The bio above was written for Famous Graves on Find A Grave.  It was written in an impersonal format in support of the described style and standards of Find A Grave for Famous Grave sites.  However, William was anything but impersonal.

William Henry Worrilow was the eldest son of Charles Frank and Elizabeth Andrews Worrilow.  He was born March 8, 1877 in Chester, Pa and died June 22, 1962 in Lebanon, Pa.   One of nine children, he left school before completing the ninth grade to assist his father in the support of the large family; the elder Worrilow work as a letter carrier.

Meager Beginnings

His first job was with a Chester coal dealer at $2 a week.  For this he was required to clean the office, weigh coal and mix horse liniment.  However, when no pay was forthcoming after three months on the job, he decided to seek work elsewhere.

He next became a clerk for the Johnston Railroad Frog and Switch Company at $3 a week.  Of this sum, he gave one dollar to his parents, saved a dollar, and with the remaining dollar he hired two favorite school teachers, one in Mathematics and one in English, to tutor him in the evening.

His first business venture was a fruit and candy store in Chester.  It was a business effort that was short-lived, when half the cadet corps of Chester Military Academy became ill from an early batch of his fudge.  He later studied law for a year and then sold rubber goods, only to return eventually to an early interest created by an iron foundry near his home.

In 1892 he took a position as a junior clerk with the Standard Steel Casting Company in Chester and remained with its successor, the American Steel Casting Company, until 1904, when he had worked his way up to assistant district manager for Pittsburgh and later returned to Chester as sales manager for the same company.

In 1907, he became sales manager of the Lebanon Steel Casting Company and shared a common disappointment with the superintendent of the same company, Thomas S. Quinn, when they were both refused a request for a raise of $25 a month.  Quinn and Worrilow decided to leave that company and founded Lebanon Steel Foundry on December 11, 1911.  From a modest beginning the business progressed through the years to a position of prominence and leadership in the steel castings industry.

The plant’s top ranking leadership in the industry was achieved through the outstanding technical competence of Thomas Quinn and the salesmanship of William Worrilow.  The organization they built up continued the firm’s industrial leadership despite Quinn’s death.

The two partners, during Quinn’s lifetime, made many trips to steel castings plants in the foreign countries.  They brought to the local plant the latest ideas and technical knowledge gained on these trips, as well as top personnel to help integrate the newly acquired knowledge in the local plant’s operation.

William’s association with the Steel Foundry was only one of many facets of his active and busy life.  He was always in the forefront of efforts to improve the Lebanon area, of which he was extremely proud.  It was long recognized that when William H. Worrilow was engaged in a community enterprise that effort was due to achieve success.

His Work For Others

Always an avid reader and a student of history, Worrilow consistently tried to improve his own education and that of others, and frequently demonstrated interest in the school system and the compensation of teachers.

William always demonstrated his genuine interest in and great enthusiasm for people of the Lebanon Valley.  He originated and developed an historical calendar featuring sketches of historical events in this section.  He was instrumental in encouraging the establishment of scholarship opportunities for promising students of Lebanon County in grants to Lebanon Valley College, Yale University and Hotchkiss School, Lakeville, Conn., which provide educational opportunities for outstanding young people.

Lifelong Republican

A lifelong Republican, William Worrilow served as a delegate to the Republican National Conventions in 1948, 1952 and 1956.  He was also a former chairman of the Republican Finance Committee of Pennsylvania and for many years served as Republican finance chairman of Lebanon County. Never one to conceal his loyalties, when asked on his 85^th birthday to what he attributed his longevity he promptly replied with a smile “Marry a Pennsylvania Dutch girl like mine and vote the straight Republican ticket.”

Among his other activities, he was formerly a director of the research Institute of Temple University, a vice president of the Pennsylvania German Folklore Society, a member of the Pennsylvania German Society, a member of the Huguenot Society of Pennsylvania and chairman of the Lebanon Valley Committee of the Newcomen Society of England.

He was formerly president and director of the Philadelphia Post, American Ordnance Association; a member of the National Association of Manufacturers, a member of the National Security Industrial Association, and a member of the United States Chamber of Commerce and the Lebanon County Chamber of Commerce and was a former president of the county unit.

Held Honorary Degree

William served for nearly twenty years as a director of the Armstrong Cork Company, Lancaster.  A long-time trustee of Lebanon Valley College, he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Laws by Lebanon Valley College in 1948.  One of the very earliest presidents of the Lebanon Country Club, he never thought that his golf game justified such distinction.  He was active in the Boy Scouts and was awarded the Silver Beaver for his service.  The Silver Beaver is the highest local award that can be attained by an adult.

Favorite Verses

As word of his passing was received by the legion of friends and associates, members of the family recalled his favorite verses by Robert Southey.  He read these on the night a few hours before he was stricken.

The verses, which speak most eloquently of his attitude toward life and the attitude of the community toward him, are:

“You are old, Father William” the young man cried,
“The few locks that are left you are gray;
You are hale, Father William, a hearty old man
Now tell me the reason I pray.”

“In the days of my youth,” father William replied,
“I remembered that youth could not last;
I thought of the future, whatever I did,
That I never might grieve for the past.”

William Worrilow was member of the St. Luke’s Episcopal Church and of the Masons and various branches of this fraternity.

Much of this was taken from the Lebanon Daily News dated, June 22, 1962 from a front page article on the life of William H. Worrilow.  By some accounts, he was the first Worrilow genealogists and even named this home in Lebanon, Pa., Brasenhill after the home place of Christopher Worrilow of Haughton, Staffordshire, England.

