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1867 Loalty Oath of William L. Witherington     Click Above for Larger Picture

 

William Leander Witherington CSA Soldier

 

 

William Leander Witherington

Private, Company ‘E’, 38th Regiment, Alabama Infantry, CSA

 

William Leander Witherington was born November 10, 1827 at the nearby Fork Sepulga area of Conecuh County. He was the oldest son of Daniel E. Witherington and Melissa King, who are both buried here at Witherington Cemetery.  He was the grandson of Ensign William Witherington, Jr., and the great grandson of South Carolina Patriot William Witherington, Sr., both of whom were honored this morning at Ward-Witherington Cemetery.

 

William “Billy” Witherington was married to Eliza Johnson on Sept. 11, 1856 in Conecuh County. She was the daughter of John “Pealicker” Johnson and Nancy Garlington Salter. This marriage produced 6 children, all born here in Conecuh County.

 

William Leander & Eliza Witherington are credited with building the Historic Witherington Farm Home about 1856. The home stands today on Alabama Highway # 83 as a beautiful showplace and is on the Alabama Historical Farms List. The farm remains a ‘working farm’ today, with cattle, horses and limited corn production. The beautifully maintained original home is built of solid 'heart of pine' timber. It survived the occupation by the Northern troops during the Civil War. The home and farm both remain in the family and are today owned by Ed & Burke Witherington of Mobile.

 

William Leander Witherington was called to duty in 1862 and served as a Private in Company ‘E’ of the 38th Alabama Infantry Regiment. This regiment was organized at Mobile in May, 1862. Men of this command were raised in the counties of Clarke, Washington, Conecuh, Mobile, Wilcox, and Fayette. This regiment took an active part in the campaigns of the Army of Tennessee from Chickamauga to Nashville. While serving with the 38th Alabama Volunteer Infantry, William Leander is said to have suffered a gunshot wound in the hand during the Battle of Atlanta.

 

Private William Leander Witherington and his younger brother, Sergeant James E. Witherington, also served together as members of Company 'F' of Hilliard’s Legion.  In November 1863 they served as members of the 23rd Sharpshooters Battalion, with Major Nicholas Stallworth of Conecuh County as their Commander.

 

Ms. Sherry Johnston of the local library has provided us with an 1883 Evergreen newspaper article which tells of “Billy” Witherington’s ability as a most successful farmer. It reads:

 

Dated: 26 April 1883

 

“Mr. W.L. Witherington is certainly a model farmer. We constantly hear him selling many of the things that ninety-nine out of every hundred of the other farmers in the country have to mortgage their crops to attain. Mr. Witherington lives at home and is independent. Last week, he sold 200 pounds of clear rib sides to Mssrs. Cooper and Herrington, and those farmers who have forgotten how Alabama-raised country bacon tastes, can go to Mssrs. Cooper & Herrington or to Mr. Witherington and refresh their memories.”

 

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William Leander “Billy” Witherington died August 29, 1890 here in Conecuh County.  His obit read: “WILLIAM L. WITHERINGTON, son of Daniel and Melissa King Witherington, died 29th day of August, 1890, age 62 years, 9 months and 19 days.”

 

Descendants of William Leander Witherington and family friends are proud to dedicate this new grave marker, provided to us by the Veterans Affairs Office, in honor of his service to the Confederacy.

 

His wife, Eliza Johnson Witherington, died January 18, 1908 and is buried with him here at Witherington Cemetery.

 

Source: This is from the dedication of the Ward-Witherington Cemetery in Conecuh Co., Alabama in November 2005. It was supplied by Bill King, a decendent of the Witherington family.