Worthington Sesquicentennial History

              WORTHINGTON 
SESQUICENTENNIAL 
OCTOBER 5-11, 1953 
1953 
AN 
HISTORICAL 
SKETCH 
OF 
WORTHINGTON 
[Illustration] 
AN 
HISTORICAL 
SKETCH 
OF 
WORTHINGTON 
1803 - 1953 
[Illustration] 
A Glimpse of the Worthington Business District in 1850 
[Illustration] 
Main Street -Still Horse and Buggy Days 
TWO 
An Historical Sketch 
of 
Worthington 
THE VILLAGE of Worthington located on the banks of the Olentangy River ten 
miles north of the center of Columbus is steeped in the historical and traditional 
lore of the Northwest Territory.  James Kilbourne is the central figure in the be- 
ginning and early growth of the village.  Kilbourne and his friend Nathaniel Little 
traveled in the spring and summer of 1802 over the section of the northwest territory 
to be known as Ohio from Marietta on the Ohio River through Cincinnati, Chilli- 
cothe, Circleville, Zanesville and Franklinton to the spot where our village now 
stands.  They were impressed by the beauty of the spot and the extreme fertility of 
the surrounding country side.  They returned in early fall to Granby, Connecticut and 
Kilbourne reported their findings in these words -quote- "In one place I saw one 
thousand acres of the best clear meadow land I ever saw in any place whatever. 
Plums and crabapples are abundant - the plums are very palatable also quantities 
of grapevines.  We found black walnut, hickory, ash, honey locust, hackberry, white- 
wood etc. which never grows on any but first rate land.  The only drawback is ague 
fever which makes it sickly to a considerable degree." Slavery was forever forbidden 
from what was to be the state of Ohio in November 1802.  Immediately following in 
December, 1802, the Scioto Land Company, a group of forty men headed by Kil- 
bourne was organized and decided to buy this land.  They bought 16,000 acres of land 
located in what is now Clinton and Sharon townships as well as some in Delaware 
County for one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre making the total cost twenty 
thousand dollars.  Each member paid five hundred dollars for which he received a 
town lot of 3/4 of an arce and a farm of 98 3/4 acres. 
THE COMPANY carefully planned their village on paper before starting for 
their new home.  They decided on two north-south roads and one east-west road. 
One of the north-south roads was named the Whetstone River Road after the river 
by the same name. It is now called the Olentangy River Road again after the same 
river by the same name. The other north-south road was first called the Main Road, 
then the Northern Turnpike and now High Street.  The east-west road was called 
first State Road, then the Post Road, because it was to be used as a mail route from 
Baltimore, Maryland to St. Louis, Missouri and now is called Granville Road or 
route 161. At the intersection of Main and State Roads, four village lots were set 
aside for the village green.  The green was entirely surrounded by maple trees.  There 
were one hundred sixty lots platted as the village bounded on the north by North 
Street, the south by South Street, the east by Morning Street and the west by Evening 
Street.  Our New England forefathers were so foresighted that they set aside one 
hundred acres on the north side of State Road west of Evening Street for public 
school purposes and one hundred acres on the south side of the same road for the 
use of the Episcopal Church.  These two farms still exist as such and are being used 
by the church and the community for public schools. 
IN SEPTEMBER 1803, eleven families left their Connecticut homes for their new 
Ohio homes.  The family names are recognizable in our community today.  The 
heads of the families as well as 4 men unmarried were James Kilbourne, Abner P. 
Pinney, Adna Bristol, Wm. Thompson, Zophart Topping, Glass Cochran, Israel P. 
Case, Ezra Griswold, Alexander Morrison Jr. and Levi Pinney.  James Kilbourne 
was the leader of the group but he and his wife Lucy Fitch Kilbourne were forced 
to stop a week in Washington County, Pennsylvania where their sixth child, a daugh- 
ter named Orrel was born.  They remained only ten days in their covered wagon 
before starting on the road again.  Ezra Griswold and his wife Ruth with their seven 
THREE 
 
children arrived first at their new home on October 29, 1803.  The village was officially 
named Worthington at a Christmas party held in the school-church building on 
December 26, 1803.  The entire community was present.  Ten toasts were given by 
different members of the community concerning the good things of their new home. 
James Kilbourne gave a toast saying - quote "The name of our town shall be called 
Worthington to perpetuate the name of our worthy friend and benefactor - Thomas 
Worthington." Thomas Worthington later became a State Senator and the Governor 
of Ohio. 
WHEN THE eleven families arrived, twelve log cabins had been completed by 
advance men from Connecticut.  One of these cabins larger than the rest located 
on the northeast of the village green was used as the school house during the week, 
as a community house on week ends and as the Episcopal Church on Sundays.  Epis- 
copal Services were held in this building on the first Sunday after the arrival of the 
settlers. 
