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John Jackson Worthey & Elizabeth Hires

Proposed Worthy/Worthey Lineage

Compiled by Judy Griffin, 2007, - email address

John Jackson Worthey (circa 1817 - 1872) +Elizabeth Hires (circa 1820 - before July 1868)
...... 2 David Worthey (circa 1839 - 1902) + Nancy Elizabeth Hancock (1871 - )
.......... 3 Charles Worthey (circa 1872 - )
.......... 3 Dora E. Worthey (circa 1875 - ) + John Keller
.......... 3 Nona B. Worthey (1882 - 1954) + George Vinson
.......... 3 Leroy Worthey (1884 - )
.......... 3 Leslie Worthey (1889 - )
.......... 3 Gertrude Worthey (1891 - 1968) + Russell Hutchinson
.......... 3 Newell J. Worthey (1895 - 1965)
...... 2 Leaner Catherine Worthey (1840 - 1929) + William Washington Dabbs (1836 - 1917)
.......... 3 Hettie E. Dabbs (circa 1869 - 1893) + William Henry Hancock (1864 - 1928)
............... 4 Emma Magadeline Hancock (1889 - 1920)
...... 2 John Worthey (circa 1843 - )
...... 2 Susan Elizabeth Worthey (1843 - 1917)
...... 2 James M. Worthey (circa 1847 - )
...... 2 Henry N. Worthey (circa 1851 - ) + Virginia Thompson (circa 1861 - )
.......... 3 A. C. Worthy (circa 1877 - )
.......... 3 William Worthy (circa 1879 - )
Phebe, Second wife of John Jackson Worthey
...... 2 Sarah Matilda Worthey (1869 - 1943) + Leslie Louis Hooper (1859 - 1934)

John Jackson Worthey

John Jackson Worthey was born circa 1817 in Tennessee or Georgia and died on September 29, 1872 in Jersey County, Illinois. John married Elizabeth Hires circa 1838. Elizabeth was born circa 1820 in Tennessee (or South Carolina) and died before July 1868, when John remarried. Elizabeth may have died a few years after their last child, circa 1851, unless there were more children who have not been found. John, Elizabeth and five of their children were found in Smith County, Tennessee in 1850. Living with them was a twenty-five year old Susan Worthy, born in Tennessee, possibly a sister or other relative of John. John, age 34, claimed he was born in Georgia. Living near John and Elizabeth in Smith County in 1850 were two separate Hires families that may be Elizabeth’s relatives. These were a Mary Hires (probably a widow), age 43, and seven children, all born in Tennessee; and a Henry Hires, age 54 and born in South Carolina, with his wife and eight children, all born in Tennessee.

• Leaner Catherine Worthey, born on December 12, 1840 in Tennessee, and died on April 30, 1929 in Jersey County, married William Washington Dabbs.

• John Worthey, born about 1843.

• Susan Elizabeth Worthey, born on February 23, 1843 in Tennessee, died on January 9, 1917 in Rosedale.

• James Worthey was born about 1847. While he was the only child living with his father in 1870, he was not found in the 1880 census. He may have married Emma Rowden on October 5, 1890. James was 43 and Emma was 44, so both were probably married previously. They were married by J. E. Dabbs, J.P. Emma Worthy was found in the 1900 census, living at Rosedale. (1) She was a widow and living with her was her son, Ernest E. Rowden. Her husband James must have died in the 1890s. Emma may have been Emma McCullah/McCollor who married a Miles F. Rowden on January 4, 1880. Miles apparently died on December 18, 1882. Emma may have married for a third time to a George T. Poulson on October 1, 1903. There was an obituary for a James Worthy who died January 14, 1900 at Rosedale, age about 55 years. No relatives were named.

• Henry N. Worthey was born about 1851. Henry married Virginia Thompson on September 4, 1874 in Jersey County. Henry was a farmer Lavaca, Texas by 1880, probably moving there circa 1877 (birth of son). Virginia was listed as having consumption. Their children were: A. C. Worthy, born circa 1877; and William Worthy, born circa 1879, both born in Texas. Henry and family were not found after 1880.

