THE General William Jenkins Worth Monument, on the triangle formed by Broadway, 5th Avenue, and 25th Street, not only is a memorial to the general (1794-1849), but is also his gravesite. It was created by sculptor James Batterson in 1857, when his remains were transferred here. The iron gate surrounding the obelisk is famed among cast-iron connoisseurs.
According to some accounts, General Worth was “egotistical, truculent and insulting”, although he commanded ably, having risen to the rank of captain during the War of 1812 as major in the Indian wars and as brigadier general in the Mexican War in 1846-1849. He died of cholera in 1849 in Texas: the city of Fort Worth was named for him. Though he did not die in battle, he is depicted on a bronze portrait on the obelisk with both his mount’s front hooves off the ground, a common depiction for heroic death in statuary code. Though Worth was from Hudson, NY and attended West Point and later commanded it, he is not especially connected with New York City. Yet, he is buried here, and a downtown street (Anthony Street) was renamed for him soon after his death.
Eons ago…well, 2005 or 2006…I was photographed for a portrait here during publicity for Forgotten New York The Book (2006, HarperCollins). Like my other portraits around this time, it was horrible and I forgot the publication in which it appeared. A publicist, not realizing I was on an email thread, once described me to a Time Out New York editor as appearing “almost human.” I wear my nonphotogenicity proudly.
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5/13/23