[Illustration] 
Main Street 
[Illustration] 
West State Street - A View Across the Olentangy Valley 
FOUR 
 
THE CHURCHES 
Even though the community held its first church service on the first Sunday after 
their arrival, the First Articles of Agreement for the Organization of the Protestant 
Episcopal St. John's Church in Worthington and Parts Adjacent were executed on 
February 6, 1804.  The congregation of the church met in the log cabin already 
described and from 1811-1831, they met in the second floor of the academy building. 
James Kilbourne ministered to the church for several years.  Philander Case became 
the Rector of the Church in 1817 and even though he became the first Episcopal 
Bishop of Ohio in 1818, he served the St. John parish until 1823.  George Griswold, 
[Illustration] 
St. John's Episcopal Cburch - Oldest West of the Allegbeny Mountains 
son of Ezra, kept a day book for the Inn of which we will hear later has several 
entries in his book concerning the church.  The first entry was dated September 25, 
1827 and the last entry dated January 23, 1831 read - quote "St. John's Church memo 
- we held services in the new church for the first time." The original church build- 
ing has been changed but little - an addition was added to the east of the building 
to make the chancel deeper and the tower was restored like the original in 1930. 
The beautiful building still stands on its original site inviting the community to its 
cool, quiet, beautiful and sacred interior. 
The Worthington Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1808.  Very 
little is known concerning the church until 1811 when a fervent camp meeting was 
held on a factory site on what is now west South Street. From then on services were 
held in homes, barns and in the woods until the first church was built in 1823. The 
first church was located on the corner of what is now Hartford and South Streets. 
The  building faced South. The second church building was built on High Street 
near where the present church now stands. It was completed in 1864. The present 
beautiful, modern building was completed February 7, 1926.  Among the many noted 
ministers of this active church are Charles Elliott, Stephen M. Merrell and Dr. Frank 
Gunsaulus.  Dr. Gunsaulus was such a forceful preacher that hundreds were often 
turned away from the Sunday service.  Dr. Gunsaulus later became President of 
Armour Institute, Chicago, Illinois. 
FIVE 
[Illustration] 
Worthington Methodist Church - Old Seminary Building to the Right 
[Illustration with caption] 
The Old Presbyterian Church Worthington O, 
SIX 
One June 18, 1816 eleven people met in the old Peter Barker house on North 
High Street and organized the Presbyterian Church of Worthington.  Services were 
held in many places as the upper room of the academy building (rented for twenty 
dollars per year), in a blacksmith shop and in a small school building.  The first 
church building was completed in April 1830.  In Highland Hurlburd's, the first 
pastor's notes-we read-quote "The Presbyterians are building a house which is 
small and plain and looks like a barn." The building was remodeled in 1842 when 
a steeple and balcony were added.  The church has had many and noted pastors, some 
of the most noted are - the Rev. James Hogue, who was the first Synodical Head of 
the Presbyterian Churches in Ohio and Thomas Woodrow, grandfather of former 
President Woodrow Wilson.  The present beautiful church building of true New 
England architecture was dedicated on January 2, 1927.  An educational wing con- 
taining many Sunday School rooms as well as a wonderful family room named the 
Woodrow Room was completed and dedicated in October 1952.. 
In 1897 a group organized the Bethel A.M.E. church.  The meetings were held 
in the homes of members and then in the town hall.  In 1914 the present structure 
was completed and the name of the organization became the St. John A.M.E. Church. 
The last beautiful church to be added to our village is the Seventh Day Adventist 
Church located on Griswold Street.  The congregation was organized as the Worthing- 
ton Seventh Day Adventist Church on July 17, 1920.  Dr. George T. Harding Jr. 
was the instigator of its organization.  Services were held for the first time in the 
new church on Thanksgiving Day 1951.  The authentic New England architecture of 
the church building makes it a beautiful and fitting addition to our village. 
The small village and the present growing community has always been known 
for its religious feelings and faithfulness.  The five churches have given the village 
this serenity and security in the past, the present and we anticipate the future. 
THE SCHOOLS 
Education was uppermost in the minds of our forefathers.  A subscription school 
was started in the winter months of 1803 in the cabin mentioned before.  Thomas 
Phelps was the teacher for a few weeks but spring work began and Miss Clarissa 
Thompson became the first real teacher of the school.  Later a frame school building 
was built to the northeast edge of the village green.  The present town hall was built 
for a school building in 1856.  A two story four room brick building was built on the 
northeast side of the village green in 1875.  In 1893 a one floor plan high school 
building was added to the school system to the east of the elementary building and 
on the same plat.  In January 1915 a new high school building was opened on the 
acreage set aside by our forefathers for public school purposes.  This building with 
much modernizing is our present junior high school.  The beautiful elementary build- 
ing located on the original elementary building plat was completed in 1938.  The 
New England architecture of this building gives to the center of the village a striking 
grandeur that our community thoroughly enjoys.  The acreage to the west is being de- 
veloped into a beautiful campus for the junior high school already mentioned and the 
new senior high school now being built.  The central portion of the building which 
mainly houses the academic program of the school, the library and the cafeteria is now 
completed.  The health and art wing including a gymnasium seating 2400 is in the pro- 
cess of being constructed.  Soon another wing for vocational and home arts laboratories 
will be added.  The village looks to the future with this acreage as well as a campus 
for the educational needs of the community, the grounds are being carefully and 
beautifully laid out for a general recreational program.  The early fathers surely 
planned well for the public schools of a growing community a century and a half 
later. 