He married the former Pauline Light in 1917 and they had the four children:

Emily Louise Worrilow - Born 21 January 1918 in Lebanon, Pa., died 1978 in Lebanon, Pa.

William Henry Worrilow, Jr. - born 7 March 1920 in Lebanon, Pa., died 12 February 2001 in Lebanon, Pa.

John Light Worrilow

Pauline Ann Worrilow

Lawrence Kaufmann and Wilburga “Sophie” Zopf were my grandparents on my mother’s side.  It is very obvious that even though they had a very large family, they were not a close family.  There are only a few living children from this large family and none of them know very much about their parents as to where and when they emigrated.  It is also striking that, even within this family, brother and sister spelled their surname Kauffman and Kaufmann.  Cousins living in Bethlehem do not know first cousins living in the same area.  The Zopf family (later spelled Copf) completely lost touch with the Kaufmann family.  So it is within this context that I started my investigation.

John Kaufmann

When my grandfather, Lawrence Kaufmann, emigrated from Hungary, he listed his destination on the manifest as the home of his “brother: Joh. Kaufman 8 no Langfer Alley So Bethlehem“.  My grandfather arrived at the port of Ellis Island on 24 April 1907 on the ship named the Statendam which departed from Rotterdam.  So this was the starting point for my research.  Who was this Joh?  The German spelling of Joh could be Johan or Johann while the Hungarian spelling is Jónás.

My search for John took me to Jónás Kaufman who along with his wife Jónásne Kaufman (Mrs. John Kaufman) arrived at Ellis Island on 3 April 1906.  The manifest stated that they were in the United States before and lived in Bethlehem, Pa., listing their year of immigration as 1901 for Janos and 1900 for Janosne.  However, their stated destination on this trip in 1906 was Newark, New Jersey.  The manifest also listed: Nationality - Hungary, Race of People - Magyar, Last Residence - Vagy Estergaly (probably not the correct spelling).

The 1910 census for Irvington Ward 3, Essex, New Jersey shows a John Kauffman and his wife Marie Andresz Kauffman (both from Hungary) and two sons, John Jr. and Emil (born in Pa), and a servant named Elizabeth Bans.  John’s occupation was shown as a Hotel Keeper.  The census also showed that John Immigrated in 1901. The date for Marie’s immigration is not clear but could be 1900. No other census records have been found for John and Marie.

This John Kaufmann was born about 1882 or 1883 based on the ages shown on both the ship’s manifest and the 1910 census.  Death and burial information is unknown.

Could this John be the brother of Lawrence?  Based solely on the prior immigration dates shown on the 1906 manifest and the 1910 census record, it seems clear that these are the same people.  However, based on this information alone, it is still unclear they were brothers.

Was Lawrence just using his brother as a sponsor and knew that his brother no longer lived in Bethlehem?  Since John had lived in Bethlehem before he may have had some contacts still living in Bethlehem.

Interesting note:   This John and his family moved back to Hungary probably before the 1920 census.  John and his wife had more children in Hungary but John’s two sons, John Jr. and Emil, moved back to the country where they were born, the United States.  John Jr. obtained a U.S. Passport in 1926 in Budapest, Hungary.  John and his brother returned sometime between 1926 and 1928.

Joseph Kaufmann

One of the few certainties I have is the fact that Lawrence Kaufman had a brother named Joseph.  This has been confirmed through church records in Bethlehem.  Additionally, Wilburga and Joseph’s wife, Susanna Zopf were sisters.  However, what is unclear and not confirmed is the date of Joseph’s immigration.

I have found one manifest that seems to fit except for Joseph’s age.  The manifest that I located is for a Jozsef Kaufman arriving in the United States through the Ellis Island port on 23 May 1905.  The age for Jozsef looks like 28 but the writing is unclear and could be 20 which would be closer to his correct age.  The Jozsef Kaufman on this manifest listed his destination as Northampton, Pa.  It also says that Jozsef was traveling to the home of his cousin Vineze Dzellhoffer (very difficult to read). His cousin’s home was shown to be in Northampton, Pa.  The manifest also listed: Nationality - Hungary, Race of People - Magyar, Last Residence - Bakonybel (which could be Bakonykoppany where there are many Kaufmann’s).

The 1910 census for Newark Ward 12, Essex, New Jersey shows a Joseph and Susanna Kaufman (both from Hungary).  The census shows that they were married for 1 year with no children.  The date of immigration for Joseph was shown as 1904 and Susanna 1909.  Their ages, their marriage date, and immigration dates seem right except for Joseph’s immigration date.  Joseph was shown to be a laborer in a Wire Mill.

Joseph Kaufmann was born on 17 February 1886 and died 8 April 1927 and is buried in Holy Ghost Cemetery in Bethlehem.  He married Susanna Zopf on 19 August 1909 in the Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Bethlehem.  Joseph’s World War I Registration Card, dated 12 September 1918, shows that he and Susanna were living at 818 Walnut, So. Bethlehem, Pa.  His place of employment was Bethlehem Steel Co.

Both the ship’s manifest and the 1910 census seem to confirm that these are the same people.  It is unclear why they would be in Newark in Essex County, New Jersey.  However, it is interesting to note that the above John was also shown living in Essex County, New Jersey in 1910.

Lawrence Kaufmann

As stated above, Lawrence (Lörincz Kaufman) immigrated through the port of Ellis Island and arrived 24 Apr 1907 on a ship named the Statendam.  The ship departed Rotterdam on 12 Apr 1907 and he was 17 years old when he arrived.  He is listed as a laborer, had 10 dollars in his pocket, and a ticket to Bethlehem.   He was of fair complexion, 5 feet 7 inches tall with brown hair and brown eyes, and had no marks of identification.  The manifest also listed: Nationality - Hungary, Race of People - Magyar, Last Residence - Esztergat Hungary.  It is obvious to many that study Hungary in the early 1900s because there is no such place or town named Esztergat but it could be Esztergom.

