Your Help is Needed: George's letters are now missing. Where are the letters?
George Haworth wrote at least eight letters to his mother and others of his family back in England. He wrote these between the years 1699 and 1722.
In June of 1961, James Rodgers Haworth writes the following in his book, "George Haworth and Some of His Descendants":
"Originals of the letters written by George Haworth to his relatives in Lancashire from Philadelphia, were in possession of Wilson Haworth, 99 Every Street, Nelson, Lancashire, until his death in 1941. When I visited Lancashire in 1961, I met and was hospitably entertained by Mr. and Mrs. James Barlow at their home "Mancknowles Cottage", at Barley, a tiny and ancient village near Nelson. Mrs. Barlow, born Jessie Haworth, daughter of Wilson Haworth, said she had often seen these letters when her father was living, and had thought they were among other family papers in her possession. However, a diligent search failed to locate them"
In 1999, Ms Marilyn Winton followed up on locating the original papers and was told by Jessie Barlow that they might be in a box located at a local library. However, when Ms Winton visited the library and opened the box, the letters were not there. In late 1999, Jessie Barlow passed away (pictures of Jessie can be found on our website).
Fortunately, however, eight of these letters have been published, and are to be found in the Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Genealogy, Volume XXXVII, 1913, at pages 330 to 341. The letters as published are re-typed and printed in the paragraphs below.
Note: George's birthplace was not Rockcliffe, as earlier reported. Ms Marilyn Winton found his baptism document, dated 10 Sept 1676 at Haslingden, Lancashire. The document indicated that he was born at GAMBLESIDE, near Dunnockshaw, Lancashire. While Gambleside is now a "lost" village (ruins only now), on a road map, it can be found near the main highway to Dunnockshaw. We hope to have a copy of the baptismal papers from Ms Winton. Ron Haworth, editor.
Philadelphia ye 26th of ye 8th Mo. 1699.
To my Dear Mother Brother and Sisters
After my dear love to you all, with my dear love to all my friends and neighbours, hopeing you are all in good health, as I am at present, blessed be the Lord for the same; tho I have been very weakly at Sea in the latter end of our Journey; but it pleased the Lord that I got well on shore at a place 100 Leagues short of Philadelphia, where I was informed that my Sister dwelt there at a place called Hurbills, (Whorkill) and so in much weakness I got to the place and quickly found her, and staid there one week, and then set sail in a Sloop for Philadelphia for which I paid 5s. My Sister was in good health and she hath four children 2 Boys and 2 Girls and her Husband being well allso, and is a Hatter to his trade. They have few Cattle but live indifferently well of his Trade. We were about 14 weeks at Sea after we left Liverpool a long and tedious Journey we had, for we being over many throng'd in the Ship, I believe hurt many, for we had many distempers among us, as Fevers, Flux, and Jaundice, and many died at Sea about 56 and at Shore there died about 20. Henry Mitchell died about midway, his son John is dead also and one Ellis Scholfield and Robert Brewer is dead and hath left his goods to be returned to his kinsfolks at Liverpool. My Brother in law is dead and child died also about 3 days before my Sister, She was indifferently well most of the way but about 100 Leagues of sight of land she bore a child and it died and then she died and left her Household goods to my Sister and one half of the clothes, and the other half she hath left me, Thomas Musgrove is dead also at Sea and Henry Mitchells' wife died at shore. As for my Sister here, she doth somewhat incline to come to Meetings, but she liveth so far remote from any Meeting, that she seldom goeth; but as for her Husband he doth not incline to go to Friends Meetings, if my brother or any of my Neighbours do incline to come into this country, let them be careful that they do not come too many in the Ship as we did; for being throng, and then come into the hot weather and the smell of many, then many fainted away and died, we wanted Water and Beer to drink, for having salt Beef, we were much athirst and could not get enough to drink, for the seamen stowed the Hold so full of Goods that they had not room for Water and Beer, and then wanting such things as might have nourished us we suffered hardships. But if any come, let them bring for themselves over and besides the Ships allowance Spices and Brandy and cheese let the Seamen pretend what they will; or else victual themselves and bargain for being carried over and goods and then bring for yourselves but a little Beef and some bacon, and wheat flour is very good, and cheese and Butter and Eggs, or any mild sort of food, and as for your goods you bring let them be Bed ticks very good with all sorts of bedding bring no hats except very good, and hard wares so be careful of being thronged in the Ship on a Summers Journey, lest you be hurt as we were, we had a very hard passage, we were brought to allowance of Water and Beer, and for every 4 we had 2 Cans of Water and 1 1/2 so no more but my dear love to my Mother and Brother and Sisters with the rest.
