In my Mortimore line there is a woman whose name, by family legend was "Hannah Plemworth." The only problem is that I have been unable to ever find evidence of that surname! It crops up repeatedly in her descendants but no surname prior to that can I find under any spelling (Plymouth, Plemworth, Plymworth, and Plmworth).
What I did find in the same time period and same locale was a large family named "Worth". I have since be searching this vast pool to discover any clear links or hints of relationship.
In the 1790 Census of Guilford Co., there are 3 families of surname Worth:
Daniel Worth 2/2/4/- (8). Believe this to be Daniel with wife Eustace Hussey Worth.
Francis Worth 2/-/3/- (5) Believed to be Francis and wife Mary, don on Richard Worth
Jobb 1/1/2/-/-/ (4) – See Daniel #1 below. s/o Daniel, husband of Rhoda Macy.
In Randolph Co..
Joseph 4/1/2/? (6).
Craven Co..
Thomas .
It is easily noted that the Guilford group has many of the names that will be found in the later Mortimore line of David and Hannah Plemworth Mortimore. "Daniel", "Francis". Since it is conjectured by me that her name might have been WORTH, as no evidence of a surname of Plemworth has been found to date.
A Daniel Worth is mentioned in the Quaker Meeting notes for the county as well. There are others .
1. Daniel Worth, Minister - "Daniel Worth was a Quaker from Guilford County, N.C., who migrated to Indiana, came back to North Carolina as an abolitionist Wesleyan Methodist missionary in 1857, and was forced to leave the state in 1860 after considerable trouble in connection with his antislavery activity. Letters written by or about Worth, and a few other items. Included are two letters, 1858 and 1859, from Worth at New Salem, N.C., to his nephew, Rev. Aaron Worth, about his work as an abolitionist Wesleyan Methodist missionary in North Carolina and other matters." His papers are at the UNC see http://www2.lib.unc.edu/mss/inv/w/Worth,Daniel.html. Note he went to Indiana, as did the family of David and Hannah Mortimore. There is the legend in this family of a long time connection with "Methodism" as well. See also http://ncpedia.org/biography/worth-daniel and Noble J. Tolbert, "Daniel Worth: Tar Heel Abolitionist," North Carolina Historical Review 39 (July 1962). http://digital.ncdcr.gov/c dm/ref/collection/p16062coll9/id/3977. [Article on print page 284, PDF page 22.]. This last source indicates he was the son of Job and Rhoda Macy Worth, born Old Center, Guilford, May 3, 1795. He married Elizabeth Swaim, d/o Joshua and Sarah Elliot Swaim on March 5, 1818. In 1840 he was in Economy, Indiana.
2. Daniel Worth. Wife Eustace. His family information is thought to be: Name: Daniel Worth; Birth: 10 December 1739 (10 Dec 1739) - Nantucket, USA ; Death: 10 July 1830 (10 Jul 1830) - Guilford, North Carolina, USA ; Marriage: 9 February 1764 (9 Feb 1764) - Nantucket, Nantucket, MA (Massachusetts) ; Parents: Joseph Worth, Lydia Gorham ; Spouse: Eunice Hussey. He is probably the one listed on the Guilford Early Landowners Map prepared by Fred Hughes (and sold by Guilford County Genealogical Society) along with Jobb and a William Mortimore. A “Daniel Worth” and a “William Mortimore” signed a petition, Petition from inhabitants of Guilford County concerning the location of the county public buildings, Rollston, Richard; Et Al.1773 . Volume 09, Pages 806-809 (at http://docsouth.unc.edu/csr/index.html/document/csr09-0238)
Francis Worth
1. Francis Worth is listed in the Guilford, North Carolina New Garden Monthly Meeting - 'Quaker Monthly Meetings Index'; Men's Minutes, 1783-1800 North Carolina Guilford. It is believed this man is Francis Worth; Birth: 21 January 1735 (21 Jan 1735) - Essex, USA ; Death: 20 Feb 1807 - Guilford, North Carolina, United States ; Marriage: 5 Feb 1756 - Nantucket, Nantucket, Massachusetts ; Parents: Richard Worth, Sarah Hoag ; Spouse: Mary Gardner.
Job Worth:
1. Name: Job Worth; Birth: 11 Jul 1765 - Nantucket County (Nantucket) ; Death: 30 Sep 1822 - Guilford County (Guilford), North Carolina ;Marriage: 29 Nov 1787 - North Carolina ; Parents: Daniel Worth, Eunice Hussey ; Spouse: Rhoda Macy.
In 1790, "Hannah" would have been, it is assumed based on census records, about 10 years old. If that is correct, she should be at home in 1790 and reflected as a female child. That may help to eliminate some as a choice, unless she was indentured, orphaned, or a visiting relative. My head is starting to hurt.
A quick note found in passing once indicated the possibility the "plem" might have been a prefix (poss. Flemish in origin) meaning attached to or alongside. If this was true, and lost amid some arcane linguistic or legal items, could it infer she had been adopted or was otherwise made part of a family named Worth?
A quick note found in passing once indicated the possibility the "plem" might have been a prefix (poss. Flemish in origin) meaning attached to or alongside. If this was true, and lost amid some arcane linguistic or legal items, could it infer she had been adopted or was otherwise made part of a family named Worth?
While I get an aspirin, leave a note if you have any information on this troublesome surname or any of these Worths (Quaker and Methodist).
