WENTWORTH, Elder William

Other Events and Attributes:

• Differentiator: The Great Migration; Royal gateway ancestor; defended the garrison and lived through Dover Indian Massacre
• Gateway Ancestor: Royal Descent and Magna Carta
• Great Migration: William likely arrived Boston in 1636 or 1637, perhaps traveling with John Wheelwright's group.
• Historical Importance: Gateway Ancestor
• Web Address: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Wentworth_(elder)
• Web Address: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Wentworth-145
• Name: Wintworth, Winford, Wenford, Wintford, and Wantworth
• _DNA: match
• Arrival: 1636, Boston, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
• Residence: Between 1642 and 1649, Wells, York, Maine, USA
• Public Service: Between 1647 and 1649, Kittery, York, Maine, USA; Member of Jury
• Public Service: 1648, Wells, York, Maine, USA; Constable
• Residence: 1650, Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire, USA; Taxed in Dover for first time this year
• Public Service: Between 1655 and 1697, Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire, USA; Ruler Elder of the first church in Dover
• Public Service: 1657, 1660, 1661, Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire, USA; Lot Layer (arbitrate conflicting claims of land)
• Public Service: 1661, Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire, USA; Moderator of Town Meetings
• Public Service: 1663, Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire, USA; Commissioner (in charge of adjudging "small causes")
• Public Service: 1651, 1657, 1660, 1664, 1665, 1670, Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire, USA; Selectman
• Burial: 15 Mar 1697, Dover, Strafford County, New Hampshire, USA

Notes:

The first record of Elder William Wentworth in America is on 4 Jul 1639 when his signature appeared, along with those of 35 others including Reverend John Wheelwright, on the Exeter Combination for government. Rev. Wheelwright had been banished from Massachusetts along with Anne Hutchinson (for his religious views) and had purchased from Native Americans the title to 2 pieces of land in New Hampshire. The settlement was created in 1638 around the lower falls of Swamscott River--what is now Exeter. The original document is preserved among the records of Exeter. The Combination is essentially similar to the "Mayflower Compact" in that it established a cooperative government where none existed.

William was from Wheelwright's parish in England and probably came to America with him or shortly after. As circumstantial evidence of this, just after Wheelwright's arrival in Boston (26 May 1636) Elder William Wentworth's father (William Sr) sold his property in England and there is no record of either of them in England after that.

As the Ruling Elder of the First Church in Dover, Elder William was responsible for preaching and serving the needs of the congregation in the absence of the preacher. Due to the geographic distance and difficulty many members had reaching the church held at the meeting house on Dover Neck, Elder William spent the last 40 years or so preaching. He was the first person ever employed by public authority to preach within the city limits of Dover, but he officiated more commonly at Quamphegan (now South Berrwick) which also served the Salmon Falls area. Later in life he also preached in Exeter.

The tale of how Elder William held off the Indians during the massacre at Cocheco in 1689 is well known. On 28 Jun 1689, Elder William was at Heard's garrison (the frontier post between Portsmouth and Canada), about a mile from his house. That night some of the squaws in the garrison requested to sleep by the kitchen fire (not unusual). But in the middle of the night, the squaws got up and admitted the attacking Indians. A dog barking at them awoke and alerted Elder William, who at 73 years of age managed to somehow push the entering Indians back out, shut the door, and then fall against it to barricade it until help came despite the shots being fired through the door just over his head while he held it. This was the only garrison saved that night. From the others attacked, 23 people were killed and 29 were taken captive.

William married KENNEY, Elizabeth Knight in 1640 in New Hampshire, USA. Elizabeth (daughter of QUINEY, William and SUTTON, Elizabeth) was born in 1619; died on 4 Apr 1697 in Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire, USA; was buried in Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. WENTWORTH, Benjamin was born in 1670 in Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire, USA; died in Aug 1728 in Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire, USA.
2. WENTWORTH, Sarah was born on 15 Apr 1666 in Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire, USA; died in 1706.
3. WENTWORTH, Timothy was born in 1663 in Rowley, Essex, Massachusetts, USA; died on 8 Jul 1719 in Berwick, York, Maine, USA.
4. WENTWORTH, Paul was born in 1657 in Rowley, Essex, Massachusetts, USA; died in 1750 in Norwich, New London, Connecticut, USA.
5. WENTWORTH, Sylvanus was born in 1659 in Rowley, Essex, Massachusetts, USA; died in 1689 in Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire, USA.
6. WENTWORTH, Ephraim was born in 1663 in Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire, USA; died on 29 Jun 1748 in Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire, USA.
7. WENTWORTH, William was born in 1660.
8. WENTWORTH, Gershom was born in 1649 in Rowley, Essex, Massachusetts, USA; died on 2 Mar 1731 in Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire, USA.
9. WENTWORTH, John was born in 1644 in Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire, USA; died on 25 Mar 1690 in Canton, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA.
10. WENTWORTH, Gershom was born in 1649 in Rowley, Essex, Massachusetts, USA; died on 2 Mar 1731 in Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire, USA.

William married WIFE, First about 1640. First died before 1653. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. WENTWORTH, Samuel was born in 1641 in Rowley, Essex, Massachusetts, USA; died on 25 Mar 1690 in Portsmouth, Rockingham, New Hampshire, USA.
2. WENTWORTH, John was born about 1647; died on 25 Mar 1690 in Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA; was buried in Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA.
3. WENTWORTH, Gershom was born in 1649 in Rowley, Essex, Massachusetts, USA; died on 2 Mar 1731 in Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire, USA.
4. WENTWORTH, Ezekiel was born about 1651 in Rowley, Essex, Massachusetts, USA; died on 6 May 1712 in Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire, USA; was buried in Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire, USA.
5. WENTWORTH, Elizabeth was born in 1653; died on 16 Apr 1704 in Berwick, York, Maine, USA.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Birth: Y
• Name: //

William married CARTER FLEMING, Susannah on 28 Nov 1614 in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England. Susannah was born in 1592 in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England; died on 5 Jan 1620 in Lincolnshire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Christopher married MARBURY, Catherine on 19 Aug 1583 in St. Peter-at-Gowts, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England. Catherine (daughter of MARBURY, William and LENTON, Agnes) was born in 1560 in Girsby, Lincolnshire, England; died on 15 May 1633 in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Web Address: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Marbury-32

William married GILBY, Ellen (Anne?) in 1551 in Lincolnshire, England. Ellen was born in 1523; died in 1579 in Lincolnshire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Birth:
Ravendale, Lincolnshire, England

Other Events and Attributes:

• Web Address: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Marbury-24

William + LENTON, Agnes. Agnes (daughter of Living) was born in 1528 in Aldwincle, Northamptonshire, England; died on 26 Jan 1579 in Lancashire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Web Address: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Lenton-6