-
("Weston Democrat" Friday, June 11, 1920)
In the old cemetery on the hill, conveyed to the trustees of Weston in 1820, repose the remains of Alexander Scott Withers, a one time distinguished citizen of Lewis County and author of Chronicles of Border Warfare, the well-known authority on border wars and history of local tradition in the western country. He was the son of Enoch K. Withers and Jennet Chinn Withers, his wife, whose home was near Warrenton, in Fauquier County. He was born on the 12th of October 1792, and died near Parkersburg, on the 23rd of January, 1865. His mother was a first cousin of Sir Walter Scott. In a memoir written by Dr. Lyman Copeland Draper, it is said:
Passing his early years in home and private schools, he became from childhood a over of books and knowledge. He read Virgil at the early age of ten; and, in due time, entered Washington College, and thence entered the law department of the venerable institution of William and Mary, where Jefferson, Monroe, Wythe, and other Virginia notables received their education."
Mr. Withers was married to Miss Melinda Fisher in 1815, whilst they still resided in the Northern Neck of Virginia. About 1827 he removed with his family to Harrison County, remaining for a period at Bridgeport. Later he removed to Clarksburg where, as his biographer says, "he devoted much time in collecting materials for and writing his Chronicles of Border Warfare." Subsequently he removed to Lewis County and resided on a farm on the West Fork River between Weston and Jane Lew. On the 9th of September, 1840, Governor Thomas W. Gilmer appointed Mr. Withers a Justice of the Peace for Lewis County, and he served for a period as a member of the old county court. After his appointment and qualification as a Justice, William McKinley objected to his acting in that capacity for alleged reason that he had vacated his commission by accepting the office of Commissioner in Bankruptcy under the government of the United States. This objection was interposed by Mr. McKinley on the 9th of June, 1845, but the court did not seem to think that the ground assigned amounted to disqualification. With the exception of the two positions mentions and that of being a member of the First Wheeling Convention May 1, 1861, Mr. Withers held no other office during his long and useful career.
Dr. Draper further speaks of him as follows: "Mr. Withers had no talent for the acquisition of wealth; but he met with marked success in acquiring knowledge. He was an admirer of ancient literature, and to his last days read the Greek Classics in the original. A rare scholar, a lover of books, his tastes were eminently domestic; he was from his nature, much secluded from the busy world around him. Nearly six feet high, rather portly and dignified, as shown by his portrait taken when he was about sixty years of age -- he was kind and obliging to all, and emphatically a true Virginia Gentleman of the old school."
It is hardly necessary to refer to Chronicles of Border Warfare. As an historical publication it has always been highly regarded. It was published in Clarksburg by Joseph Israel and is said that it did not prove in any respect remunerative to Mr. Withers. " He used to say." states Dr. Draper, " that had he published the volume himself he would have made it much more complete, and better in many ways; for he was hampered, limited and hurried --often correcting proof of the early, while writing the later chapters." A volume of the original edition is rare and highly treasured by everyone who may be so fortunate as to possess it. This splendid publication has much to say about the early history of the county. Much of the work of Mr. Withers in its preparation was done in the county. It has been said that a great deal of the original data was furnished by William Powers and William Hacker both pioneer citizens, and former justices of the peace. In " Border Settlers", by L. V. McWhorter, the author publishes a letter addressed to him under date of January 23rd, 1898, by Levi Bond, then eighty-two years of age, in which the writer says: " Your letter received, and in reply will say, I am a grandson of William Powers, one of the men who got up Border Warfare; William Hacker was the other. This work lay dormant in their hands for many years. Hacker passed away first. Powers purchased Hacker’s interest in the work, and it lay in his hands until 1831, when Joseph Israel editor in Clarksburg bought the manuscripts and arranged for its publication by employing Alexander Scott Withers to prepare it for the press. Accordingly Mr. Withers took up the work, and after he had it about half completed some friend told him that he was likely to get nothing for his labor, and that Israel was poor and could not raise the amount of money agreed upon. Mr. Withers did not want to leave the worked in that condition and said, ‘ I will dispose of it in some shape.’ So he ran through the most notable and prominent features, leaving the balance entirely out.. * * * This is the history that my grandfather gave me of the work from his own lips. My grandfather lived on a farm adjoining Jane Lew, about three miles from Withers’ office and was there several times while Withers was preparing the work, and he told me these things himself." It is said that Mr. Withers only received two or three copies of the book for all of his labor in its preparation. Mr. McWhorter in referring to the matter says: " It is little wonder that Mr. Withers became discouraged and lost interest in his noble but arduous task. A less energetic and patriotic man would have dropped the work entirely when it became apparent that there would be no compensation for his labor. All honor to Mr. Withers."
By reason of his scholarly attainments and authorship of Border Warfare, Alexander Scott Withers occupied a position of distinction and was one of the most prominent of the many prominent personages who have made Lewis County their home. It was very appropriate that his mortal remains should be laid to rest in the old cemetery on the hill with friends of former days. When the local Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution was organized it was given the name of Alexander Scott Withers, and thereafter made marked improvements in the above mentioned historical burying ground.
On the 8th of July, 1913, the following order was entered by the Circuit Court of Lewis County in relation to Weston’s first cemetery: Whereas, Lewis Maxwell and Daniel Stringer, by deed appearing of record in the office of the Clerk of the County Court of Lewis County, in Deed Book B, at page 85, dated 14th day of August 1820, conveyed to Henry McWhorter, Palzer Butcher, William Peterson, James M. Camp and Albert Collins, a parcel of land adjoining or near to the town of Weston, on the side of the hill, opposite the South end of the said town, containing about one acre, to be held by them as trustees for the use of the town and its vicinity, for a public burying yard for those who might die in said town, and vicinity, and as a site for a church; and whereas said trustees have died, leaving their places vacant; and whereas the said cemetery has grown up in briers and rubbish, and has been open to pasturing stock, owing to want of fencing, and has long been neglected; and, whereas, the Daughters of the by their representatives on this occasion expressed a desire to take charge of said burial ground and keep it in a condition fitting it as a place for the repose of the dead, it is now ordered that Verona Maple Brannon, Emma Harrison Ralston, Amanda Bland Heath and Prudence Arnold McClellan, be and they are hereby appointed trustees in place of those above named deceased ones, with like powers under said deed as those deceased had, and such powers as the law may give, to have charge of said burial place, and hold it as trustees as a place for the repose of those dead now interred in it, and for the burial of those who may hereafter die in said Weston and its vicinity, those above named so appointed trustees being members of and representing the Alexander Scott Withers Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
We have relatives buried in the burial ground referred to in above proposed order, and request its entry July 8, 1913.
This article prepared for HCPD by Linda Brake Meyers. Thanks, Linda.