Ohio History Journal

THE ORIGIN OF THE NAME OF THE TOWN OF

WORTHINGTON

 

BY HELEN M. DUDLEY

 

The lovely village of Worthington, Ohio, is a charming bit

of old New England set down in the heart of Ohio's Scioto coun-

try, near the pleasant slopes of the Olentangy. Its atmosphere

having been preserved intact by the careful protection of the many

original features attesting its exceptional history, and by the

adaptation of new things to the old, it has the distinction of

being one of the rarest, most precious possessions of the State.

For as years see the continuous destruction of old landmarks

by the ruthless--too often ugly--innovations of "progress," this

village stands out as a community that, from the first, discerned

the value of its heritage, maintained it and built upon it.

Its intrinsic, century-and-a-half-old charm, strangely enough,

is largely due to its having been singularly protected, at crises in

its development, by its failure to secure certain industrial and

political "advantages to its progress"; through losing such ear-

nestly solicited things as the "through East-West road"; and later,

through barely failing to become the state's capital. Such losses,

regarded at the time as calamities, have long since proved especial

blessings; for time has proved that the independence and pro-

tection thus secured to the little incorporated village, by giving

it incentive and opportunity to preserve its individual distinction,

has made it increasingly desirable as a place of residence, until

it may be said to have no rival as "the most attractive suburb of

Columbus."

Several things beside its being the one-hundred-and-fortieth

anniversary of its founding and of the publication of its name,

bring this village to the especial attention of its admirers in this

year of 1943. One is, the re-discovery of a document which sup-

plies direct, decisive evidence as to the naming of the town, along

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THE NAMING OF WORTHINGTON               249

 

with some additional data. The other is the decision of the

citizens of the village to make these findings safe and accessible

in their archives; for they shed light on a heretofore obscure

chapter of the history of the town, and decide a controversy that

has existed, at least, for half a century.

It is well known that Colonel James Kilbourne founded this

village, but unfortunately, the facts regarding the origin of its

name--the person or place for whom it was named--do not seem

to have been so carefully recorded, so reverently cherished, as

have other truths of its unusual history. Formal records, if such

there were, seem to have been lost sight of. To date, apparently,

such facts were entrusted to verbal narrators; and as generation

followed generation, the facts they told, receding into the shadowy

past, have become obscured, confused. As is usually the case,

traditions and rumors have sprung up.

Throughout the town's existence, most of the inhabitants

(contrary to the claims of some current writers) as well as in-

terested people generally, appear to have believed that the place

was named for Thomas Worthington who, at the time of its

founding not only was regarded as the leader of the group that

"stood for the Democratic (or Progressive) party in Ohio" and

as an "outstanding figure in the state," but who also was one

of unrivalled achievements in private business enterprise and life.

While this belief has the most general acceptance, several others

have been so persistent and have so frequently been accepted by

writers, that they have challenged to investigation those who

wish to know the truth. Although the dearth of published ac-

counts regarding the Thomas Worthington origin, together with

the number of published accounts of the opposing opinions that

have been passed on, have complicated inquiry into this contro-

versy, the sought-for-origin has, happily, come to light.

One opinion that has gained some credence, is that this town

was named for a man in Massachusetts. In a pamphlet in the

Ohio State Library is this statement:

"After a somewhat thorough investigation, the writer con-

cludes that the name of our village was given to honor the memory

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250     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

of Colonel John Worthington, an Assemblyman of Massachusetts,

who had been very successful in adjusting some difficulties that

arose in Connecticut and Massachusetts about the time that the

Scioto Company was organized in the former state."1

As the original sources of the "John Worthington conclusion"

have not yet been available to this inquirer; and as it was seldom

met in this particular investigation, this conclusion may be dis-

missed for one more prevalent, that is, that the name was given in

memory of the parish of Worthington, in Connecticut, in which

Mr. Kilbourne preached for a short time; or at least for "a village

in Connecticut." The earliest statement of this second opinion,

found in this research, was in an article which had appeared on the

occasion of the centennial of the founding of Worthington, "pur-

porting to prove that the town was named for a town in New

England--because of religious ties with James Kilbourne and his

associates." The following is an excerpt from this article, found

in the "Old Northwest" Genealogical Quarterly, for October, 1903:

An opinion seems to prevail among many that the Town of Worthing-

ton was named for Gov. Thomas Worthington, first Senator from Ohio.