The 1910 census for South Bethlehem Ward 3, Northampton, Pennsylvania shows Lawrence, Wilburga, and son Lawrence 2/12 (2 months old).  It shows that both Lawrence and Wilburga immigrated in 1906.

Lawrence Kaufmann was born 23 January 1889 and married Wilburga Zopf in Bethlehem, Pa. at the Holy Ghost Catholic Church on 6 Oct 1909. His World War I Registration Card, dated 5 June 1917, shows him living with his wife and 4 children at 917 E. Third St., So Bethlehem, Pa.  Additionally, this card listed his place of birth as Veszgserum (very difficult to read but could be Veszprém), Hungary.  His World War II Registration Card dated, 27 April 1942, shows that he and Sophia were living at 430 Montclair Ave., Bethlehem, Northampton, Pa.  Both his World War I and II Registration Card show him employed by Bethlehem Steel Co.  I have also found his 1930 census records listing their many children.  Lawrence Kaufmann died 3 Mar 1960 and is buried in Holy Ghost Cemetery.

Wilburga Zopf

Wilburga immigrated through the port of Ellis Island and arrived 19 April 1906 on a ship named, Zeeland.  The ship departed Antwerp on 7 April 1906.  Her last place of residence was Felso Ronok, Hungary.  She was 17 years old when she arrived and her stated destination was her cousin’s home in South Bethlehem, PA.   The cousin’s name shown on the manifest was, Alois Schuster.  She was shown to be a laborer and had 10 dollars in her pocket along with a ticket to her final destination.

Wilburga Zopf was born 25 January 1889 and you can see Lawrence Kaufmann above for census and marriage information.  Wilburga “Sophie” Kaufmann died 29 September 1946 and is buried in Holy Ghost Cemetery.

Susanna Zopf

Susanna immigrated through the port of Ellis Island and arrived 7 April 1909 on a ship named, Zeeland.  The ship departed Antwerp on 27 March 1909.  Her last place of residence was Felso Ronok, Hungary.  She was 18 years old when she arrived and her stated destination was her brother Lorenz Kaufman So Bethlehem, Pa 407 Pastor Str.  She had 19 dollars in her pocket along with a ticket to her final destination.  Other information on the manifest says that she was 5 feet 1 inch tall with fair complexion and had blond hair and green eyes.  Her place of birth is listed as Felso Ronok, Hungary.  She listed her brother Leo Zopf as her nearest relative in the “country whence alien came.”

Susanna Zopf was born 6 August 1892 and you can see Joseph Kaufmann above for census and marriage information.  Susanna died in 1919 according to the Holy Ghost Church cemetery records but I was unable to locate her grave at the cemetery.  Her grave may be unmarked or she could be in the same plot has her husband Joseph Kaufmann.

Leo Zopf

Leo immigrated through the port of Ellis Island and arrived 30 April 1912 on a ship named, Finland.  The ship departed Antwerp on 20 April 1912.  His last place of residence was Radeszdorf, Austria.  He was 17 years old when he arrived and his stated destination was his brother-in-law Josef Kauffman, Bethlehem.  He had 18 dollars in his pocket along with a ticket to his final destination.  Other information on the manifest says that he was 5 feet 5 inches tall of fair complexion.  His place of birth was shown to be Germany, Radeszdorf.

Leo Zopf was born 29 June 1895 and married Cecelia Muhr about 1913.  His World War I and II Registration Card show him living in Bethlehem, Pa. and working for Bethlehem Steel Co.  I have also found 1920 and 1930 census records.  Leo died Feb 1980 in Topton, Berks County, Pa.  Cecelia died Feb 1983 in Topton, Berks County Pa.

Addendum:

2 December 2008

I want to thank Margaret Kaiser editor of the Burgenland Bunch for her efforts to locate the birth place of the Kaufmann and Zoft families.  Efforts to find the Zofts in Catholic Church records in Felsö-Rönök Hungary have been unsuccessful as of this writing.  However, it is believe that the Kaufmanns are from Nagyesztergár is Veszprém County Hungary.  As more information becomes available I will post it here.

18 November 2009

Thanks to the great effort of Liz Kaufmann, György Endresz (Hungary), and Joseph J Jarfas (interpreter), I can now say that the above information is correct.  John (János), Joseph (József), and Lawrence (Lörincz) Kaufmann were all brothers and they also had a sister named Maria that died very young.  This family came from Nagyesztergár, Veszprem, Hungary where there are still living relatives.  Their parent’s names were János and Terézia Heidenger Kaufmann.  If anyone is researching this family and would like additional information please contact me.

Jean and Marie had twelve children, 8 sons and 4 daughters, and they were all born at Fort Toulouse.  Their sons joined the marines and married daughters of other marines and their daughters married sons of marines and they lived near the Fort.  Family names for the spouses were Doucet, Brignac, LaGrange, Lobell and Berthelot.  Jean Louis died in October 1755 at the age of 68 and was buried in the Fort cemetery but the location of his remains is unknown.

Sometime after the signing of the treaty which ended the French and Indian War, Jean Louis’ living sons, daughters, and Widow Marie Louise moved from the Fort and settled in the vicinity of present day Opelousas, St Landry, Louisiana.  All present day Fonteneau’s (Fontenot) in this country are direct descendants of these early settlers.

