James Haworth,

Cousin of George Haworth, the Emigrant

By Don Hayworth

What George Haworth and Caleb Haworth wrote about “Cousin James Haworth”!

In May 1701, George wrote: “… I have had my health reasonably ever I came into the country; but at first being a little weakly at the first; I was then with James Haworth, and then I hired myself for a year and had about 19L wages in the year …

In May 1702, George wrote: “… then I came into the County of Bucks where my cousin James Haworth dwells and dwelleth near to him being about 250 miles from my Sister. James Haworth and his wife is well and hath one daughter …”

In March 1706 George wrote: “James Haworth’s widow and her little daughter are in good health and she hath married one of my shipmates one George Clough …”

In September 1826, Caleb wrote: “William (brother of George Haworth’s father James Haworth - drh) had one son names James, who emigrated to America about the latter end of the 17th Century, and resided in Philadelphia. He was married and had one daughter, but nothing further is known of the family.”

In the same September 1826 letter Caleb wrote: “The said George Haworth on his arrival in America lived a short time in Philadelphia (according to George’s letter, James was in Bucks Co., not Philadelphia – drh), with his cousin James Haworth, son of William Haworth before mentioned, but soon after went to reside in the County of Bucks, where he purchased about 450 acres of land in the woods which employed a part of his time in clearing.”

Based upon what is written in these letters, James is believed to be the son of George’s Uncle William Haworth. James immigrated to America before 1699; resided in Bucks County, Pennsylvania; married and had one daughter before May 1702; died before March 1706; and his widow married one George Clough before March 1706. The names of his wife and daughter are not known and nothing further seems to be known about James Haworth.

I decided to try to find out a bit more about Cousin James Haworth and had some success as described in the following paragraphs. (Abstracts of all source records are provided at the end of this write-up.)

Was George Haworth’s “Cousin James Haworth” the son of William Haworth?

The assumption that George Haworth and James Haworth were “first” cousins and that cousin James was the son of William Haworth are based solely on the letter from Caleb Haworth written more that 125 years after George Haworth emigrated. The James Haworth born to William Haworth and christened at “Eccleston by Chorley” in Lancashire on 30 April 1671 might well be George’s uncle and cousin. This James Haworth is the right age and born in Lancashire. However, there is no evidence that this James Haworth immigrated to America! It is possible that James, son of William, died young and that is why there seem to be no records of his life in England.

It is interesting to note that George Haworth did not indicate in his letters that “Cousin James” was the son of his Uncle William. In fact, George never mentions his Uncle William by name in any of his letters. Surely George would have relayed some type of message from James to William Haworth, or asked his mother to relay information about James, if William were James’ father. This seems to me to be a strong indication that Cousin James: was not the son of William Haworth.

How then did Caleb Haworth conclude that “Cousin James” in America was the son of William Haworth? Certainly it is possible that such a statement was in one of the lost letters, but unless the lost letters are eventually located we will never know. I think it is far more likely that Caleb simply assumed that James, son of William Haworth, immigrated to America and was the cousin James that George stayed with upon arrival in 1699. After all, this was probably the only cousin named James Haworth that Caleb was aware of and he was apparently unaccounted for in the records available to Caleb in England.

While we cannot completely rule out the possibility that cousin James was the son of William Haworth, it must, in my judgment, be considered highly unlikely!

When did “Cousin James Haworth: immigrate to America?

I wondered why James Haworth’s life in America has remained a mystery for all these years. It seemed strange that some information on this James Haworth would not be available when so much documentation has been preserved about early Quaker immigrants to Pennsylvania.

With a little luck, I recently discovered that there are some records available about “Cousin James” in Pennsylvania. These records had not been previously connected with “Cousin James”, because his surname is recorded as “Heyworth” and “Hayworth”; not as Haworth! Even though these alternate spellings appear very commonly in both England and America, the connection to George’s cousin James Haworth was not immediately obvious

The first information that I found showed that a “James Heyworth” arrived in Philadelphia on the “Rebecca” of Liverpool 8^th month (October), 31th day 1685. This James Heyworth was identified as a servant of “James Ratclife”. (The family name is actually spelled Ratcliff with alternate spellings of Ratcliffe, Radcliffe, and Radcliff - drh.) The estate of James Ratcliff’s family was called "CHAPEL HILL," and was in Rossendale, Lancashire, England. James Ratcliff and his wife Mary were members of the Marsden MM, where George Haworth’s father was also a member. Their membership was transferred to the Middletown MM in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, from the Marsden MM in Lancashire. There can be no doubt that the James Heyworth aboard the Rebecca is George’s “Cousin James Haworth”, despite the spelling of his surname! This is further confirmed by additional information I found on James Heyworth, also spelled Hayworth. (See “Abstracts of Source Records” at the end of this document.)

