Representative women of New England/Ella W. Pendergast

by Mary H. Graves

ELLA WORTH PENDERGAST; Past Regent of Bunker Hill Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, was born July 25, 1851, in Boston. She is the daughter of Ira Allen and Emily ThompThompson (Jones) Worth, of Charlestown, and on the paternal side comes from Vermont and Nantucket Quaker stock. Her father is a lineal descendant in the seventh generation of William Worth, of Nantucket (son of John Worth, of Devonshire, England), the Hne being William¹; John,² born in 1666; Richard,³ 1692; Lionel,⁴ 1737; William,⁵ 1762; Samuel,⁶ 1795; Ira Allen,⁷ born October 23, 1828, during the temporary stay of his parents at Farnham, Canada. Lionel¹ Worth, brother of William,¹ settled at Salisbury, Mass.; and Richard¹ Worth, another brother, settled at Newbury and later removed to New Jersey.

William¹ Worth married in Nantucket in 1665 Sarah Macy, daughter of Thomas¹ Macy. John,² their only son, married Miriam Gardner, daughter of Richard Gardner, Sr. Richard³ Worth married in 1729, fifth month, twentieth day, Sarah Hoeg. Lionel⁴ married in 1761 Martha Mitchell, a native of Cuba, but then a resident of Kittery, Me. This marriage, it is said, brought Spanish blood into the family.

William,⁵ eldest child of Lionel⁴ and Martha, was born in Loudon, N.H. He died at Starksboro, Vt., in 1849, twelfth month, twenty-third day. His wife was Betsy Tibbetts. Samuel,⁶ their eighth child, born in Loudon, removed with his father to Starksboro, Vt. He died at Farnham, Canada, not long after the birth of his son Ira. Samuel⁶ Worth married in February, 1822, Mrs. Phebe Husted Carpenter, a widow, daughter of Ezekiel Husted and grand-daughter of Jethro and Rachel (Brewer) Husted. Her Husted ancestors were among the early Dutch settlers of Schenectady, N.Y.

Mrs. Pendergast's mother, a native of Charlestown, Mass., was born July 14, 1832, the daughter of Joshua and Abigail (Thompson) Jones. Her father, Joshua Jones, was born in 1799 in Burlington, being a son of Aaron and Rebecca (Beard) Jones and grandson of Joshua Jones, who was of Woburn in Revolutionary times. Rebecca Beard, wife of Aaron Jones, is said to have been of Scotch descent.

Abigail, wife of Joshua Jones of Charletown and grandmother of Mrs. Pendergast, was a daughter of Captain Jonathan⁶ Thompson, who was born in Woburn, April 26, 1760, son of Samuel,⁵ and Abigail (Tidd) Thompson. Samuel,⁵ born in Woburn, October 30, 1731, was of the fifth generation in descent from James Thompson, of Woburn, who became a member of the church in Charlestown in August, 1633, and in 1640 was one of the thirty-two men who subscribed to the town orders of Woburn, where he settled. The Thompson line of ancestry is: James,¹ Jonathan,^{2 3} Samuel,^{4 5} Jonathan,⁶ Abigail,⁷ Mrs. Pendergast's maternal grandmother, who was born August 23, 1800, and died December 28, 1876. (See "Memorial of James Thompson and his Descendants," by the Rev. Leander Thompson, that book being also the authority for the civil and military records of Thompson ancestors following.)

Samuel Thompson, great-great-grandfather of Mrs. Pendergast, was fitted for college before he was seventeen, but on account of his father's sudden death changed his plans and remained at home, the family needing his help. The house on Elm Street, North Woburn, in which he lived, and where he died August 17, 1820, was built by his father about 1730, and partly rebuilt by himself in 1764. He became a surveyor, and engaged in important surveys in Woburn and in other towns, some of his work being on the Middlesex Canal.

While on the latter survey, he discovered in Wilmington a wild apple-tree whose fruit he named the "Pecker," as the tree showed that woodpeckers abounded in that region. He subsequently named this variety of apples "the Thompson." Many trees were grafted by Samuel Thompson and his brother Abijah. They gave grafts of the trees to a friend and neighbor, Colonel Loammi Baldwin, who cultivated them with great success and distributed the fruit far and wide. This, we are told, is the true story of the "Baldwin" apple, formerly the "Thompson," as certified by the monument at Wilmington.

In 1758, during the French and Indian War, Samuel Thompson held a commission as Lieutenant of provincials, and was stationed for a time near Lake George. "On the morning of the 19th of April, 1775, when the alarm was given that the British troops were marching towaixl Concortl, he iiml his two brothers were among the first to comprehend the grave im- portance of the occasion. Innnediately seiz- ing his musket, he hurried to the scene of ac- tion, where he performed heroic service. He brought home a musket taken by his own hands from a British sohUer whom he had wounded in the conflict."

Sanuiel Thopipson was a Deacon of the Con- gregational church of Woburn nearly thirty- six years. Among other offices which he held was that of parish clerk. Selectman, Represent- ative to the General Court for eight years, and Justice of the Peace more than thirty years. " His character for the strictest in- tegrity was known and appreciated through- out his own and neighboring counties; and, although he was a constant witness of liti- gation, he was universally and em])hati- cally called, by those who knew him, a peace- maker."

His death occurred August 17, 1820. His first wife was Abigail Titld, of Woburn, who died in 176S; his second, Lydia Jones, of Con- cord, who died in 1788; and his third, Esther, widow of Jesse Wyman and daughter of the Rev. Joseph Burbeen, of Wobvu'n.

