Direct descendant is highlighted in red

FATHER

Robert Worden

MOTHER

Isabell Worthington

WIFE

Margaret Grice

CHILDREN

1. Peter Worden

2. Elizabeth Worden

3. Bridget Worden

Peter Worden was born in Clayton, England. He was a "Foreign Burgess" in the town of Preston, just five miles from Clayton. Foreign referred to the fact that he was not a native of the town, but an outsider. His ancestors had acquired the burgess rights and they had been passed down to their children. Burgess rights were a valuable asset and much needed for trading purposes.

Peter held a lease on a shop in the Moothall, or Guildhall. The Moothall was a two-story building, approximately 35' by 70', housing the town Council chamber and offices on the second floor and businesses on the first. Peter's shop was next to the stairs at the north end of the building. Early archives list the following mention of Peter's lease. "Item of Elizabeth Weren widdowe for on shop on the east side of moothall next adjoyning to the staires at the north end of the hall with a standing (open stall) at the south end of the hall formerly demised to Peter Werden by lease dated Primo Oct XVth Jac ye improved yearly rent of L01-15s-00d" This date would indicate that Peter Worden held a lease on the aforementioned shop and stand in Oct 1617. He was probably in the cloth trade.


His name appears in the Preston Guild Roll for 1622 but by 1642 he and his son, Peter, had gone to New England where Peter "ye elder" had died, in early 1639, while Peter, the son, remained for the balance of his life.

Peter, the elder, had lost his wife Margaret in 1612 after only 8 or 9 years of marriage and he was left with five step-children and three of his own children, the youngest, Peter, being only about three years of age. In 1625 his daughter, Elizabeth, had an illegitimate child. In 1628 his other daughter, Bridget, died. When Peter went to New England in or after 1636 his family had been reduced to his own son, Peter, and two grandsons, Robert Swansy and John Lewis. He probably left for America to make a new life.

.