William Richard Wornel, son of Richard and Mary Jane “Polly” Gore Wornel, was born 15 February 1789 near Crab Orchard, Lincoln County, Kentucky.  His father was killed by the Indians in August 1789.  William (Dick) married his second wife, Judith Middleton, 7 May 1818.  He served in the War of 1812 from Jefferson County, Tennessee in Capt. James Bennett’s Company of Infantry, 4^th Regiment (Steel’s) West Tennessee Militia.

The Wornel family arrived in San Augustine, Texas on September 25, 1837.  They lived for a time in Shelby County, then settled a section of land about a mile southeast of New Salem in Rusk County.  This is the William Richard Wornel Survey.

Other related families who settled in the Republic of Texas were Richard’s brother, Notely Gore Wornel, and Richard’s son by his first marriage, William Wilson Wornel.

Richard was bitterly disillusioned by the lawlessness of the area which culminated in the Regulator Moderator War.  The was raged from 1839 until President Houston forced a compromise and restored the courts and government in 1844.

Richard and Judith’s two sons went to Hill County in 1851.  They followed later with the two youngest girls, arriving 9 June 1855.  He died on the 8 December 1865 and is buried in Hickey Cemetery.

To commemorate the Texas Sesquicentennial, four DRT Citizens of Texas medallions were placed on the graves of the Wornel family in Hickey Cemetery on the 24 October 1986.

Naughty Byrd Pelphrey Mayer, Descendant