Preserving the Ha(y)worth Family History for Future Generations, Part 4

It would be three more years (1704) before the next letter, that we know of, was sent by George to his mother. We are so fortunate to have these letters to add to our family history. In this letter, it is very apparent that George is homesick and wishing to get a letter from home to see how everyone, in England, is fairing. “I received your tokens which was half a crown from thee, and a shilling from my loving Brother, which I received very gladly, but I should have been more glad to have received a letter with it, I do much admire that I never receive no letter from you since I came here it makes me think you have all most forgotten me; I am very sorry and sore troubled that you so neglect writing to me, I desire you to write to me by the next opportunity and not to fail.” (All italics are excerpts from George’s letters, as written.(1))

At the time of the letter, George is well but he tells the family that during the previous winter he was ill. "…hopeing these lines may find thee in good health as I am at present, the Allmighty be praised for it and hath been mostly since I left you but last Winter I had the Fever and ague 5 months...”

We learn from this letter that he has two sisters and a brother that are still living in England. “Remember my love to my loving Sister Sarah and to Brother James and to my sister Susannah and all my Relations and to Friends and neighbours.” As you might remember from a previous blog entry, George had five siblings. Four sisters and one brother. One sister Mary, had come to America before George. Alice had started the trip over on the Brittania with him, but died in route. He mentions Mary again in this letter. “Two Months ago I was with my Sister Mary where she doth dwell, and she was in good health and her Husband and their children, They have had six children but the youngest is dead, John, Mary, Sarah, James, and Elizabeth, but George died of Small pox. They live about 172 miles from me near Maryland upon the Sea coast and I live up the country near Delaware river 20 miles above Philadelphia.”  I find it interesting that Mary named many of her children after her siblings; James, Sarah and George. Also that sister Mary lives so far from George but he still went to visit. That had to be a long trip back then.

During 1703 George purchased 450 acres of land, 200 from one person and 250 from another and is not yet married but works as a weaver. “…it is a great deal better living here than in England for working people doth live as well as here, as landed men doth live with you thats worth 20L a year, I live a single life and hath builded a Shop, and doth follow weaving of linnen cloth, but I have bought 450 acres of land in the Woods, but doth not live on it yet…”

Info on location comes from the Haworth Association website. (2) 
Click to make larger.

What will this mean for George - buying land, making himself a new home?  More on the life "the Immigrant" Haworth in the next blog.  

Today's Terri's Tidbit:  A friend sent me a link to a Undergraduate speech that Lou Holtz did recently at Franciscan University of Steubenville.  It is awesome and well worth watching.  Treat yourself and take the time to watch.  You won't be sorry.  Click here to watch.  
_______________________________________________________________
(1)George's letters can be found in many publications but most notably in: 
      Early Letters from Pennsylvania, 1699-1722
      George Haworth The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography
      Vol. 37, No. 3 (1913), pp. 330-340
(2)Haworth Association Website: http://haworthassociation.org/