SEVEN 
[Illustration] 
Worthington High Scbool 
[Illustration] 
The Worthington Female Seminary - Built in 1842 
EIGHT 
HIGHER EDUCATION IN WORTHINGTON 
The history of education in our village would not be complete without the story 
of higher education.  Colonel Kilbourne went before the legislature in 1807 and re- 
quested a charter for the Worthington ACADEMY.  The charter was granted in 
February 1808.  A two story brick building was constructed on the land to the north- 
east of the village square approximately where our library now stands.  The academy 
was so successful that in 1819, the assembly granted permission for the academy to 
become a college with the right of granting degrees.  Reverend Philander Chase who 
had been the Principal of the Academy became the first President of Worthington 
College.  Reverend Chase became the Episcopal Bishop in 1820 and his son Philander 
Chase Jr. became president of the college but lacking the prestige of his noted 
father, the Worthington College closed in 1823.  Salmon P. Chase, nephew of Bishop 
Chase and later Governor of Ohio and then the Chief justice of the Supreme Court 
of the United States was a student at the college from 1820-1822. 
The Episcopal Diocese of Ohio started a Theological Seminary by an act of the 
legislature in 1824.  Bishop Chase was made President.  The Seminary was located 
in a large house which is located on Lincoln Avenue.  The Seminary grew even though 
there were never many theological students for example out of an enrollment of five 
hundred only two were students of theology.  In 1826 the Seminary became Kenyon 
College and was moved to Gambier, Ohio in 1828. 
Quoting from the newspaper dated October 14, 1830 we read - quote "By and 
with the consent of the Reformed Medical Society of the United States, the new 
Reformed Medical Institution has been located in Worthington, an interesing and 
flourishing town on the Whetstone River eight miles north of Columbus on the 
Northern Tunrpike.  There will be attached to the institution a dispensary for analyz- 
ing and preparing for Vegetable Medicine." The college was located in the academy 
building.  Due to many unfavorable comments from non-resident groups concerning 
the type of botanical medicine, the school closed it doors in 1840 and was established 
in Cincinnati in 1842.  The Cincinnati College of Medicine is still flourishing.  Mr. I. 
G. Jones, the Father of Elizabeth Jones Deshler donor of our library building, was 
the first Dean of the medical college.  In June 1953 - a plaque commemorating the 
founding of this college was placed in the library by the National Society of Vege- 
tative Medicine. 
The Worthington Female Seminary was officially opened in the present Masonic 
Lodge building in 1838.  The seminary was the first legally authorized female seminary 
of the Methodist Church in Ohio.  The Methodist Conference had the seminary build- 
ing which is now known as the seminary apartments built in 1842.  The seminary was 
very succesful often having as many as one hundred and fifty students.  The seminary 
was closed in 1867 when the church gave its financial assistance to the coeducational 
college located in Delaware and known as Ohio Wesleyan University. 
The Ohio Central Normal School was opened in the seminary building in 1871. 
Kindergarten, primary, intermediate and secondary teachers were trained here.  Again 
the school was very successful with as many as one hundred students.  With the 
closing of the doors of the Normal School in 1880, any further attempts to operate 
an institution of higher learning in Worthington proper came to an end. 
However the Pontifical College of Josephinum was moved from Columbus in 
1929 to its present location two miles north of Worthington on High Street.  The 
Josephinum College began in Columbus in 1894.  The present large and beautiful 
college building was completed in 1931. 
NINE 
SESQUICENTENNIAL WEEK 
Program 
Monday - October 5 
ARMED SERVICES DAY 
Flag Raising Ceremonies 10:00 A.M. 
Historical Tours 1:00 - 4:00 P.M. 
Evening Pageant-The Whetstone Venture 
Tuesday - October 6 
CLUBS' DAY 
Historic Tours 1:00 - 4:00 P.M. 
Music Club Program (Elementary School Auditorium) 8:00 P.M. 
No Admission charge. 
Wednesday - October 7 
FRATERNAL ORDERS DAY 
Lodge Rooms Open-Historic Masonic Building builded 1820. 
Historic Tours 1:00 - 4:00 P.M. 
Evening Pageant 
Thursday - October 8 
SCHOOLS' DAY 
Visitation and Exhibits. 
Historic Tours 1:00 - 4:00 P.M. 
Friday - October 9 
BUSINESS DAY 
Historic Tours 1:00 - 4:00 P.M. 
Saturday - October 10 
GOOD NEIGHBORS' DAY 
Homecoming Visitors 
Historic Tours 1:00 - 4:00 P.M. 
Evening Pageant 
Sunday - October 11 
HOME COMING DAY 
Homecoming Services in all Churches 
Lecture - Pageant Grounds - 2:30 P.M. 
