Jefferson Worthington and the Colonial Court House

Carlisle’s Square c. 1843. The Court House is the building on the left with the cupola.

The year was 1834 and the County Commissioners wanted to spruce up the cupola on the Court House. They made the following agreement with Jefferson Worthington that detailed the work they wanted done.

“Articles of agreement made and concluded on this 14th day of May 1834 between Jefferson Worthington of the Borough of Carlisle of the one part, and the Commissioners of the County of Cumberland of the other part. Witnesseth that the said Jefferson Worthington doth covenant and agree with the Commissioners’ aforesaid to paint the Court House cupola with two good and sufficient coats of white lead and oil, and gild and smelt the clock faces, gild the ball, fethers, and pineapple in a good and workman manner…for $55 on the completion of said work…” Signed by Commissioners John Black and Simon Wonderlich. John Irwin, Clerk.¹

It’s not known if Jefferson Worthington completed the work on the cupola before he was seriously injured at a gathering at Col. McClure’s springs near Carlisle on July 4, 1834. A cannon had been procured from Harrisburg, and while Jefferson was ramming down the cartridge the powder caught fire and blew off his right hand. His arm was amputated above the elbow later that day. His face was badly burned, but his sight was not destroyed.²

Ten years after Jefferson Worthington had signed a contract with the County Commissioners to gild the cupola, he won the October 1844 election and became a County Commissioner.³ Five months later, at one o’clock in the morning of March 24, 1845, arsonists set fire to and destroyed the Court House as well as the Town Hall, County Offices, and the Fire Engine House. Worthington would be one of the Commissioners who saw through the construction of the 1846 Court House that still stands on the Square.