Fearless Females Blog Post: March 1 – Favorite Female Ancestor

Fearless Females – Prompts for Womens’ History Month

A number of Genea-Bloggers are participating in a series of daily blogging prompts entitled Fearless Females created by Lisa Alzo of The Accidental Genealogist blog in honor of Women’s History Month which starts today, 1 March 2010. Each Day as a different question. I will participate as I am able.

The Question for March 1, 2010

• Do you have a favorite female ancestor?
• One you are drawn to or want to learn more about?

Write down some key facts you have already learned or what you would like to learn and outline your goals and potential sources you plan to check.

Not my direct Ancestor, be my 7th Cousin. Here name is Grace Brewster Murray. She was born December 9, 1906 and died January 1, 1992.

My search started with an newspaper article that confirmed a family story that she was a Descendant of Captain John Worthington (1650 – 1701).

One of the thinks that makes her famous, is that SHE found the First Computer Bug.

This name may not be well known, but her full name and title was:

Rear Admiral Grace Brewster Murray Hopper and she was best known as “Amazing Grace” Hopper.

Searching for a female is sometimes a challenge, but I hope to share how I found the relationship between Amazing Grace and Capt. John.

So, over the month of March, more of her story will be shared on this Blog.

Worthington Descendants – Vol 1, No 3, Page 6 1983 – Worthington, Capt. John

The Immigrant Ancestor of the WORTHINGTON FAMILY in MARYLAND came to the Province in 1664. We know nothing of the circumstances that brought fourteen-year-old JOHN WORTHINGTON to these shores. We know nothing factual of the next fourteen years of his life. We do know that in 1678 he was a member of the Anne Arundel County unit of Militia that “went out against the Nanticoke Indians.” In 1686 he purchased a property on the north side of the Severn River, on the Broad Neck Peninsula, from Colonel NICHOLAS GREENBURY. He was to “hold” this property for the remainder of his life. When he died, he was buried upon that property. His tombstone can be found today, not with his interred body, but in the Churchyard of Saint Anne’s Church in ANNAPOLIS. A year or so after he purchased this property, he married SARAH HOWARD, daughter of MATTHEW and SARAH (nee DORSEY) HOWARD. The baptisms of their six children are found in the records of WESTMINSTER PARISH. These children were:

i: JOHN WORTHINGTON Born 1689 He married (1) HELEN HAMMOND, and

(2) COMFORT

ii: THOMAS WORTHINGTON Born 1691 He married ELIZABETH RIDGELY.

iii: WILLIAM WORTHINGTON Born 1694 He married SARAH HOMEWOOD.

iv: SARAH WORTHINGTON Born 1696 She married NICHOLAS RIDGELY.

v: CHARLES WORTHINGTON Born 1699 He died in infancy.

Vi: CHARLES WORTHINGTON Born 1701 He married (1) HAMUTEL HAMMOND, and (2) SARAH CHEW

Captain JOHN WORTHINGTON was an Officer in the Troop of Horse in the Militia. He also served as the Coroner of Anne Arundel County. In 1692 he was appointed an Associate Justice of the County. In 1699 he served in the Legislative Assembly. He was most prominent in military and political affairs of the county. His advice and counsel were often sought by his peers. Captain JOHN WORTHINGTON died on 9 APRIL 1701. He was, as we have noted, buried upon his “plantation” near the present day Naval Academy.

Soon after the birth of her sixth child, “the Widow” SARAH (nee HOWARD) WORTHINGTON married JOHN BRICE. She had three other children from this second marriage. JOHN BRICE died in 1713. She died in 1726.

This Genealogical Sketch written by WILLIAM D. MOUNTAIN, a member of the Anne Arundel and Carroll County Genealogical Societies, at the expressed request of FRANCES EPLER-BRENGLE, Editor of the WORTHINGTON DESCENDANTS and herself a descendant of that CHARLES WORTHINGTON, child “vi” above.

Worthington Descendants – Vol 1, No 3, Page 1 1983 – Worthington, Joseph Muse

Extract from “The Medical Annuals of Maryland 1799-1899. Worthington, Joseph Muse, 1898. Born at Belvoir on the Severn River. Anne Arundel County, Md. Dec. 16, 1846 educated at the School of Letters and Science University of Maryland and in the Maryland Agricultural Colleges Ph. G. Maryland College of Pharmacy 1868, pupil of Dr. R.N. Smith M.D. University of Maryland 1872, in 1873, suggested general bovine vaccination and in 1877 suggested contagious and Infectious: Disease Act for the Public Schools Health Officer of Anne Arundel County and Physician to the County jail 1892-1900; in 1872 invented anesthesia table, and in 1876 a prescription counter: practice at Annapolis, Md.