Speaker - Grove Patterson - Editor of the Toledo Blade. 
WINDOW DISPLAY OF ANTIQUES IN ALL STORES 
DURING THE ENTIRE WEEK 
TEN 
THE WHETSTONE VENTURE 
A Pageant 
WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY FRANK CORBIN 
Synopsis                           hearted community-wide effort in pre- 
senting this tribute to the men and 
A panorama of the heritage that is               women who founded this village one 
Worthington's will be enacted on the                hundred and fifty years ago. 
Village Commons on the night of Octo-                  The picture is drawn with the bold 
ber 5th, 7th, and 10th, at 8:00 P.M.                strokes of the landscape artist, rather 
The dramatic chronicle will portray              than the detail of the miniature painter, 
the history of our town, from its founding          to catch the scope and breadth of the 
in 1803 by Colonel James Kilbourne, or-             town's unique history. The employment 
ganizer and leader of the Scioto Com-               of narration, interwoven with choral 
pany, who led one hundred men, women,               speech and song, is used in the presen- 
and children into the wilderness of the             tation of the story. 
Ohio Country to lay the cornerstone of                 Frank Corbin, in writing this historical 
the edifice that today is Worthington, and          chronicle, has chosen to call it "The 
here set alight the brave little cultural           Whetstone Venture." While the original 
spark that was to wax and strengthen un-            group of pioneers called themselves "The 
til its flame became a beacon dispelling            Scioto Company," their venture was not 
the illiteracy of the frontier. The town            on the Scioto, but on the Whetstone 
of Worthington was for years a veritable            River, the name which our forefathers 
Athens of the wilderness, and one of the            gave to the pleasant stream which we 
important cultural, educational, ecclesias-         know today by its original Indian name, 
tic, and industrial centers of the new              Olentangy. 
State - an achievement unique in the                   Emphasis will be placed on those three 
annals of Ohio.                                     great symbols in the founding of Worth- 
Important events in the town's first             ington: The Cross, The School, and The 
century will be depicted: the arrival of            Flag. The theme underlying the entire 
the pioneers, the founding of the first             production is derived from the founda- 
Church, the first school, the first wedding,        tion upon which Worthington was built; 
the first Fourth of July, Muster Day on             first, our fore-fathers' firm belief in God, 
the Village Green, the Indian scare of              second, their passionate love of country, 
1812, President Monroe's visit in 1817,             and third, their earnest desire for learning 
and our forefathers' firm conviction in the         and enlightenment. 
ideals of liberty and human freedom,                   To some extent, the story of Worthing- 
culminating in the savage attrition and             ton is also the story of our nation-one 
sacrifice of 1861-1865.                             cannot be separated from the other. 
A cast of over one hundred, men,                 Hence, "The Whetstone Venture" at- 
women and children will be seen in such             tempts to integrate our own particular 
varied roles as Shawnee Indian braves,              thread of history into the warp and woof 
explorers, frontiersmen, pioneer mothers,           of the national epic. Recognizing, how- 
militiamen, fugitive slaves, abolitionists,         ever, that if the town of Worthington 
and Civil War belles. Some of the his-              could have resulted only because it has 
toric characters represented will include           been a part of a great and mighty nation, 
General William Henry Harrison, Presi-              conversely the nation has become great 
dent James Monroe, Colonel James Kil-               because it is the aggregate of many, 
bourne, Ezra Griswold, and Bishop Phil-             many Worthingtons. The power and the 
ander Chase. Even Uncle Sam will be                 glory that is the United States of Amer- 
present to help us commemorate our Ses-             ica, its principles of Liberty, Equality, and 
quicentennial anniversary.                          justice, are but the reflection of the virtue 
The Worthington Players, with Don                and the courage of its people. 
Moore as General Chairman of the Com-                  The story of Worthington is an inte- 
mittee, form the nucleus of a whole-                gral part of that greater narrative. 
ELEVEN 
THE LIBRARY 
In the same school-church-community cabin on December 23, 1803, Dr. Jonas 
Stansberry from whom the Scioto Land Company purchased a part of the 16,000 
acres established a small library of his own books.  A quotation from the second 
article of the By-Laws reads -quote "The Library shall always be kept in Worthing- 
ton and each proprietor, a paying member, shall have the right to draw two volumes 
whenever there are books enough-but if not-each proprietor shall draw but 
one volume and the book at the time of the drawing shall be put up to the highest 
bidder and the money bid paid down (if required by the meeting).  No proprietor 
shall draw books at any time without bidding or paying at least two cents for the 
benefit of the library." It is thought that two cent fines per day for the use of over 
due books from libraries originated from this article.  The Stansberry was the first 
library organized in Ohio.  The books of this library were sold at auction and there- 
fore could never be located at least as a unit.  We have had a library in our village 
from that day to this with only a few years at different times when library facilities 
were dormant.  The school board sponsored a library in the village from 1854-1860. 
