Lake Counties. They wrote of John L.: Mr. Worley is a worthy and substantial citizen; in politics a Republican, and a self-made man and a pioneer. Mr. and Mrs. Worley are members of the Christian Church.

The inborn interests in religion and politics have been stimulated through the years, and the descendants of John L. Worley continue to be actively interested in their community.

Rev. Worley presided at the business meeting when the following were elected to office: Elmer Worley, president; Gladys Gerner, secretary; Harry Worley of Chicago, treasurer; Ray Worley of St. Joe, Mich., historian.

The family planned to meet again the second Sunday in August in 1954 at the Grange hall.

Prizes were awarded Mrs. Ida Westberg, 81, oldest relative present; Barbara Joy Ebert, youngest present; and Mrs. Ruth Brockus and sons of Tucson, Ariz., who came from the farthest distance.

Hold Open House

The family of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Worley held open house from 3 until 5 p.m., honoring them on their 55th wedding anniversary. Many relatives and friends called to extend congratulations and remember them with pleasing gifts.

Cake, coffee, punch and mints were served from a table beautifully appointed with silver, crystal and gladioli and centered with a three- tiered wedding cake. Acting as hostess were the couple's granddaughters, Eleanor Borger, Dorothy Guritz, Norma Sark, Doris Wietbrock and Jean Fuchs.

The 125 guests who signed the register were from Tucson, Ariz.; St. Joseph and Detroit, Mich.; Chicago and Berwyn, Ill.; Rensselaer, Hammond, Schererville, Schneider, Kewanna, South Bend and Lowell.

Mr. and Mrs. Worley express thanks to all who remembered them in so many pleasing ways to make their 55th wedding anniversary a day ever to be a cherished memory.

* Note: The Worley Family Record lists Nathan Worley's wife as Rachel (not Rebecca) Greer.

The following article, from the March 20, 1969, Lowell Tribune, was found in the Lowell Public Library local history clipping files (LH--Vital Statistics, vol. 5, page 74):

Lowell Pioneer Dies

Mr. Worley was a retired farmer and businessman and once operated Worley's Candy Store in the front of his Main Street home.

He was the grandson of J.L. Worley, a pioneer in Lake County, whose family dates back to 1839. He was also a direct descendant of the William Penn family.

The original homesite where Mr. Worley lived as a young boy is now the farm home of Barbara (Bobo) Rockefeller, occupied by her sister, Mrs. Eva Neveckas.

He was a lifetime member of the Lowell Church of Christ, where he served as an elder for 40 years, and a lifetime resident of Lowell.

Funeral services were held Monday, March 17th at 2 p.m. at the Lowell Church of Christ on Castle Street in Lowell. Mr. Virgil Sweeny, minister, officiated at the services. Burial was in the Orchard Grove Cemetery in Lowell.

He is survived by two sons, Elmer and J.L. Worley, both of Lowell; three daughters, Mrs. Ernest Ebert and Mrs. Theodore Gerner of Lowell and Mrs. John Brown of Hebron; 20 grandchildren; 36 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

Among the surviving grandchildren is television comedian Joanne Worley of the Rowan and Martin Laugh-In series.

Last updated on May 7, 2009.

Go to Benjamin Frank Worley, "Pioneer History Index," for further information.

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Benjamin Frank Worley (1875-1969)