Skip to main content

Murray S. Kenworthy Collection

 Collection
Identifier: FMS-14

Scope and Contents

This collection of material gathered by his son Leonard S. Kenworthy (1912-1990) documents his life and varied activities. It represents his work at various schools and Meetings in New York, Indiana, Ohio, and Washington, D.C., as well as his time with the American Friends Service Committee.

Dates

  • 1871-1986
  • Other: Date acquired: 01/01/1987

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on access.

Conditions Governing Use

Some materials may be protected by copyright. Permission to reproduce and to publish for commercial purposes must be requested from the Archivist.

Biographical or Historical Information

Murray S. Kenworthy was an influential Quaker pastor, teacher, and administrator in the Midwest, New York, New England, and Washington, D.C. Murray Shipley Kenworthy was born near New London, Indiana, June 28, 1874, the son of Milton and Hannah (Stout) Kenworthy. He entered Earlham College in 1893, leaving several times to teach in district schools and to preach in Quaker meetings. He was recorded a Friends minister in 1897. Graduating from Earlham in 1900, he became pastor of the Paoli, Indiana, Friends meeting, leaving in 1902 to assume the same position at Union Street Friends Meeting in Kokomo, Indiana. From 1904 to 1909 he was back at Earlham, taking a master's degree and serving as an assistant to Bible Professor Elbert Russell while also serving as a part-time Friends pastor. He entered Harvard Divinity School in 1909, then returned to Earlham in 1911 to teach again under Russell and serve as pastor of West Richmond Friends Meeting. He finished his STB at Harvard in 1916, assuming then the position of the pastor of the Friends meeting at Glens Falls, New York. From 1919 to 1921 he was executive secretary for Wilmington Yearly Meeting. He then spent two years working for the American Friends Service Committee as administrator of Russian famine relief and as a field secretary. In 1923, he became pastor of the Irving Street Friends Meeting in Washington, D.C., serving until 1928, when he became Midwest Secretary for the AFSC. In 1930 he was called as pastor to the Amboy, Indiana, Friends meeting, remaining until 1937, when he assumed the same position at Carthage, Indiana. He left that in 1942 to become general superintendent of indiana Yearly Meeting, serving until his retirement in 1946. Murray S. Kenworthy died in New London, Indiana, November 3, 1951. Murrary S. Kenworthy was twice married. His first wife was Ida Lenora Holloway (1874-1922). In 1926 he married Violet Cosand of New London.

Note written by

Extent

2 Boxes

Language of Materials

English

Source of Acquisition

Leonard S. Kenworthy

Method of Acquisition

Donation, after the completion of Leonard Kenworthy's biography of his father, Living in the Larger World.

Accruals and Additions

No additions or accruals are expected.

Separated Materials

Some correspondence relating to Murray Kenworthy's work for the AFSC was placed in the AFSC Archives in Philadelphia.

Title
Archon Finding Aid Title
Description rules
Other Unmapped
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
und

Repository Details

Part of the Friends Collection and Earlham College Archives Repository

Contact:
US