After the Civil War a Harpers Library of two hundred volumes was located in the 
village postoffice.  Since 1897 a community library has been in existence in the village. 
In 1924 our library became the Worthington School District Library and so exists 
today.  Our present building was given to the village by Mrs. Elizabeth Jones Deshler, 
the grand-daughter, of our illustrious James Kilbourne.  The central portion of the 
building was built in 1927 -the north and south wings were added in 1931. The 
building is known as the James Kilbourne Memorial Library. The Community uses 
the 23,000 volume library to such a degree that during 1953, plans to increase the size 
of the building to house at least 63,000 volumes are well under way.  It is believed 
that the building will be enlarged in 1955. 
THE MASONIC LODGE 
The first eight families arriving in Worthington brought with them in 1803, a 
charter from the Masonic Grand Lodge of Connecticut.  They established immediately 
the New England Masonic Lodge Number Four. 
[Illustration] 
The Ohio Masonic Charter was re- 
ceived in 1808.  The lodge building on 
High Street was built in 1820.  It is in 
a fine state of preservation and but very 
little change has been made in the build- 
ing in these one hundred and thirty-three 
years.  The original altar with some of 
its original decorations is still in use. 
James Kilbourne was the first Worthy 
Master.  Around the corner from the 
lodge on West New England Avenue is 
a beautiful old home known as "the old 
Snow house." The first Grand Chapter 
of Royal Arch Masonry was organized 
in this house on October 21, 1816.  The 
New England Masonic Lodge Number 
Four is still a flourishing and active 
organization.  They still use the building 
which is the oldest building used con- 
tinuously for Masonic Lodge purposes 
west of the Allegheny Mountains. 
TWELVE 
THE GRISWOLD INN 
[Illustration] 
The brick Inn built by Ezra Griswold in 1811.  The bricks some of which were 
made on the site were mostly brought down from Delaware on the Whetstone River. 
The old brick building is located north of the village green on the east side of High 
Street.  The L shaped building with few exterior but many interior changes still 
stands and now has a number of apartments within its walls.  As an Inn the first floor 
of the south wing which faces the village green contained the offices and the lobby. 
The second floor of this wing was the grand ballroom with wonderful, large fireplaces 
at either end.  It was in this wing that the life of the village business, political and 
social centered.  The north wing along High Street beyond the archway was the 
kitchen and dining rooms.  The archway which is now bricked in was the gateway 
through which the stage coaches drove to deposit their notable travellers.  Such 
travellers were President James Monroe, Charles Dickens and John Chapman 
(Johnny Appleseed).  Ezra Griswold turned the management of the inn over to his 
son George.  George was an original but an accurate bookeeper.  A direct quotation 
from his second day book dated 1823 reads quote-"July 15, 1823 A Towers-He 
worked nearly all day but it rained and thundered nearly two hours.  July 17, 1823 B. 
Ball-You still have my plow but I suppose you do not use it steady.  July 29, 1823 
B. Ball You still have my plow." The Inn was used for many years and it is inter- 
esting to note that no other but the Griswold family has ever owned it.  One hundred 
and forty two years since the Inn was built and Miss Ruth Griswold, the fourth 
generation from Ezra Griswold still lives in the building. 
THE TOWN HALL 
The building we so often speak of as the Town Hall was built by the school 
board for a four room school in 1856.  It was sold by the board to the town in 1870 
for $2500.00 The lower room has been used as a hall since.  It was in this hall that 
many New England town meetings were held.  The Independent Order of Odd Fellows 
Lodge (I.O.O.F.) bought the upper floor of the lodge hall in 1865.  The lodge was 
organized in April 16, 1855. 
THE MEMORIAL BUILDING 
In order to commemorate the heroic deeds of the men and women who served 
from Sharon Township in World Wars I and II, the township voted millage to buy 
the beautiful Wright home on East Granville Road for a Memorial.  The building 
to be used by the community for all types of meetings both for social and community 
problems.  The Memorial Building was purchased by the community in December 
1946. 
THIRTEEN 
 
[Illustration] 
A Shady Walk Through the Public Square 
[Illustration] 
Another Glimpse of Main Street and the Business Section 
FOURTEEN 
Interesting Details 
Concerning the Village ... 
West South Street, which is at present such a beautiful residential section was 
at one time factory row.  James Kilbourne was instrumental in organizing as well 
as helping to bring several industries to Worthington.  In 1811 Kilbourne organized 
the Worthington Manufacturing Company of which he was the president and general 
agent.  The company produced woolen cloth which was sold to the government for 
the army of the northwest then fighting on the Ohio frontier.  Besides the woolen 
factory, a tannery, a shoe shop, a cabinet shop, a grist mill and a hat factory all 
operated on South Street. 
The first frame house in the village was built by Ezra Griswold in 1805.  It was 
located across the street from where the inn now stands. 
The first brick house was built by James Kilbourne in 1808.  The Corbin Funeral 
Home is a part of this old building. 
In 1811 James Kilbourne started the first newspaper titled "The Western Intelli- 
gencer".  It became a part of what is now The Ohio State journal in 1814. 