The universal tradition among the descendants of the settlers, however, is

that the name was given in memory of a Connecticut locality.

The following letters seem to be of interest in determining the matter.

The Worthington therein referred to was a village in the east part of Ber-

lin, on the main road from Middletown to Farmington, about ten miles

northwest of the former. Barber's Connecticut Historical Collections states

that Berlin was incorporated in 1785, having been previously the Second

Society of Farmington, by the name of Kensington, and set off about 1712.

In 1753 Kensington was divided by the formation of New Britain, and again

in 1772 by the formation of the Society of Worthington; its name being

derived from one of the committee who located the Society, quoting Pease

and Niles Gazetteer as authority.... It [Worthington] was incorporated as

a borough in 1834....3

In the first paragraph of this extract, the author states that

according to "the universal tradition among the descendants of

the settlers--the name was given in memory of a Connecticut

locality." It is easily understood that, the settlers being "a com-

pany of Episcopalians," devoted to their church home, their

1 Program of Dedication, First Presbyterian Church of Worthington, Ohio, Jan-

uary, 1927.

2 "Old Northwest" Genealogical Quarterly (Columbus), VI (October, 1903), 121-3.

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THE NAMING OF WORTHINGTON                251

 

"descendants" would naturally be interested in forwarding a tra-

dition that would perpetuate the memory of those parishes, and

that would tend to keep warm and strong those church ties.

This "Parish Tradition," however, has no basis on fact. The

above excerpt is possibly, the first formal statement on the New

England-Parish-Village tradition. There are a number of instances

of its acceptance by later Ohio historians.

One of the earliest of these, is in a history of the New

England churches and parishes from which Kilbourne and the

members of his colony came. This book states that Kilbourne

"founded the town of Worthington, Ohio, which he named in

honor of his parish;" and again, "the place where the company

settled in Ohio was named Worthington, in honor of Mr. Kil-

bourne's old parish in Connecticut."³

It is clear that the author of these statements accepted those

of the author of the original statement of this tradition, in the

same volumes of Old Northwest, quoted above. This is evident

not only from the date of the above-quoted article (which was

published four years before the church history), but from the

fact that James Shepard refers definitely--in regard to some re-

lated material--(p. 157) to the same volume and pages that con-

tain the original statement quoted when he says:

"The certificate of Mr. Kilbourne's ordination was copied

for us from the original by M. F. T. Cole, editor of the Old

Northwest Genealogical Quarterly, and the recommendation and

letter to the Bishop are copied from Vol. 6, p. 122, 123 of that

magazine."  Thus the original statement of this tradition, and

that of Mr. Shepard, based on it, will be seen to be one and the

same.

Another example of the acceptance of the Connecticut tra-

dition may be found in Opha Moore's History of Franklin

County:

"Contrary to a widely spread belief, the Village of Worthing-

ton was not named in honor of Colonel and Governor Worthing-

ton of this state. It was named for the parish of Worthington

3 History of Saint Mark's Church, New Britain, Connecticut, and of its Predecessor,

Christ Church (Wethersfield and Berlin, 1907), 188.

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252      OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

in Connecticut, near that of New Britain where Colonel Kilbourne

was born."4

To quote another instance: in a book now in various li-

braries, including the Kilbourne Library of Worthington, Ohio,

one finds the following: "Rev. Kilbourne was a remarkable man:

farmer, mechanic, mathematician, business man, soldier and clergy-

man.--Because he had been born in the parish of Worthington,

Connecticut, the new     settlement was named Worthington, in his

honor."5

In the face of all this confusion, it may be reassuring to

those interested to know that this study has uncovered both

direct and indirect evidence that the town was named for Thomas

Worthington.

The principal direct evidence is to be found in a letter from

Colonel James Kilbourne, bearing the heading, "Worthington,

Febr. 7th, 1804," and addressed to "Col. Thomas Worthington.

City Washington." This letter states that at an "entertainment--

the name of our town" was published, "as was my duty, by a

resolve of the Company before we left Connecticut," and lists the

twelve "Tosts" that were drunk to on that occasion.  On the first

page is the second toast which states clearly and definitely the

origin of the Scioto Company's new settlement: "And The Town

of Worthington. While it perpetuates the Memory of our worthy

Friend   with reference to whom it is Named,--May it become

conspicuous for Science, Enterprise & the Useful Arts."6

The above statement alone has been accepted by authorities as

full and sufficient evidence of the fact that Worthington, Ohio, is

unquestionably the "namesake" of Thomas Worthington, then

Colonel and early United States Senator, and later, Governor of

 

4 (Topeka, 1930.)

