Thomas Henry Worrilow was the son of John and Alice Worrilow and was baptized on 26 Dec 1636 in the Parish Church of Haughton, Staffordshire, England. He was the first Worrilow to settle in the new world. He and his wife, Grace Perkes, had raised their family together in Haughton, and sometime after 1685 immigrated to Pennsylvania. It is known that of their 7 children, their daughter Grace and son Thomas died before emigration, for they are buried in Haughton the last being buried in 1685. Sometime before leaving their homeland, they joined the Religious Society of Friends.

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