A mud road connected the village to Columbus until about 1840.  A corduroy 
road was built that year.  The corduroy road was changed to a plank road in 1850. 
A gravel road was built about 1875.  The paved road was completed in 1921. 
The Columbus, Delaware and Marion Interurban Line connected the village 
to Columbus for a good many years.  Service began in 1902 and was discontinued 
in August 1933.  The Ohio Railway Museum is located on the right of way of the 
interurban line along Proprietor's Road. 
A horse car line was to connect Worthington and Westerville but was completed 
only as far as the general store in Flint and ran from 1899 to 1902. 
The oldest tombstone found in the St. John's cemetery behind the church is that 
of Captain Abner Pinney who died in 1804. 
The double wedding of Polly Morrison and Abner P. Pinney, Charlotte Beach 
and Levi Pinney was the first wedding solemnized in the village.  The wedding took 
place in the church-school building on February 10, 1804. 
The back wing of the Presbyterian Church is the original church building turned 
at right angles to its original position.  It is brick encased and forms a Sunday School 
room and the church offices.  Some of the original timbers are still in use in this por- 
tion of the building. 
The pews in the Episcopal Church are the original ones.  The carved black walnut 
choir stalls are also the original ones but are not in the former position.  The first 
church bell rang from the St. John steeple on Christmas Day 1833. 
Telephone communications between Worthington and Columbus were com- 
pleted Saturday May 23, 1881. 
Gas street lights were discontinued in Worthington in 1917. 
The history of our village is exciting, entrancing.  The growth from the small 
New England village with its pure democratic government as carried on in its town 
meetings to the beautiful metropolitan suburb with almost every convenience is 
thrilling a'lmost beyond belief. We leave our heritage from the past, the beauties and 
conveniences of the present for future generations to build as they deem wise.  May 
God grant them faith and power to carry on. 
FIFTEEN 
[Illustration] 
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4 |    STAFFORD AVE       (MARBLE ST)      (BLANFORD ST)                    | 
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| |               |O|               |A|               |N|               | | 
| |               |T|           20  |I|  19           |O|               | | 
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| |               |S|         | |---|S|---| |         |S|               | | 
| |               |T|         | |   |T|   | | 18      |T|               | | 
| |               | |         | |   | |   | |         | |               | | 
---| |---------------| |---------| |---| |---| |---------| |---------------| |--- 
GRANVILLE         ROAD                      (STATE ST) 
---| |---------------| |---------| |---| |---| |---------| |---------------| |--- 
| |               | |      15 | |   | |   | | 16 17   | |               | | 1 
| |               |U|         | |   | |   | |         |H|               | | 
|E|               |N|         | |---| |---| |         |A|               |M| 
|V|               |I|         |             |         |R|               |O| 
|E|               |O|         |-----| |-----|         |T|               |R| 
|N|               |N|            14 | |               |F|               |N| 
|I|               | |            13 | |               |O|               |I| 
|N|               |S|               | |               |R|               |N| 
|G|               |T|            12 | |               |D|               |G| 
| |               | |               | |               | |               | | 
| |---------------| |---------------| |---------------| |---------------| | 
5 |  NEW ENGLAND AVE     (GRANBY ST)       (BERLIN ST)                      | 
| |---------------| |---------------| |---------------| |---------------| | 
| |               | |     11        | |               | |               | | 
|S|               |O|               |H| 10            |S|               |S| 
|T|               |X|               |I|               |T|               |T| 
|R|               |F|               |G|               |R|               |R| 
|E|               |O|---------------|H|               |E|               |E| 
|E|               |R    (SHORT ST)    |               |E|               |E| 
|T|               |D|---------------|S|               |T|               |T| 
| |               | |               |T| 9             | |               | | 
| |               |S|               | |               | |               | | 
| |               |T|          7    | |               | |               | | 
| |---------------| |---------------| |---------------| |---------------| | 
6<-|   SOUTH STREET      (WINDSOR ST)        (OLIVE ST)                      | 
|-----------------------------------| |-----------------------------------| 
8 | | 
| | 
| | 
MAP OF WORTHINGTON 
SIXTEEN 
HISTORIC TOUR 
MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY 
1 TO 4 P.M. 
1.  The Memorial Building, 137 E. Granville Rd. (The Wright Home) 
2.  The Thomas Woodrow House, 72 E. North St. 
3.  The Orange Johnson House, (1816) High St. North of North St. 
4.  The School Farm, Evening St. 
5.  The Church Farm, Evening St. 
6.  Site of The Worthington Mfg. Co. (1811) End of South St. 
7.  The Elias Lewis House, 36 W. South St. 
8.  The Peck House (The Moose Lodge), (1816) 5939 High St. 
9.  The Worthington Female Seminary, (1839) 574 High St. 
10. The Masonic Temple, (1820) 634 High St. 
ii. The John Snow House, (1816) 41 W. New England Ave. 
