John Monroe Worley (1825 - 1926)

Born 27 Jan 1825 in Virginia, USA

Husband of Matilda Katherine (Forgy) Worley — married about 1879 in Missouri [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 22 Aug 1926 at age 101 in Baker, Baker, Oregon, USA

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Lola Cain [send private message] and Edward McFadden [send private message]

Biography

The following timeline is from what I have been able to glean from records:

1825 John Monroe Worley was born 27 January 1825 in Virginia.

[He may have been married to Elizabeth Mae Burchett before heading West to Oregon. Information to be verified....but very possible.... If that is determined to be true he had a family with Elizabeth as well.

Names I have located that someone named John M Worley and Elizabeth had were: John J Worley 25 Dec 1854, Lee County, Virginia; Carl B (Carlo, Carlow) Worley 23 Nov 1856, Lee County, Virginia. I am not assuming this is accurate - just providing it as something to research. In doing some additional checking, his birth year does not add up right if he was married to Elizabeth***see end of this profile for further information.]

1879 John and Matilda Katherine Forgy were married in Kentucky, and their first four children were born in Missouri:

1880 Mary & Martha Worley, Twins - both died before age 3, Mary before 4 months age as she is not on the 1880 census;

1882 Daniel (Bud) Monroe Worley (11-23-1882 to 7-2-1966);

1883 Eleanor Catherine Worley (10-23-1883 -to 1913) died @ Baker City, Oregon;

Between +-1884 and 1885 John and Matilda moved to Oregon.

The following children were all born in or near Baker, Oregon:

1886 Julia May Worley (1-23-1886 to 5-21-1969);

1888 John H Worley (5-22-1888 to 8-29-1911);

1890 James Franklin "Jeff" Worley (2-25-1890 to 5-31-1961) (apparently listed as Cyrus on the Census);

1893 Ruth Jane Worley (6-6-1893 to 7-2-1994) (age 101) (married to Bill Olp);

1897 Wheeler Ranson Worley (5-2-1897 - 6-21-1967);

1901 Riley Ford Worley 7-17-1901 to 11-9-1970. John Monroe Worley was age 76 at the time of Riley's birth.

1911 his son, John H, died. He drowned in the Natatorium.

1913 his daughter, Eleanor, died.

1926 John Monroe Worley passed away 22 August 1926.

John Monroe Worley is buried at Mt Hope Cemetery, Baker City, Oregon. He was 101 when he died. He is the father of : Twins: Mary & Martha, Daniel (akaBud) Monroe Worley, Eleanor Catherine, Julia May, John H., James Franklin( "Jeff"), Ruth Jane, Wheeler Ranson, and Riley Ford. My grandmother was Julia May Worley Scott, Blakely Leeck. - info from Lola Rice Cain [Rice-3603]

John M. Worley’s Obituary reads: (I typed it from the original newspaper clipping) OLDEST MAN IN BAKER CO. DEAD John W. Worley Passes Sunday at 101 Years of Age

On Sunday about the noon hour, John W. Worley died at the family home, 2568 Fifteenth Street. (Should be John M. Worley)

Mr. Worley was, without doubt, the oldest man in Baker County for he was 101 years of age at the time of his death. He was born in Virginia, January 27, 1825. He had been a resident of this county for about 45 years, most of which time he was engaged in farming and stock growing in Sumpter Valley.

He is survived by his widow, four sons, Riley, James, Wheeler and Daniel, all of Baker; two daughters, Mrs. W. M. Olp of Baker, and Mrs. James Blakeley of Bridgeport; and numerous grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at the West Chapel this morning at __ o’clock conducted by Rev. J. Fleming.

Note: the newspaper had a typo. He was John M, not John W. Also, it states my grandmother's last name as Blakeley. I have been told that the proper spelling was Blakely - - but I do not have any other documentation to prove that.

Observation: John Monroe Worley was not in Oregon for a full 45 years at the time of his death as the newspaper states. The family likely arrived there in 1884 or 1885. The proof for that is that the first 4 children were born in Missouri, with the last birth there being Eleanor's in October 1883. The next child was Julia, born in Oregon in January 1886.

BIOGRAPHY TIMELINE:

John Monroe Worley married Matilda Katherine Forgy in Kentucky in 1879 and their first 4 children were born in Missouri: twin girls - Mary & Martha - in +-1880 (Mary died before the 1880 Census, and Martha was listed as 4 months old); Daniel (Bud) Monroe Worley (11/23/1882); and Eleanor Catherine Worley (10/23/1883).