George Haworth
Ye 14 of ye 3rd Mo. Called May 1701
Dear Mother--after my dear love to thee and to my Brother and Sisters and to all my relations and well wishers, these comes to let you understand I am well at present, hoping these few lines may find you all in good health also, and 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 and since I was free I work by the piece or by the day, and hath 2/6 a day and victuals, and in harvest 3/6 a day and if we take our work we commonly get more, So if any of my relations have a mind to come to this country, I think it is very good country and that they may do well, but be sure to come free, but if you come servants, they must be sold for 4 or 5 years and work hard, so be sure to come free and bring such things as will suit plantation work, as Horse chains plowgears and all things suitable to work withal as ploy irons and things for selling: bring stores of good cloth and good sarge and bedding of all sorts with good store of silk to sew withal and good ticking and good stockings and shoes and good Ivory combs and knives very good ones, and good Alchymy buttons and good light Hats and Iron pots. And as for the land there is both good and bad, both Hills and also Vales and the common product of the land is Wheat, Rye, Barley, Oats, Beans, Pease and Buckwheat and Indiana corn and Apples plenty often and Cyder and Peaches and Cherries: Cattle and Horses there is plenty, and store of hogs and there is sheep, and victuals is good and plenty all over the Country as far as I know: there is fishes and fowl is pretty plenty, and this last Winter there was a great Snow and some got store of Deer 8 or 10 in a weeks time; and what varmant we have, as Wolves I have seen some but they have not hurt me tho' I have been near them, there is a few panthers and Bears, but they hurt nobody as I know of, and land is dearer than it was when we first came. There is several sorts of grapes and strawberries plenty and mullberries and whimberries, but they grow upon stalks 3 foot high, there is many sorts of wood, as Black Oaks, White Oaks, Red Oaks, and other sorts and many other sorts of other Trees as Chesnuts, Walnuts, and many sorts of things. We have Turkeys wild in the Woods, Pheasants and Partridges, with many other sorts of birds of divers colours and strange colours and notes; and thus much for the Country and its product. This is to let you understand, that I went ashore at a place called Horbills (Whorkill) and there found my Sister and she hath 4 children 2 Sons and 2 daughters John, James and Mary and Sarah, and there I staid about a week, and then my Brother came along with me to Philadelphia and since then I have not seen them but hath received letters from them so they are in good health when I heard last from them; and 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, I have sent one letter and something in another and heard nothing from you, but I desire you in all love to hear from you as soon as possible you can, for I could be glad to hear from you especially of your wellfare and if any of you come I desire you to send me word hard. Direct your letters for me to be left at Phineas Pembertons in the county of Bucks and so I remain your loving Brother.
George Haworth
Bucks ye 26 of ye Ist MO: called March 1704
Loving Mother
My dear love to thee hopeing these lines may find thee in good health as I am at present, the Allmighty be praised for it and hath been mostly since I left you but last Winter I had the Fever and ague 5 months, I received your tokens which was half a crown from thee, and a shilling from my loving Brother, which I received very gladly, but I should have been more glad to have received a letter with it, I do much admire that I never receive no letter from you since I came here it makes me think you have all most forgotten me; I am very sorry and sore troubled that you so neglect writing to me, I desire you to write to me by the next opportunity and not to fail. Remember my love to my loving Sister Sarah and to Brother James and to my sister Susannah and all my Relations and to Friends and neighbours. Two Months ago I was with my Sister Mary where she doth dwell, and she was in good health and her Husband and their children, They have had six children but the youngest is dead, John, Mary, Sarah, James, and Elizabeth, but George died of Small pox. They live about 172 miles from me near Maryland upon the Sea coast and I live up the country near Delaware river 20 miles above Philadelphia. And as for the Country affairs I have writ in my former letters, only Corn is cheap, but I could gladly wish as many of you as desire to come here were well settled here. And if any of you come here or any of your acquaintance come, come free, it is a great deal better living here than in England for working people doth live as well as here, as landed men doth live with you thats worth 20L a year, I live a single life and hath builded a Shop, and doth follow weaving of linnen cloth, but I have bought 450 acres of land in the Woods, but doth not live on it yet, so no more at present, but I rest my love to thee, desiring thy health both in this world and thy Souls health in the World to come my own hand writing.
From thy loving son
George Haworth.