Child of John and Phebe was:

• Sarah Matilda Worthey, born May 14, 1869 in Otterville, and died on November 12, 1943 in Jerseyville, buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, Jerseyville. Although her mother Phoebe was still living after her third marriage to James E. Case, Sarah seemed to be living with a Kenneda family in Otter Creek in 1880 census. Sarah married Leslie Louis Hooper, probably his second wife. No first marriage for Sarah was not found. Leslie Louis Hooper, son of Henry Hooper, was born on January 18, 1859 and died on June 2, 1934, buried in White Cemetery, Otter Creek. (2)

David Worthey

Son of John Jackson Worthey

David Worthey, born in April 1839 and died in 1902, married Nancy Elizabeth Hancock, daughter of Camp Hancock and Serilda Pittman, on July 2, 1871 in Jersey County, Illinois. Nancy was born on September 28, 1856 in Illinois and died on February 15, 1930, buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, Jerseyville. (3) Nancy used the name Elizabeth. David may have been previously married. There is a record for a David Worthey who married an Emeline Blissett on April 16, 1864 in Jersey County. David appeared to be a more prosperous member of the Worthey family. In December 1889 he and his wife held a ball for either young people or neighbors. (4)

“Quite a number of our friends from the north side, among whom we noticed the Misses Stella, Lena and Lottie Dowdall, Lulu Spangle, Louesa Henso and Nellie Glass, and the Messrs. John Dowdall, John Falkner, Tom Cummings, Charley Dowdall, Nat Scott and Billie Keys of Otterville, attended a ball at the residence of David Worthy, three miles and a half west of Otterville. A good time was reported and the guests retired at a late hour, having spent a very pleasant evening.”

In 1880, David was a farmer in Otter Creek. He stated his mother was born in South Carolina. Living with the family were Nancy’s siblings, George, Henry and Mary Hancock, the children of Camp Hancock. After David died, Nancy Elizabeth married Bartholomew C. Milford, April 23, 1903. Bartholomew, 1839 – 1918) was a farmer and an ordained CP deacon, serving churches in Otterville and Newbern. In 1910 her son Newell was living with them. Bartholomew was age 71 and Elizabeth (Nancy) was only 52. Living next door were her daughter Gertrude with her husband Russell Hutchinson. Bartholomew died in 1918 and Elizabeth may have remarried. However, her tombstone in Oak Grove Cemetery reads Elizabeth Worthey Milford, 1856-1930. She was buried in the same plot as her daughter Gertrude and son Newell. In the Hutchinson family history is the circa 1909 photograph that includes Nancy Elizabeth and her second husband, “Tuck” Milford.

David and Nancy Elizabeth had ten children, only eight were living by 1900, seven by 1910, but only seven have been found. They were:

• Charles E. Worthey, born circa 1872 and died on February 14, 1944 at Belltown, Illinois. He was buried at Oakwood Cemetery, Alton.

• Dora E. Worthey, born circa 1875, married John Keller on October 19, 1893 in Jersey County.

• Nona B. Worthey, born May 3, 1882, and died on January 17, 1954 at her daughter’s home in Alton, Illinois. Nona married George Vinson, Jr. on April 27, 1899 in Jersey County and they resided in the Nutwood area. (5)

• Leroy Worthey, born November 1884, resided in Los Angeles, California by 1954.

• Leslie Worthey, born November 1889, resided in Eldorado, Illinois by 1954.

• Gertrude B. Worthey, born on January 14, 1891, and died on June 13, 1968 in Jerseyville, Jersey County. She was buried on Oak Grove Cemetery, Jerseyville. She married Russell Hutchinson on March 10, 1909 (see Hutchinson family history). They had no children, but did have a number of “foster” children. They were: Opal Hutchinson, daughter of Russell’s brother Elvin and a Janet(t). I have a note from a trip to Jersey County that Janett was adopted, though Gertrude’s obituary stated that Janette was a foster daughter.

