E. Leslie Worthington |
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E. Leslie Worthington, a cultured gentleman and a lawyer of ripe experience and high standing, has practiced in Maysville for a period of forty-seven years and is widely and favorably known throughout northeastern Kentucky. He is a member of one of the pioneer families of this section of the state and was born October 20, 1851, in Mason county. He is a descendant of Captain John Worthington, who was born in 1650 in Manchester, Lancaster county, England. The latter came to the colony of Maryland in 1670 and became the owner of a large plantation in Anne Arundel county, near the mouth of the Severn river, opposite the city of Annapolis, to which he gave the name of Pendennis. There he spent the remainder of his life, dying April 9, 1701. During the war between Charles I and parliament he was a soldier in Cromwell's army and after the restoration of Charles II left England. In 1688 he married Sarah Howard, a daughter of Matthew Howard, who left his home in Lancaster county, England, in company with his four brothers and located in Anne Arundel county, Maryland, in 1662. His wife was Sarah D'Arcy, whose name was afterward written as Dorsey. She was the only daughter of Edward and Anne (Howard) Dorsey, who were residents of Hockley, Leicestershire, England, and crossed the Atlantic in 1659, establishing their home in Maryland. Captain John and Sarah (Howard) Worthington had a family of five children, of whom John was the eldest. He was born January 12, 1689, and was married to Helen Hammond on January 8, 1713. Their fifth son, Samuel Worthington, was born November 19, 1733, and on January 17, 1759, wedded Mary Tolley, a daughter of Walter Tolley, of Joppa. His second union was with her cousin, Martha Garretson, and on April 7, 1815, he died, leaving a family of twenty-two children. Of these children James Tolley and Thomas Tolley Worthington were twins, born September 17, 1771, and about 1795 they came to Kentucky. Thomas Tolley Worthington settled in Mason county and acquired a large estate near Germantown, Kentucky. He was one of the influential men of this district and a pioneer judge of the county, afterward filling the office of sheriff for a number of years. By his marriage with Arah Whipps he became the father of a large family of children, among whom was Madison Worthington. He was born April 10, 1821, and died June 12, 1897. He successfully administered the affairs of the beautiful estate which he inherited from his father and was a man of rare judgment, cheerful, sympathetic disposition, and calm, reflective temperament. He was endowed with the admirable qualities of his forebearers and enjoyed the esteem of many friends. He was married August 21, 1844, to Miss Elizabeth Margaret Bledsoe, who was born May 12, 1825. Her uncle, Judge Jesse Bledsoe, was a member of the United States senate, and her father, Benjamin Bledsoe, migrated to Kentucky from Culpeper county, Virginia. Her mother was Frances Smith Hawkins, a member of one of the prominent families of the south and a descendant of Sir John Hawkins, of Plymouth, England. To Madison and Elizabeth Margaret (Bledsoe) Worthington were born four children: Arah Frances, who married Villie Black, now deceased, a prosperous tobacco merchant of Mason county, Kentucky, and Cincinnati, Ohio; Melissa, who married Hugh P. Longmoor, of Parkersburg, West Virginia; Edward Leslie of this review; and Elizabeth Florence, who became the wife of the late Eldon P. Claybrook, a large landowner of Bourbon county, Kentucky. The second union of Madison Worthington was with Matilda Holton, by whom he had two daughters: Susan Ellen, who was the wife of the late William Remington, of Paris, Kentucky; and Mrs. Gertrude Smoot. E. Leslie Worthington was reared on the homestead, situated in the beautiful uplands of Mason county, and his early training was received at home and in the public schools. This was followed by a course in the University of Kentucky, and he next matriculated in the Cincinnati Law College, from which he was graduated in 1874. Shortly afterward he was admitted to the bar of his native state and since March 1, 1880, has followed his profession in Maysville. He is well versed in legal science and has devoted much time to the study of corporation law - a field in which he has achieved pronounced success. In 1904 Mr. Worthington, W. D. Cochran and LeWright Browning formed a partnership and were associated under the style of Worthington, Cochran & Browning until the death of Mr. Cochran in 1919, and the present firm of Worthington, Browning & Reed was then formed. These firms have always had an extensive practice in the state and federal courts and have been counsel in many important cases in the court of appeals of Kentucky, and in the supreme court of the United States. Mr. Worthington was married August 3, 1897, to Miss Laura Katherine Hannan, a daughter of Dr. William Franklin Hannan, of Gallia county, Ohio, and a lineal descendant of the Madison, Taylor and Henry families of Virginia which contributed two presidents to this nation and also its greatest orator. They have an only child. Miss Leslie Katherine Worthington. Mr. Worthington is a democrat, and in 1885 he was elected to represent his district in the state senate, the only public office he has ever filled, or been a candidate for. He was a member of the judiciary committee of the senate and served with credit during the regular term of four years. Mr. Worthington is recognized by his professional colleagues as a talented lawyer and a man of broad knowledge and superior intellect. A well known jurist said of him: "In oratory he is especially gifted, his legal utterances and writings being strikingly apt, appropriate and concise. He has an analytical mind, is a deep thinker, and possesses to a rare degree the ability to see things as they are and to enable others to do likewise. Penetration, depth, veracity in Carlyle's sense, lucidity and force are the distinguishing qualities of his mind, and as a lawyer he stands at the forefront. His attitude toward his colleagues at the bar is always marked by an unfailing courtesy, kindliness and sincerity which endear him to all who enjoy his intimate acquaintance. "Perfect in his integrity, yet simple and unpretentious, Mr. Worthington has had the confidence and esteem of the entire community throughout his career. As a citizen his attitude has been essentially public-spirited and progressive. Mr. Worthington is not only a man learned in his profession, but is versed in science, music and the fine arts. He has a genuine Amati violin and his law library is one of the largest and best private collections in the states. He is a deep student of astronomy, owning many books pertaining to that science as well as a large Bardon telescope, and possesses a knowledge of the subject not found outside of the larger universities." Information from: History of Kentucky This book provides detailed descriptions of over 900 prominent people in the history of Kentucky. These are very interesting biographies. HISTORY of KENTUCKY VOLUME III THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY Page 620 |