Pioneer History by Richard C. Schmal

A few months ago we wrote about a small, early community south of the present Town of Lowell.

This settlement was on the east bank of Cedar Creek, and had its beginning about 1837 with a general store and meat market, a mill and a school. There was also a small band of Indians camping nearby.

Pioneer John L. Worley settled near that small community in 1839, when he purchased a claim with capital of $100 and a rifle. Only a few of the pioneer families have been traced as far back as the Worley Family, who came from England.

The first of the Worley family to arrive in America was Francis Worley, who with his brother Henry Worley, came to this country with their stepfather Caleb Pusey, and their mother, Ann Stone Worley Pusey.

They came with a group of people sent to America by William Penn, and sailed on the ship 'Welcome,' whose Master was Robert Greenway. It was among a group of 23 ships sent by Penn to set up a colony in Pennsylvania.

After arriving in Pennsylvania, Caleb and Ann, widow of Henry Worley of England, purchased a grist mill, and in 1683 built a brick house which has been restored and made into a museum. Their fine home, where William Penn occasionally stayed, is located in Chester County Pa., and in the process of restoration, a 1699 penny was found in the well.

Francis Worley, who was about 12 years of age when they came to America, later became an Esquire and worked under Gov. Keith as a surveyor. He married Mary Brassey, daughter of Thomas Brassey and Ann Scott Brassey. Thomas Brassey was one of the planners of the new colony, and also helped to plan the city of Philadelphia.

Caleb Worley , grandson of Mary Brassey and Francis Worley, was married to Rebecca Allen in 1758. Among their thirteen children was son Nathan, who was the grandfather of Lake County Pioneer John L. Worley.

Nathan was born in Bottetort County, Va., January 1773, and was married in 1791 to Rachel Greer, oldest daughter of Stephen and Ruth Anderson Greer.

They lived in Kentucky until 1804, when they moved to Ohio. Nathan was a preacher for over forty years.

Among their ten children was John, the second son, born in 1794, who died 1819. John came to Ohio with his parents when Cincinnati contained only three houses and a fort. He married Elizabeth Wood in 1818 and they were the parents of two children, one of them the early pioneer John L. Worley, but nothing is known of the other child.

John L. Worley was born in Union city, Ind., in April 1820, and died in November 1902. He came to Lake County in 1839, where his mother had preceded him. There is a note in the family book stating that she probably became Mrs. Wells. (Her first husband died in 1819).

In November 1840, he married Sarah Beadle, and then built a cabin and improved his land, which was between Joe Martin Rd. and Cedar Creek on 205th Ave. Sorrow came early in their marriage when Sarah died in 1841, leaving a baby only a few hours old. This child was Sarah, who married Henry Latham and died in 1918.

John L. Worley then married Naomi Hathaway in 1843. She was the daughter of John and Jayne Hathaway of New York. Their six children were Nathan, Willis, Oliver, Maria, Benjamin, and Henry.

Nathan and Willis were both veterans of the Civil War. John L. tried to enlist in the War, but was rejected due to a physical disability and instead devoted himself to the relief of those who were dependent on the soldiers. He gave words of comfort and endeared himself to the surviving soldiers by his earnest and steadfast friendship.

He assisted in organizing and was elected Captain of the first detective association in the County, formed to detect crime. This organization broke up and dispersed the lawless bands of plunderers and horse thieves who infested the region bordering on the Kankakee Marsh in the early days of Lake County.

Much of the information for this story was taken from the "Worley Family Record, 1603-1975" written by Elaine Worley Sury in 1975, and loaned to us by Elmer Worley of Lowell, great grandson of Lake County Pioneer John L. Worley.

The following is from 'The Lowell Tribune' of 1902: "Obiturary of John L. Worley: To Mr. Worley is due, perhaps more than to any other, the credit for the organization and growth of the Christian Church at Lowell. He not only served as an officer, but his wise council and executive ability and his love for the church steered it safely through the hours of darkness and firmly established it on the citadel of peace and prosperity. In his death the church lost the last one of its charter members."