At a gathering of Fonteneau decedents in October of 1998, a Memorial was place in the Fort Toulouse cemetery.

The inscription on the front reads:

In Memory of

Jean Louis “Colin” Fonteneau
Sergeant in the French Colonial Marines
Served at Fort Toulouse 1730-1755
Born: Dec.18, 1686 in Poitiers, France
Died: Oct. 29, 1755 at Fort Toulouse

Progenitor of all Fontenots in North America

Donated by his living descendants in 1998

Fonteneau Memorial - Front

The inscription on the back reads:

En Memoire de

Jean Louis Fonteneau dit Collin
Sergent, Troupes de la Marine Francaise
Service Militaire: Fort Toulouse, 1730-1755
Ne a Poitiers, France, le 18 Decembre 1686
Mort a Fort Toulouse le 29 Octobre 1755

Fondateur de la Famille Fontenot en l’Amerique du Nord

Donne par ses Descendants Vivants, l’annee de Notre Seigneur 1998

Fonteneau Memorial - Back

The eulogy, written and delivered by Merrick “Sonny” Fontenot, at the gathering in October 1998 reads:

Jean-Louis, the third child of Joachim Fonteneau and Marie Jeanne Pradeau, was born in Poitiers, France in 1686. We don’t know much about his life before he boarded the ship “Drommadaire” as a Colonial Marine in 1720 in route to the New World at the age of 34. To our knowledge, he never returned to his native France to see his family again. He entered the Port of Mobile, the French military headquarters, and was probably assigned to the garrison at Fort Louisin Mobile. There, he met a young widow, Marie Louise Henrique, and married her in February 1726. She was 26 and he was 40 years old. This union would produce many thousands of descendants who would make countless contributions to their adopted country. They defended the country in every war since and became statesmen, soldiers, farmers, cattlemen, wealthy land owners, bankers, sailors, marines, engineers, scientists, doctors, lawyers, musicians, journalists, authors, artists, and many other occupations too numerous to list at this time. I’m sure that there were a few unsavory characters in there as well.

Jean-Louis, or “Colin” as he was called, died in October of 1755 and was laid to rest in this very cemetery. It is not hard to imagine his grieving family gathering here to pay their last respects on that day so many years ago. About 8 years later, his family was forced to leave Fort Toulouse to seek a new life in unfamiliar lands west of the Mississippi River; except for the widow Marie Louise, Fort Toulouse was the only home they had ever known. The family never returned to their origin — until last year [1997] when we held our first reunion.

Jean-Louis would be very proud to see so many of his “children” gathered here to honor his memory and to witness the unveiling of his memorial, donated by them.  It bears testament to his existence and to the life that he lived in this rugged frontier. Because of your generous contributions, future generations of his descendants will be able to visit this spot and reflect on their heritage.

On behalf of Jean-Louis, I thank all of you and God bless.

Children of Jean Louis and Louis Fonteneau:

Louise Fonteneau - Born about 1726 to Louis and Louise Fonteneau.  Died 15 December 1814 in Louisiana.

Philippe dit St. Philippe Fonteneau - Born 21 August 1727 at the post, to Louis & Louise Fonteneau.  He was a Fusilier at the post from prior to 1756 until November 1763. Married on 7 May 1747 to Marie-Nicole Brignac, daughter of soldier Simon Brignac.

Marie Fonteneau - Born about 1729 at the post, to Louis and Louise Fonteneau.  Married Jean dit La Tulipe Lagrange a Fusilier at the post from prior to 1756 until November 1763.

Jean dit Jean Fonteneau - Born 1 January 1729 at the post, to Louis and Louise Fonteneau. He was a Fusilier at the post from prior to 1756 until 1758. He married Maraie Francoise Lagrange, daughter of soldier (Jean)-Henri Lagrange, and had 8 children. Died in 1776 in Louisiana.

Jean-Louis dit Debonaire Fonteneau - Born 27 February 1730 at the post, to Louis and Louise Fonteneau. He was a Fusilier at the post from prior to 1756 until November 1763. Married about 1760 to Marie-Francoise Doucet (daughter of soldier Pierre Doucet & Marie-Francoise Pagot) and had 3 sons. Died 8 October 1813 in Louisiana.

Joseph dit Bel Aire Fonteneau - Born 27 February 1730 at the post, to Louis and Louise Fonteneau.  He was a Fusilier at the post from prior to 1756 until November 1763. Detached in Mobile June 1760. About 1760 married Marie-Joseph-Jeanne Brignac (daughter of soldier Simon Brignac & Marie Turpin) and had 7 children. Died 15 October 1790 in Louisiana.

Jean-Baptise Fonteneau - Born about 1731 at the post, to Louis & Louise Fonteneau.  He was a Fusilier at the post from prior to 1756 until 15 September 1763. Before 1763 he married Marie-Louise Lagrange (daughter of soldier (Jean)-Henri Lagrange) and had 5 children. Died 4 October 1805 in Louisiana.

Pierre dit Bellevue Fonteneau - Born about 1727 at the post, to Louis & Louise Fonteneau. Joined Marines 1/1/1743. He was a Fusilier at the post from prior to 1756 until November 1763. In 1755 married Louise Doucet and had 7 children. Died 15 September 1811 in Louisiana.

Marie-Louise Fonteneau - Born about 1741 at the post, to Louis and Louise Fonteneau.  Married Simon-Pierre dit St Pierre Brignac a Fusilier at the post from prior to 1756 until November 1763. Detached to Mobile in 1760.

