Jonathan Worth (November 18, 1802 – September 5, 1869) was the
39th governor
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
of the U.S. state of
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
from 1865 to 1868, during the early years of
Reconstruction
Reconstruction may refer to:
Politics, history, and sociology
*Reconstruction (law), the transfer of a company's (or several companies') business to a new company
*'' Perestroika'' (Russian for "reconstruction"), a late 20th century Soviet Unio ...
.
Early life
Jonathan Worth was born on November 18, 1802 in
Randolph County, North Carolina
Randolph County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 144,171. Its county seat is Asheboro.
Randolph County is included in the Greensboro- High Point, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area ...
to Dr. David Worth and Eunice Worth (née Gardner). A native of
Guilford County
Guilford County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population is 541,299, making it the third-most populous county in North Carolina. The county seat, and largest municipality, is Greensboro. Si ...
, Worth settled in
Randolph County Randolph County is the name of eight counties in the United States:
*Randolph County, Alabama
*Randolph County, Arkansas
*Randolph County, Georgia
*Randolph County, Illinois
*Randolph County, Indiana
*Randolph County, Missouri
*Randolph County, Nort ...
and made his fame and fortune there as an attorney and legislator. A
Quaker
Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belie ...
and protégé of Judge
Archibald Murphey
Archibald DeBow Murphey (ca. 1777; died February 1, 1832) was an attorney, jurist, and politician in North Carolina who was known as the "Father of Education" in his state. While serving as a state senator, he proposed establishing a funded progra ...
, Worth championed the cause of free public schools, and, though he belonged to the greatly outnumbered
Whig party, gained much stature for his practicality and vision.
In 1830, he ran for a seat in the
North Carolina House of Representatives
The North Carolina House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The House is a 120-member body led by a Speaker of the House, who holds powers similar to those of the President pro-tem in the North Ca ...
from Randolph County, motivated in large part by a failing law practice. His major shortcoming, he had decided, was his deficiency as a public speaker. His peers at the Bar persuaded him there was no better way to improve his oratory and achieve better rhetoric than to become a member of the
North Carolina General Assembly
The North Carolina General Assembly is the Bicameralism, bicameral legislature of the Government of North Carolina, State government of North Carolina. The legislature consists of two chambers: the North Carolina Senate, Senate and the North Ca ...
, which thrives on "talk".
He served two terms in the House, took a break from public service to build a lucrative law practice, was elected to the
North Carolina Senate
The North Carolina Senate is the upper chamber of the North Carolina General Assembly, which along with the North Carolina House of Representatives—the lower chamber—comprises the state legislature of North Carolina. The term of office for e ...
, and then ran twice for
Congress
A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of a ...
, both times unsuccessfully.
In 1858, Worth was again elected to the State Senate, where he was made chairman of a committee to investigate the poorly run
North Carolina Railroad
The North Carolina Railroad is a state-owned rail corridor extending from Morehead City, North Carolina to Charlotte, North Carolina. The railroad carries over seventy freight trains offered by the Norfolk Southern Railway and eight passenger t ...
. He pursued this official duty so relentlessly that the president of the Railroad, formerly a good friend, challenged Worth to a duel, which Worth declined.
Civil War Treasurer
Worth was an avid opponent of North Carolina's
secession
Secession is the withdrawal of a group from a larger entity, especially a political entity, but also from any organization, union or military alliance. Some of the most famous and significant secessions have been: the former Soviet republics le ...
from the Union. Though opposed to the Confederate stands on most issues, Worth remained loyal to North Carolina and refused to take part in several peace movements. He owned slaves and saw slavery as a Constitutional right which was best defended by remaining within the Union. In late 1862 or early 1863, the legislature elected him
State Treasurer
In the state governments of the United States, 48 of the 50 states have the executive position of treasurer. New York abolished the position in 1926; duties were transferred to New York State Comptroller. Texas abolished the position of Texas ...
by acclamation.
Worth had the duty of issuing notes and bonds to finance the State's share of its war debt. Of the some $20 million in notes authorized by the State, Worth issued $8.5 million and $5.2 million were outstanding at the end of the war. War bonds totaling more than $13 million were issued. At the end of the war, all of the State's war debt was repudiated.
Just before Raleigh was occupied by
Sherman
Sherman most commonly refers to:
*Sherman (name), a surname and given name (and list of persons with the name)
** William Tecumseh Sherman (1820–1891), American Civil War General
*M4 Sherman, a tank
Sherman may also refer to:
Places United St ...
's conquering forces at the end of the war, Governor
Zebulon B. Vance charged Worth with the duty of safeguarding the State archives, which he did by evacuating them to
Company Shops
Burlington is a city in Alamance and Guilford counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the principal city of the Burlington, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Alamance County, in which most of the ...
in
Alamance County
Alamance County (), from the North Carolina Collection's website at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved September 18, 2012. is a county in North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 171,415. Its county seat ...
. Worth was so highly regarded that when
William W. Holden
William Woods Holden (November 24, 1818 – March 1, 1892) was an American politician who served as the 38th and 40th governor of North Carolina. He was appointed by President Andrew Johnson in 1865 for a brief term and then elected in 1868. He ...
was installed as the provisional governor, he requested Worth continue as the provisional treasurer. Worth held that title for five months until he resigned during his campaign against Gov. Holden in a special November 9, 1865 election. Worth is the only statewide North Carolina treasurer to become governor.