Was “Cousin James Haworth” the son of Abraham Heyworth (Hayworth) and Isabella Ratcliff?

James Ratcliff’s sister, Isabella (Isabel, Isabell) Ratcliff, married Abraham Heyworth, also spelled Hayworth. Most Ratcliff family histories speculate (or state outright) that the James Heyworth on the Rebecca was the son of Abraham Heyworth and Isabella Ratcliff and he was indentured to his uncle James Ratcliff to pay for his passage to America.

Abraham Heyworth and his wife Isabel did, in fact, have a son named James Heyworth. He was born the 12^th month (February), 8th day, of 1669 and his birth was recorded at the Marsden Monthly Meeting. Abraham and Isabel had three other children in addition to James: Alice, Margaret, and Abraham. Son Abraham’s birth is recorded at Marsden MM on 2^nd month (April), 18^th day, 1668. No birth record has been found for either of the girls.

The fact that James spelled his surname Heyworth and Hayworth in America, as did Abraham in England, supports the claim that Abraham and Isabell’s son is the James Heyworth that was on the Rebecca. I also found a birth record for the daughter James Heyworth that shows he named his daughter Isabell (or Isabel). This also supports the claim that James’ mother might have been Isabell Ratcliff.

Of course, if James Heyworth was the son of Abraham Heyworth and a “first” cousin of George Haworth then Abraham Heyworth would have to have been a brother of George’s father, James Haworth. I have seen some family trees that show Abraham as a fourth brother of Henry, James and William Haworth. This may be true, even with the different spelling of the surname, but it will be difficult (if not, impossible) to prove.

Of course, the relationship between George and James might well have been more distant than first cousins. One cannot simply assume that the term “cousin”, as used by George Haworth, would have been restricted to a first cousin. Then, as today, use of the term cousin is not restricted to first cousins and one seldom adds modifiers to make a distinction between first cousins, second cousins, or to indicate “degrees of removal”.

I am convinced that George Haworth’s “Cousin James Haworth” was the son of Abraham Heyworth (Hayworth) and Isabella Ratcliff and that he was the “James Heyworth” who arrived in Philadelphia on the “Rebecca” of Liverpool in 1685. It remains to be determined if Abraham Heyworth was a brother of George’s father James or more distantly related. It is entirely possible that Abraham Heyworth was a first cousin of George’s father James Haworth. That would make James Heyworth, the son of Abraham, second cousin to George. No doubt, George would still have referred to him as “Cousin James”; even if he were a second cousin.

Cousin James Haworth’s (Heyworth, Hayworth) Family and Life in America!

We have already covered James’ birth in Lancashire, his (probable) parents, the date of his immigration, and the circumstances of his immigration. James’ family information finally surfaced once it was known that his surname was spelled sometime Heyworth and sometime Hayworth. What we now know of his family is summarized below.

We know a daughter named Isabell was born to James and Mary Hayworth on the 11^th day, 8^th month (October) of 1700. From the birth record, we know that James’ wife was named Mary, but we still do not know her surname. While no record of James and Mary’s marriage has been located, we know they were probably married about 1699 based upon their daughter’s birth date. We also know that James Heyworth (Hayworth) died sometime before the 15^th day, 12^th month (February) of 1704, when his widow Mary Hayworth married George Clough. No record of his death has been located.

We know George Clough and Mary, widow of James Hayworth, had two children; George Clough and Mary Clough. Mary Hayworth Clough died the 23^rd day, 5^th mo. (July) of 1709; she did not leave a will. Her second husband, George Clough, remarried and lived until March 1731. Isabel Heyworth is named in the will of George Clough, indicating that Isabel was still unmarried in 1729 when he wrote his will.

We also know that at 30 years of age Isabel Hayworth married John Lucas on the 27^th day, 8^th mo. (October) of 1730. Both Isabel Hayworth Lucas and her husband John Lucas died in August 1748 leaving wills. No children are named in their wills, so they had no children; or at least no surviving children.