5 The Woodrow Guild, Shedding Light on Worthington (Worthington, Ohio, 1931).

Incidentally, the statement that Colonel Kilbourne was born in the parish of

Worthington, Connecticut, would seem to be in error, if the statements in the preced-

ing excerpt are correct; for that excerpt states that (1) Worthington was "a village

in Berlin," previously called Kensington; and (2) that "Kensington was divided--in

1872, by the formation of Worthington, Connecticut." This suggests--at least to the

general reader--that Colonel Kilbourne, having been born in New Britain, in 1770,

could not have been born in Worthington, as (according to the authority quoted from

Old Northwest above) the latter place was not formed until 1772.

6 The italics are Colonel Kilbourne's. Letter from Colonel James Kilbourne to

Colonel Thomas Worthington, Feb. 7, 1804, p. 1, Worthington Collection, Dept. of

Documents, Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society Library, Columbus.

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THE NAMING OF WORTHINGTON                 253

 

Ohio and General of Militia. Although nothing is needed to

corroborate this statement about the town's founder, yet the other

document found, and the gift it conveys are too closely connected

with Colonel Kilbourne's recorded facts to be omitted. This sec-

ond document, bearing the heading, "State of Ohio--Executive

Department--Columbus, August 10, 1880," is a letter from

Charles Foster, then Governor of Ohio. It makes the formal

transfer to the citizens of Worthington, through their Board of

Education, of a portrait of Thomas Worthington, in behalf of

Hon. Rufus King of Cincinnati, the donor.     This large and

handsome painting had been removed from the rotunda of the

Capitol--evidently to give place to the one of Governor Worthing-

ton now there. For a number of years after its acceptance by

the town, it hung in the main school building. At the time of

the school's transfer to the present new structure, it was stored

and temporarily lost sight of. It has recently been brought to

light by the Board of Education, however. More will be said

of it in another connection. The letter signifies, in brief, that

the Hon. Rufus King was giving the portrait of his grandfather

into the possession of the town of Worthington; and that thus,

for all time, through their Board of Education, he has entrusted

it into the custody of the people of the town "for preservation

and exhibition."7

Now Rufus King, son of Sarah Worthington King Peter,

had, all his life been in close association with the nearest rela-

tives of Governor Worthington--including Colonel Thomas

Worthington, Jr., and E. D. Mansfield who married a daughter

of Governor Worthington, and Dr. Daniel Drake, another kins-

man.   The latter two--Mansfield and Drake--were the most

energetic collectors and purveyors of facts in Ohio; and by no

chance could King be considered to be making a mistake when he

presented Governor Worthington's portrait to the citizens of the

village because the founder had honored his grandfather.

 

7 Letter from Governor Foster to the Board of Education of Worthington, Ohio,

August 10, 1880 (original in possession of present Board of Education, Worthington).

The letter of Governor Foster was recently given to the present Board of Educa-

tion by Miss Ruth Griswold, a descendant of one of the original settlers of the vil-

lage, and also of the President of the Board of Education  in 1880.

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254    OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

The truth regarding the name of Colonel Kilbourne's settle-

ment having been established by the founder himself, supported

by the act of a kinsman and by the Governor of Ohio, no further

"burden of proof" rests on the truth-seeker; and nothing more

is necessary to satisfy those to whom "direct evidence" is every-

thing.

Yet there is also an intriguing chapter which traces the eager

interest with which James Kilbourne followed in his mind, the

progressive stages of Worthington and his party's battles in the

forming of Ohio--and the decisive influence these and their final

victory had on the individual steps of his own plans, his final

decisions and settlement. Omitting this whole fascinating chap-

ter, there is a phase of this subject, opened up by the rest of the

"Kilbourne-Worthington Letter," that seems to be of greater

significance than even the quoted paragraph of direct evidence,

for it reveals a stronger and deeper motive than Kilbourne's

knowledge of Worthington as a statesman, or his admiration born

of even the closest business association. It goes back to a time

one-and-a-half years preceding this letter.

On both trips to Ohio preceding his emigration--1802 and

1803--Rev. Mr. Kilbourne was in Chillicothe, and during the

first trip he worked in Colonel Worthington's office compiling his

map of Ohio. As Colonel Worthington had in that summer of

1802, moved into his new home in the country near Chillicothe--

a home as famous as its successor, Adena, for its hospitality--

there can be no doubt that on the first trip (and probably on the

second) he was entertained at the Worthington home.

