Withington, William Herbert, 1835-1903

Captain in the 17th Regiment, Michigan Volunteer Infantry, during the Civil War. He later co-founded the Withington and Cooley Co. (later American Fork and Hoe, Inc.).

Withington was born in 1835, the son of William and Elizabeth W. (Ford) Withington. He was educated in Boston public schools and at Andover Academy. Withington worked as a salesman in various shops. By 1858 he operated Sprague, Withington & Co., later Withington & Cooley Mfg. Co. (Jackson, Mich.), makers of farm and garden tools. In 1861, Withington organized the Jackson (Mich.) Grays, which become Co. B, 1st Mich. Vol. Infantry. He served as Captain. Withington was soon captured and imprisoned. After being exchanged with other prisoners, he earned the Congressional Medal for special service at Bull Run. Known for his courage, he was later appointed as Col. of the Mich. 17th Regiment. In March 1863, Withington was made a Brevet Brig. Gen. He served as a member of the Mich. House of Representatives, 1873-1874. Withington was the originator of a bill for effective state militia. He became Col. of the 1st Mich. State Troops Regiment, and in 1879 Brig. Gen. He resigned in 1883. Withington served in the Mich. State Senate, 1891-1892, and as a delegate to the Republican conventions of 1876 and 1892. In 1859, he married Julia C. Beebe, with whom he had three children: Philip H., Winthrop J., and Kate W. Carrow. He died in 1903. (Information from his memorial pamphlet in the Clarke Historical Library.).

Civil War officer, banker, Republican State Representative and Senator from Jackson, Michigan.

Representative from Jackson County, 1873-74; Senator, 1891-92 from Sixth District. Born in Dorchester, Mass., Feb. 1, 1835. Attended schools of Boston, and Phillips Academy at Andover. Caine to Jackson, Mich., in 1857, and engaged in the manufacture of agricultural implements. Was Captain of the Jackson Grays which, during the Civil war, became Co. B. 1st Mich. Inf. Served as Colonel in the state militia from 1873-79, and as Brigadier-General to 1883. Died in Jackson, June 27, 1903. (from Mich. Biog., 2:464; Moore, 2:813) (blue index cards)

William Herbert Withington was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts, on February 1, 1835. He received his education in Boston and Andover, and then began his career in business. In 1857 he joined the firm of Pinney & Lamson, agricultural implement manufacturers, to oversee their contract for prison labor in Jackson, Michigan. Withington soon had the opportunity to acquire the business from his previous employers, and co-founded Withington & Cooley Manufacturing Company.

In May 1861 Withington joined the Michigan Infantry Regiment, 1st, as a captain of Company B, the Jackson Greys. In July 1861 the 1st Michigan was deeply involved in the first Battle of Bull Run at Manassas, Virginia. Several of the company were cut off from Union forces, and although Withington was reported as dead, he was among those taken as a prisoner of war during the battle. His release was negotiated as part of a prisoner exchange in January 1862. He was commissioned colonel of the newly formed 17th Michigan Infantry in August 1862, and was discharged from the army in March 1863. In 1865 he was breveted brigadier general of the U. S. Volunteers for his actions in the battles of South Mountain and Antietam. He remained active in the State Militia until 1883, and served on committees for Civil War memorials.

Following his discharge, Withington returned to management of his company in Jackson, Michigan. A Republican, he served in the Michigan State Legislature as Representative of Jackson County, 1873-1874, and as Senator of the Sixth District, 1891-1892. In 1894 he made an unsuccessful bid to be appointed to a vacant seat in the U.S. Senate. Gen. William H. Withington died on June 27, 1903.