Jonathan Thompson, although not cjuite fifteen years of age when the alarm of war was sounded April 19, 1775, borrowed a musket, and followed his father and uncle to Concord, taking with him the leaden weights of the scales, which he had moulded into bullets at the shop of a neighbor.

" ( )n his arrival at Concord the more direct fighting was past, and the enemy were just starting on their retreat toward Boston. Notic- ing that the method of annoyance employed by his countrymen was that of gaining the head of the retreating columns by a circuitous route, and then from a favorable position, previously chosen, pouring their shot among the ranks till all had passeil, he did the same. In one of these circuits, to their nmtual surprise, he met his father, who at once exclaimed: 'Why, Jonathan, are you here? Well, take care of yourself. Your uncle Dani d has been killed. Be prudent, my son, and take care of yourself.' Father and son then each pur- sued his way. Jonathan foUowetl the retreat- ing army to Lexington and then to West Cam- bridge, now Arlington, from which place he crossed over to Medford, where, with others, he sought refuge in a barn, reaching home safely early the following morning. " He subsequently served a campaign as fifer and several more as a private. He was at Ticonderoga and in Arnold's flotilla on Lake Champlain, the vessel during the action there being run ashore to avoid a surrender, and the crew escaping into the neighboring forest, where for three days they dodgeil the Indians and were without food. They at last escaped the pursuit by swimming a river, across which, the day being cold and the Indians having no canoe, their savage pursuers declined to follow them. Jonathan Thompson was subsequently at Stillwater, at Saratoga, at the surrender of Burgoyne, White Plains, etc., serving in the army about three years." During a part of the time he served as drummer. After the Revolution he became Captain of militia, and until his death, November 20, 1836, was famil- iarly called Captain John.

Jonathan" Thompson, Mrs. Pendergast's great-grandfather, married August 9, 1781, Mary, daughter of Deacon Jeduthan'^ Richardson (Thomas,* SamueP^'), of that part of Woburn that is now Winchester. Deacon Jeduthan^ Richardson, great-great-grandfather of Mrs. Pendergast, was a Lieutenant in the Third Company, Second Middlesex County Regiment, in the Revolutionary War.

Another of her great-great-grandfathers, Joshua Jones, of Woburn, was a soldier in Captain Walker's company. Colonel David Greene's regiment, and was in service at the time of the Lexington alarm, April 19, 1775; and in the same company was a fourth great-great-grand-father, Samuel Beard, of Wilmington.

Ira Allen and Emily Thompson (Jones) Worth hatl one son, Charles Frederick, who died in infancy. They removed to Charlestown when their daughter Ella was a year old; and she received her education in its public schools, being graduated .with honors from the high school, July 24, 1868, the day before her seventeenth birthday. She entered upon the active duties of life by accepting an appointment as teacher of the Bunker Hill Primary School (No. 6). While holding the position, her success as a teacher being established, she received a flattering call to teach in Toledo, Ohio; and her declination was received with regret by the superintendent of schools of that city.

In 1873 she resigned her position, and became the wife of George Henry Pendergast, a well-known and highly respected citizen of Charlestown. They now live in Somerville, having recently removed to their new home, at the corner of Broadway and Sycamore Street. They have two children: Florence Worth, born April 17, 1886; and Harold Worth, born February 14, 1892. These children were the nucleus of the Jonathan Thompson Society of the C. A. R.

Mrs. Pendergast was actively identified with the First Universalist Church of Charlestown for many years, and was before her marriage one of a party of young amateurs who aided the church treasury by giving theatrical entertainments, in which she filled the role of leading lady with considerable merit. The Norumbega Woman's Club, of Charlestown, welcomed her as a member soon after its organization. She accepted an election as its vice-president, but has declined the honor of becoming president, which has twice been tendered. Although continuing her interest and membership in the club, other duties prevented her from accepting its leadership. Mrs. Pendergast is a life member of the Hunt Asylum for Destitute Children, is interested in the Winchester Home for Aged Women, and has been an early and continuous friend of the Boston Floating Hospital, a charity very near her heart.

In February, 1898, Mrs. Pendergast with others organized the Jonathan Thompson Society of the Children of the American Revolution, and she conducted it successfully for over two years, holding most of the meetings in her own home. In April, 1900, she gave up its presidency (but continues as a contributing member), and assumed the duties of Regent of Bunker Hill Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution. She is a charter member of this chapter, and served three years as Vice-Regent before accepting the office of Regent. The chapter prospered under her guidance. Her progressive ideas, executive ability, and efficient management met the approval of the members. The term of office as Regent expired in April, 1902.

Recently requested to become the State Regent of the Massachusetts D. A. R., Mrs. Pendergast on account of home cares felt obliged to decline the honor, as she did two years ago, when urged to take the position of State Director for Massachusetts Children of the American Revolution.

Mrs. Pendergast is a woman of literary talent and the author of several poems. The ode sung at the reunion of the Charlestown High School Alunmi Association in 1884 was written by her for that occasion. Her spacious home contains many relics, books, and souvenirs of value, among them being the sword brought home by Samuel Thompson from the French and Indian wars and the drumsticks used l)y Jonathan Thompson in the Revolution. Upon the wall hang the Pendergast coat of aims and the Worth coat of arms, both framed and artistically executed.

An aunt. Miss Nancy Pendergast, who is a member of her family, was an army nurse during the Civil War, and served in the hospitals at Point Lookout and Annapolis.