This is suggestive of a more personal relationship between

them. As Oliver Wendell Holmes, "the younger," wrote to his

fellow members of the Supreme Court, on retiring: "The long and

intimate association with men who so command my respect and

admiration, could not but fix my affections as well." This may

also have been true of James Kilbourne: that the respect he felt

for Thomas Worthington, resulting from business association,

culminated in the feeling of warm, sincere friendship which would

be of far more influence, a year later, in Mr. Kilbourne's choice

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THE NAMING OF WORTHINGTON                255

 

of a name for his project than any mere business association,

however important, could have been.   For it does not seem

credible that a man whose letter breathes such mingled friend-

ship, gratitude and respect as does that of James Kilbourne,

would have missed any opportunity to honor his "Benefactor"--

and his own settlement--by the use of his distinguished name.

But this can best be judged by the reader's examining the

letter itself.⁸ Written under happy conditions, on December 26th,

1803, it relates that Colonel Kilbourne and his company "made

a very pleasant season" to celebrate their good fortune by an

"entertainment."  It was in answer to a letter from  Senator

Worthington writing in the midst of his new duties in Washing-

ton and enclosing informatory papers that Colonel Kilbourne's

reply, dated Feb. 7, 1804, acknowledged "your friendly attention,

particularly for the information received from the State papers

accompanying your letter." After making a cheerful general re-

port on the settlement, Mr. Kilbourne gives a lively account of

the whole celebration, even including the twelve "Tosts" pledged

(noted earlier) and the dance that closed the affair.

The striking statement to the researcher, of course, is the

second toast, already noted, which constituted the most important

item of direct evidence on the naming of the town, but other items

illustrate the freedom from restraint--almost elation--with which

the writer tells of his hopes, fears and plans as one does only to

a "confidential friend" by which title he refers to Colonel Worth-

ington. Acknowledging "your very liberal donation of last Sum-

mer," Colonel Kilbourne says: "I had reserved a part of [it],

and presented it to the Company on the occasion who received it

with Marks of as great Sattisfaction as you could well feal in

bestowing it."

This donation may have been merely as a congratulatory

gift by Senator Worthington, whose eagerness to acquire the

right kind of settlers for Ohio had been second only, to acquiring

her statehood. Or it may have been the generous acknowledgment

of a man who, possibly, had been informed that preceding sum-

 

8 Colonel James Kilbourne to Colonel Thomas Worthington, February 7, 1804,

pp. 1-4. Worthington Collection.

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256    OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

mer, "before the settlers left Connecticut" on their long trek (by

their leader who worked beside him in his office), that the village

was to be named for him. In any event, it has interest in that

it was made to the founder of one of Ohio's most unique settle-

ments by the great Ohioan for whom he named it.

The toast numbered "6th" is also worthy of attention:

"Honorable Thomas Worthington. The Benefactor & Friend, Not

only of the State in general, & of the Company in particular,

but the Friend of Man." Here the eye of a friend had discerned

thus early, the two roles later estimated Worthington's greatest:

"Champion of Education" and "Great humanitarian."

A paragraph surprising because it reveals something less

generally known--a fraternal link between these men--is that

on the Masons:

We have also obtained from the Grand Lodge in Connecticut a Charter

Authorizing us to hold a Masonic Lodge in this town. And it will be

Necessary that Some Brother should be authorized to Instal us. -- We have

been enquired of, for a Suitable person, Whom the Grand Master of Con-

necticut Might appoint for the purpose, & we have taken the liberty, to Send

forward your Name to the Grand Master, Who will probably order his

Secretary to send you a Commission Accordingly, of which I shall beg you

to Accept, & in case any other Step should be Necessary for you to take,

than what you have already taken, in order to give the Master proper

instruction, you will be so kind as to attend to it before you return.

In this act of deep trust, some readers see the rarest tribute

the Master-to-be of his Lodge could have chosen to pay any friend

to whom he wished to do particular honor.

