2. ADDENDUM
CUTHBERT HAYHURST
Quaker Biographical Sketches includes the following interesting sketch of Cuthbert Hayhurst:
Cuthbert Hayhurst was born at Easington, in the county of York, England, about the year 1633. He was one who was early convinced of the truth of the principles of the Society of Friends, and was soon called to suffer for his faithfulness thereto. In the Eleventh month, 1660, he was imprisoned along with many others in the Westriding of Yorkshire, because they could not conscientiously take the oath of allegiance. Of his entrance into the ministry, and the preparatory exercises, we have no account, but we find him in the year 1668, labouring in the gospel in Oxfordshire.
Oxford was a place of suffering to Friends; for those who held office in the college there, were warmly opposed to the advocates of the freeness of the gospel ministry in the church of Christ. They knew that by the trade of making preachers they had their living, and if it were once clearly understood that Christ alone calls, and qualifies all his true ministers, and that school divinity was an unnecessary accompaniment, if not a positive injury to those really called, their trade might be spoiled.
Cuthbert Hayhurst appointed a meeting at the house of Richard Betteris, in Oxford, in obedience to his Master’s requiring, notwithstanding the sufferings which others had experienced for their faithfulness in that place. The meeting came to the ears of the public authorities, and he was arrested whilst delivering his gospel message to the people. He was taken before the vice-chancellor, who committed him to prison for a month.
George E. McCracken tells us in The Welcome Claimants that Cuthbert’s wife was Mary Rudd and that her sister, Dorothy Rudd, was the wife of Cuthbert’s brother, William. Further that Mary’s sister Jane was the mother of Cuthbert’s good friend Nicholas Waln, who is quoted in the Quaker sketch cited above and quoted in part below:
He went through many great exercises and imprisonments, and was a comfort unto the faithful and true believers, who follow the Lamb through many tribulations. He was a worthy instrument in the Lord’s hand against the false teachers and hirelings, going several times to their steeple-houses, and testifying against their deceiving the people. ... Although his body is gone to earth, his memorial liveth among the righteous, ... I was by his bedside when he departed, which was in a quiet and truly resigned frame, — like one falling into a sweet sleep.
To pick up the story of the Hayhursts when they left England, return to Mr. McCracken’s book:
Cuthbert Hayhurst, however, loaded on the Lamb of Liverpool on 26 June 1682, 2 casks, 1 pack, 1 box, 1 bag qty 6 cwt wrought iron; 7 cwt nails; 35 doz. woolen stockings for men; 5 doz. felts [hats] English making; 35 pots qty 3 ½ barrels butter; 462 cheeses qty 3 tons; 2 cwt cheese; 40 grindle stones qty 2 chalders; 5 millstones; 3 doz. sieves value 5 pounds($) ...
...William Penn’s letter to Margaret Fox, dated 29 8th mo. 1684, says: “Poor Cut Hurst & Brother deceast soon after arrivall, fixing on a low marshy place (tho a dry banck was not a Stone’s cast from ym) for ye rivers sake: they had yet Ague & feaver but [there has been] no Sickening in any other settlements.” ...
... [Cuthbert Hayhurst] died in Pennsylvania, buried at Middletown, 2 1st mo. 1682/3.
The Quaker sketch above says Cuthbert “deceased in the First month, 1683, at his residence in Bucks county, Pennsylvania.” This is in agreement with McCracken’s information just quoted.
Mr. McCracken adds this information about Cuthbert Hurst (Hayhurst). “Cuthbert Hurst was a First Purchaser of 500 acres in Group 44, and the widow received another warrant for 250 acres, 12 5th mo. 1683, and return for 200 acres on the first warrant, 9 1st mo. 1683.” It was not uncommon for a Quaker to purchase land before embarking from England. Cuthbert Hayhurst also had an indentured servent named John Cowgill, a relative. (Could Cowgill one day devolve to Gill?) If a person emigrated as an indentured person, he was to receive 50 acres of land at the completion of his indenture. Both men and women were indentured. Some were listed by name and others were not. The terms of service varied, from one to four years seems common. A certain John Cutler listed “a servent, about 3 years of age, and is serve to the age of 22 years.” Besides the 50 acres of land each was to receive, some were to receive wages and/or “necessaries” during the term; wages usually to be paid at the end of the term. This same John Cutler brought with him another servent named William Wardle. Given pronounciation, hand writing, transcription problems, and the first name William, could this have been a Worstell? Many of the famlies later associated with the Worstells came during the summer of 1682. A Worstell could have been indentured to any of the immigrants. Some young boys who were indentured were orphans.