  Mrs. Gertrude Hutchinson, 77, of 311 Sheridan, Jerseyville, died at 3:05 a.m. today at the Jersey Community Hospital. She was born Jan. 14, 1891, the daughter of the late David and Elizabeth Hancock Worthy. Surviving are her husband, Russell, of Jerseyville; two foster daughters, Mrs. Opal Walker of Centralia, Mo., and Mrs. Janet Kappler of Jerseyville; four foster grandchildren; four foster great-grandchildren; and one brother Leslie Worthey of Eldorado. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Gospel Assembly Church, the Rev. Harry Frazer officiating. Burial will be in the Oak Grove cemetery. Friends may call at the Jacoby Brothers Funeral Home after 4 p.m. Saturday until 1 p.m. Sunday, and then at the church.

• Newell J. Worthey, born March 1895, resided in Quincy, Illinois by 1954. He married Ellen Ruth Peters on January 3, 1922 in Boone, Boone County, Iowa. (6) Newell died on June 9, 1965 and was buried in Oak Grove Cemetery. (7) He served in World War I.

Possible Family of John Jackson Worthey

A George Anderson Worthey resided in Otter Creek in 1870. (8) He was age 38 and there was no wife listed. His children were born in Texas. This may be the George A. Worthey who witnessed, and may have written, John’s 1872 “Will.” The mother of this George was Dica/Dicey, who was living with George in 1870. George had a river boat that he carried cargo up and down the Mississippi River. George had twin children born on the river boat. George married an Elizabeth Reed first and had three or four children by her. She died in 1870 and he married Isabella Carson Devlin in 1873. She had married a Dabbs first and had one child by him. George was in Freestone, Texas in 1880. George and Isabella did not leave Jersey County until about 1878. They had a daughter, Willie Bell. (9)

Jesse E. Dabbs, was the son of Samuel Dabbs and Uncle of W. W. Dabbs. His probate was filed in October 1873 by his second wife, Isabel Dabbs, administrator. According to papers in Jesse’s probate file in 1873, Isabel had re-married before the estate was settled (her surname changed in the documents). This was the Isabel Dabbs who married George (Andrew) Worthy on January 1, 1874 in Jersey County (Illinois Statewide Marriage Database online). Jesse Dabbs and Isabel Devlin had a son, born circa 1873, not long before Jesse’s death (not in birth index). Isabel and George Worthy moved to Texas in the mid to late 1870s, taking with them James Dabbs and the children of Isabel and George (see 1880 census).

Armel, George Worthy’s father, was in Monroe County, Tennessee in 1830. In 1840 he was in Madison County, Illinois. Then in 1850 they were in Calhoun County, Illinois. In 1870 Armel was not found, but his sons George and Absalom were in Jersey County. Armiel or Armel Worthy married a Dica Goins and had at least six sons: Absalom born circa 1818 in Georgia; Reuben, born circa 1828 in Tennessee; Benjamin, born 1830 in Tennessee; George, born 1834 in Tennessee; William, born 1837 in Illinois; George Anderson, born circa 1838 in Tennessee.

Shirley Parker, a descendant of George A. Worthey sent the following information: (10)

My grandfather was George Anderson Worthey, born in Monroe County, Tenn. according to the Calhoun County, Illinois 1850 census. His parents were Armil Worthey and Dica Goins born in the late 1800’s George married twice. Mary Elizabeth Reed on March 2, 1856 in Bexar County, Texas; Isabelle Carson Develin Dabs on December 31, 1873 in Jerseyville, Illinois. George died February 4, 1873. There were six little Worthey girls in Texas when he died of pneumonia.

His and Mary Elizabeth Reed’s son, Van, lived around my ggrandmother, Isabelle, in Texas. Van married a blind lady in Texas. I have a picture of them with their small dog which I inherited from my Dad, the oldest son of Ettie Worthey Vaughn. I also have a picture of George in his uniform My grandmother Ettie said that he changed sides after living in Texas in the 1850’s and 60’s He went from the South to the North.

I am very interested in the William Worthey in Eddy, Texas. I have found several of George’s brothers, but I have not found anything on William since I found George and him in Bexar County in 1860. I also found Dica with George in 1870 Taking care of his and Mary’s children.

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