Francois  dit La Douceur Fonteneau -  Born about 1743 at the post, to Louis and Louise Fonteneau. He was a Fusilier at the post from prior to 1756 until 1758. Died in a hospital at Mobile 16 January 1759. Not married.

Henri Bellvue Fonteneau - Born about 1733 at the post, to Louis and Louise Fonteneau. He was a Fusilier at the post from prior to 1756 until 15 September 1763. Married in about 1770 to Marie-Louise Doucet (daughter of soldier Pierre Doucet & Marie-Francoise Pagot) and had 9 children. Died 14 September 1813 in Louisiana.

Marie-Therese Fonteneau - Born about 1746 at the post, to Louis and Louise Fonteneau.  She married Jean-Baptiste dit La Tulipe Lobel a soldier and King’s Interpreter at the post from prior to 1756 until July 1760.

The History of Fort Toulouse and Fort Jackson

Fort Toulouse was constructed in 1717 and was the offensive-defensive eastern outpost of French Louisiana, and was named Compte de Toulouse after the legitimized son of Louis XIV.  However, by the 1740s the Fort was suffering from general disrepair and age and a new Fort was constructed and finished in 1751.

The Indian tribe which lived in the area referred to the Fort as “Fort Toulouse Aux Aibamons.” The French befriended the Indians of the region and freely traded and assimilated with them.  They occupied the Fort until 1763 when it came under the possession of the British after the signing of the treaty which ended the French and Indian War.  Not wanting to come under British rule, the French and many of their Indian friends migrated westward and resettled on land grants in the Louisiana territory.

The British never occupied the Fort and it wasn’t used again until Andrew Jackson occupied the abandoned site.  In 1814, after defeating the Creek Indians at Horseshoe Bend, Andrew Jackson occupied the abandoned site. He constructed a new fort at the location of the old one and named it Fort Jackson.

In 1897, about 200 bodies were removed from the fort cemetery to the national cemetery in Mobile. Most were the remains of men who had been assigned to Andrew Jackson’s army, but some of them may have been Frenchmen.

Fort Toulouse-Jackson Park is now operated by the Alabama Historical Commission, and includes a replica of the second Fort Toulouse built in 1751 and a partial reconstruction of the 1814 Fort Jackson. The park is host to living history programs throughout the year.

Interesting Side Note

Jean Louis dit Colon Fonteneau  and Louise Angelique Henry were Fay Wolverson Worrilow’s (my wife) 6^th Great Grandparents and it wouldn’t be so interesting except we live not 10 miles from Fort Toulouse in Wetumpka Alabama.  So how did a girl from Pennsylvania arrive at such a place some 279 years later?

After the Fonteneau (Fontenot) family left Fort Toulouse, they settled in the vicinity of present day Opelousas, St Landry, Louisiana.  The family stayed in Louisiana until Fay’s mother, Lorena Violet Buniff married Stanley George Wolverson and moved from Louisiana to Boothwyn Pennsylvania.  You can follow the linage in the Fonteneau index.  Stanley Wolverson worked for the Sun Ship building company and traveled to Pennsylvania for work.

Fay grew up in Boothwyn, Pennsylvania where we met in high school and married in 1972.  I joined the Air Force in 1973, traveled the country, and my last assignment was in Montgomery Alabama.  About 4 years ago we moved to Wetumpka, Alabama and now the circle is complete.  Some 279 years of history from the time Jean Louis Fonteneau arrived at an outpost in the French Louisiana Territory about 1725 until 2004 when we arrived in present day Wetumpka, Alabama.  It’s a small world indeed.

Lawrence Slevin was born Dec 1833 in Ireland. However, his birth year has not yet been confirmed because each source lists a different birth year so he may have been born prior to 1833. The 1900 Federal Census lists his birth month as December and his occupation as a Grocer. Lawrence arrived in the United States at the Port of Philadelphia on 12 Apr 1846 aboard the ship named North Star, which departed from Liverpool, England. All Census records and the ship’s manifest show his birthplace as Ireland.

Ellen was born about 1835 in Ireland and the 1900 Federal Census also shows her arriving in 1846. Very little is known about Ellen but the 1860 Federal Census shows her occupation as Weaver.

The Slevins resided in Philadelphia and Delaware Counties and owned several homes and a small grocery store in Chester, Pennsylvania.

As of November 1876, Lawrence was employed by the Patterson mill in Chester. Both Lawrence and Ellen attended the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Chester. Lawrence died September 1910 and Ellen died 30 Apr 1912. They are both buried in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Cemetery in Linwood, Pennsylvania along with 3 of their 10 children.

Lawrence Slevin was not a stranger to controversy for on the night of Saturday, November 18, 1876 he had an altercation with someone he had other run ins with named, George McCouch. On this evening on his way home after shopping between the hours of 8 and 9 o’clock, Lawrence saw George McCouch following him and when both men reached the 3rd Street Bridge in Chester, George made a break for Lawrence. As soon as both men were face to face, “George pulled a small seven barreled revolver and discharged one of them at Lawrence with an aim which he intended should make a passage for the escapement of his life’s blood and a bleeding victim to the strong and uncontrollable jealous will of his would-be murderer.” Fortunately, after further struggle and a second discharge, Lawrence escaped his attacker unharmed. George was caught at Third and Edgmont by Officer Quinn and taken to jail. It seems that the feud between the two men had been long standing. George McCouch had accused Lawrence of having “improperly interfered with his family and breaking up his home, and thus making him miserable.” Lawrence, on the contrary said, “…he was never in his house but once, and then only a short time, several years ago.”