Nathan Worley, the first son of John L. and Naomi Hathaway Worley, was born in 1845 and died 1925. He married Melissa Stone in 1867, and their children were John Henry (1868-1930); Addie Naomi (1870-1951); Ida May (1872-1961); Benjamin Frank (1875-1969); Frederick Arthur (1878-1892); Sarah Maria (1882-1884); Lewis Milford (1887-1950); Edson Stone (1890-1966); and Edmond L. (1890-1965). Nathan farmed near the old homestead south of Lowell, raised sugar cane, and made molasses each fall. He served his community as a preacher.

Willis Wells Worley, second son of John L., was born in 1846 and died in 1925. He married Eliza Taylor and they had two children.

The third son of John L. was Oliver Hazzard Perry Hathaway Worley, born in 1848, time of death unknown. His wife's name was Rosie, and there were two children.

Maria Jane, the fourth child of John L., was born in 1851 and died in 1926. She married Yates Vosburg and they had one son.

The fourth son of John L. Worley was Benjamin Franklin Worley (1855-1933), who was married first to Anna Sargent, who died in 1877, and was married second to Lila O'Brien.

The fifth son of John L., was Henry Worley (1863-1922), who married Anna Uhter. They had five children.

John Henry Worley (1868-1930), son of Nathan Worley, married Christina Uhter (1870-1960). Their 12 children were John, Henry, Sadie, Ada, James, Harry, Edna, Rose, Mary, Dell, Violet and Myrtle.

Nathan's daughter Addie Naomi married Frank Frashour (1865-1954), and their children were Maude, Jessie, Ray, Milford, Ruby, Ida, Ina. Margaret and Lila.

Another daughter of Nathan, Ida May (1872-1961), married August Westberg (1864-1940). Their children were Ada, Lester, Pearl, Charles, Alma, Hilma, Harry and Teddy.

Frank (1875-1969), son of Nathan, married Mamie Tanner (1881-1967) in 1898. He farmed while raising his family and later opened up a little grocery store in their home on Main St. in Lowell. Many readers well remember going to the little candy store on their way home from school.

Their children were Lila, wife of George Ebert; Esther, wife of John C. Brown; Elmer, who married Florence Blanche Ruble; Gladys, who married Theodore Gerner; Franklin Guy, husband of Elizabeth Poland; and Joseph L., who first marred Rose Gardner and whose second wife is Nancy Gagnon. Jo Anne Worley, star of stage, movies and television, is the daughter of Joseph L., known to most of his friends as "B".

Nathan's son, Frederick Arthur was born in 1878 and died in 1892; while Nathan's daughter Sarah Maria Worley, died at the age of two in 1884. Nathan's son Lewis Miford Worley, 1887-1950, married Nancy Angeline Sargent (1884-1958) farmed for a time near the old homestead south of Lowell, and later moved to Hammond. Their children were Frederick, Ruth, Irma and Benson.

Edson, another son of Nathan Worley, born in 1890 and who died in 1966, was the twin brother of Rev. Edmond Worley, and was an ordained minister of the Christian Church. He served his church first in Wisconsin and then in several places in Indiana and Illinois. He and his wife, Ethel Trump, celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1961 at the Church of Christ of Sheldon, Ill. Their children are Cordie, Juanita, Verna and Janet.

His twin brother, Edmond L. Worley (1890-1965), like his brother, was also an ordained minister of the Christian Church. He was elected outstanding 'Citizen of the Year' in 1964 by the Lowell Jaycees. He was married to Lutie Chitwood (1892-1975) in 1915. They had one daughter, Dorothy, who married Paul J. Davis.

Rev. Edson and Rev. Edmond followed in the footsteps of many of their ancestors when they became ministers. Their grandfather preached in the pioneer Christian Church in the Lowell area, and their father preached at the Shelby Church, where Edmond presided for many years.

Much of the information for this story was taken from the "Worley Family Record, 1603-1975" written by Elaine Worley Sury in 1975, and loaned to us by Elmer Worley of Lowell, great grandson of Lake County Pioneer John L. Worley.

[NOTE: The Worley Family Record book at the Lowel Public Library lists the marriage date for Benjamin Franklin Worley and Mamie Tanner as Aug. 20, 1898, but Mamie Worley's obituary in the Lowell Tribune lists it as Aug. 20, 1899.]