Loving brother
My dear love to thee hopeing these few lines will find thee in good health as bodily, and my love once more in the truth to thee desiring thee to keep thy Integrity, for the love thou hadst for me, when I knew little what belonged to my peace, to what thro' the mercies of God, blessed be his name, I now understand, and do not neglect writing to me, for I desire to hear from thee time being short, for I am affraid that thou neglectest writing to me, I have written and sent 9 or 10 letters to thee but never could get one from thee, no more at present but I remain thy Loving Brother
George Haworth
P.S. I thought good to write a few words to you of my Sister and of her outward affairs they living in a town and Brother followeth Hat-making: they have little land but some Horses and Cows and liveth very happily. Mary Baker is in good health, her Son Edward is married, and her daughter Rachel is married, Mary Walker is in good health, and all people are all generally in good health. direct your letters to Thomas Brooks in Bristol, in the county of Bucks or to Samuel Carpenter, Philadelphia.
Farewell
Bucks ye of March 1706
Honorable Mother
I have received your token with great comfort to bear of your wellfare and health to which I won myself obliged to you for the tenderness and care towards me which makes me desire to make a large acknowledgement to you but I seeing the distance between us, I desire you accept of my goodwill and dutiful affection towards you, together with my desire for your prosperity and wellfare and hoping these lines will find you in good health as I am at present the Allmighty be praised for it. Remember my dear love to my Brother and to my loving Sisters and all rela tions in general and to my Neighbours and especially to John Ormerod and Henry Birtwistle and their families. My Sister Mary and Brother John and cousins are all in good health when I heard from them ye last July and hath had 5 children John, Sarah, Mary, James and George, and George died about a year ago. James Haworth's widow and her little daughter are in good health and she hath married one of my shipmates one George Clough, Mary Baker and her sons and daughters are in good health, but I much admire that you are so negligent and soon forgotten me that you never writ to me since I left you, it makes me ready to weep often, when I think how I cannot have so much as one letter from some of your hands, I would desire some of you to write to me by the next opportunity and not to fail I would not have you to forget me, tho' I be far distant from you I have some thoughts of coming to England and see you but the Seas are so full of Enemies that there is no good coming as yet, I have sent 9 or 10 letters and my Sister hath sent but one and never received any: I work generally with one Samuel Carpenter at a place called New Bristol in the County of Bucks by Delaware river and my wages is 3/6 a day Summer and Winter. Corn is cheap with us at present wheat at 4/- a bushel and other grain accordingly.
Silver money is very scarce with us at present and English goods are very dear at present by reason of the War at the Sea. Much more might be writ concerning the country, and the way of living in it but I have writ several letters before and set such things in them if you have received them and time being short and so I rest your dutiful Son
George Haworth
Bucks
My Dear and Loving Brother
I received thy letter dated 18th of Ist mo: 1710 being very glad to hear from you but finding in it that my dear and aged Mother is deceased the thoughts of it made me mourn yet hoping that it is well with her and that all flesh is mortal, I take it as patiently as I can, therefore dear Brother these are to let thee understand that I am in good health hoping thou art the same with my love to my Sisters and Brother Isaac and to my cousins and all my relations in general; give my love to John 0rmerod and family and to all that asketh after me; I am unmarried and followeth weaveing, and am full employed therewith, but haveing some thoughts of altering my condition hoping its for the better, So dear Brother as it is well with thee both outwardly and inwardly, pray for me that it may be so with me and that especially that I may be strengthened in the inward man, that we may feel each other daily strengthened in that pure faith that carrieth us thro' all exercises if we keep to it. 0 dear Brother so I say, I desire thy prayers for me, tho' I be but as one of the hindermost of the flock, yet that I may lose no more ground, for I have more need than many others to keep to that which God hath made known to me So Brother I desire thee not to fail of writing to me and direct thy letters to me in the County of Bucks, to be left at Andrew Elliotts or to Samuel Carpenter in Philadelphia. So no more at present but I rest thy dear Brother
George Haworth
P.S. Brother, thou writes of my Uncle George's both pray thee send in thy next how it is with them both and especially my Mothers Brothers Farewell,
Bucks ye 3 of 9 Mo: 1712
My Dear and Loving
Brother James Haworth
I received thy letter ye 8th of ye 3rd mo: last dated January ye 13.1711. by our friend Ann Chapman being glad of it from thy hand I was sorry thou lost thy helpmate in so little a time Dear Brother my kind love to thee with my wife's we are in good health at present blessed be the Lord for it. I am settled on my own land, I have been married about 2 years we have had one child a boy he lived not long, I married my Wife amongst Friends, Sister Mary was in good health last I heard from her; give my kind love to Sister and Brothers and Cousins and to all my relations. I am concern'd sometimes for some of my relations, as Uncle Henrys children for fear there is not care taken of them, Dear Brother if it be not too much trouble for thee to send me one of them over, or any of my cousins or any other Boy; if thou be free to send me one over I will give him a good trade or if any be minded to come I will pay their passage here or send thee return, Here is no want for victuals or clothing here it is a good Country for you people to come into. Give my love to Henry Birtwistle, John Ormerod and all that asketh after me.
