Today is rather hot and humid with a heat index of 103 so I have decided to spread out in the air conditioning and start the following family tale.

And then there is this. Since I know that I have not confused anyone with my clear and concise outline of the Gabbert and Mendenhall families in Frederick County, Virginia, I will now cover families from the Myers side that spent a few years in Frederick County. So as not to confuse, I have placed a short outline of the direct connection at the beginning of each family. I would warn you that I have not done considerable research on this group of families but have done my best to follow them through Frederick County from what records that I could find. For the quick witted among you, you will know that all of these people are related to Prudence Taylor Elmore Myers who was covered in the previous posting.

Jonathan and Mary Merchant Taylor my 4th great grandparents.
His son, William Taylor my 3rd great grandfather, his daughter, Prudence Taylor Elmore Myers who married 2nd Ralph Myers my 2nd great grandfather. Yes, mentioning Prudence again is a bit redundant but I am just trying to keep things straight.
Jonathan and Mary Taylor seem to have appeared in Frederick County sometime in the 1750’s. His son William is believed to have been born there on March 16, 1751.
May 3, 1760 Fairfax land grant 400 acres "joyning Thomas Litller’s Patent"
Library of Virginia ^
May 18, 1761 Jonathan Taylor voted for Colonel George Washington and Colonel George Mercer as members of the House of Burgesses from Frederick County.
http://haygenealogy.com/hay/frederickvavoting.html
"6 6 1768 Hopewell (to) Bush River ( South Carolina) Jonathan Taylor, wife & children".
Hopewell Friends History ^

Robert and Mary Burtis Worthington my 5th great grandparents.
Their daughter, Martha Worthington, married Samuel Pearson my 4th great grandparents.
Robert and Mary Burtis Worthington were early land owners in the portion of Spotsylvania County that became Orange County that became Frederick County at a later date then Berkeley County and then in 1801 Jefferson County which, in 1863, became part of West Virginia.
The date of arrival of the Worthingtons in the Shenandoah Valley is not definitely known, however in some of the papers filed in the settlement of his estate recorded in Orange County is a disposition made by his widow, which states, in part, that she and her husband were married in Friend's Meeting at Burlington, New Jersey on " "13th of 6th month, 1729" and "quickly after the said marriage, removed to this country." Both of the Worthingtons appeared in person in a Philadelphia County Court on December 11, 1731 to acknowledge sale of land but had probably already moved to Virginia by that date. The land sold was probably a 191 ½ acre tract on the Delaware River that Robert had purchased in 1720, he was listed as an Innholder of Philadelphia County.

Robert received a 3000 acre land grant from Virginia Colony on October 3, 1734. Library of Virginia ^
Sometime about 1734 Robert built his home (link below) from which he seems to have operated his farming interests and operated some type of trading business.
Robert and Mary had three children Martha, Mary and Robert Jr..
Robert died in 1735; his will was filed in Maryland and later in Orange County. I have not personally read the court papers so I am going on other records that I have either seen or read the abstracts of sales of some of Robert’s assets.
After the death of Robert Worthington, his widow married 2nd Samuel Brittian. Samuel and Mary were appointed guardians about 1740 of the three Worthington children. Mary Burtis Worthington Brittian died about 1794 in what, by that time, was Berkeley County, Virginia.

Okay, this needs to be explained. If you go to the site below and open, look at the picture (on page 7 of the pdf) of the Georgian style home and look at the title on the application, you might think that Robert and Mary Burtis Worthington lived there. They did not. They lived in the part of the house peering around the right side of the grand house, the Georgian house was built at a later date.
http://www.wvculture.org/shpo/nr/pdf/jefferson/73001913.pdf

There are several informative paragraphs about the Worthingtons in Pioneers of old Frederick County, Virginia, O’Dell. Of course, you can also Goggle for additional information. If you have an interest, you can see the location of the 3,000 acre land grant in O’Dell’s book, tract 139, maps 3 and 4, pages 95 and 129.

Enoch and Mary Smith Pearson my 5th great grandparents.
Samuel and Martha Worthington Pearson my 4th great grandparents.
Mary Pearson Taylor Mills my 3rd great grandmother.

Although I could not find any property records for this Enoch, O’Dell mentions him in his book (mentioned above) as, "…owned land at present-day northeast of Winchester, Virginia." No references were given.
Enoch and Mary Smith Pearson were in Frederick County prior to 1744 when the following road order was issued.
6 March 1744 O. S., FOB 1, p. 275-276
This rather long order designates the location of a new road in the county and appoints Enoch Pearson, among others, Surveyor of the road.
5 May 1747 O. S., FOB 3, p. 239
….We present Enoch Pearson Surveyor of the Road from Vestals Gapp to the Long marsh for not Clearing Grubing & Keeping the said Road in repair according to Law within Six months last past….
10 February 1748 O. S., FOB 3, p. 39
The Grandjury v. Enoch Pearson Deft
The Deft failing to Appear & Answer Presentment agst him for not Clearing Grubbing & Keeping the Road from Vestals Gap to the long Marsh in repair according to Law - where of he is Surveyor, at the motion of Gabriel Jones Attorney for the King It is Ordered that he be fined for the Same fifteen Shillings Current Money & also pay Costs….
8 May 1750 O. S., FOB 3, p. 239
Zacchariah Valentine is appointed Surveyor of the Highway from the Long marsh Run to Vestals Iron works in the room of Enoch Pearson deceased…
In the road orders above the "Long Run Marsh" (or Worthington Marsh/Evitts Run) is mentioned along with "Vestals Gap" both of these areas are near the Worthington property.
Enoch is listed on several family sites as having died in Frederick County in 1749, the record above seems to confirm this.
Mary Smith Pearson married 2nd William Oglesby in Delaware on January 14, 1753.