George McCouch was released on bail but didn’t show for his court appearance and was re-arrested and held without bail until his trial. His attorney said that George was insane and a doctor for the family also believed him to be insane. The jury in his case returned a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. No further information could be found on the fate of George McCouch.

Lawrence Slevin was active in the Citizen’s Building Association and caused somewhat of a ruckus at the annual stockholders meetings on 24 Mar 1878. He jumped up and yelled at the president, Mr. Jonathan Pennell, for nominating from the floor for different offices. He said, “This was a stockholders’ meeting” and accused Mr. Pennell of having things “cut and dried.” He wasn’t going to sit quietly by and see this “gag game” go on. His remarks were received with applause and such remarks as “hit him again, Larry,” “Give it to him,” and “Bravo, Larry.” He was also part of the South Ward Democrats and served as the club’s Secretary in 1880.

Lawrence Slevin applied for a building permit in August of 1883 for a two-story brick store and dwelling, 20 by 42 feet, situated on the northeast corner of Sixth and Butler streets. The address of the store and residences was 730 West Sixth Street, Chester, Pennsylvania.

Children of Lawrence and Ellen Slevin:

Margaret Ann Slevin was born 10 Nov 1852 in Nicetown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Mary Ellen Slevin was born 9 Feb 1854 in Nicetown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She married William G Worrilow on 1 May 1879. Mary died 31 Dec 1899 and was buried 4 Jan 1900 in Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Cemetery, Linwood, Delaware, Pennsylvania.

Edward Slevin was born 29 Oct 1855 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He married Mary Catherine “Kate” Minner. Edward died 22 Nov 1884 and was buried in Chester Rural Cemetery, Chester, Delaware, Pennsylvania. Since Edward’s wife Kate was Protestant, Edward’s wishes were to be buried someplace where is wife could also be so he rejected the Catholic Cemetery.

James Slevin was born 2 Jan 1857 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Hannah Elizabeth Slevin was born 25 Feb 1859 in Pennsylvania. Hannah married Charles R Wingert of Bayonne, Hudson, New Jersey. Charles and Hannah had 6 children. Hannah died 29 Oct 1912.

Henrietta Agnes Slevin was born 4 Dec 1860 in Haddington, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and died 8 Apr 1863.

Rose C Slevin was born 6 Feb 1863 in Hestonville, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Rose married James F Daley in the Immaculate Heart Catholic Church in Chester, Pennsylvania on 19 Nov 1896. She died in 1898 and is buried in Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Cemetery, Linwood, Delaware, Pennsylvania.

Isabella Henrietta Slevin was born 8 Feb 1865 in Hestonville, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and died 9 Jun 1865 in Pennsylvania.

Theresa Slevin was born 28 Jan 1867 in Pennsylvania. She and her brother Lawrence ran the family grocery store in Chester until her brother Lawrence died in 1945. Theresa never married and died 18 Oct 1949 and is buried in Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Cemetery, Linwood, Delaware, Pennsylvania.

Lawrence J Slevin was born 30 Apr 1870 in Pennsylvania. He and his sister Theresa ran the family grocery store. Lawrence never married and died 17 May 1945 and is buried in Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Cemetery, Linwood, Delaware, Pennsylvania.

Family Group Sheet PDF: Lawrence and Ellen Slevin

I didn’t remember ever seeing it because it was the only one. However, I knew where and when it was taken because it was taken in front of a church and I had others like it without my parents. It was taken on the day of my baptism, June 29, 1958 at Holy Savior Church in Linwood, Pennsylvania, and I was 4-years old.

The reason this is such a rare photo is because my parents were almost never in the same picture together. I’m sure it’s like most families where Dad or Mom is behind the camera taking most of the photos. In this case it was my mother that took most of the photos. She never liked to be photography so she was almost always behind the camera.

I knew that this photo would never be suitable for framing because even an expert in Photo Shop couldn’t fix this one, for it was way beyond repair. I just had to find the negative and I had a whole box full of them, hundreds of them. So one morning I sat down with the box and started the search. I felt sure it was in the box because my parents never threw away anything. I was right and about an hour into my search I found it. It was in great shape and still in the paper envelope that store put them in. I ran to my scanner, set it up for negative scanning, and began the scan.

I Miss Them Both

My parents are both gone now. My father died on April 16, 1997 and my mother was taken from us much too early at the age of 56 in 1977. I’d have to say that I miss my mother the most and I felt closer to her. She was someone you could always talk to and was a great confidant and friend. My father was more distant and spent most of his time working. I didn’t come to know him until later in life. I’m glad that we had the time together in the end.

Larry

The precise time of the family’s departure is not known but maps showing early grants and patents of Edgmont Township clearly show that one “Thomas Worrilaw” was in possession of 490 acres in the township as of 10 1st mo. (March) 1688/89. The map also shows Thomas acquiring an additional 200 acres in 1 6th mo. (August) 1693/94, purchased from Philip Yarnall. Additionally, Thomas transferred 250 to his son John as of 1 1mo. (March) 1690/91. No one knows for sure if the families of Edgmont knew each other prior to emigration but many of the Worrilows married into the families of their neighbors. Thomas named his new home in the new world, Brooznoll most probably after his home in England, Brasenhill. Brooznoll is the only property named on the map of the Township of Edgmont showing the early grants and patents of the area.

One close neighbor, Joseph Baker, along with Thomas Worrilow were appointed tax collectors of Edgmont on 3 8th mo. (October) 1689. In 1690 Thomas was a member of the Committee to collect funds for the Chester Meeting House. On 13 Jan 1694/94 he was also appointed constable of Edgmont, and on 12 Jun 1694, supervisor of roads in the township.

