Worth County was created Dooly and Irwin counties on Dec. 20, 1853, by an act of the General Assembly (Ga. Laws 1853-54, p. 308). Georgia's 106th county was named for Maj. Gen. William J. Worth of New York. Worth, who had gained fame during his service in the Mexican War, died in 1849, the year after the war ended. One of those in Worth's command during the war was Maj. William Harris, who later was a leader in the formation of a new Georgia county, which he proposed be named in Worth's honor.

Portions of Worth County were used to create Tift and Turner counties in 1905 (Ga. Laws 1905, p. 60, 63).

Historical Maps

 

 

1855

 

1863

 

1864

 

1865

 

1874

 

1883

 

1885a

 

1885b

 

1895

 

1899

 

 

1904

 

1910

 

1915

 

1952

 

1955

 

1970a

 

1970b

 

1999

 

2001a

 

2001b

© Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia

Go to Historical Atlas of Georgia Counties

Go to Worth County Courthouse page