12. The Central Hotel, (The Worthington Inn), (1833). 
13. The James Wright Building, (1820) 667 High St. 
14. The James Kilbourne House, (1804) 681 High St. 
15. The Demas Adams House (1818) 721 High St. 
16. St. John's Espicopal Church, founded in 1804 (Built in 1830) 
17. The Town Hall, (1856) E. Granville Rd. 
18. The James Kilbourne Memorial Library 
Site of the Worthington Academy and College, (1808). 
19. The Griswold Inn, (1811) 778 High St. 
20. The Tuller House, (1818) 777 High St. 
21. The Brundage Tavern, N.W. Corner of High St. and Stafford Ave. 
[Illustration] 
SEVENTEEN 
[Illustration] 
First Drug Store - Corner New England Avenue and High Street 
[Illustration] 
The Old Snow Home - Historic in Masonic Tradition 
EIGHTEEN 
PATRONS 
ACTIVITY CLUB 
DR. AND MRS. JACK ALBRIGHT 
MR. AND MRS. EVERETT ANTRIM 
AULT HARDWARE 
DR. R. C. BENNINGTON 
BIRNIE's DRUG STORE 
DR. AND MRS. GEORGE BONNELL JR. 
MR. AND MRS. PAUL R. CARUTHERS 
COMMERCIAL PASTE COMPANY 
MR. AND MRS. SAMUEL E. CORBIN 
MR. AND MRS. FRANK G. CORBIN 
DAWSON'S FOOD MARKET 
DENIG JEWELERS 
MR. AND MRS. FOREST DETRICK 
EICHER INSURANCE AGENCY 
MR. AND MRS. M. M. ELMERS 
DR. AND MRS. HARRISON EVANS 
FERTILENE CORPORATION 
DR. AND MRS. CHARLES HARDING 
HARDING SANITARIUM 
MR. AND MRS. WARREN INSLEY 
MR. AND MRS. G. C. JACOBS 
HORACE W. JONES & CO. 
MR. AND MRS. CARL KNOST 
KNOWLTON CONSTRUCTION COMPANY 
KURTZMAN AUTO CLINIC 
MR. AND MRS. CHARLES R. LEE 
MR. AND MRS. NORMAN LEHMAN 
LEMLEYS RED AND WHITE STORE 
LONGS, THE VILLAGE DRUG STORE 
RAY MASON 
MAHLON MAXTON CHEVROLET 
MR. AND MRS. F. C. MEDICK 
MOODY'S PAPER STORE 
MR. AND MRS. J. MAX MCCONAGHA 
THE PEOPLES BROADCASTING CO.,WRFD 
MR. AND MRS. HOWARD POTTER 
POTTER LUMBER AND SUPPLY COMPANY 
DR. AND MRS. L. C. SCATTERDAY 
SNOUFFER CLEANERS 
GEORGE A. SNYDER 
STANDARD OIL COMPANY 
GEORGE WING SR. 
MAYOR AND MRS. GEORGE V. WING 
WORTHINGTON FOODS 
WORTHINGTON HARDWARE COMPANY 
WORTHINGTON MOTOR SALES 
WORTHINGTON NEWS 
WORTHINGTON SAVINGS BANK 
MR. AND MRS. ARNOLD M. WRIGHT 
[Illustration] 
NINETEEN 
Sesquicentennial Committees 
HONORARY CHAIRMAN -MAYOR GEORGE V. WING 
GENERAL CHAIRMAN -VANCE M. SMITH 
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 
VANCE M. SMITH, CHAIRMAN, Paul Carruthers, Mrs. Sam Corbin, James Downing, Harry 
Fraas, Mrs. Harry Fraas, Wilbur Gould, Mrs. William Guthery, Mrs. George Harding, Mrs. 
Edwin Harman, Ray Heischman, Warren Insley, Rev. Paul Johnston, Charles Lee, Max Mc- 
Conagha, Mahlon Maxton, Miss Helen B. Robinson, Mrs. James Tarbutton, Mrs. Wilbur Tidd, 
Miss Elizabeth Thomas, William Utterback, George V. Wing, Mrs. Arnold Wright, Harry G. 
Zimmerman. 
FINANCE COMMITTEE 
MAHLON MAXTON, CHAIRMAN, Charles Lee Co-Chairman, Allen Bullar, Paul Carruthers, 
Sam Corbin, Norman Lehman, Willard Loos, Abner Pinney, Howard Potter, George Wing. 
PROGRAM COMMITTEE 
Helen B. Robinson, Chairman, Mrs. James Tarbutton, Co-Chairman. 
PAGEANT DIVISION 
MRS. WILBUR TIDD, CHAIRMAN, Donavin Moore, Co-Chairman, Carl Braley, Mrs. Carl 
Braley, Ronald Carmichael, Frank Corbin, Mrs. Frank Corbin, Jack Cullen, Dr. Alton Day, 
Hugh Flaherty, Mrs. Hugh Flaherty, Mrs. John Hildreth, Robert Hyde, Mrs - Clarence James, Mrs. 