Matilda's obituary says she lived in Joplin, Missouri prior to moving to Oregon so we can apply that to John as well.... They were in Oregon by January 1886.

All of the following children were born in Oregon: Julia May Worley (1/23/1886), John H Worley (5/22/1888), James Franklin ‘Jeff’ Worley (2/25/1890), Ruth Jane Worley (6/6/1893 - lived to be age 101), Wheeler Ranson Worley (5/2/1897) and Riley Ford Worley (7/17/1901).

This profile is a collaborative work-in-progress. Can you contribute information or sources?

Sources

Lola Mae Rice Cain [Rice 3603], granddaughter to his daughter Julia, making him my maternal great grandfather; provided obituary as printed in the newspaper, and reference to the Ancestry member comment from Patti....

THIS RECORD: Shows marriage for John Monroe and Matilda as 1879 Kentucky The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "International Genealogical Index (IGI)," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:1:MR5X-1FF : accessed 2016-03-06), entry for John Monroe Worley.

CITING THIS RECORD – 1900 Census – Worley "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MSDH-P6D : accessed 1 March 2016), John Worley, South Baker Precinct, Baker, Oregon, United States; citing sheet 2B, family 41, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,241,345.

John Worley 54 Kentucky Matilda Worley 42 Missouri Daniel W Worley 19 Missouri Elenor Worley 17 Missouri Julia Worley 14 Oregon John H Worley 12 Oregon Cyrus Worley 10 Oregon Ruth Worley 7 Oregon Wheeler Worley 3 Oregon

For reasons best known to John, he did not use his accurate age in the census information - - but later in life, claimed his full breadth of years. I'm still researching that.

CITING THIS RECORD - 1920 Census - Shows Riley in the family (age 18) "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M484-BHX : accessed 25 February 2016), John Worley, Baker, Baker, Oregon, United States; citing sheet 12B, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,821,491.

All 10 of the children born to John Monroe Worley and Matilda Katherine (Forgy) Worley are:

Mary & Martha Worley, Twins - +-1880, both died before age 3, Mary before 4 months; Daniel (Bud) Monroe Worley 11-23-1882 to 7-2-1966; Eleanor Catherine Worley 10-23-1883 -to1913 @ Baker City, Oregon; Julia May Worley 1-23-1886 to 5-21-1969; John H Worley 5-22-1888 to 8-29-1911 (John drowned in the Natatorium); James Franklin "Jeff" Worley 2-25-1890 to 5-31-1961 (apparently listed as Cyrus on the Census); Ruth Jane Worley 6-6-1893 to 7-2-1994 (age 101) (married to Bill Olp) Wheeler Ranson Worley 5-2-1897 - 6-21-1967; Riley Ford Worley 7-17-1901 to 11-9-1970.

Record from "The Uncowboy" and family history.

CITING THIS RECORD - John's permission for Julia to marry at age 16 "Oregon, County Marriages, 1851-1975", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V656-YZ5 : accessed 25 February 2016), John Worley in entry for Walter L Scott and Julia Worley, 1902.

CITING THIS RECORD "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVPQ-ZB1C : accessed 25 February 2016), John M. Worley, 1926; Burial, Baker City, Baker, Oregon, United States of America, Mount Hope Cemetery; citing record ID 137526735, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.

CITING THIS RECORD "Oregon Death Index, 1903-1998," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VZC3-3N3 : accessed 25 February 2016), John M. Worley, 22 Aug 1926; from "Oregon, Death Index, 1898-2008," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2000); citing Baker, Oregon, certificate number 124, Oregon State Archives and Records Center, Salem.

See also:

• Burial

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=137526735

NOTES: Also of interest - - 2/17/2015 I received the following message on my Ancestry account from Patti.... I find this very interesting, and it needs further exploration:

"John Monroe Worley, same birthdate, etc. is also on my tree. He was married to Elizabeth Mae Burchett, who was still alive when John married the spouse on your tree. Elizabeth died in 1909. Not a lot on her at the moment but we do have marriage records. It appears that John headed out here to Oregon without Elizabeth and started a second family. I can't find divorce papers for them but looking. Really curious what happened." (note copied as sent to me)

That record indicates there was a a prior marriage before he married Matilda, but since I do not have any dates for Elizabeth's birth or the marriage I cannot enter it in WikiTree.

