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Archiver > WITHERINGTON > 2001-02 > 0981338000


From: "Jack Butler" <>
Subject: Re: [Witherington] Isn't there new Witherington/Wetherington Gen here?!!!
Date: Sun, 4 Feb 2001 20:53:20 -0500
References: <db.fc55b40.27adb3f1@aol.com>


Hi Virginia,

I'll try to answer your questions as best I can.

> I don't know how Manoah is related to them, but had thought he
> might be the son of Richard or Thomas.
**** Jack*****
This isn't a question, but I thought that I would comment, anyway. I would
bet cash money that Manoah is a son of one of these two men. The
combination of his location and the names of his children and grandchildren
seem too much to be coincidence.
*****
> 1. How did you find out that the Rev. War soldiers, Richard and
Thomas, were the same as the ones in Edgefield >Co., SC? One obvious
correlation that I see from your emails is the presence of Abraham Odum
along with
>Richard >and Thomas Wethrington on the Colleton Co. list of Capt. Andrew
Cummings' company [your email of 12/19/00], and the fact that Abram Oadum
gave oath in the
>sale of land by Richard Witherington to Wm. Stringer in 1787 [your email of
> 1/29/01] in Edgefield Co. Are there other proofs?
***Jack***
Proofs, no, evidence, yes. I probably should have made that clear in my
earlier email - I made the assumption based on what I consider substantial
evidence. First and foremost, I found no other record of any Thomas or
Richard W'rington
anywhere else in SC during the pertinent time frame - let alone, a Thomas
and Richard with a proven connection - as both these two RS and the two in
Edgefield clearly have. Secondly, I have found no other Richard or Thomas
W'rington serving in the Revolution.

Next was finding connections like the Abraham Odum link that you mention (he
also appears in the records of the Old 96 District in 1779). I also had an
advantage in that I am a Padgett descendant, and I knew that the Samuel
Padget in the Cummings Co was also an Edgefield County man following the RW.
In addition, in a very quick search I found William Lott in Edgefield County
in 1800 and William Parker in Old 96th District, SC, in 1779. Several
other of the men on the list (Reuben Golightly, Thomas Zachary, William
Mitchel), appear in the Orangeburgh District. It would probably be
worthwhile to try and find more information about the foundation of this
unit, but this is enough to convince me that Thomas and Richard of Andrew
Cumming's RW unit are the same Thomas and Richard who appear in Edgefield
County following the war.

Since one of the Darlington County William Witheringtons married a Stanley
lady in South Carolina, it might be worth pointing out that Benjamin B.
Stanley was a member of Thomas and Richard's outfit. May be a sheer
coincidence, or may not be.
*******
> 2. Do you know who this Richard's or Thomas' siblings were? their
fathers? their children?
***Jack***
I do not. There are a number of records of a Thomas W'rington in Craven
County, NC between 1753 and 1763 (maybe after that, too - I have not made a
definitive study of court or land records), but I find no record on Richard
earlier than the 1775 foundation of the RW unit in SC. I do believe that it
is reasonable to think that there was a connection between Thomas and
Richard and the John W'rington who sold land in SC, as well as the William
W'rington who purchased land there. One thing that I have never heard
anyone mention yet, but in the early days of the country, the Witherington
name (even with its multitude of variations) was still a relatively rare
name (if you don't believe it, try tracking Butlers or Campbells <G>).
While that does not assure a connection between W'ringtons who appear in the
same area, it certainly does make it much more likely.

I think that a pretty good stab can be made at tracking Richard's children
(we know pretty much where he was) - and probably Thomas's, too - but I have
not yet attempted to.
****
> 3. Can you tell me how you tracked Richard to Elbert Co., GA? how you
found out he was the same man as the >one in Edgefield Co., SC?

It actually worked the other way round. I found Richard in Elbert County,
GA first, and learned that he was a RW soldier, and then learned of the SC
fellows and their RW status. This is perhaps a greater leap of speculation
on evidence, but Richard of Elbert was listed as a Revolutionary Soldier in
both of his Land Lottery draws, and the only Richard W'rington that I have
found on any RW record is the one of Edgefield County. The Edgefield County
Richard sold his land and disappeared from the Edgefield records after 1800.
I know that he was in Elbert by 1820 - and although I don't have the record
at hand, I know that I found him there prior to that - I apparently have
some of my records that I found at the Archives that I have not entered into
my computer, yet. I would like to know where he was in 1810. I will look
into that next chance I get.

In passing, I lost track of Thomas W'rington between his disappearance from
Edgefield County, and him showing up in Walton County, GA. He drew in the
1827 Land Lottery from Captain Bexley's District in Walton County (as Thomas
Weathernton, and, again, identified as a RS). Walton County borders on
Gwinnet County were Richard was living at the time. Because of being a RS,
he was given 2 draws and on May 7, 1827, he won land in Carroll County and
on May 11, in his second draw, he won land in Muscoggee County. I have not
yet followed up in either county to see if he ever took up residence in
either county.
****

> 4. Finally, are you aware that there was a Richard Worthington (or
other spelling) in GA on an early census who >was 100 years old or older?
I'll try to find my record of it.

No, I am not aware of that record - I have not seen it. I would appreciate
it if you could tell me where to look and I will be happy to follow up on
it.

Jack Butler

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