Pennsylvania Volunteers of the Civil War Look for your Pennsylvania ancestors in this PA genealogy database of American Civil War soldier biographies. In addition to battles fought, injuries and POW info, if any, each PA Civil War biography has genealogy data such as birthplace and birth date, parents, spouse, children, residence and occupation before and after the Civil War.


Find your ancestor in our military collections.   

Enter a grandparent's name to get started.

Start Now
Start your Family Tree
PA Civil War > Biography > Witherow  

Free Genealogy Biography of William Witherow,
Pennsylvania Volunteer of the Civil War



William Witherow

William Witherow

BIG, cheery, good-natured William Witherow, mine host of the Hotel Duquesne, who does not know him, and who that knows him does not admire his sunny disposition and the many other good qualities that go to make him the beau ideal of an American gentleman? Mr. Witherow has been for years a figure of prominence in Allegheny County. He was born on November 7, 1843, and received his education in the Allegheny public schools.

Just as he attained manhood the Civil War broke out. In 1862 he enlisted in Company E, 123d Pennsylvania Volunteers, 123rd Regiment. He took part with his regiment in many severe engagements, among them the second battle of Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, and both fights at Chancellorsville. When his time expired he was honorably discharged, but reenlisted later on in the heavy artillery. He was sent to Fort Delaware, and detailed there as postmaster until the close of the, war. In 1865 he was discharged by a general order, thus being distinguished with two honorable discharges.

For a man with so fine a war record nothing was too good in Allegheny County, and accordingly Mr. Witherow easily drifted into the field of public life and political activity. He became a book-keeper in the U. S. Depository under Collector Thomas Steele, and served as a clerk in the Clerk of Courts' office under W. H. McCleary, and as Chief Clerk under Sheriff William Hunter.

In 1881 he was elected County Treasurer. In 1887 he took charge of the Hotel Duquesne, and by his rare tact and administrative ability made that establishment one of the most admirable of its kind west of the Allegheny mountains. Mr. Witherow's cares as a host have not caused him to forsake politics absolutely. In '88 he made a fight for Republican National Delegate against a powerful combination, and was beaten by only two votes. Few men are happier than he in the formation of strong and permanent friendships, and few are more generally respected and esteemed.








Source: All Sorts of Pittsburgers Sketched in Prose and Verse; Burgoyne, Arthur; Pittsburg, PA; The Leader; 1892.







Witherow Ancestry Resources

Witherow in Family Trees
Witherow in the largest collection of family trees online contributed by Ancestry.com users.

Witherow Genealogy Records
Witherow in thousands of birth, marriage & death, church, immigration & naturalization, and Civil War service records and pension index.

Witherow in Census Images
Witherow U.S. census records. The 1910 census lists Civil War survivors.

Witherow in Newspapers
Look for Witherow in historic PA newspapers. Articles may list battles, draft lists, soldiers returning home, lists of killed, injured, and POWs.

Witherow in PA County History Books
Look for Witherow biographical sketches in historic Pennsylvania Family and Local History Books and Stories.




Civil War Research

Civil War Research
Want to find out if your ancestor was a Civil War soldier? Follow these research ideas.






Pennsylvania Civil War
Search PA Civil War | Privacy Policy | Site Map | Acknowledgements | Want to Help?

Copyright © PA Civil War Volunteers 1997 - 2013 All rights reserved.