Thurtell and Related Families    

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Notes for William WITHROW

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Much of the information about William Withrow and his descendants was
received from Francis E. Withrow, Jr. (Mike) in May 1998, including
records from his data base, which was previously published by
Broderbund's Family Tree Maker in World Family Tree, Volume 2, Tree
2760. He also provided the obituary of George Withrow, and the "History
of William Withrow" by Nellie Stanton with "Facts Furnished by Her
Mother, Edith Withrow Stanton.)" This history shows it was "Read by the
Author at Her Home Near Platteville, Wisconsin, July 24, 1926, on the
Occasion of a Family Reunion, Attended by the Descendants of William
Withrow."

Records of the Bureau of Land Management show that William Withrow
purchased land in Grant County, Wisconsion, on August 1, 1839, and
additional land on April 1, 1848, at the Mineral Point Land Office. The
August 1, 1839, purchase is listed in Document Number 431, which shows
the legal description of the land was Aliquot Parts W1/2NE, Sec/Blk 9,
Township 2-N, Range 3W, Fract. Sect. N, of the 4th Principal Meridian -
1831 Minnesota/Wisconsin, 60.8 acres in Grant County, Wisconsin. The two
transactions on April 1, 1848, are in Documents Number 7409 and 7410.
Document Number 7409 shows the legal description of one property was
Aliquot Parts NENE, Sec/Blk 5, Township 2-N, Range 2W, Fract. Sect. N, of
the 4th Principal Meridian - 1831 Minnesota/Wisconsin, 46.62 acres in
Grant County, Wisconsin. Document Number 7410 shows the legal
description of a second property was Aliquot Parts NWNW, Sec/Blk 9,
Township 2-N, Range 2W, Fract. Sect. N, of the 4th Principal Meridian -
1831 Minnesota/Wisconsin, 40 acres in Grant County, Wisconsin.

Records of Mt. Zion Cemetery, Cornelia, Grant County, Wisconsin show that
William Withrow died March 21, 1879, at age 79, and his wife Martha died
February 15, 1885, at age 70. They are both buried in this cemetery.

The full text of this 1926 history follows:

"History of William Withrow" by Nellie Stanton, Author (Facts furnished
by Her Mother, Edith Withrow Stanton.)

Read by the Author at Her Home Near Platteville, Wisconsin, July 24,
1926, on the Occasion of a Family Reunion, Attended by the Descendants of
William Withrow.

In Loving Recognition of the Noble character and Sterling Qualities of
William Withrow, This Memorial is Respectfully Dedicated by the Author,
His Grandchild, to His Descendants.

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William Withrow was born in Pennsylvania in the year 1801, his mother
died at his birth, and his father died three years later, leaving two
children, William and his sister Jane two years older. They were cared
for and brought up by two maiden aunts. When he was sixteen years of
age, he began learning the wagon making trade, which he followed for some
time. When he was still a young man, he emigrated by steamboat to the
lead mining district at Potosi, Wisconsin, where he did mining for a
number of years. On March 8, 1848, he was united in marriage with a
young widow, Martha Long, of Potosi, Wisconsin; she was the mother of two
children Henry and Mary Long.

William Withrow was a kind and devoted step-father, and they remained in
his home until they were married and went to homes of their own. A few
years after the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Withrow, they moved on a farm in
the town of Paris, near Dickeyville. Eight children were born to them.

Mail was so uncertain those days that he never heard from his relatives
in Pennsylvania after leaving there. He wrote many letters back home but
received no reply. Many years later he went to Hazel Green; one day the
merchant called him Mr. Withrow. A strange man standing near, overheard
him and asked to speak with Mr. Withrow, saying his wife's maiden name
was Withrow, and after conversing, they found they were brothers-in-law.
Mr. McCormick then took Mr. Withrow to his home to meet his long lost
sister Jane. She was the mother of six children, three sons and three
daughters. Mrs. Ida Smith of Fairplay, Wisconsin, is a granddaughter of
his sister Jane. After the death of her husband, Mr. McCormick spent a
great deal of her time at the home of her brother Williams; she died in
the year 1877. William died March 21, 1879, aged seventy-eight years.
He left his widow who died eight years later, Feb. 15, 1885, aged
sixty-nine years.

