Reportedly from Wales, John Wortham was the first of this line to emigrate to America (Letter from Mrs. Edwin Wortham to E.V. Smith, 12 July 1959). Other researchers have said that John Wortham is the son of Thomas Wortham of Pen-Wortham, a parish in Lancashire, England. However, evidence of this paternity has not been established. However, a search of the parish register 1608-1755 shows no person by the name of Wortham. A Henry Penwortham had a daughter named Elizabeth baptised June 21, 1660. No one else comes close to this surname.

Wherever his place of birth, John Wortham appeared in Lancaster County (now Middlesex Co.), Virginia March 5, 1658, when he received a grant of 400 acres. This property began at the termination of the Dragon Run on the south, Courthouse Swamp on the west, the Brooke property on the north and Pianketank Farm on the east. Although the original 400 acres have been divided, this land has stayed in the Wortham family for twelve generations.

John built a two room house with a loft above. This house was remodeled for use as Middlesex's first courthouse after John's death. George, his only surviving son, leased it to the county for a period of ten years, also building a jail nearby.

John Wortham was a prominent man in his neighborhood. The Christ Church Vestry Book refers to him on Nov 7, 1671, "It is Ordered that John Wortham doe Continue Reader at the Great Church This Ensueing Yeare And be paid as formerly." He was paid 1,400 pounds of tobacco for serving as Clerk of the Vestry in 1673, and was listed as a Vestry member in 1684 and succeeding years.

John was made a Justice for Middlesex County in 1684, as well as Church Warden. When "Old John Wortham, as a member of the court, sentenced his neighbors to military service, that he was one of the first to sign his name, signifying that he was ready and willing to go with them himself...characteristic of the family teaching we all are familiar with, "Never to require any man to do what one would not do himself." (Quote from Thomas Monahan Wortham reported in a letter from Mrs. Edwin Wortham)

John Wortham's will was reportedly one of the six oldest recorded wills in Middlesex to survive. In the 1950's it was so moth-eaten it took several hours to copy (Letter from Mrs. Edwin Wortham). John's will was written 6 June 1692 in Middlesex County, Virginia. He left to George Wortham, his eldest surviving son, "...two hundred acres at the lower end of my farm" as well as "..all my wearing clothes made and unmade" and "..acres of corn land and pasturage upon this plantation until he can clear out his own land." Son Oswald received "...the mansion plantation land...after the death of my loving wife Jane Wortham." He was also bequeathed "..my sword and carbine." Daughter Elizabeth received "..the other parts of land" (not including the land given to George and Oswald) and a slave not named. The remainder of the estate, after debts and funeral expenses were paid, was to be divided among Jane and the three surviving children. John also mentioned a slave named Aggie "..rightfully belonging to the children of Roger Shackleford, deceased." George was made the executor, and the overseers were "loving friends Capt. William Daniel and Mr. Richard Robinson." (Capt. William Daniel was the father of Richard Daniel who later married John's daughter, Elizabeth.) John signed his name and sealed it in wax with the impression "I.W." which has likely been misread and is actually "J.W."592