I do find it interesting that he named my grandmother Julia May/Mae, using his first wife's middle name, if, indeed he was married to Elizabeth. That is yet to be determined. (I do not know for sure which spelling May/Mae is accurate for my grandmother.)

With regard to John's information not being correct on the census forms - - either the information was misrepresented to the census-taker, or they got it wrong, and then each subsequent census, just asked if everything was still the same....

There is a John Worley who it appears may have been an army deserter.... There are records that have a John Monroe Worley who is guilty of doing that. I don't know yet if he is ours, and don't know the circumstances if he is.... Sorting out the facts the initial marriage to Elizabeth Mae Burchett will help with putting those pieces together.

I have also found numerous John Worley's born in Virginia about that time, which makes it all the more confusing.

From genetic information I have been told, he may be the same one who was married to Elizabeth and then to Matilda...but there are discrepancies. Still researching....

• • • • This is information Elizabeth: (If the 1870 Census information is to be believed, the John Monroe Worley mentioned would have had to be born +-1936 - but "our" John was born 1825. The other option is that the census taker wrote it down wrong, since the age listed makes him several years younger than Elizabeth. The intriguing thing is that my grandmother was named Julia, and this John and Elizabeth also had a daughter named Julia. Sure makes me wonder if it is coincidence or it he was replicating names. I need DNA evidence for that part of the Worleys to see if there is a connection.

Sources

Elizabeth M BURCHETT was born on 17 Mar 1821 in Lone Branch, Lee, Va. Elizabeth married (1) John Monroe WORLEY son of Peter WORLEY on 5 Apr 1852 in , Lee, Va. John was born in 1835 in , Putnam, Va. Elizabeth married (2) Washington CLARK .

http://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/burchett/645/

Name Monroe Worley Spouse's Name Elizabeth Burchett Event Date 05 Apr 1852 Event Place Lee Co, Virginia Citing this Record "Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X5BM-TMZ : 11 February 2018), Monroe Worley and Elizabeth Burchett, 05 Apr 1852; citing Lee Co, Virginia, reference p33; FHL microfilm 32,441.

Name Elizabeth Worley Event Type Census Event Year 1870 Event Place Arkansas, United States Gender Female Age 45 Race White Race (Original) W Birth Year (Estimated) 1824-1825 Birthplace Virginia Page Number 29 Household Role Sex Age Birthplace J M Worley M 34 Virginia Elizabeth Worley F 45 Virginia John Worley M 15 Virginia Sarah Worley F 12 Tennessee Julia A Worley F 9 Arkansas Citing this Record "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNCH-PRM : 12 April 2016), Elizabeth Worley in household of J M Worley, Arkansas, United States; citing p. 29, family 201, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 545,557.

Name Elizabeth M Worley Event Type Census Event Year 1900 Event Place Richland Township, Madison, Arkansas, United States Gender Female Age 79 Marital Status Widowed Race White Race (Original) W Relationship to Head of Household Mother-in-law Relationship to Head of Household (Original) Mother In Law Number of Living Children 1 Birth Date Mar 1821 Birthplace Virginia Father's Birthplace Virginia Mother's Birthplace Virginia Mother of how many children 1 Household Role Sex Age Birthplace James Boyd Head M 35 Arkansas Isabel Boyd Wife F 36 Arkansas Violet Boyd Daughter F 17 Arkansas Robert D Boyd Son M 15 Arkansas Sarah J Boyd Daughter F 12 Arkansas Bertha M Boyd Daughter F 9 Arkansas Jessie L Boyd Daughter F 8 Arkansas Burly G Boyd Son M 4 Arkansas Elizabeth M Worley Mother-in-law F 79 Virginia Citing this Record "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M36L-WJ6 : accessed 16 July 2018), Elizabeth M Worley in household of James Boyd, Richland Township, Madison, Arkansas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 73, sheet 3B, family 54, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,067.

Elizabeth Mae Burchett Worley BIRTH 1821 DEATH 1909 (aged 87–88) BURIAL Bohannan Mountain Cemetery Huntsville, Madison County, Arkansas, USA MEMORIAL ID 50326878 · View Source

Wife of John Monroe Worley.

Mother of John Jerome Worley. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/50326878