L. E. Law, Mrs. Roy McCauley, Mrs. Eleanor McMannus, Miss Evelyn Meyers, Mrs. Morris L. 
Miller, Mrs. Joseph Potter, Richard Savage, Al Shirk, Quent Williams, Mrs. Quent Williams, 
Mrs. C. M. Winter, Mrs. Clay Young, George Wing, Sr. 
WINDOW DISPLAY DIVISION 
MRS. WILLIAM GUTHERY, CHAIRMAN, Mrs. George Harding, Co-Chairman, Clyde Bachelor, 
Lawrence Brown, Mrs. John Caren, Mrs. Gilbert Coddington, Mrs. Forest Detrick, John Gilbert, 
Mrs. Carl Hutchinson, Carl Knost, Don Lawless, Mrs. Charles Lee, Mrs. Norman Lehman, 
Thomas Lemley, Carl Long, Gerald Lord, Mrs. Willard Loos, Max McConagha, Mrs. Elsie J. 
McLeod, Mrs. Frank Medick, Mrs. Charles Moody, Miss Ruth Potter, Mrs. Abner Pinney, Mark 
Russell, Mrs. Mark Russell, Miss Deloris Smothers, Ray Snouffer, Elmer Snouffer, H. A. Stitiimel, 
Lemuel Wade, Mrs. Robert Watts, Mrs. Charles Wing, Mrs. Arnold Wright. 
HISTORIC TOURS DIVISION 
MRS. SAM CORBIN, CHAIRMAN, Mrs. Arnold Wright CO-Chairman, Mrs. Timothy Arm- 
strong, Mrs. Harold Buell, Mrs. Walter Brahm, Mrs. Joseph Buckwalter, Miss Myrna Cox, Mrs, 
Harold Crow, Mrs. Wayne Dornbirer, Mrs. Lee Garver, Mrs. Carl Gay, Miss Ruth Griswold, 
Miss Florence Hendee, Mrs. John Henderson, Mrs. Robert Harrison, Mrs. Robert Hill, Mrs. 
William V. Lewis, Mrs. 1. C. Lowman, Mrs. Harold McCord, Mrs. Ezra McCulloch, Mrs. Wil- 
liam Mackay, Mrs. Dow Nelson, Mrs. William Owens, Mrs, Abner Pinney, Miss Helen Robinson, 
Mrs. Gordon Silcott, Mrs. Vance Smith, Miss Alice Stein, Mrs. Ann Warner, Miss Berniece 
Warner, Mrs. Robert Watts, Miss Elrna Whitney, Mrs. Tudor Willson, Mrs. George Wing. 
HOME COMING DAY COMMITTEE 
REV.  PAUL JOHNSTON CHAIRMAN, Rev.  Harold Buckey, Rev.  Harold Gray, Rev.  Harris 
J. Mowry. 
SPECIAL EVENTS COMMITTEE 
PAUL R. CARRUTHERS, CHAIRMAN, Wilbur A. Gould, Co-Chairman, Harry G. Zimmerman, 
Co-Chairman, Pearl H. Allerton, William M. Cooper, Mrs. Porter J. Darby, Forrest R. Detrick, 
Miss Myla Griswold, Dean Huff, Robert B. Kerschbaum, Carl Knost, Karl J. Krug, Richard B. 
Morgan, Frank H. Sargent, Elmer S. Snouffer, Rex S. Springer, Robert Tharp, L. C. Wade,  Mrs. 
William L. Wayt, Charles D. Wing. 
SCHOOLS COMMITTEE 
RAY HEISCHMAN, CHAIRMAN, Miss Elizabeth Thomas, Co-Chairman, Howard Andreas, 
Mrs. James Belt, Mrs. Mary Hamilton, Mrs. Dale Linnabarry, Frank Lowry, Mrs. C. D. McCall, 
Mrs. Abner Pinney, Mrs. Stephen Pollis, Miss Mary White, Mrs. Robert Wills, Glenn Williams. 
PUBLICITY COMMITTEE 
MAX MCCONAGHA, CHAIRMAN, Mrs. Edwin Harman, Co-Chairman, William Arter, Joseph 
Bradshaw, James Downing, Mrs. James Downing, Warren Insley, Mrs. Warren Insley, Mrs. 
Harry T. Krause, Charles Moody, John Young. 
HOSPITALITY AND TICKET COMMITTEE 
HARRY W. FRAAS, CHAIRMAN, Mrs. Harry W. Fraas, Co-Chairman, M. R. Anderson, Mrs. 
M. R. Anderson, J. D. Cummings, Mrs. J. D. Cummings, B. M. Dorsh, Mrs. B. M. Dorsh, 
Mrs. Marie Moore, Walter C. Wagner, Mrs. Walter C. Wagner, Warren G. Weiler, Mrs. 
Warren G. Weiler, Frank C. Willson, Mrs. Frank C. Willson, Linton A. Wood, Mrs. Linton A. 
Wood, Frank Verhoek, Mrs. Frank Verhoek.