Hines, H. K. "An Illustrated History of the State of Oregon." Chicago: Lewis
Pub. Co. 1893.  p. 245.

JOHN KENWORTHY

     A worthy pioneer of the Pacific coast, is a native of Leeds, England, born
in 1819.  His parents were James and Hannah (Pallisir) Kenworthy, both English,
who came to the United States in 1826, settling in New York, where they brought
up their six children to years of maturity.  Father Kenworthy was a spinner and
weaver and manufacturer of woolen cloths.  In England they were Episcopalians.
He died in Poughkeepsie, and his wife survived him two years.
     Mr. Kenworthy, our subject, was reared in Poughkeepsie and attended the
public schools, learned the trade of wood-turner and followed it most of the
time until his thirty-fourth year.  Then he came to California, and at San
Francisco he was employed at his trade.  Later he was engaged in running a
sawmill and flour-mills.  In 1865 he came to Portland, and was appointed Steward
of the Asylum for the insane, which important position of trust he held for
nineteen years, making a faithful and upright record, to which he has reason to
look back with just pride.
     He was fortunate enough to foresee, to some extent, the growth and
importance of Portland, and made judicious investments, which have resulted in
placing him in a position of independence; and he has made numerous profitable
real-estate transactions in Portland.  During some of his early purchases he
bought four blocks in East Portland, on L street, and from Ninth to Eleventh
streets, for $1,000; those blocks he afterward sold, and they are now valued at
$20,000 each.  He has retained considerable valuable property, erected a number
of buildings, etc., and in this way has contributed to the growth and
development of the east side of the city.
     Mr. Kenworthy was married in 1875, to Miss Mary L. Paxton, a native of New
York, and they have a daughter.  Mr. and Mrs. Kenworthy occupy a nice residence
of their own, on the corner of Fourteenth and East Pine streets.  Mr. Kenworthy
is a member of the Board of Directors of the Portland Hospital, and he has taken
great interest in the same.  For two years he served as its superintendent,
gratnitously.  He is a member of the I.O.O.F. lodge at the Grand Lodge and also
at the Sovereign Grand Lodge, and he has also been Grand Master of the order for
the State of Oregon.  He has long been a member of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, is now a Trustee in that religious body, and he has liberally aided in
the construction of their beautiful church edifice, to the extent of $6,000.  He
is a worthy and reliable citizen, a man of generous impulses, and enjoys the
esteem of a wide circle of friends.

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in May 2005 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.