Article: Submitted by Miss Margaret Muse Worthington, Annapolis, Md. (Her father)

Josiah Wistar Worthington, Col. V.C., U.S.A. – 09496

Today is a day of remembrance on this Veterans Day.

There have been other references on this Blog about Josiah Wistar Worthington. He was my Grandfather’s younger brother.

His story can be found in the book,

Hell and Beyond
A Diary of War and Captivity

It was compiled and edited by Frances Worthington Lipe, his daughter.

This book is his story of captivity during World War II.

His service record, below, was offered by World Vital Records today, for Veterans Day:

Name: Worthington, Josiah W Serial Number: O&009496 Grade, Alpha: Colonel or Superintendent of Nurses Service Code: Army Arm or Service: Veterinary Corps or Service Arm or Service Code: Vc: Veterinary Corps or Service Report Date: 07 May 1942 Race: White Residence State: Oklahoma Area: Southwest Pacific Theatre: Philippine Islands Report Date: 12 October 1945 Source of Report: Individual has been reported through sources considered official. Status: Returned to Military Control, Liberated or Repatriated Detaining Power: Japan Camp: Hoten POW Camp (Mukden) Manchuria 42-123

A little about my Uncle Wistar:

He was born 12/29/1888, the 9th child of Samuel and Sarah Catherine Reeve Worthingon, McLouth, Kansas, and used the name “Wistar”; his name was suggested by his grandmother Elizabeth Worthington Leeds, as a “tribute of affection and gratitude from one towards whom he had shown such fatherly regard.

There are many stories of his life, but will note, on this day that we honor our veterans, will note a couple of dates here:

Date: 01/04/1941 Departed NY harbor bound for Philippine Islands aboard USAT Leonard Wood

Date: 01/29/1941 Departed San Francisco aboard USAT Grant

Date: 12/07/1941 Pearl Harbor attacked by Japanese

Date: 04/10/1942 he was Captured by Jap sub-chaser at 4 am, one hour from Lubang Island

Date: 05/08/1942 With the surrender of the Philippines, he was taken prisoner by the Japanese Army.

During the next 3 1/2 years as a POW, he endured extreme conditions and torture at the hands of the Japanese. He was imprisoned in the Philippines, the island of Formosa, the Korean Peninsula, and finally in Manchuria. He authored and memorized over 1500 lines of poems, dedicated to wife and children on their special days, which he wrote out as soon as he was released. These poems and the diary he kept, tell a fascinating story of the life of the Japanese POW’s.

These poems are recorded in the book mentioned earlier.

Date: 06/06/1945 Oldest son, Fay, is commissioned a Second Lieutenant following graduation from the US Military Academy.

Fay retired from the US Army after 30 years service as a Full Colonel.

Date: 08/1945 Returned to the US, following his release from the POW camp in Manchuria. Assigned to Ft. Sam Houston, Texas, where he underwent extensive rehabilitation, although he resided with his family in Brownsville, Texas.

Date: 06/17/1953 Four days before the marriage of his daughter, he is killed in his back yard in Brownsville, Texas, by an attorney neighbor, later judged to be insane; no motive ever even suspected; interred at the National Cemetery, Ft. Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas.

Military Awards:

Bronze Star Medal
Distinguished Unit Emblem with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
World War I and II Victory Medals
American Defense Medal with Foreign Service Clasp
Philippine Defense Ribbon with Bronze Star
Purple Heart
Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal with Bronze Battle Star.

He was also awarded the Prisoner of War Medal after it was established.

May we remember Josiah Wistar Worthington, and all others who served our country. More especially the families of those left behind AND those who were captured and made POW’s in all wars.

Saturday Day Night Genealogy Fun – Your UGG

The Weekly Challenge from Randy Seaver of Genea-Musings

Here is his message:

It’s Saturday Night again – are you ready for some Genealogy Fun? I thought so.

Here is your assignment if you decide to accept it (cue the Mission Impossible music):

1) Answer these questions:

* What is your UGG – your “Ultimate Genealogy Goal” for the genealogy research that you wish to leave to your heirs, descendants and the genealogy community?

• My UGG is to determine the Parents of Capt. John Worthington (1650 – 1701)
• To clear up the many versions of who his parents really are

* How long do you think you have have left to fulfill this ultimate goal?

• It is hoped that a family gathering in October 2009 will start to break down this brick wall
• Worthington researchers are meeting this fall to visit Worthington properties in the Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia area
• Researchers from England and the US will be present

* Are you prioritizing your time adequately in order to achieve this goal?

• If you call “Patiently waiting” adequate time, yes.
  

* If not, what should you do to achieve the goal?

• The next step would be DNA testing
• The Worthington Association has a DNA project underway now, so I am told

* Will you do what you need to do?

• Oh, Yeah !!! as long as I can afford it

2) Tell us about it in a blog post on your own blog, or in comments to this post or on Facebook.
Task completed.

Thank you Randy

Russ