By Muriel Bristol | September 21, 2025
David Wentworth was born in Somersworth, NH, March 4, 1770, son of Benjamin and Rebecca (Hodsdon) Wentworth.
Brother John Wentworth married (1st) in Rochester, NH, October 20, 1783, Rebecca Horne. She was born in Rochester, NH, April 3, 1766, daughter of Peter Sr. and Mercy (Wentworth) Horne.
David Wentworth married in Dover, NH, February 11, 1799, Hannah Estes. She was born in Dover, NH, November 12, 1774, daughter of Robert and Sarah (Hanson) Estes.
(The known children of David and Hannah (Estes) Wentworth were: Luther Wentworth (1803-1875)).
Sister-in-law Rebecca (Horne) Wentworth died in Rochester, NH, in 1800. Brother John Wentworth married (2nd), circa 1804, Patience Ricker.
David Wentworth headed a Milton household at the time of the Second (1800) Federal Census. His household included one male aged 26-44 years [himself], one female aged 16-25 years [Hannah (Estes) Wentworth]. His household appeared in the enumeration between those of Stephen Watson and Simon Brawn. (See Northeast Parish in the Second (1800) Federal Census).
David Wentworth signed the Rochester division petition of May 28, 1802. (His brothers, Samuel S. Wentworth and John Wentworth, signed too).
Son Luther Wentworth was born in Milton, December 26, 1803.
David & John Wentworth purchased Pew No. 5 in the newly-constructed Milton Town House, for $28, in 1804. It was situated on the east side of the ground floor, between those of D. Door, Pew No. 4, and Caleb Wingate, Pew No. 6. (See Milton Town House – 1804).
David Wentworth and his brother, John Wentworth, were among the fifty-two Milton petitioners that sought to have Jotham Nute appointed as a Milton justice-of-the-peace, in August 1805.
Mother Rebecca (Hodsdon) Wentworth died in 1806.
David Wentworth was assessed in the Milton School District No. 5 of John Fish in 1806 (See Milton School Districts – 1806).
David Wentworth headed a Milton household at the time of the Third (1810) Federal Census. His household included one male aged 26-44 years [himself], one female aged 26-44 years [Hannah (Estes) Wentworth], one male aged under-10 years [Luther Wentworth], and one female aged 45-plus years. His household appeared in the enumeration between those of [his brother] John Wentworth and Benj. Foss. (See Milton in the Third (1810) Federal Census).
Father Benjamin Roberts Wentworth died in Somersworth, NH, November 4, 1813.
David Wentworth was among the seventy-nine Milton inhabitants that petitioned NH Governor Samuel Bell (1770-1850) and his Executive Council, April 3, 1820, seeking appointment of James Roberts as a Milton justice-of-the-peace.
David Wentworth (and his brother, John Wentworth,) signed the Milton militia division petition of November 1820. (See Milton Militia Dispute – 1820).
The NH legislature authorized incorporation of the Milton Social Library by nine Milton men, including David Wentworth, June 14, 1822.
Son Luther Wentworth married (1st) in Farmington, NH, December 26, 1827, Anna Varney.
Mother-in-law Sarah (Hanson) Estes died in 1828.
David Wentworth headed a Milton household at the time of the Fifth (1830) Federal Census. His household included one male aged 60-69 years [himself], one female aged 50-59 years [Hannah (Estes) Wentworth], one male aged 10-14 years [Luther Wentworth], and one female aged 70-79 years. His household appeared in the enumeration between those of [his brother] John Wentworth and [his son] Luther Wentworth. (See Milton in the Fifth (1830) Federal Census).
Luther Wentworth headed a Milton household at the time of the Fifth (1830) Federal Census. His household included one male aged 20-29 years [himself], one female aged 20-29 years [Anna (Varney) Wentworth], and two males aged under-5 years [Charles E. Wentworth and Albert F. Wentworth]. His household appeared in the enumeration between those of [his father] David Wentworth and Wm Foss. (See Milton in the Fifth (1830) Federal Census).
David Wentworth died in Milton, May 18, 1832, aged sixty-two years.
DIED. In Milton, on the 18th inst., Mr. David Wentworth, aged 62 – a prudent, industrious and worthy citizen (Dover Enquirer, May 29, 1832).
Hannah (Estes) Wentworth died in Milton, November 28, 1832.