No records have been located for James Heyworth (Hayworth) for the 15 year period from the time he arrived in Philadelphia in 1685 until the birth of his daughter in 1700. Of course, this is not really surprising. James was indentured to James Ratcliff, his probable uncle, and lived in Wrightstown, Bucks County, with his Uncle’s family for much of this 15 year period. We know that James moved to his own place near the Falls Monthly Meeting in Bucks County by 1699 and was living there when George arrived.

Upon the 1748 death of Isabel Hayworth Lucas, only daughter of James Hayworth (Heyworth, Haworth), his line became extinct.

ABSTRACTS OF SOURCE RECORDS:

1.       The “Rebecca” of Liverpool, James Skinner Commander, arrived at Philadelphia the 31^st of the 8^th month of 1685. Among the passengers are listed the following: James Ratclife, Mary Ratclife, Richard Ratclife, Edward Ratclife, Rebecca Ratclife, Rachell Ratclife free persons; and James Heyworth, Robert Hewit, and James Rothwell servants to the said Ratclife. Emigrants to Pennsylvania, 1641-1819, Michael Tepper, editor.

2.       Isabell Hayworth, daughter of James and Mary Hayworth born 11^th day, 8^th month, 1700. Falls MM, Bucks County, PA.

3.       George Clough of Bristol TP, Bucks Co. m. 15^th day 12^th mo. 1704, Mary Hayworth of same place at house of Edward Mayes. Falls MM, Bucks County, PA.

4.       Children of George Clough and Mary (Hayworth) Clough; George Clough, b. 2^nd day, 9^th mo. 1705, Mary Clough b. 20^th  day, 12^th mo. 1706. Falls MM, Bucks County, PA.

5.       Mary Clough, wife of George Clough d. 23^rd day, 5^th mo. 1709. Falls MM, Bucks County, PA.

6.       Will of GEORGE CLOUGH of County of Bucks dated 10th mo., 26th day, 1729, and proved March 30, 1731. He mentions as heirs his wife Pleasant, son George, daughter Mary Shaw, and daughter-in-law Isabel Heyworth. He left £5 to Friends Mtg. of Bristol and directed that his Dwelling House and Boulting House to be sold. Son-in-law Joseph Shaw and Wm. Atkinson were named executors. Witnesses were: Tho. Clifford, William Silverstone, Benjamin Harris. Wills: Abstracts: Books A and 1: Bucks Co, PA, 1685-1739. (Note “that Dau-in-law Isabel Heyworth” is clearly an error and should read step-daughter.)

7.       John Lucas of Falls TP, Bucks Co. m. 27^th day, 8^th mo. 1730, Isabel Hayworth of same place. Falls MM, Bucks County, PA.

8.       In his will, dated the 9th day of the 6th mo. (called August), 1748, and proved 25 August 1748, John Lucas of Falls Twp., yeoman, bequeathed to "my ancient mother what was left to her by my father's will," leaving 100 pounds to Isabel, his wife, along with the best feather bed, the plantation and other items. After the demise of his mother and wife, the plantation on which he lived was bequeathed to brother Robert, and Robert's plantation in Middletown, to his brother, Edward, along with six pounds to be paid yearly and every year during the life of the survivor. To his brother in law, James Moon, John gave the right to occupy as a tenant "the plantation I now live on." Further bequests went to nephew, John Margerum, niece, Isabel Margerum; to each child of his brothers and sisters, and to Mary Goforth and William Goforth. Additional items were left to Joseph Shaw's children, and Martha White; niece, Mercy Plasket, and to his sister, Mary Margerum's children. Wills: Abstracts: Book 2: Bucks Co, PA, 1739-1759.

9.       In her will, dated 12 August 1748 and proved 25 August 1748, Isabel Lucas, widow of John Lucas, Falls Twp. left bequests to her Aunt Hannah Woodford; her sister Mary Shaw and her daughters Sarah and Anna; her niece, Mary Harding; the children of Richard and Mary Margerum; her sister-in-law, Mary Margerum; Joseph Shaw, Jr.; and Mary and Wm. Goforth.  Her Bros.-in-law Robert Lucas, Joseph Shaw, and James Moon, exrs. Wit: Benj. Linton, Daniel Wharton, and Joseph White. Wills: Abstracts: Book 2: Bucks Co, PA, 1739-1759.

Return to Index Page