Peter Worden

1728 - 1808  (79 years)

• Name	Peter Worden  [1]
  Born	5 Jun 1728	Westerly, Washington Co., RI
  Gender	Male
  Burial	Here lies the body of Peter Werden, late Pastor of the Church of Christ in Cheshire. He was born June 6, 1728. Converted by the Mighty Power of God to the Lord Jesus Christ May 9, 1748. In the mnoth of May 1751, he was ordained to the work of the Ministry in Warwick and continued measurably faithful in his Pastorial charge, to the close of his which was February the 21st, 1808.
  Died	21 Feb 1808	Cheshire, Berkshire Co., MA
  Buried	Jenks Cemetery, Cheshire, Berkshire Co., MA
  Notes	From: Marva Rydlach - matya@@rydalch.org Initial source: Copy of a family group sheet from the FGRA collection of the Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah, submitted by Ralph R. Worden, Safford, AZ His sources: "Anc. and Desc. of Wm. Curtis" by L. E. Steele, pg 90, 91; "Some Records of Persons Named Worden" by O. N. Worden, 1868, pg 126, 127. This sheet gives his birth 6 June 1728, Westerly, Washington, R. I., married 18 Aug 1749, no place, wife Mary or Mercy Moon, and his death date 21 Feb 1808, no place. The FGRA sheet of his parents gives the same information. "Anc. and Desc. of Wm. Curtis", says born 5 Jun 1728, Westerly, R. I., married 18 Aug 1749, Coventry, R. I., Mary (or Mercy) Moon; by Elder David Sprague, died 21 Feb 1808, Cheshire, Mass. The marriage is in Arnold's "Vital Records of Rhode Island", vol. 1 Coventry Marriages, pg 38. "A Computer Generated Ancestor Chart...", found in the Worden Family Association newsletter, "Wordens Past" vol. XIV, No. 2 pg 977, says he was born 6 Jun 1728, Westerly, gives the same marriage and death, buried Jenks Cemetery, Cheshire, Mass. (See also notes for his father.) An email on 14 Apr 2003 from Doris Moon of North Kinstown, R. I., says the record of marriage is in Coventry records, bk 1 pg 21. The FGRA sheet lists six children, Esther, Lucinda, Abigail, Miss Worden, Judah and Peter. (See notes for them) "Anc and Desc of Wm Curtis" gives Peter and Mary another two unnamed daughters, one who married ? Smith of Rutland, and one who married ? Wilmarth of Shaftsbury and had a son and one or more daughters. They are shown after Abigail and are followed by Judah and Peter. It also gives another son, Rufus, listed after Peter and before a "Youngest daughter", who married ___ Dean. An article by Gilbert S. Bahn, in "Wordens Past", Vol. XIII of Nov. 1992, pg 890, names two sons who do not appear on the FGRA sheet. They are Richmond and Rufus, and he quotes records that show Richmond, Judah and Peter served in the Revolutionary War. A later article, in vol. XV pg 1032-1035, showed their ages in 1770 (which he calculated from the 1790 U.S. census) and their year of death, Judah, 13 in 1770, died 1823, (age 66?), Richmond 11 in 1770, died 1830, (age 71?), Peter, 8 in 1770, died 1816, (age 52?), and Rufus, 4 in 1770, died 1812, (age 46?). A later artice by Mr. Bahn, in vol. XIX, pg 1463, analyzes both of the sources given on the FGRA sheet and reports further research on the family of Peter Worden and Mary (Mercy) Moon. It gives the names of the daughters, according to DAR application 346160, and their spouses, with none to a Smith nor a Wilmarth. (He indicated that it is an application for DAR membership and does not show a pension application. I have found no further description of the application so have no knowledge of the date the applicaion was made nor by whom.) A family group compiled by Doris L. Moon in 2002 has the same children except no Deliverance nor Mary and she has Rufus born 1759/60, after Richmond, then Peter and then two different daughters, Eunice and Lillis, as the last two children, born about 1763 and 1765, and a husband for Lillis, Mr. Hamilton. (See notes for Lucinda, Richmond, and Peter for different or added information given by Doris.) From "Anc. and Desc. of William Curtis ..." by Mrs. L. E. Steele, 1912: "Warwick town records say 'Peter Worden of Coventry bought of J. Wightman, Warwick, 1750.' In 1756, Peter and Mercy Worden sold lands to J. Ladd in Wichita Court (Mr. Bahn's article calls it "Wechatacourt") for L700. He bought land in Coventry in 1750 and 1752. Adjoining his home in Coventry was a farm owned by Joseph Bucklin who married Mary Worden, an aunt of Peter's. The story of his life is best told in the following extracts from local histories: EXTRACT FROM ELDER JOHN LELAND'S FUNERAL DISCOURSE "Peter Werden was born 5 June 1728 and ordained to the work of the ministry at Warwick, R. I., May 1757, in the 24th year of his age. (This should be 1751.) When he began to preach, he was too much of a New Light, and too strongly attached to the doctrine of salvation by sovereign grace, to be generally received among the old Baptist churches in Rhode Island, which had been formed partly on the Arminian plan, when the following event opened the door for him: "A criminal by the name of Carter was to be executed at Tower Hill, and the scene of his execution collected abundance of people from all parts of the Colony. While the criminal stood under the gallows, young Werden felt such a concern for his soul that he urged his way through the crowd and being assisted by the sheriff, the preacher addressed the criminal as follows: 'Sir, is your soul prepared for the awful eternity into which you will launch in a few minutes?' 