Samuel Pearson, the son of Enoch and Mary Smith Pearson, married Martha Worthington, daughter of Robert and Mary Burtis Worthington, in Frederick County about 1749. On February 15, 1750 Samuel received his wife’s portion of the estate settlement of Robert Worthington, 333 1/3 acres on Evitts Run. Yes. I know….But in most cases, the husband of a married woman, at this time period, had title to her property. Frederick County Deed Book 2, pages 220 and 272.^

Mary Pearson, daughter of Samuel and Martha Worthington Pearson, was born in Frederick County 1750.
Martha Worthington Pearson died near an area called Worthington Marsh (also called Evitts Run) in Frederick County about 1752-1757.
Samuel married 2nd Christina Potts about 1757.
Samuel married 3rd Mary Rogers about 1762.
Samuel Pearson disowned by Hopewell Friends "married contrary to discipline" unknown date, Reinstated "6-6-1763". Hopewell Friends History^
Samuel is mentioned in four Frederick County road orders from 1755 to 1768. I copied the one of main interest.
8 October 1760, FOB 9, p. 191
Samuel Pearson is appointed Overseer of the Road from Jacob Hites Mill to the Main Road Leading from Winchester to Vestals Gap Near the Head of Worthingtons Marsh and it is Ordered that the Tithables three Miles on Each Side keep the same in repair According to Law
Now if you are wondering why I thought this order was of interest, go back and look where his wife Martha Worthington died.

Samuel Pearson is listed as voting in the following elections in Frederick County.
December 11, 1755.
July 24, 1758.
May 18, 1761 when he voted for Colonel George Washington.
http://haygenealogy.com/hay/frederickvavoting.html

April 3, 1771 Samuel Pearson sold his land near Worthington Marsh to Samuel Washington for 450 pounds. Frederick County Deed Book 14, page 543.^
5 8 1771 Hopewell (to) Bush River (South Carolina) Sam’l & children… Hopewell Friends History ^

Mary Pearson my 3rd great grandmother, the daughter of Samuel and Martha Worthington Pearson, was born in Frederick County in 1750 and later married William Taylor mentioned above. Again, if you follow the above, Prudence Taylor (Elmore Myers) was their daughter.
2 9 1771 Hopewell (to) Bush River (South Carolina) Mary Pearson Hopewell Friends History ^

SORRY about repeating so much of the information but some of you have complained that you were having a problem following the relationships. Well, I’m not sure if my solution (repeating myself) is a help or hindrance.

Just because I know that you like twists and turns and you deserve to be as confused as I am, I throw in the following.
1. Robert Worthington, Jr., was the son of Robert and Mary Burtis Worthington and brother of Martha Worthington Pearson my 4th great grandmother, Martha’s daughter was Mary Pearson Taylor Mills, my 3rd great grandmother.
2. Robert Jr’s son was Thomas Worthington, the "Father" and sixth governor of the State of Ohio. Robert's son-in-law was the first governor of Ohio, Edward Tiffin.
3. Okay, now follow me here………..
a. Thomas Worthington was a 1st cousin of Mary Pearson Taylor Mills.
b. Mary Pearson Taylor Mills was the mother of Prudence Taylor Elmore Myers who then would have been 1st cousin, once removed of Governor Worthington. And, I suppose, 1st cousin in law, once removed of Governor Tiffin.
4. Governor Tiffin served from 1803 to 1807 and Governor Worthington served from 1814 to 1818. Both were governor while Mary Pearson Taylor Mills was living in southwest Ohio and Worthington was governor while Prudence Taylor Elmore Myers was in Ohio.
If you would like to see a photograph of my 1st cousin, 5 times removed (I think), click on address below.
http://ohiohistorycentral.org/image.php?rec=422&img=227

If you visit the site below, please be aware that all of the facts are NOT correct. This is an account of the Worthington family written by Thomas Worthington, of interest in this letter is the first part relating information on Robert Sr. and Mary Brutis (Thomas’ grandparents) AND the last part where some information is corrected. If you do read this, MAKE SURE TO READ THE LAST PART.
http://search.ohiohistory.org/texis/search/context.html?query=hs&pr=public&prox=page&rorder=500&rprox=500&rdfreq=500&rwfreq=500&rlead=500&sufs=0&order=r&cq=&cmd=context&id=4aa9879f16b