Subject: The Witherington Family History of Conecuh County The Witherington Family Farm in Conecuh County William Witherington, Jr. (1773-1837) Daniel E. Witherington (1795-1860) John Edward Witherington (1866-1944) James Edward Ellis (1841-1913) ___________________________________________ WITHERINGTON FAMILY HISTORY Conecuh County, Alabama NOTE: The following has been developed from material found in the research papers of Virginia Witherington (1908-1989) of Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Although the original document is not noted as to when or who actually prepared the information presented, it is assumed it was done by Virginia, possibly with the assistance of her 'cousin', Ann Witherington Morton of Conecuh County. These two ladies shared much of their Witherington history and discoveries thru the years. Some editorial content has been added in the form of notes for the purpose of providing additional dates and details. This report prepared by William R. King, Jr. of Houston, a Witherington descendant and researcher. THE WITHERINGTON CEMETERY NEAR LYEFFION DANIEL WITHERINGTON was a veteran of the Battle of New Orleans in the War of 1812. He was the first person buried in the Witherington Cemetery, Conecuh County, Alabama. The land was part of his plantation in what is now Beat 14, about two miles south of Lyeffion School. At that time in 1860, he had a very sick grandchild, and as the family had moved away from the old homestead and burial grounds on the Sepulga River, a new family cemetery had to be selected. He chose a well drained, high spot of ground and marked it with a broken branch, so informing his family. The sick child soon recovered; but in three weeks, Witherington suffered a fatal heart attack at age 65 and was buried on that spot he had previously chosen (August 24, 1869). His grave is marked with his rank (Private) and outfit of service in the War of 1812. The Witherington Cemetery now has been deeded to itself and has been used by many generations, of not only the Witherinton family, but neighboring families as well. DANIEL WITHERINGTON (1795-1860) NOTES: (1) Daniel Witherington was married to Melissa King (1805-1880) in Conecuh County on 28 Jan. 1825. She is buried in Witherington Cemetery in Conecuh County. Melissa was the daughter of William (1765-1818) and Elizabeth King. William King was the son of Captain George King of Darlington District, SC and Mary Kolb, (daughter of Johannes Kolb, who immigrated from Germany to Pennsylvania, and later came to Society Hill in the Darlington District, SC). Captain George King (c.1725-c.1780) was an officer in the South Carolina Militia during the Revolutionary War. (2) William Witherington II (1773-1837), father of Daniel, received an Ensign's Commission in the 17th Regiment, Mississippi Territory, while living in East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana. His commission was issued July 7, 1813 and was signed by Govenor David Holmes of the Mississippi Territory. It is said (but never proven) that William Witherington II fought in the Battle of New Orleans. Daniel Witherington, born 5 July 1795 in Darlington District, SC was the grandson of William Witherington(I), a South Carolina patriot of the Revolutionary War, who with his family emigrated to Louisiana in 1809. The family was living in Feliciana Parish, Mississippi Territory (now Louisiana) when the call from General Jackson went up the Mississippi River for help to defend New Orleans against the British attack in January 1815. Nineteen year old, red-headed Daniel Witherington was among those few who responded, and served as a Private during the War of 1812. Daniel Witherington's father was William Witherington (II), who served as a Justice of the Peace in Conecuh County about 1820. His wife, Sarah 'Sally' Stanley Witherington, is listed in the 1843 minutes of the Bethany Baptist Church as the owner of several slaves who worshiped in that church. When the Witheringtons originally came to Conecuh County from Louisiana (about 1819-1820), they lived on the Sepulga River, where they built and operated a ferry. This area was very swampy and most unhealthy. After several of the family, which consisted of three generations, had died of the "fevers" (probably malaria or typhoid), the land and ferry were sold and more land purchased on higher ground, some of it was the present site of the Witherington Farm on Alabama Highway 83 (near Lyeffion). Mary Sue Howard (Mrs. William) of Evergreen, has two Bibles in her possession that contain Witherington family records. One is very old, an Anglican prayerbook, circa 1662. The earliest recorded family date in it is 1741. JOHN EDWARD WITHERINGTON (1866-1944) NOTE: John Edward Witherington was the son of William Leander Witherington (1827-1890) and Eliza Johnson (1832-1908) and the grandson of Daniel Witherington and Melissa King. John Edward Witherington married Alice Jane Ellis in Conecuh County on 25 January 1894. Both John Edward and Alice Witherington are buried in the Witherington Cemetery in Conecuh County. John Edward Witherington and his wife, Alice Jane Ellis, owned and operated a post office in the Witherington Plantation commissary. Witherington applied for and helped map the first rural route in Conecuh County. Witherington and the Post Office Department representative measured the route by using a flexible piece of metal which would click once per revolution of the buggy wheel. The wheel was, of course, measured, and in this way the mileage was worked out. After the rural route was established, the plantation post office, which had been called China, was closed. This is how the present China School got its name, from the old China Post Office. JAMES EDWARD ELLIS (1841-1910) NOTE: James Edward Ellis married Charlotte Joyner. Both James and Charlotte are buried in Witherington Cemetery in Conecuh County. James & Charlotte Ellis were the parents of Alice Jane Ellis, mentioned above. James Edward (born 1841 in Alabama) was the son of William Edward Ellis (born 1799 in Edgefield District, SC) and Emily Ann Norred. James Edward Ellis and William Ball were two of the young men about 18 years of age, who went to Montgomery and enlisted in the Confederate cause in August 1861. Ellis was thereafter involved in the major campaigns and battles of what was called "The West", as opposed to "Virginia". He was at Corinth, the bloody battle outside of Shiloh and was near General Albert Sydney Johnson when he was killed. He later named a son for this general whom he so admired. Ellis' name is on the U.D.C. Rolls presently at Shiloh National Park. Many of his descendants are present day residents of Conecuh County. James Edward Ellis was in the 16th Regiment, Alabama Company 'D' and was in the engagements at Missionary Ridge, Chicamauga, Atlanta and the retreat toward Nashville. At the famous Battle of Franklin, Tennessee (south of Nashville) the South lost five generals and several thousand men. Ellis was grazed in the head by a mini-ball and was taken prisoner. He was sent to Camp Douglas, Chicago, Illinois, from which he was released at the War's end. He walked home from there to a hero's welcome. His war record is in the Alabama Archives. Later, he was elected Sheriff of Conecuh County. He planted trees which graced the courthouse lawn in Evergreen, until they were cut down and the street widened. - 30 - CONTACT: William R. King 14106 Carolcrest Circle Houston, Texas 77079-6803 E-Mail Address: [email protected] 7/13/99 <wit-hist> Page 3 The Witherington Farm Home Conecuh County, Alabama The Evergreen Courant Evergreen, Al. Thursday, August 10, 1978 Witherington Farm located some seven miles from Evergreen on Highway 83 North, has been added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage. The Witherington Family was so notified recently by W. Warner Floyd, executive director of the Alabama Historical Commission. Warner said: "The Alabama Register is a prestigious listing of historic, architectural and archaeological landmarks. These selected Alabama landmarks are worth of both recognition and restoration. The Witherington Farm's historic name is Sunnyside Farm. Its historical significance includes the fact that the house is a good example of a type or style of structure, and the farm is a good example of a working farm in rural Alabama and is practically unchanged since the early part of the 20th Century. All the outbuildings are still standing and in fairly good shape and some fences from early days are still there. The house was built in 1856 and served as the family home until the death of the late J. H. Witherington. It is currently used as a vacation home and is owned by Mrs. C. T. Glass and the Estate of J.H. Witherington. The single story building has brick pillars as a foundation and is constructed of heart pine lumber. The interior features pine beams and studs and is ceiled with pine throughout; tounge and grooved type, now covered with sheetrock. It has a pyramidal roof that was originally shingled, but has had a tin cover since the 1930s. It has two dormer windows, one east and one south, and two of the four original chimneys remain. An unique feature of the house is that it has front, rear and side porches, all of which have banister railings between brick pillars and were always called "galleries". The main entrance is on the east porch with two others, one on the south into a rear bedroom and the other on the west into rear of the central hall. There are 6 mantels of the plain type. The doors are 4-panel. The earlier China doorknobs have been replaced with deadlock hardware for security reasons. The floor is of narrow pine. NOTE: The Historic Witherington home near Lyeffion is credited to William Leander & Eliza (Johnson) Witherington, circa 1856. William Leander Witherington (1827-1890) was the third generation Witherington in Conecuh County. He was the son of Daniel Witherington and Melissa King and the grandson of William Witherington, Jr. and Sarah 'Sally' Stanley, who settled in Conecuh about 1820, coming from East Feliciana Parish, La. Both Daniel and his father, William Witherington, Jr., served in the War of 1812 and were participants in the Battle of New Orleans. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Page 4 From: Alabama/ Florida magazine, page 12, CPF: November 15, 1984 Alabama Tallies 200 Plus Century-old Family Farms There is much talk today about the survival of the family farm. High interest rates and low crop prices have put most Coastal Plains farmers in a bind. But the family farm is a proud tradition which sure has faced tougher times than these in the past 100 years. To find out just how many family farms had been in the same family for that long, the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries started doing some research in 1977. They found that more than 200 Alabama farms had stayed within the same family for at least 100 years. The farms were placed in two categories. 1) Alabama Century Farms: Farm ownership must remain within one family continuously for a minimum of 100 years. The farm must be at leat 40 acres large. It is not mandatory for the owner to live on the farm. 2) Alabama Heritage Farms: The farm must have been in continuous operation as a family farm for a minimum of 100 years. Nominated farms must possess interesting historical and agricultural aspects, including one or more structures at least 40 years old. The farm must be at least 40 acres in size. These Alabama Coastal Plains family farms received both century and heritage honors. Conecuh County: Witherington Farm Notes: Did you ever hear the Witherington place called Sunnyside Farm? I don't know when this next tidbit appeared. It was also accompanied with a pix. "The Historic Witherington Home", a Lyeffion landmark, is listed on the Alabama historic register. The large home, currently under restoration, is the center of operations for Sunnyside Farms. It was built in 1856 by William Leander Witherington (and wife, Eliza Johnson) and it has housed five generations of that family. The house, built completely of heart-of-pine lumber, is covered by a tall pyramidal roof and features large gallery porches on the front, rear and sides of the house. -30- _______________________________________ David Holmes GOVERNOR OF THE MISSISSIPPI TERRITORY TO ALL WHO SHALL SEE THESE PRESENTS, GREETINGS KNOW YE, That reposing special trust and confidence in the patriotism, valor fidelity and abilities of William Witherington I do appoint him an Ensign of the 17th Regiment Mississippi Territory, to take rank from the date hereof. He is therefore carefully and diligently to discharge the duty of an Ensign by doing and performing all manner of things thereunto belonging: And I do strictly charge and require all officers and soldiers under his command, to be obedient to his orders as an Ensign . And he is to observe and follow such orders and directions from time to time as he shall receive from the Governor of the Mississippi Territory for the time being or the other superior officers set over him according to the rules and discipline of war. This commission to continue in force during the pleasure of the Governor for the time being. IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have caused these letters to be made patent and the seal of the Mississippi Territory to be hereunto affixed. GIVEN under my hand at the Town of Washington (Mississippi Territory). The 7th day of July in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and 13 and in the 38th Year of the Independence of the United States of America. Seal of the Governor David Holmes ATTEST: Henry Daingerfield (Back Side of the Commission - Handwritten) Mississippi Territory, Jackson County I do hereby certify that William Witherington came before me and was duly Sworn the Oaths that isappointed by law as an Ensign in Cap. James Ware's Company in the 17th Regiment of the Mississippi Territory. Sworn to before me this 4th Sept. 1813. James Ware (L 2) ______________________ NOTE: The above is a transcription from photocopy of original Ensign's Commission of William Witherington, Jr. (1773-1837) of Darlington, SC, and who is said to have fought at the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812. NOTE: William Witherington, Jr. was the 4th Great Grandfather of : William R. King, Jr. -14106 Carolcrest Circle, Houston, TX 77079 E-Mail Address: [email protected] Tel. (281) 493-6767