Mr. and Mrs. Withrow were religious people and active church workers and
departed from their life in perfect faith of Jesus Christ. As Mr. Withrow
was an early pioneer, he had many thrilling experiences with the
Indians. It was very entertaining for the young people in those days who
gathered in their home for entertainment. Mr. and Mrs. Withrow were very
hospitable people, making everyone welcome; they spent many pleasant
hours listening to Mr. Withrow relate his thrilling experiences of the
past. He was a very fine horseback rider and he had a fine bay saddle
horse which he prized very highly. It seems he had the envy of the
Indians for his beautiful horse was stolen; he tracked the Indians for
many miles through the hills and valleys, he traced them as far as
Prairie du Chien, but lost the trail and never found his horse. His
children can well remember when the Indians would come to their homes in
droves demanding food and also oats for their ponies; they were not
satisfied with bread alone, they would demand butter also. Mr. Withrow
was a great reader. He read by candle light so much that his eyes
failed him, and he became nearly blind which prevented him from active
work for many years before he died. Their first child John was born in
Potosi. June 8, 1841. He was a soldier in the union army enlisting in
Company H, 25th Wisconsin V. I., and served in the Civil war until he
contracted a severe illness, making it necessary to return home. He was
brought home on a stretcher by his mother. He never fully recovered from
his illness, having delicate health the remainder of his life. He
married Margaret Wilson, and settled on the old homestead in the town of
Paris, where he died Jan. 6, 1890, age forty-eight years, leaving a wife
and seven children. His widow still owns the old homestead.

Jane was born Sept. 4, 1843, and died at LeMars, Iowa, Nov. 19, 1871, age
twenty-eight years. Rebecca was born Oct. 4, 1845; she was the wife of
Payton Vaughn, of LeMars, Iowa. She died March 7, 1886, age forty years.
She left a husband and five children, two sons and three daughters, of
which only two daughters are now living, of whom Elberta is the eldest.
After her mother's death, she then took charge of the home and family,
taking the mother's place as best she could until her father married a
second wife. This eldest daughter Elberta Fraser is now living with her
only daughter, Mrs. Edward Drager of Sioux Falls, S. D., and Mrs. Myrtle
Magelssen, also of South Dakota.

George was born Feb. 18, 1848. He married Mary Thurtell; five daughters
were born to them; one daughter Annie died in childhood, aged ten years
and is buried at Mt. Zion church near the old farm home, Grant county.
Wis. They lived on a farm at Cornelia for sixteen years. The three
oldest daughters, Amy, Grace and Bertha during this time had been
educated at the State Normal school at Platteville, Wisconsin, and had
followed the profession of school teachers in Grant county, Wisconsin.
In the year 1896, George joined the gold rush to the Klondike region in
Alaska, where he remained for seventeen years, engaged in mining and
returned home in failing health. At the time he left Grant county, his
wife and daughters, of whom the youngest was Mary Belle, aged twelve
years, removed to Chicago, where the eldest taught in the Chicago public
schools. The second, Grace, became secretary to the postmaster, and the
two youngest engaged in art work. Bertha attained remarkable success as
a portrait artist. Grace died in Phoenix, Arizona, 1903, and Bertha in
San Antonio, Texas, 1907.

In June. 1913, George returned from Alaska, and with his wife and two
remaining daughters, visited the old home and family and reported his
many strange. adventures. On May 31, 1916, he died age sixty-eight
years, at the home of his daughter, Mary Belle Spencer, wife of Richard
Vance Spencer, M. D., Chicago Heights, Illinois, and is buried at Mt.
Zion church, Grant County, Wisconsin. His wife Mary died Nov. 7, 1917,
at Kansas City, Missouri, and his daughter Amy died Sept. 25. 1918, at
Chicago. Illinois, and is buried In Kansas City, beside her mother. His
only living descendants are Mary Belle Spencer, (a lawyer of Chicago,
holding the degree of Bachelor of Laws, of the Northwestern University,
Class 1918, and office of Public Guardian of Cook County, Illinois,
1918-1922) and her daughters Mary Belle Jr.. born Dec. 14, 1919, and
Victoria born Nov. 27, 1921.

James was born Oct. 28, 1850. He married Cassie Catanaough. Seven
children were born to them, four daughters and three sons. They lived
most of their married life in Omaha, Nebraska. James was a conductor on
the street cars there for more than a score of years. He died Jan. 21,
1910, age sixty years, leaving a wife and seven children, all of whom are
still living. Names: Harry, Will, Walter, Jessie, Florence, Lillian and
Ethel.

Wesley was born March 2, 1852. He married Elizabeth Hooser and four
children were born to them, two daughters and two sons, Harriet, Ida,
Wesley and George. Wesley was engaged in the early part of his life in
the wood business, boating to Dubuque. Later he moved to the northern
woods of Wisconsin. He never was a robust man but was always
industrious. For the last twelve years of his life, owing to failing
health he was very quiet. He died at the St. Joseph hospital at Chippewa
Falls of lingering paralysis, Feb. 2, 1920, aged sixty-eight years,
leaving to mourn his loss two sons and two daughters, all of whom are
still living.