Toward the last is an example of that peculiar mark of esteem

regarded by many as the acid test of friendship--the confiding

of a worry that lies deeper than the words show, coupled with

a frank request for aid in removing it. This concerned a then-

threatening event--later to prove such a blow to Kilbourne and

his beloved settlement in their fight with Franklinton (Columbus)

for supremacy in the State. The threat lay in the petition being

"sent forward" at that moment by the people of Franklinton "to

the Secretary of the Treasurey, praying that the great East and

West Road to be laid across the State may be so varied from

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THE NAMING OF WORTHINGTON                257

 

the original plan as to pass through Franklinton," (instead of

through Worthington, according to the original plan). Colonel

Kilbourne was "very sure" that the alteration of the first purpose

"would be of some damage to us," and, therefore, he wrote,

"Whatever you can consistently do respecting it, to prevent its

taking place, will be of particular Service to us & will be grate-

fully remembered." Kilbourne may have realized then that in

the outcome of this petition and possibly also of this request, lay

the political and industrial fate of his town. In any event, the

favor asked of an influential member of the United States Senate

impresses one as the kind a man would ask only of an especially

trusted friend.

At the close of this intimate letter, what at first seems a

merely pleasant personal message, suggests considerably more to

an inquiry into this personal friendship and the bearing it had on

later happenings: "Make my best Respects to Mrs. Worthington,

and assure her, that I shall think the time long till I have the

pleasure of seeing you both back in Ohio again."

This may be one more indication that during both of Mr.

Kilbourne's Ohio trips, Mrs. Worthington was his hostess in the

new country home outside of Chillicothe; that in these months of

close association with her husband in his office, he was also a

guest in his hospitable home. In fine, throughout its three-and-

one-half very long pages, this whole enthusiastic letter is filled

with assurances that this founder felt no need to go to a Massa-

chusetts Assemblyman or to a Connecticut parish for a name for

his project; but that out of a grateful and admiring heart he

named it for the illustrious and generous friend who had given

valuable help to him and "to the Company in particular," from

the beginning of his plans to the day of their fulfillment.

Following the example of their founding fathers of nearly

a century-and-one-half ago, the people of Worthington are again

"making a very pleasant Season," this time, to mark the setting

at rest of the question of the christening of their town, and to

put the evidence permanently in safe-keeping. In this year of

the town's one-hundred-and-fortieth birthday, the letters of Colo-

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258    OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

nel Kilbourne and Governor Foster, together with the portrait of

Thomas Worthington are being publicly presented to the people

of Worthington. These will be hung in appropriate places, se-

lected by members of the Board of Education, the Library Board

and other representative citizens.

The framed Kilbourne-Worthington document, handsomely

executed by Mr. Paul Shook of the Department of Engineering

Drawing, of Ohio State University, is to be presented in the

following manner: Photostatic copies of the four pages of the

original letter from Colonel Kilbourne to Colonel Thomas Worth-

ington, together with a typed transcription, are mounted on a

³⁶"x40" white pebble mat. This mat bears a decorative title,

"The Naming of Worthington," and a descriptive information

concerning the letter. Included in the decorative material on the

mat is the Worthington Family Coat of Arms, with its motto,

"Virtute dignus avorum," the monogram TW, and the present

notto of the village of Worthington. The entire mat is bordered

with red orange, and framed with a two-inch black frame.⁹ In

the place chosen will hang the portrait of Governor Worthington,

skillfully restored by Dr. James W. Grimes of the Fine Arts

Department of Ohio State University, together with the framed

letter presenting it.

The portrait promises to do more than put the citizens of

Worthington in remembrance of the fact that, through it, Rufus

King wished to honor both the town and the genius of Thomas

Worthington: and that, in accepting his grandfather's likeness

from the State that is "his monument," Mr. King transferred it,

in good faith and full confidence, into the care and keeping of

the town which, by the choice of its founder, "perpetuates his

Memory."

For, more than this, the possessors of this bequest fervently

hope that when the great democratic institutions for the establish-

ment of which the life of Thomas Worthington was so patriotic

and complete a sacrifice, shall have survived the terrific struggle

now being made to preserve them, these evidences of his rela-

 

9 The above mentioned information has been condensed from Mr. Shook's detailed

technical description.

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THE NAMING OF WORTHINGTON                 259

 

tionship to the people of Worthington will continue to remind

them that the spirit of their "worthy Friend and Benefactor"

still lives and blesses them, not only as "the greatest of the first

generation of Ohio statesmen"¹⁰ but as "the greatest of Ohio's

humanitarians" and "the Friend of Man."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10 "Old Northwest" Quarterly, VI (1903), 37.

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