Samuel was born in Barnstable (now East Dennis), Massachusetts.
In 1665, he married Hopestill Holley.
In 1672 Samuel Werden was proposed for a freeman. In New England, a man attained the status of freeman either as the eldest son or by owning a freehold estate; and in every town there was a commission appointed to examine that freehold estate and make sure its title was clear.
Sometime before 1693, Dr. Samuel bought land in Rhode Island, because in a deed registered there on 19 September 1693, Werden's Pond is called by his name. (Old N.K. Land Evidences, Volume 1, Page 223 in S.K. Townhouse.)
On 8 July 1695, he bought land consisting of 250 acres from Benedict Arnold, one of the original purchasers of a tract of land in this "collony comonly called Pitticomcott." This was originally purchased by Benedict Arnold in 1658 and comprises the present towns of South Kingston and Narragansett.
In 1696, Dr. Samuel sold his farm in the town of Yarmouth, Mass. to Isaac Chapman "except one half aker of land which I Samuel Werden except and reserve to myself and to my fathers posterity forever, lying square about the place where my father Werden was buried, out of the aforementioned farm, notwithstanding whatever is said above to the contrary, with free liberty of ingress and egress with horse or cart or foot from the common highway to same to have and to hold forever." He therefore preserved this land to all Wordens forever.
In the Norwich town clerk's office, Oliver Newton Worden found this precious record of conjugal and filial affection: "September 13, 1715, it was to me that woeful day in which my dear and tender and loving wife departed this life and was buried on ye 27th." "8 November 1752, then ye above written was entered from an ancient writing, at ye desire of Mr. Thomas Werden Jr. by me - Isaac Huntington, T.C." A few months after Hopestill died, Dr. Samuel married Francis West. In Stonington, Connecticut 18 September 1716, "Francis Werden, widow and relique of Samuel Werden late of Stonington dec. refuseth to administer upon ye estate of her late husband, Samuel Werden dec. and desireth that adm. may be granted to Isaac Werden. Isaac Werden died in 1718 and his wife Rebekah became administer for both estates.
SOURCE: Obtained at Worden Hall in East Dennis, Cape Cod, Mass.