'I don't know that it is, but I wish that you would pray for me.' In his prayer, Mr Werden was so wonderfully assisted in spreading the young man's cause before the throne of God, that the whole assembly was awfully solemnized, and most of them wet their cheeks with tears. "This opened a great door for his ministrations, both on the Main and on the Island. He preached at Warwick, Coventry and many other places, with great success about nineteen years; and then (1770) moved into the town of Cheshire, Mass., where he had lived and administered about 38 years. Sound judgement, correct principles, humble demeanor with solemn sociability, marked all his public improvements, and mingled with his conversation in smaller circles, or with individuals. In his first religious exercises, he was led to dig deep into his own heart, where he found such opposition and rebellion, that when he obtained pardon, he attributed it to sovereign grace alone; which sentiment was so interwoven in his soul he even proclaimed it to a dying world. Nothing appeared to be more disgustful to his mind than to hear works and grace mixed together as the foundation of a sinner's hope. To hold the Lamb of God as a piece of a Saviour, or to exhibit the self exertions of a natural man to be the true and only way unto Christ, were extremely displeasing to that heart of his which delighted so much in proclaiming eternal love, redeeming blood and matchless grace. "In him, young preachers found a father and friend; distressed churches, a healer of breaches, and tempted souls a sympathizing guide. From his first settling in Cheshire, until he was seventy years old, he was a father to the Baptist in Berkshire county and its environments, and in some sense, an apostle to them all. "His many painful labors for the salvation of sinners, the peace of churches, and the purity of ministers will never be fully appreciated until the time when he shall stand before his Judge and receive the words of his mouth, 'Well done, good and faithful servant,' "From the sternness of his eyes and the flush of his face, a stranger would have been led to conclude that he was sovereign and selfwilled in his natural habit of mind. But on acquaintance, the physiognomist would have been agreeably disappointed. He had so much self government, that he has been heard to say that, except when he had the small pox he never found it hard to keep from speaking at any time if his reason told him it was best to forbear. "No man possessed finer feelings, or treated the characters of others with more delicacy than he did. He had an exalted idea of the rights of conscience; justly appreciated the civil rights of man; and was assiduous to keep his brethren from the chains of ecclesiastical power. His preaching was both sentimental and devotional and his life corresponded with the principles he taught. "He had the happiness of having a number of revivals in the town and congregation where he resided and preached, and a number of ministers were raised up in the church of which he was pastor. For about ten years before his death, his bodily and mental powers had been on the decline and he was often heard to rejoice that others increased though he decreased. But his superannuation was not so great as to prevent the whole of his usefulness; and his hoary head was a crown of glory unto him. A number of times he was heard to pray that he might not outlive his usefulness; which was remarkably answered in his case for, the Lord's day before he died, he preached to the people of his charge. "The disease which closed his mortal life, denied his friends the pleasure of catching the balm of life from his lips, in his last moments. He had finished his work, before, and nothing remained for him to do but to die. Let the inhabitants of Cheshire reflect a moment on the dealing of God towards them. Within about three years, three ministers, belonging to the town, have departed this life. The pious Mason..., the pleasing Norton..., and now the arduous Werden, who has been in the ministry longer than any Baptist preacher left behind in New England, has finished his course in the 80th year of his age - while Leland alone remains to raise the monument over their tomb." (See Hist. Berkshire Co., Mass.) "Minutes of the Shaftsbury Association for 1808 mentions the death of Elder Peter Werden, and says: 'For dignity of nature, soundness of judgement, meekness of temper and unwearied labors in the ministry, but few have equaled him in his age. He was the father, founder and guardian angel of this Association, till his age prevented. He followed the work of the ministry about sixty three years and then Like old Elijah in a fiery car, He rode to Heaven to be a shining star; May some Elisha catch his shining robe