My Genealogy Hound

WITHERS, HON. HENRY C., attorney at law, Carrollton, was born in Girard County, Ky., on the 10th of January, 1839. His father, William Withers, was the son of Abijah Withers, whose father, William Withers, removed from Virginia to Kentucky at an early period, where the family thereafter resided. His parental ancestry were originally natives of England and Scotland; came to America and settled in Virginia prior to the revolution. His mother, Elizabeth Withers, was the daughter of the Hon. Horatio Bruce, a distinguished politician of the Democratic party of Kentucky, and Elizabeth Beasely of Ohio. Mr. Bruce was one of the first men of Kentucky of any prominence to advocate a repeal of the laws imprisoning for debt, and it was mainly through his influence and exertion while a member of the legislature that it was successfully accomplished. He was born in Virginia and at an early age moved to Kentucky. His father, John Bruce, and eight sons, older brothers of Horatio, served through the war for independence under General Washington, and also served during the war of 1812. He was a cousin of Henry Clay, and an uncle of the present Judge Horatio W. Bruce, of Louisville, Ky. The Braces are of Scotch origin and claim kinship to King Robert, the founder of the Stuart dynasty. His grandfather Bruce had eight brothers who were lawyers, four of whom were legislators and some of them especially distinguished, and admiration for his character influenced more than any other, our subject to choose the profession of the law. In 1846 his parents left Kentucky and settled in Greene County. There he attended the common school during the winter months only, working on the farm the remainder of the year. But so great was his zeal and ambition that his progress in learning was equal to that of his classmates who attended throughout the entire year. At seventeen he entered the Berean College, at Jacksonville, Ill., at which he commenced a classical course of study. After two years he became proficient in the Greek, Latin and German languages and mathematics. Lack of means on the part of his parents made a further prosecution of the collegiate course impossible. He subsequently taught a common school near Alexander Station, Morgan County. In the Summer of 1858 he worked as a farm laborer in Greene County, making a full hand at all kinds of farm work during the season. The following winter he began the study of law under Hon. James W. English at Carrollton, where he permanently settled in 1867. He formed a co-partnership with Hon. David M. Woodson, deceased, who for sixteen years served in the capacity of Circuit Judge. In 1860 he became an active supporter of Stephen A. Douglas for the Presidency, and acquired, during that campaign, some reputation as a speaker. In 1865-6 he edited in an able manner the Carrollton Democrat. In 1872 he was a delegate to the Baltimore Convention and indorsed the platform there made in 1866. At the age of twenty-seven he was elected to the House of Representatives from Greene County, and in Aug. 1874, was elected as an independent candidate to the office of State’s attorney, March 18, 1863, he was married to Fanny, only daughter of the late David M. Woodson, one of the most upright men that founded a home within the borders of Greene County. Two sons were born of this marriage: Meade W. and William H.