City Directories and History: ISAAC DONNOM WITHERSPOON
Found in the Lancaster News, March 27, 1901. Before becoming prominent in York County the Witherspoons and Donnoms were prominent in the Waxhaws (the oldest South Carolina upcountry church was there) of Lancaster, S. C. In the cemetery is a marker for Col. James Hervey Witherspoon “who was born in Williamsburg District, South Carolina, November 24th, 1784, and died June 28th 1842, aged 57 years 7 months and 8 days.. . . And, also, Jane Donnom: . . . “who was bora November 19th, 1786, and died January 2nd 1834, aged 47 years 1 month and 14 days.. . .’’ These were the grandparents of Isaac Donnom Witherspoon whose obituary is below.) Isaac Donnom Witherspoon was bom in York and was one of the sons of the Hon. Isaac Donnom Witherspoon, who was for many years senator from York district and one of the leaders in State politics. His mother was Miss Reid of North Carolina. He belonged to the historic family of Witherspoons, of which the Rev. John Witherspoon of Princeton college, signer of the Declaration of Independence, was one of the most conspicuous members, and Robert
Yorkville Enquirer, Thursday, October 3, 1861
Cotton Picking: pounds per picker
Cotton Picking: from Mrs. I. D. Witherspoon of Yorkville who owned a plantation in “Lancaster District superintendent by Mr. T. Berry: Anthony 304; Charley, 334; Lias, 295; Isaac, 360; Sam, 368; Nonus 335; Peter, 322; Mars, 345; Rose, 233; Sophy, 259; Amy, 226; Mary 228.”
Witherspoon, congressman from South Carolina another. The young Donnom Witherspoon entered the South Carolina college and graduated in 1854 . . . . Then he pursued the study of law, and on his admission to the bar entered into partnership with the late Wm. B. Wilson, and the firm practiced with great success. At the beginning of the war, Judge Witherspoon enlisted in the Twelfth regiment and served until delicate health caused a transfer to the branch of the treasury department of the Confederacy stationed in Columbia. York county was spared by the federal armies, but suffered worst devastation, if possible, in 1871 and 1872 because of the brutal Ku Klux raids of the federal troops when Major Merrill, an officer in the United States army, received $200 reward for the arrest of every alleged Ku Klux, innocent or guilty.
Judge Witherspoon had his hands full assisting his friends and clients. Not for years did the county recover from this draggonnade. In 1876 a determined effort was made to throw off the Radical yoke in York. Judge Witherspoon was nominated for senator by the Democrats and after a stirring canvass was elected with the legislative and county tickets. He came to Columbia and was of great service as one of the Democratic leaders in the senate in which the Republicans had 18 members and the Democrats 12, and were trying to seat Senators Gary, Todd and Maxwell, besides placing Lieutenant Gov. Simpson over the senate. The struggle was long, but was attended with success at last. After Senator Jeter became acting governor, Judge Witherspoon was chosen president pro tern of the senate and served as such until he was elected judge of the Sixth circuit in place of the unique Thomas J. Mackey. He had previously formed a partnership with Charles E. Spencer which was now dissolved. After serving several terms, Judge Witherspoon voluntarily retired to private life and resumed the practice of law. He was actively engaged at the bar at the time of his death. Judge Witherspoon married Miss Wright, daughter of Col. William Wright, who was the president and chief builder and owner of the King’s Mountain railroad. He had two children, Dr. William I. Witherspoon and Miss Leslie Witherspoon both of whom, with their mother, survive him. He has two brothers living, Dr. J. Harvey Witherspoon and Mr. Joseph R. Witherspoon. Judge Witherspoon was a conservative man, a good citizen and a safe counsellor. He had many friends throughout the State who will be doubly grieved that he has as soon followed his friend and colleague, Judge W. H. Wallace….
OBITUARY OF COL. I. D. WITHERSPOON (The following obituary appeared in the July 29, 1858 issue of The Yorkville Enquirer) Our people have learned, with profound regret, that our distinguished fellow citizen, Col. Isaac D. Witherspoon, is no more. He died at the White Sulphur Springs, Virginia, on Tuesday the 20th instant, of paralysis. The sad intelligence was not unexpected; a severe attack of paralysis, last Spring, had worn out his strength, and he left us, a few weeks since, to seek the bracing influence of the mountain air, with very faint hopes of recovery. His remains were buried, for the time, in Virginia. The death of such a man devolves the tasks of the eulogist upon older and abler pens than ours.The character and eminent services of Col. Witherspoon are the property of York District, and to the people, and especially to men who were contemporary with him, it belongs to pronounce a just and fitting praise. For more than thirty years he has been intimately associated with, and maintained a commanding influence upon, the progress of our District. Born and reared in Lancaster, he came to Yorkville about the year 1825, and entering upon the duties of his profession, soon reached a leading position at the Bar, which he maintained with undiminished success, until declining health forced him to retire from active life. In 1836, Col. Witherspoon was sent to the Legislature, and served in the lower House until 1840, when he was elected to the Senate without opposition, and continued a member of that body until 1856. During these twenty years of public service, Col. Witherspoon was sustained by our people with a constancy which is seldom awarded to any man; and which is only equaled by the faithfulness, the devotion, the singular success, with which he discharged his trust and watched over the interests of his constituency. In this record, none can fail to discern the influence which attend the man of kind heart and generous impulse; the faithful and constant friend; the liberal and high-toned lawyer; the able and vigilant public servant, and the Christian gentleman — Such was Col. Witherspoon; and such the commanding traits which secured to him the high rewards of a real, earnest life.
In Rose Hill Cemetery, York: I. D. Witherspoon / Born near Waxhaw Church / Lancaster District, S. C. / December 3rd 1803 / and died at the White Sulfur / Springs, Va., July 20th 1858 // Col. Witherspoon was / emphatically a man of truth. I Kindness was the law of his nature. / He was affectionate and / devoted to his family. / An honorable lawyer, he plead /for truth. /He died in the communion / of the Presbyterian Church, at / peace with God, in love with all / men, and in the sweet assurance of a home in Heaven. / By a Friend. In the year after Judge Witherspoon’s death, the Yorkville Enquirer reported that his body was brought back to Yorkville (by way of Chester on the Kings Mountain Railroad) and that the “largest assembly of people in York history followed the hearse to the cemetery of the Independent Presbyterian Church.” Graveside rites were administered by Rev. J. M. H. Adams.
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