And, smiting Jordan, say 'where is Elisha's God?'" This account goes on to quote from the Worden Family Book: "Elder J. B. Lyons, who in his youth looked upon old Elder Worden as a superior being, says that he was a large portly man, his eyes blue, his hair somewhat sandy, his complexion fresh, his voice strong and rather harsh, but his deportment was mild, affable and instructive. "The inscription on his monument, prepared by himself, is as follows: 'Here lies the body of Peter Werden, late pastor of the Church of Christ in Cheshire.' ... On his monument is also the following inscription: 'His soul to God he used to send, To cry for grace for foe or friend; But, blessed be the God of Love, His soul is now with Christ above. This crumbling sculpture keeps the clay That used to house his noble mind; But at the Resurrection Day A nobler body he shall find.' "When Cheshire was incorporated, Elder Werden's being the first established, was called the First Baptist Church, and the newly formed church of Elder Mason's (ceded from the Six Principle Baptist Church, 2nd.), the 3rd Baptist Church. Elder Mason was associated with Elder Leland. Dissatisfaction with Elder Leland because he would not break bread (he did not believe much in the need of communion, though strong on baptism) was the real cause of the Third church springing up, 1824. In 1834, 2nd and 3d united." There is a reproduction of a pencil sketch and the Curtis account goes on the say "In the History of Warwick, R. I., is given the above pencil sketch by Mrs. C. W. Colgrove, of the 'Old Worden Meeting House, 40 x 40, Old Warwick; demolished, 1830. There is a tradition that it was built at the suggestion of Elder Peter Worden, who, in 1758-9, had built a house of worship in Coventry, 28 x 26 and two stories high, and preached in it for many years and afterward settled in Apponong. It is said that this house was of the same dimensions as the one in Coventry, which became known in later times as the Elder Charles Stone meeting house; Elder Stone having been the successor of Elder Worden. Mr. Worden is represented as a man of large stature, with a powerful voice, and a useful rather than a very intellectual man. After leaving Apponong, he removed to Cheshire, Mass, in 1770, when another edition of '28x26', without revisal or improvement was erected, and where he continued to hold forth the word of life. He preached in Coventry and Warwick 19 years.' "Rev. C. S. Pearse, pastor of the Baptist Church at Adams, Mass., in a letter to a friend, speaks of visiting Stafford's Hill, Cheshire, in Sep 1910, and says: 'Leaving the electric car at Cheshire Harbor, it is about one and one half miles to the old Cemetery where the Baptist church was first located. The Meeting House stood in a corner of the lot. After some years the building was moved, with 30 yoke of oxen, about half a mile up the hill to the crest of Stafford's Hill, so called, where the village of New Providence had its center. It was made over into a dwelling and still stands in good repair. "Meanwhile a second meeting house had been built on the top of the Hill which served for worship so long as the church had existence. This second site is now marked by three or four tall poplar trees and the old door stone - nothing else remains. "The cemetery is very interesting, on the slope of the hill facing the Hoosic Valley, with Mt. Greylock opposite, a little way toward the north. It is a wind swept place, and the white marble grave stones are leaning in every direction. The cemetery is neglected, the old fence gone, and a herd of cows roam over the place and were lying down among the graves. An ancient cherry tree and three or four rose bushes are all that adorn it. Many of the stones are broken and so buried in the ground as to make it impossible to see the inscription.' Among the inscriptions copied by him was that of Elder Peter Werden, as given above; also that of 'Col. Peter Werden, born March 5,1761, died Dec 5,1816; and Clarissi A. Werden, daughter of Alden and Chloe Werden, who died Dec. 19, 1811, aged 6 months.'" (The article by Mr. Bahn in "Wordens Past" vol. XIX, says "The pastor copied the inscription for Elder Peter, composed by Peter himself, and also that of Peter VI, but the pastor misread "Cpl" as "Col." and thus gave Peter VI a huge posthumouos promotion." An article by Gilbert S. Bahn in the Worden family newsletter, "Wordens Past", vol. XIII, Nov 1992, pg 890, says (taken from "Mass. Soldiers and Sailors of the Rev. War") that this Peter served in the Revolutionary War as a Private in Capt. Samuel Low's Co., Col. Benjamin Simonds' regiment of Berkshire Co, Mass. It said he entered service 13 Oct 1780 and was discharged 17 Oct, service 5 days by order of Gen. Fellows on an alarm at the Northward. In "Wordens Past", vol. XIX, pg. 1463, "A death notice in the Providence Gazette indicated that Elder Peter removed to Cheshire from Warwick in 1764-5 (rather than 1770, which ONW arrived at by adding 19 years to the ordination in 1751)."
  Person ID	I21493	irish
  Last Modified	9 Feb 2008

