Thomas Worthington Passes Away

Today in Masonic History Thomas Worthington passes away in 1827.

Thomas Worthington was an American politician.

Worthington was born on July 16th, 1773 in Charles Town which was part of the Virginia Colony, later becoming West Virginia.
In 1796, Worthington moved to Ross County, Ohio. Settling just outside Chillicothe, he built his home called Adena. He named it after a Pre-Columbian Native American culture existing from 1000 to 200 B.C.

From 1799 to 1803, Worthington served in the Territorial House of Representatives. In 1802 he served as a delegate to the State Constitutional Convention.

In 1803, Ohio officially became a state and Worthington was the leader of the Chillicothe Junto, a group of Democratic-Republicans from Chillicothe who were largely responsible for getting Ohio statehood and who controlled politics in the state for many years after.

Also in 1803, Worthington was elected to the United States Senate as one of Ohio’s first Senators. He served until 1807. In 1808 and 1810, Worthington ran unsuccessfully for Governor. After the 1810 election he was sent again to the United States Senate to finish the term of Return J. Meigs, Jr. who resigned the position. In 1812, he voted “no” on the resolution to declare war of Britain. Despite his “no” vote the resolution was successfully 19 to 13.

In 1814, Worthington won the election for Governor of Ohio. He won re-election 1816. During his term he moved the capital of Ohio Chillicothe to Columbus. He also, in 1816, planned out the city of Logan, Ohio. In both of his successful gubernatorial elections he won nearly three quarters of the vote. He stepped down as Governor in 1818.

In 1819 and 1821, Worthington sought election to partial Senate terms unsuccessfully. In 1821 he went back to the state’s House of Representatives.

Worthington passed away on June 20th, 1827.

Worthington was a member of Nova Caesarea Harmony Lodge No. 10 chartered by the Grand Lodge of New Jersey. In 1813, the lodge became part of the Grand Lodge of Ohio being renumbered to Nova Caesarea Harmony Lodge No. 2.

This article provided by Brother Eric C. Steele.