Thomas’ first wife, Grace, died sometime in 1700, and he next appeared at the Chester Monthly Meeting on 29 10th mo. (December) 1701, “desiring a Certificate of his clearness in relation to marriage.” A signed certificate was given to him by Friends at the meeting on 26 11th Mo. (January) 1701/02. On 30 11th mo. (January), Thomas and Susannah Bird Brightwen declared their intentions of marriage at the Philadelphia Monthly Meeting, “producing a certificate from Chester Meeting, the place of his late abode.” At the next meeting, on 27 12th mo. (January), the couple declared their intentions a second time, as required by the Friends discipline, “and nothing appearing to obstruct, they are left to their liberty to accomplish the same.”

According to his will, Thomas and is new wife lived in Philadelphia West of Third and North of Chestnut Street, which is now the site of a park and in the Society Hill district of the city. Benjamin Franklin’s Home and the First Bank of North America (built 1799) were situated in the block, but sometime much later after Thomas Worrilow’s death.

Thomas died sometime after 23 May 1709, the date of his Will. His Will was proved on 9 Dec 1709, and states:

I Thomas Worrilaw of the City of Philad in the Province of Pensilvania, Yeoman Being at Present but weak of Body and Sound & perfect mind & Memory do make this my last will & testament as ffolloweth/ viz/ first my will is that all my Just Debts and funeral Expences be paid & Discharged Also I Give unto my wife Susanna my Dwelling house I now live in Situate on the north Side of Chesnut Street and on the West side of the third Street in Philid with the Garden there belonging as far as the privet Hedge for and During her Natural life and after her decease I give & Devise my Dwelling House and the whole lott of Land thereunto Belonging with the New Building at Upper end of the Lott unto my Grandson Thomas Worrilaw his heirs & Assigns forever Provided always that if my Grandson shall happen to die without Issue by him Lawfully Begotten before he Attains his age of Twenty one years Then and in Such Case I give and Devise all in my house & Lott with the App’ces unto my Grandson Walter Worrilaw his Heirs & Assigns forever

Also I give unto my wife all Such Sums of money as I have heretofore given her papers to shew for Also I give unto my Grandson Thomas Worrilaw all the Goods in my Dwelling house which are Properly mine Except one feather Bed two feather Boulsters one Pillow one Rugg two Blankets & one pair of Sheets which I Give unto my Grandson William berks Also I Give unto my Son John Worrilaw all my household Goods he hath in his Possession Except one Jack to Turn the Spits I give to my Daughter Jane Hoopes And also I Give unto my Daughter Jane all my Goods which are at her husband Dan Hoopes’s House Also I give & Devise unto my Son John Worrilaw all my Land & Tenements & Hereditaments in the County of Chester To Hold to him his heirs & Assigns forever Upon condicon that he Shall Discharge my Son in law Dan Hoopes from all bills & Bonds whatsoever wherein the Dan Stands bound for the Proper debt of my Son John

Otherwise I will that my Execut of the Survivor of thee Shall Sell the Lands & premises and out of the Money raised by Such Sale Shall pay to my Soninlaw Dan Hoopes what he can make appear to be his and Also my will is that my said Executors Shall Sell the Clock in my Dwelling House And also that they Shall have Power to let the Uper Land of my lotts in Philid with the New Building there on Untill my said Grandson Thomas Worrilaw Attains his age of Twenty one Yeres And also if my wife dies Before my Grandson Tho: Worrilaw Attain his Age of Twenty one years That then my Executors Shall also have power to let my Dwelling House The lott as far as the Privet Hedge until my Grandson Attains his age and that they Shall dispose of the Rents and profits of my House lott unto my Son Johns Children as my Exect Shall think fit

Also my will is that Moneys Coming to me Either by Bonds or bill, and the Horses or Mares that I have in the Woods Shall go towards Payment of my Debts & funeral Expense And also all the rest and Residue of my Estate not hereinbefore disposed of after my Debts & funeral Charges Are paid I give & Devise unto my Son John Worriliv his heirs Exec’s & Assigns forever And lastly I make Ordain my Soninlow Daniel Hoopes and my friend John Maris Exec’s of my list will & Testament and I give to each of them the Sum of fiftey Shillings Currant money of this Province And further I give & Devise unto my Son John Worrilaw all my wearing Cloths & Apparrell wtsoever to his his Exec’s Ade & Assigns In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal the 23d day of May Ano Dm 1709

Children of Thomas Henry Worrilow and Grace Perkes:

John Worrilow was born before 9 Aug 1664 at Haughton, Staffordshire, England and was baptized on 9 Aug 1664 at Haughton. He married Ann Maris on 14 Oct 1690 at Springfield, Delaware, Pennsylvania. He died 2 Jan 1726/27 at Chester, Pennsylvania.

Thomas Worrilow was born before 29 Jan 1666/67 at Haughton, Staffordshire, England and was baptized 29 Jan 1666/67 at Haughton. He died 12 Dec 1685 at Haughton, Staffordshire, England.

Walter Worrilow was born before 26 Apr 1669 at Haughton, Staffordshire, England and was baptized on 26 Apr 1669 at Haughton. He died before 1709 at Pennsylvania.

Elizabeth Worrilow was born before 15 May 1671 at Haughton, Staffordshire, England and was baptized on 15 May 1671 at Haughton. She married William Beakes, Jr. on 5 Jan 1690/91. She died 1769 at Haughton, Staffordshire, England.

Marie Worrilow was born before 25 May 1674 at Haughton, Staffordshire, England and was baptized 25 May 1674 at Haughton. She died before 1709 at Pennsylvania.