Sister-in-law Patience (Ricker) Wentworth died in Milton, February 20, 1839, aged seventy years.
DIED. In Milton, Feb. 20th, Mrs. Patience, wife of Mr. John Wentworth, aged 70 (Dover Enquirer, March 12, 1839).
Brother John Wentworth married (3rd), after 1839, Mary Greenough Dore. She was born in Milton, May 3, 1777.
Luther Wentworth headed a Milton household at the time of the Sixth (1840) Federal Census. His household included one male aged 30-39 years [himself], one female aged 30-39 years [Anna (Varney) Wentworth], one male aged 15-19 years, two males aged 10-14 years [Charles E. Wentworth and Albert F. Wentworth], one female aged 5-9 years [Sarah E. Wentworth], and two males aged under-5 years [George S. Wentworth and Loring H.G. Wentworth]. One member of his household was engaged in Agriculture. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of John Foss and [his uncle] John Wentworth.
Brother John Wentworth died in Milton, February 13, 1849, aged eighty-seven years.
DEATHS. In Milton, on the 13th ult., Mr. John Wentworth, aged 87 years (Dover Enquirer, March 6, 1849).
Luther Wentworth, a farmer, aged forty-six years (b. NH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Seventh (1850) Federal Census. His household included Anna [(Varney)] Wentworth, aged forty-seven years (b. NH), Albert F. Wentworth, a shoemaker, aged twenty-one years (b. NH), Charles E. Wentworth, a shoemaker, aged twenty years (b. NH), Sarah E. Wentworth, aged seventeen years (b. NH), George S. Wentworth, aged thirteen years (b. NH), Loring H.G. Wentworth, aged twelve years (b. NH), and Ann M. Wentworth, aged nine years (b. NH). Luther Wentworth had real estate valued at $3,000. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Joshua Ricker, a farmer, aged forty-three years (b. NH), and John Foss, a farmer, aged sixty-one years (b. NH).
Sister-in-law Mary Greenough (Dore) Wentworth died in Milton, April 1, 1853.
Daughter-in-law Anna (Varney) Wentworth died of consumption in Rochester, NH, in January 1860, aged fifty-six years. (The Federal Census Mortality Schedule gave the cause of her death as dropsy & lung complaint).
Luther Wentworth, a farmer, aged fifty-six years (b. NH), headed a Rochester (“Farmington P.O.”), NH, household at the time of the Eighth (1860) Federal Census. His household included George S. Wentworth, a shoemaker, aged twenty-two years (b. NH), and Ann M. Wentworth, aged nineteen years (b. NH). Luther Wentworth had real estate valued at $3,350 and personal estate valued at $1,200.
Son Luther Wentworth married (2nd) in Rochester, NH, July 23, 1860, Harriet A. (Watson) Harker. William Hewes performed the ceremony.
MARRIAGES. In Rochester, Mr. Luther Wentworth, to Miss Harriet A. Harker (Dover Enquirer, September 27, 1860).
Luther Wentworth, aged sixty-six years, headed a Rochester (“Gonic P.O.”), NH, household at the time of the Ninth (1870) Federal Census. His household included Harriette A. [((Watson) Harker)] Wentworth, aged fifty-three years (b. NH), Charles R. Wentworth, aged fifteen years (b. NH).
Son Luther Wentworth died in Rochester, NH, June 15, 1875, aged seventy-two years.
DEATHS. In Rochester, June 15, Mr. Luther Wentworth, aged 72 years (Dover Enquirer, June 24, 1875).
Marion H. Osgood, a jeweller, aged thirty-five years (b. ME), headed a Rochester, NH, household at the time of the Tenth (1880) Federal Census. His household included his wife, Hattie [(Harker)] Osgood, keeping house, aged twenty-eight years (b. NH), his children, Frederick H. Osgood, aged four years (b. NH), and Alice M. Osgood, aged two years (b. NH), his mother-in-law, Harriett A. [((Watson) Harker)] Wentworth, at home, aged sixty-three years (b. NH), and his brother-in-law, Charles Harker, a poultry raiser, aged twenty-five years (b. NH).
Daughter-in-law Harriet A. ((Watson) Harker) Wentworth died in San Jose, CA, October 3, 1891, aged seventy-four years.
References.
Find a Grave. (2013, June 7). Harriet Amanda Watson Harker. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/111927824/harriet-amanda-harker
Milton Observer 