John Dawson that the Ratter that lived at Rossendale, lives now in Philadelphia. So Dear Brother having not much more at present but my deal love to thee once more to thee in the Truth desiring we may be kept there in all our days.
George Haworth.
fail not to write us by all opportunity.
Remember my love to John Ormerod and wife and children for I often think of them and acquaint John that I could be glad to have a few lines from him how things goes amongst them direct your letters to me in Buckenham in the County of Bucks Pennsylvania the bearer hereof Timothy Smith comes near Chippen thou may send back by him.
Buckenham ye 27th of July 1715
Loving Brother
I received thine by Wm Baldwin and also one by Timothy Smith; so having this opportunity I thought convenient to make use of it, hoping these few lines will find you in good health, as I and my Wife and child is at present blessed be the Lord for it, Two of my Sister Mary's children, John and Mary came to see me this Spring and they are all in good health, and Sarah sisters daughter is married to one Thomas Rowland and like to live well. Sister Mary owneth Friends, but her Husband holdeth more for the Church of England; but she hath brought up her chil dren very orderly and they behave themselves very civilly amongst sober people, and their love is very respectfully desired to you all and they were glad to see and read the letters I received from thee. So Loving Brother, to satisfy thy de sire (the Lord knows how it is best with people) the greatest share of people in our parts is called Quakers and Meetings are kept in good order, there is a great many of meeting houses built, I can take my Horse and ride to any of 8 meetings in a morning before the Meeting begin. There is of all sorts of Professions, as Church of England, Anabaptists, Presbeterians, Independents, Papists &c. and most of them hath houses or churches to meet together to worship in, Further Brother thou desired to know what County my Wife was of; her parents were born in London and she was born in Pennsylvania, but thou hath had 2 Wives and never sent where thou married them nor who they were. These sent by Reuben Powel, he is one of my new neighbours he comes to Cheshire and you may send to me by him. So concerning what calling I and my Wife doth follow we make our own cloth both linnen and wollen and sometimes I weave for wages I clears land and plows I count I have 100 bushels of Corn this year very good wheat Rye and Barley and Indian Corn, I plant trees and hath Apples Peaches and Cherries and I have good land and wants more hands to help me I have 4 Cows and 4 Horses and 31 Swine, one thing more concerning the Country how it is settled Philadelphia
is our greatest town we have; it is very large about a mile long with a great breadth might be populated a market twice a week and full of all Country business and Sea affairs the River full of Sloops and Ships, Bristol is a market town and there is a many more too tedious to set down. We have a fine large country with great conveniency in it. My Son is 2 years and 5 months old his name is Stephanus. so dear Brother my kind love to thee and to all my relations and all that enquire after me and all Friends so no more at present.
I remain thy Loveing Brother
George Haworth.
ye 15th of 8 'lo: Called October 1722.
Loving Brother
These are to let thee know that we thy kindred are all in good health, blessed be the Lord for it; My Sister Mary and children desire dearly to be remembered to thee and the rest of our kindred in England; all her children is married and doth well three of them married according to the good order of Friends, her husband died a year and eight months ago. So dear Brother I heartily desire thy wellfare both Soul and body. Give my dear Love to my Sisters and to all my Relations and Friends. I have 4 children 3 boys and one daughter. Our country is pretty healthy at present blessed be the Lord for it. We have been affraid of War by the Indians, thro' some ill indian traders but now we have had a treaty of peace. Our Country encreaseth and the inhabitants groweth large and fast, Corn is cheap and money scarce. so having not much more at present but our dear love to you all I rest and remain thy Loving Brother.
George Haworth
P.S. I have received no letters since one from John Laycock; Dear Brother I often think of you forget not to write to me by what oppertunity thou can.
Back to Reunion Web Page Presentation