  
  

  Father	Peter Worden,   b. 1697, Westerly, Washington Co., RI ,   d. Bef 31 Dec 1745, Westerly, Washington Co., RI  (Age < 48 years)
  Mother	Rebecca Richmond,   b. Abt 1699, Westerly, Washington Co., RI
  Married	26 May 1720	Westerly, Washington Co., RI
  Family ID	F5244	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Mary Moon,   b. 10 Nov 1723, North Kingston, Washington Co., RI ,   d. 6 Dec 1805, Cheshire, Berkshire Co., MA  (Age 82 years)
  Married	18 Aug 1749	Coventry, Kent Co., RI
  Children	1. Abigail Worden,   b. 19 Sep 1750, Coventry, Kent Co., RI ,   d. 31 Mar 1817  (Age 66 years) + 2. Esther Worden,   b. 19 Apr 1753, Warwick, Kent Co., RI ,   d. Abt 1840, Hoosick, Rensselaer Co., NY  (Age 86 years)   3. Lucinda Worden,   b. 21 May 1755   4. Judah Worden,   b. 16 May 1756, Coventry, Kent Co., RI ,   d. Bef 20 Jun 1823, Pike, Allegany Co., NY  (Age < 67 years)   5. Richmond Worden,   b. 28 Apr 1758, Coventry, Kent Co., RI ,   d. 1830  (Age 71 years)   6. Peter Worden,   b. 5 May 1761, Coventry, Kent Co., RI ,   d. 5 Dec 1816, Adams, Berkshire Co., MA  (Age 55 years)   7. Deliverence Worden,   b. Abt 1762, Coventry, Kent Co., RI   8. Mary Worden,   b. Abt 1764, Cheshire, Berkshire Co., MA   9. Rufus Worden,   b. 1766, Cheshire, Berkshire Co., MA ,   d. 1812  (Age 46 years)
  Family ID	F7287	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Headstones

  Peter Worden

  
  

• Sources

  [S136970] Marva Rydalch.