William Grafton Delaney Worthington
Encyclopedia
Hon. William Grafton Delaney Worthington IV (1785-1856) was an American
lawyer, judge and state Governor, and Secretary of the Territory of East Florida. William was the son of William Worthington (1747-1820) and Sarah Contee (1761-1825).
, and removed to Prince George’s County. For a number of years he resided in Nottingham, and devoted himself to agriculture. However, this life was not stirring enough for his active mind, and in 1813 he was elected State Senator, for Prince George’s County.
In 1815 Worthington was appointed Comptroller of the United States Treasury, to fill an existing vacancy, and for the next two years resided in Georgetown, D.C. In 1817 President James Madison
appointed him a special representative of this Government, to Buenos Aires
, Santiago de Chili, and Peru
. Worthington was also sent as special envoy to Venezuela
, being the first U.S. representative to that country. His commission was signed by James Monroe
, Secretary of State. In a speech made some thirty years later, Worthington referred to this journey which was made through South America, principally on horseback. He said “I trod the sun-burnt Pampas, and climbed the snow clad peaks of the Andes”. In 1821, President James Monroe
appointed him Governor and Secretary of the Territory of East Florida, and he resided for two years in St. Augustine, where his eldest son was born.
In 1823 he returned to Baltimore, and was nominated by the Whigs for Congress, but was defeated by the Democratic candidate. The next year he was elected to the Legislature, and again the succeeding year. In 1826 he was urged to accept the nomination for Governor, but refused to be a candidate. In 1827, and again in 1828 he was appointed by the Governor, Commissioner for Insolvent Debtors for Baltimore City. In 1830 he was appointed Associate Judge of the Baltimore City Courts, and held that position for several years. After he retired from the bench he went to Spain, and from there to Greece, having in charge some matters entrusted to him by the State Department. He was the recipient of some attention in Athens because of the position he had taken regarding Greek independence when he was in the Legislature. After his return from Europe, Judge Worthington resumed his practice of law in Baltimore, until his death in 1856.
(1747-1820) and Jane Contee (1761-1825).
Jane was the daughter of Col. Thomas Contee
(1729-1811) and Sarah Fendall (1732-1793).
William was the son of Vornel Worthington (1719-1749) and Ann Hammond (1730).
Ann was the daughter of Thomas John Hammond and Anne Cockey (1704).
Vornel was the son of William Worthington, Sr. (1694-1770) and Sarah Homewood (1700).
Sarah was the daughter of Capt. James Homewood and Mary Peasley.
William Sr., was the son of Capt. John Worthington (1650-1701) and Sarah Howard (d. 1726), who married 2nd, Capt. John Brice, Gent. (d. 1713).
Sarah was the daughter of Matthew Howard II (ca. 1640-1692) and Sarah Dorsey.
John was the son of Francis Worthington (1624) and Sarah Byron (1625-1664).
Francis was the son of Roger Worthington (1593-1649) and Katherine Haywood (1587-1651).
Roger was the son of Thomas Worthington
(1570-1626) and Agnes Gillebrand (1570-1626).
Thomas was the son of Roger Worthington (ca. 1544-1604) and Margaret Brownlowe (ca. 1547-1640).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer, judge and state Governor, and Secretary of the Territory of East Florida. William was the son of William Worthington (1747-1820) and Sarah Contee (1761-1825).
Early career
Worthington was taken by his parents while very young to their home near Nottingham, when they removed to Prince Georges County, Maryland. He was a student at St. John's College in Annapolis, and from there went to Baltimore in 1804, where he read law.Practices law
Worthington was admitted to practice before the courts of Baltimore when he was twenty-one. His ability, legal knowledge, and eloquence rapidly brought him into prominence. In 1807 he received the appointment as adjutant on the Governor’s staff. In 1809 he was nominated and elected by a large majority to represent Baltimore City in the Legislature.Marriage
Worthington married Eliza Jordan in 1810. Eliza married secondly, George E. Brooke (1812-1905), and had six additional children.Political career
After his marriage to Eliza, he inherited a landed estate from his grandfather, Col. Thomas ConteeThomas Contee
Col. Thomas Contee of "Brookefield", near Nottingham, Prince George's County, Maryland. American Patriot, militia man, politician, planter.-Married:Thomas married Sarah Fendall in 1751 in Charles County, Maryland...