Jane Worrilow was born before 20 Sep 1675 at Haughton, Staffordshire, England and was baptized 20 Sep 1675 at Haughton. Jane married Daniel Hoopes on 10 Oct 1696 and had 17 children. She died before 1746 at Pennsylvania.

Grace Worrilow was born before 22 Aug 1678 at Haughton, Staffordshire, England and was baptized 22 Aug 1678 at Haughton. She died 17 May 1684 at Haughton, Staffordshire, England.

Individual Report PDF: Thomas Henry Worrilow

Actual Will PDF (large document): Thomas Henry Worrilow

Excerpt from the book, One Man’s Family,
by Katharine Krell Hutchinson, 1997

Christopher Worrilow as born 1574 at Haughton, Staffordshire, England and died 4 April 1605 Haughton, Staffordshire, England. Not much is known about his wife Margery and it is believed that she was born about 1578 at Haughton, Staffordshire, England and died sometime between 1614 and 1615.

Kay Hutchinson, during a visit to England, says that Margery’s date of death was illegible and it is between 1614 and 1615. However, she also saw another Margery Warrilow, widow, buried at Haughton Feb 11, 1645. Kay speculates that this could be a re-copy of the illegible one with the correct date. If so, she may have outlived her husband by 40 years.

Based on the birth dates of the children, I believe they married before 1600. Additionally, I believe it likely that both Christopher and Margery were buried near their home site, Brasenhill (spelled Brazenhill to this day in England).

Brazenhill is a rural community north of the village of Haughton and Brazenhill Lane is a rural road which runs northwest and connects with Station Road. There are other properties and businesses that also bear the name Brazenhill in the area. Christopher’s grandson, Thomas Henry Worrilow named this home in Edgmont, Pennsylvania Brooznoll after his home in England.

Christopher and Margery had three children:

Jane Worrilow, born 1600 at Haughton, Staffordshire, England. She married John Leigh on 27 Nov 1624. Some sources list her birth in 1606, which is possible since her father Christopher died in April of the previous year. I find it unlikely and believe that she was the first-born.

Marie Worrilow, born 1602 at Haughton, Staffordshire, England. Some records show that she died 12 Jun 1626 Haughton, Staffordshire, England on the same day she married. She married Ralph Lownes on 12 Jun 1626. I tend to believe that this is somewhat unlikely and believe that someone used the date of her marriage as the date of her death. I have no basis for that belief and It’s likely we will never know.

John Worrilow, born 1604 at Haughton, Staffordshire, England and baptized that same year. He married Alice Winslow. He died 20 Mar 1635 Haughton, Staffordshire, England.

Family Group Sheet PDF: Christopher Worrilow and Margery

The first English settlers in the Delaware Valley were Quakers who emigrated to what is now New Jersey onto land granted by James, Duke of York, to a company whose trustees included William Penn. A few years later Penn, son of a Lord of the Admiralty who had been of great service to Charles II during his exile and restoration, received a large land grant on the west side of the Delaware, and a few of the New Jersey Quakers crossed the river to the original Swedish settlement of Upland, now Chester, PA. Penn busied himself with encouraging English Quakers to buy land in his new colony, which he first visited in 1683. He landed briefly at Chester, by then re-named by one of his English land agents, before continuing upriver to found Philadelphia.

Penn’s agent Edward Markham laid out land to the northwest of the Chester settlement which an early settler named Edgmont, and it was to this area that Thomas Henry Worrilow brought his family in about 1687. The Worrilows had been yeomen or farmers in the village of Houghton, Staffordshire, England. The Quaker sect had been formed during the Interregnum (the period between the defeat of the Cromwell Puritans and the restoration of the Stuart Charles II). By the 1680s, with King Charles back on the throne, the Society of Friends was looked down upon and persecuted by all the established religions, which was Penn’s reason for starting a colony for them. Since we do not know when Thomas Worrilow joined the Quakers, we cannot tell whether he emigrated because of persecution or whether he joined the sect in order to purchase land and come to the New World. We do know, however, that he had been a land owner and a justice of the peace in Staffordshire and no doubt sought refuge from the turmoil that was the English government at that time.

Thomas and his wife Grace Perkes Worrilow brought with them five of their children, including two sons. One son, however, died young, without marrying, so all the American Worrilows are descended from their son John or one of their three surviving daughters. Although those of us who are interested in the genealogy have tried to find as many descendants as we can, there must be thousands who do not bear the name Worrilow and have no idea of who their ancestors were.

Although there are few records of the family before emigration, there are many in the early Edgmont Township history. One of the first weddings performed in the village was that of Thomas’s son John Worrilow and Anne Maris, daughter of another prominent Midlands Quaker. John and Anne also had only one son who survived them, so that there are many other descendants of their daughters who married into several of the other well-known early families in the colony.

Grace Worrilow died in 1700, and Thomas married a Philadelphia widow named Sarah Bird Brightwen. By this time he had turned over the Edgmont farm to his son John, and he and Sarah lived in a house at Third and Chestnut Streets in Philadelphia until his death in 1709. Both Thomas and John were active in governmental affairs in the early colony and no doubt were well acquainted with the Proprietor William Penn and the other founding fathers of Pennsylvania.

Kay Hutchinson

This was a piece that my cousin Kay Hutchinson wrote over a year ago and I thought it would be a fitting first post for this new blog.  Kay really was the first person that sparked my interest in genealogy and the history of our family.  Her book, One Man’s Family, written in 1997, was, and still is, a valuable source of information and history of the Worrilow family.  I thank her for her work, council, and friendship.

Larry Worrilow