Governor
Worth was nominated by the Conservative Party, a state coalition that included most Democrats and some former Whigs, to run for governor in North Carolina's first and only special election for the office. Worth had been associated with the Conservative Party since the beginning of the Civil War. His opponent was the incumbent Gov. William W. Holden, who had been appointed by President
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson (December 29, 1808July 31, 1875) was the 17th president of the United States, serving from 1865 to 1869. He assumed the presidency as he was vice president at the time of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Johnson was a Dem ...
and was running on the
National Union Party ticket. Worth's strength was in the eastern part of the state, and Holden carried the western counties which had mostly opposed secession and the Civil War. Worth won with 32,549 votes (55.5%) to Holden's 25,809 votes (44.0%). Worth won with the support of many elements of the state that had supported secession. The 1865 election had been conducted according to the 1865 state constitution, which was rejected by the U.S. Congress.
Worth was re-elected on October 18, 1866 for a term that started December 22, 1866. He won 34,250 votes (75.9%) to 10,759 votes (23.8%) for former U.S. Rep.
Alfred Dockery
Alfred Dockery (December 11, 1797 – December 3, 1873) was an American Congressional Representative from North Carolina.
Early life and career
Alfred Dockery was born near Rockingham, North Carolina.Eicher, p. 211. He attended the public schoo ...
, running on the National Union Party ticket. In both his gubernatorial campaigns, Worth emphasized that he had opposed secession and that he sought to heal state and national divisions. He expressed support for President
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson (December 29, 1808July 31, 1875) was the 17th president of the United States, serving from 1865 to 1869. He assumed the presidency as he was vice president at the time of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Johnson was a Dem ...
.
The major event of Worth's second term was the state constitutional convention, held in early 1868 to draft a constitution meeting the requirements of Congress. One of Worth's major interests was to restore North Carolina to the Union. Worth was disappointed with the new
constitution
A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of Legal entity, entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed.
When ...
and refused to run for re-election on the Conservative Party ticket in the election of 1868. He did not recognize the legitimacy of that election, which
William W. Holden
William Woods Holden (November 24, 1818 – March 1, 1892) was an American politician who served as the 38th and 40th governor of North Carolina. He was appointed by President Andrew Johnson in 1865 for a brief term and then elected in 1868. He ...
won. Nevertheless, he wrote to Holden: "I surrender the office to you under what I deem Military duress."
Worth died 14 months after leaving office as governor. He is buried in
Historic Oakwood Cemetery
Historic Oakwood Cemetery was founded in 1869 in North Carolina's capital, Raleigh, North Carolina, Raleigh, near the North Carolina State Capitol in the city's Historic Oakwood neighborhood. Historic Oakwood Cemetery contains two special areas ...
.
His younger brother,
John M. Worth, was also a successful politician and
North Carolina State Treasurer
The North Carolina State Treasurer is a statewide elected office in the U.S. state of North Carolina responsible for overseeing the financial operations of state government. The current state treasurer is Dale Folwell.
The office of state treasur ...
from 1876 to 1885.
Personal life
On October 20, 1824, Jonathan Worth married Martitia Daniel, a niece of Judge
Archibald Murphey
Archibald DeBow Murphey (ca. 1777; died February 1, 1832) was an attorney, jurist, and politician in North Carolina who was known as the "Father of Education" in his state. While serving as a state senator, he proposed establishing a funded progra ...
. They had eight children: Roxana Cornelia (born 1826), Lucy Jane (born 1828), David Gaston (born 1831), Eunice Louisa (born 1832), Elvira Evelyna (born 1838), Sarah Corinne (born 1839), Adelaide Ann (born 1842) and Mary Martitia (born 1846). Famous descendants include grandsons
Worth Bagley
Ensign Worth Bagley (April 6, 1874 – May 11, 1898) was a United States Navy officer during the Spanish–American War, distinguished as the only U.S. naval officer killed in action during that war.
Biography
Born in Raleigh, North Carolina, a ...
and
David W. Bagley
David Worth Bagley (January 8, 1883 – May 24, 1960) was an Admiral (United States), admiral in the United States Navy during World War II. He was also the brother of Ensign Worth Bagley, the only United States Navy officer killed in action durin ...
, granddaughter
Addie Worth Bagley Daniels
Addie Worth Bagley Daniels (née Adelaide Worth Bagley; May 1, 1869 - December 19, 1943) was an American suffragist leader and writer. She attended the Eighth Conference of the International Woman Suffrage Alliance in 1920 as the US delegate, the a ...
, and her son,
Jonathan Worth Daniels.
References
External links
*
Official Site of Dept. of State Treasurer
{{DEFAULTSORT:Worth, Jonathan
1802 births
1869 deaths
Burials at Historic Oakwood Cemetery
Governors of North Carolina
People of North Carolina in the American Civil War
State treasurers of North Carolina
North Carolina Democrats
Democratic Party governors of North Carolina
People from Guilford County, North Carolina
People from Asheboro, North Carolina
North Carolina Whigs
19th-century American politicians
Members of the North Carolina House of Representatives
American Quakers