, and removed to Prince George’s County. For a number of years he resided in Nottingham, and devoted himself to agriculture. However, this life was not stirring enough for his active mind, and in 1813 he was elected State Senator, for Prince George’s County.
In 1815 Worthington was appointed Comptroller of the United States Treasury, to fill an existing vacancy, and for the next two years resided in Georgetown, D.C. In 1817 President James Madison
James Madison
James Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...
appointed him a special representative of this Government, to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Santiago de Chili, and Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. Worthington was also sent as special envoy to Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, being the first U.S. representative to that country. His commission was signed by James Monroe
James Monroe
James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
, Secretary of State. In a speech made some thirty years later, Worthington referred to this journey which was made through South America, principally on horseback. He said “I trod the sun-burnt Pampas, and climbed the snow clad peaks of the Andes”. In 1821, President James Monroe
James Monroe
James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
appointed him Governor and Secretary of the Territory of East Florida, and he resided for two years in St. Augustine, where his eldest son was born.
In 1823 he returned to Baltimore, and was nominated by the Whigs for Congress, but was defeated by the Democratic candidate. The next year he was elected to the Legislature, and again the succeeding year. In 1826 he was urged to accept the nomination for Governor, but refused to be a candidate. In 1827, and again in 1828 he was appointed by the Governor, Commissioner for Insolvent Debtors for Baltimore City. In 1830 he was appointed Associate Judge of the Baltimore City Courts, and held that position for several years. After he retired from the bench he went to Spain, and from there to Greece, having in charge some matters entrusted to him by the State Department. He was the recipient of some attention in Athens because of the position he had taken regarding Greek independence when he was in the Legislature. After his return from Europe, Judge Worthington resumed his practice of law in Baltimore, until his death in 1856.
Children
- Julia Maria Worthington (1811-1864), who married Col. John Henry Waring (1809-1871), son of Lt. John Waring, Jr. (ca. 1767-1815) and Elizabeth Margaret Bowie (1780-1854).
- Eliza Jordan Worthington (d. 1868), who married Dr. Henry Brooke IV (ca. 1805), son of Henry Brooke III (ca. 1765-1825) and Harriet Sophia Brown.
- Dr. Augustine Thomas Contee Worthington (1822-1857), no further information.
- James Clayton Worthington, who married Fannie Griffith.
- Alexander Contee Worthington, Sr. (1825-1904), who married Eveline Isabelle "Eve" Love.
- Henry Worthington, no further information.
Ancestry
William was the son of William WorthingtonWilliam Worthington
William Worthington may refer to:* William Worthington American silent film actor and director* William Worthington , Anglican priest and theological writer...
(1747-1820) and Jane Contee (1761-1825).
Jane was the daughter of Col. Thomas Contee
Thomas Contee
Col. Thomas Contee of "Brookefield", near Nottingham, Prince George's County, Maryland. American Patriot, militia man, politician, planter.-Married:Thomas married Sarah Fendall in 1751 in Charles County, Maryland...
(1729-1811) and Sarah Fendall (1732-1793).
William was the son of Vornel Worthington (1719-1749) and Ann Hammond (1730).
Ann was the daughter of Thomas John Hammond and Anne Cockey (1704).
Vornel was the son of William Worthington, Sr. (1694-1770) and Sarah Homewood (1700).
Sarah was the daughter of Capt. James Homewood and Mary Peasley.
William Sr., was the son of Capt. John Worthington (1650-1701) and Sarah Howard (d. 1726), who married 2nd, Capt. John Brice, Gent. (d. 1713).
Sarah was the daughter of Matthew Howard II (ca. 1640-1692) and Sarah Dorsey.
John was the son of Francis Worthington (1624) and Sarah Byron (1625-1664).
Francis was the son of Roger Worthington (1593-1649) and Katherine Haywood (1587-1651).
Roger was the son of Thomas Worthington
Thomas Worthington
Thomas Worthington was a Democratic-Republican politician from Ohio. He served as the sixth Governor of Ohio.Born in Charles Town, Virginia , Worthington moved to Ross County, Ohio in 1796. The home he eventually built just outside of Chillicothe was called Adena and happens to be the namesake of...
(1570-1626) and Agnes Gillebrand (1570-1626).
Thomas was the son of Roger Worthington (ca. 1544-1604) and Margaret Brownlowe (ca. 1547-1640).