Levinia was born Sept. 6, 1855. She married Silas Van Natta. Five
children were born to them, four daughters and one son. Two daughters
Maud and Nellie died in childhood. Levinia and her husband lived active
lives on their farm at Cornelia, where their children were brought to
manhood and womanhood. They were faithful church workers and ready to
aid in everything for the betterment of the community in which they
lived. When their son Howard was married, they sold their farm to him
where he still lives and they purchased a home in Platteville, where they
are enjoying a comfortable and happy old age.

Their eldest daughter Jenny Harms has always been a leading and greatly
beloved woman. She and her husband George Harms, reside in Platteville,
where they have large business interests. Their children are Clarence,
Harry, Helen and Eleanor. Clarence has a wife Ruby and little son Billie.

The son of Lavenia and Silas is Howard Van Natta. He and his wife Lena
have one son George Van Natta. The youngest daughter of Lavenia and her
husband Silas is Mrs. Verna Steinhoff, wife of George S. Steinhoff, who
is engaged in farming near Platteville. Their children are Lester,
Blanche and Dorothy Ann.

Edith, the youngest daughter of William Withrow, was born Dec. 21, 1857,
and married Daniel Stanton, and six children, Ernest, Eldridge, Warner,
Norman, Nellie and Virgil were born to them, all of whom are living near
their parents. Edith has been a noble mother, and the sterling character
of both her and her husband, have earned the love and respect of all who
know them; their industry has prospered them. Their entire life has been
devoted to farming. They have moved several times but have always lived
within three miles of the homes of their childhood. They are still doing
active work on the farm and are performing their share of church and
community work.

Their eldest son Ernest and, his wife Sadie, have two children, Lillie,
who is the wife of Purl Eastlick, they have a son named Earl, and George
Eldridge and his wife May have five children, Grace, Frank. Iva, Lile and
Maynard.

Warner and his wife Grace, have three children, John, Wilbur and Donald.
Norman and his wife Laura have two children, Gale and Clifford. Virgil
and his wife Rosena have four children, Daniel, Edith, Leman and Ruby
Nell.

Margaret, the widow of John, is also enjoying a long life, she lives in
Platteville, surrounded by her splendid sons and daughters, all of whom
are prominent in the neighborhood, and an honor and credit to their
parents and grandparents. Julia, Hattie and Minnie are happily married
and live near their mother, to whom they and their children are a
constant comfort. Their brothers Frank, John, George and Walter have also
established themselves in their own homes, with excellent wives and are
living exemplary lives.

The eldest daughter Julia is the wife of Milton Van Natta, their children
are Leslie, Mrs. Bertie Mathews and Milton Junior. Leslie has a wife
named Margret and one son Robert. Bertie and her husband Charles have
three children, Wendell, Theodore and Carolyn. Minnie is the wife of
Bert Rieter; their children are Purl and Gladys who is the wife of Henry
Udelhofen; their children are Kenneth, Dale and Lloyd.

Purl has a wife Sophia and a daughter Marcella. Hattie is the wife of
Henry McClain; their children are Mable, Nellie and Blanch, who is the
wife of Irvin Brown; they have one son, Henry.

Frank Withrow has a wife Louise and two sons Irvin and John.

John Withrow and his wife Myrtle have three children, Leta, Velma and
Clinton.

George Withrow has a wife Anna.

Walter Withrow has his wife Jane and their son Mancal.

The many descendants of William Withrow, are residing near the old family
home, and all who have removed to distant points are notable for the high
principles, upright honesty and industry that were the splendid
characteristics of that pioneer."

The family of William Withrow is listed in the 1860 U.S. Census for the
Township of Paris, Grant County, Wisconsin, which had a Post Office
address of Dickeyville. It was enumerated in July 1860. This census
shows William Withrow, age 50, born in Virginia, a farmer with real
estate worth $900 and personal property worth $578. Living with him are
Martha Withrow, age 45, born in Delaware; William Withrow, age 23, a
Teamster, born in Iowa; Mary A. Withrow, age 21, born in Wisconsin; John
Withrow, age 19, a farm laborer born in Wisconsin who attended school
during the prior year; Jane Withrow, age 1? (the age is illegible and
could have been 14, 17, or 19), born in Wisconsin and attending school;
Rebecca Withrow, age 14, born in Wisconsin and in school; George Withrow,
age 7, born in Wisconsin and in school; Wesley Withrow, age 4, born in
Wisconsin; Lavina Withrow, age 2, born in Wisconsin; and Eda Withrow, age
12, born in Wisconsin and in school. Family relationships are not shown
in the 1860 census.

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