THE KING & WITHERINGTON CONNECTIONS IN SOUTH ARKANSAS They arrived in Union and Ouachita (now Calhoun) Counties about 1847, coming from Conecuh County, Alabama. <This data compiled by Bill King, 3rd Great Grandson of John Witherington & Mary Ellis> There were three WITHERINGTON brothers who were early settlers in Southern Arkansas arriving between 1845-1847 from Conecuh County, Alabama. They were JOHN, JAMES & AUGUSTUS LEVAN WITHERINGTON. 1. JOHN WITHERINGTON (born 1801 in Darlington District, SC) settled on land about half way between El Dorado & Hampton, a few miles south of the old community of Artesian (Rail Road Water Stop/had an Artesian well there) about 1846 or 1847. This area was in Ouachita County at the time; is now in Southern Calhoun County. John died in 1855 in Calhoun county. We have copy of probate filed by wife. They owned a female slave (given to his wife by her father in AL) but no record of land ownership has been found to date. His wife was Mary Ellis of SC. John Witherington was born 1801 in Darlington District, SC. Four of John's sons served for the Confederacy during the Civil War, all returned home to raise large families. [John Witherington-Mary Ellis is the family line of Bill King] 2. JAMES WITHERINGTON (b. 1805 in Darlington, SC), younger brother of John, settled around Champagnolle, a port town on the Ouachita River. He married Mary King (older sister of John Coleman King and William Augustus King who both came to Union County and are buried at Wesley Cemetery 5 miles east of El Dorado on Hwy 15, near Old Union). His wife, Mary King, was the daughter of James King and Katherine Coleman King. Mary King Witherington died in Conecuh CO, AL. James Witherington brought several minor children when he came to Arkansas. He was killed in a hunting accident in Union County in 1849 (about two years after moving to Union County), and is buried at Wesley Chapel Cemetery (located east of El Dorado on Hwy #15). Following his death, James' children were raised in the home of their uncle, John Coleman King. 3. AUGUSTUS 'Gus' LEVAN WITHERINGTON, born 1819 in Feliciana Parish, La (youngest son of William Witherington, Jr., who served as an Ensign in Mississippi Territory Militia during the War of 1812), arrived in Champagnolle, coming from Conecuh, Alabama with John Coleman King (a cousin) about 1847. "Uncle Gus" is my favorite Witherington ancestor/relative. He was a plantation owner, with slaves; operated a store and also the ferry at Pidgeon Hill (Union County) which crossed over to Moro Bay (Bradley County); was part owner in a steamboat that plyed the Ouachita and Saline Rivers and made trips to New Orleans to carry cotton down to New Orleans and bring supplies back to Champagnolle for his family and the store. During the Civil War, his steamboat, the 'Morgan Nelson', carried troops, supplies, munitions and foodstuffs as far north as Camden for the Confederacy. Of course, he carried cotton from the 'Ouachita River Bottoms' enroute south to New Orleans. According to Goodspeed's History of Union County, Gus Witherington and William Christie Langford were founders of the Champagnolle A.M. & F.M. (Masonic) Lodge in the early 1850's. William C. Langford was later to become a County Judge for Union County. Judge Langford was married to Martha Louisa Rachel Witherington, the daughter of James Witherington & Mary King. When William Augustus King of El Dorado died in 1858, his older brother and partner, John Coleman King, was named as guardian for the minor children of William Augustus King. However, Gus Witherington was named in William Augustus King's will to serve as executor of the estate and to handle all of the financial matters for the children until they reached adulthood. Since Gus was a successful businessman, I would guess that Wm Augustus trusted him to do a better job of managing his share of the family assets (600 acres, number of slaves, many horses and cattle, etc.) for the children's benefit. Gus Witherington was murdered March 26, 1869 at Moro Bay in Bradley County by James A. Davis, who shot Gus three times - from behind- following years of conflict and a terrible beating given Davis at the hands of Gus. Davis escaped into the river bottoms of Calhoun County and evaded capture until February 1872 when he surrendered to Calhoun County officials. When finally brought to trial in Bradley County, over 3 years following the murder, James A. Davis was found "not guilty". An amazing verdict, but Davis' counsel successfully painted the picture of Gus being a 'horrible villian' in his earlier beating of Davis. August Levan Witherington is buried at the pretty and very well maintained New London Cemetery in Union County, a few miles south of Pidgeon Hill. My wife and I visited Gus' grave on Sunday, June 13, following the Witherington Reunion held at Moro Bay State Park. "I had finally connected with Gus"!! It has been a most rewarding challenge getting into the depths of the King and Witherington families of Calhoun and Union Counties ......and I believe that we are about to determine that 'our' King line descends from a somewhat wealthy planter, Captain George King of Darlington District, SC and who fought with the South Carolina Militia during the Revolutionary War. Captain George King married Mary Kolb, a young lady from Society Hill on the Pee Dee River near Darlington, SC, the daughter of a prosperous and well educated German immigrant named Johannes Kolb. If we can prove that our King line does, in fact, connect with Captain George King, qualifying for SAR and DAR in both the King name and the Witherington name will be possible. So many questions, so little time! Submitted to Union County, AR Gen Society by William R. King, Jr. (UCGS Member) 14106 Carolcrest Cir. - Houston, TX 77079 LynnBillKing@pdq.net