of Nantucket

Ralf/Ralph de Paganel/de Paynel, progenitor of the Worth line, was living 1087 and found in the Domesday Book as Sheriff of Yorkshire. He descended from Roman pagans who emigrated to Normandy and lived in villages called "pagi.11." The pagani retained their own beliefs and superstitious rituals in an area where Christianity was just beginning to thrive. They took their surname from those villages and became de Paganel ("heathen" or "pagan") and some took the name de Paynel ("peasant"). Later some became Payne. To this day you will sometimes find families with the surname of Pagan. 


Ralf de Paganel/de Paynel was Tenant-in-Chief of William I, the conqueror, and a Free Knight. He had four children: Fulk Fitz Paynel, Ralph Fitz Paynel, Reginald Fitz Payne and Robert Fitz Payne.  
Sir Reginald Fitz Payne, our line, Lord of the Manor of Witheridge and Radford in Plymstock. Inherited from his brother, Ralph, the Worth estates and added "de Worthe" to his name. He was probably in Devonshire in 1067 with William I, the conqueror.  
Robert de Worthe, Lord of Witheridge and Worth.  
Alexander Fitz Robert alias de Worthe  
Sir Richard Worthe, Knight, married Constance, the daughter of Lord Rivers. Sir Hugh Worth of Worthe, Knight, married Avis, the daughter of Richard de Redvers of Tiverton Castle, 3rd Earl of Devon, and his wife, Avis/Hawise, who was daughter of Reginald Fitz Roy/Fitz Henry de Mortain, Earl of Cornwall, bastard son of King Henry I and his mistress, Sibyl Corbet, wife of Herbert Fitz Herbert. Reginald Fitz Roy/Fitz Henry married Mabel, who died 1162, daughter of William Fitz Richard, Lord of Cardian, Cornwall, and granddaughter of Count Robert de Mortain, halfbrother of William the Conqueror. 
Robert Worthe of Worthe, Esquire, married a daughter of William Beauchamp of Whitlackington.
Richard Worthe of Worthe was at the Worth estate in 1243.
Alexander Worthe of Worth is our next in line.  
Richard Worthe of Worth, living 1274, married Maud/ Matilda L'Abbe (Abbot?). (Harvard Deed #23, 19 April 1362). Alexander Worthe of Worth, claimant to the Earldom of Devon, 1293. His claim was denied. Richard Worthe of Worth, living 1347. Sir John Worthe, married Cicelye, daughter and coheiress of Sir John Doddiscombe of Compton Pole and Doddiscombe Leigh. John Worthe of Worth, married Margaret, daughter of Sir John Willington of Umberleigh and his wife, Matilda who was the daughter of Sir Walter Carminow. Thomas Worthe of Worth Thomas Worthe of Worth, presented at Washfield 1410; died 1412. He married Margery, the daughter of Hugh Beauchamp. She was the coheiress with her brother Humphrey Beauchamp, Lord of Washfield. By this marriage was acquired 16 additional quarterings to the family arms, including those of the Clares, Marshalls, Earls of Pembroke. The Beauchamp line descended from Milo Beauchamp, 4th son of Hugh de Bello Campo, Baron of Bedford. (Harvard Deed #42 proves the marriage of Thomas Worthe to Margery Beauchamp.) Thomas Worthe of Worth, at Washfield in 1425; died 1463. Thomas Worthe of Worth, Esquire, living 1467, married Isabel, daughter/coheiress of Humprey de Wolston. This brought four additional quarterings to the family arms including those of Avenel and Courtenay. Roger Worthe, Esquire, of Compton Pole and Barnstable, presented to Doddiscombe 1464; Mayor of Exeter 1462. Married Elizabeth. He is buried at St. Petrock in Exeter. This is where our Worth line splits from the family headed by Roger's brother, Thomas Worthe. John Worthe, Esquire, of Compton Pole. Otho Worthe, married Alice, daugher of John Myllton, Esquire, of Meavy. John Worthe, born about 1500 and died before 1600, of Compton Pole in Maldon. Married Agnes, daughter of John Bodley of Dunscombe, Crediton, a cousin of Sir Thomas Bodley, founder of the Bodlein Library. John Worth, born 1520, will dated 10 January, proved 4 June 1596; married Jane/Joane Clark of Crediton.
John Worth, born 1545; died before 1645, inherited Compton Pole and was in possession by 1638; married Ellen Harvey, daughter of John Harvey.
John Worth, born 1576, married 1 October 1593 at St. Andrew's Church in Plymouth, Wilmot Stuttever. He died 1643 at the seige of Plymouth Fort, Devon. All of their children were baptised at St. Andrew's Church, Plymouth, Devon, England.
John Worth, baptised 11 April 1606 St. Andrew's; died 1643 at the seige of Plymouth Fort where his father also died. The family estates were seized by the crown and government. John married twice, first ca 1626 and had son Lionel by this union. John married second 15 April 1634 at Uffculme, Barbara Strong. This union produced Richard, William and Olyve.  
William-1 Worth, baptised 25 February 1642 at St. Andrew's, Devonshire. William came to New England with his older halfbrother, Lionel, and his older brother, Richard. William-1 moved to Nantucket where he married his first wife, Sarah-2 Macy, daughter of Thomas-1 Macy and Sarah Hopcott. 

 

This information was derived from "A Genealogical History of the Clark and Worth Families" by Carol Clark Johnson; "Ancestral Roots of Certain Colonists" by Frederick Weis; "Plantagenet Ancestry" by Moriarity and from documents found on the Harvard Law Library web site.


ANCESTORS OF WILLIAM WORTH