Jonathan Worth (Governor)
| Jonathan Worth | |
|---|---|
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| 39th Governor of North Carolina | |
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In office December 15, 1865 – July 1, 1868 |
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| Preceded by | William Woods Holden |
| Succeeded by | William Woods Holden |
| North Carolina State Treasurer | |
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In office 1863–1865 |
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| Governor | William Woods Holden |
| Preceded by | Daniel W. Courts |
| Succeeded by | William Sloan |
| Member of the North Carolina Senate | |
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In office 1843 |
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| Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives | |
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In office 1830–1843 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
November 18, 1802 Randolph County, North Carolina |
| Died | September 5, 1869 (aged 66) Raleigh, North Carolina |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Martitia Daniel (1824–1874) |
| Profession | Attorney |
| Religion | Christianity (Quaker) |
Jonathan Worth (November 18, 1802 – September 5, 1869) was the 39th governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina from 1865 to 1868, during the early years of Reconstruction.
Jonathan Worth was born on November 18, 1802 in Randolph County, North Carolina to Dr. David Worth and Eunice Worth (née Gardner). A native of Guilford County, Worth settled in Randolph County and made his fame and fortune there as an attorney and legislator. A Quaker and protégé of Judge Archibald Murphey, 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 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, 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, and then ran twice for Congress, 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. 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.
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