San Diego County CA Archives Biographies.....Witherby, O. S. 1815 - 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 21, 2006, 12:57 am

Author: Theodore S. Van Dyke

JUDGE O. S. WITHERBY.

   IT is not alone to her wealth, the extent of her manufacturing industries,
and the political influence she wields, that Ohio owes her proud position in the
sisterhood of States. It is to the spirit of enterprise, business acumen, and
go-aheadativeness of her sons that the wonderful progress of this wonderful
State is largely due. Wherever great cities have sprung up, wherever there are
projects requiring men of genuine ability to conceive, or capital to develop
them, among the leading spirits of the community will be found the sons of Ohio.
Thev have gone out from their mother State into the remotest sections of the
Union, and carry with them everywhere the impress of progress that has become
one of their fixed attributes.

   One of Ohio's sons, who has aided materially in building up San Diego, is
Judge Oliver S. Witherby. He was born in Cincinnati. February 19, 1815. He
graduated at Miami University in 1836, studied law at Hamilton, and was admitted
to the bar in 1840. Three years later he was elected Prosecuting Attorney for
Butler County. jin office which he filled for two terms. At the breaking out of
the Mexican war he was First Lieutenant of Company K, in the first regiment of
Ohio Volunteers, that left Cincinnati in May, 1846. After remaining with his
company for about one year he was taken sick at Camargo, Mexico, and left there
for home. On his return he resumed his duties as Prosecuting Attorney, and also
acted as editor of the Hamilton Telegraph.

   Judge Witherby came to San Diego in 1849. with the Boundary Line Commission,
being Commissary of the commission, and after the labors of that body were*
finished he decided on locating on the shores of San Diego Bay. He was elected
to represent the County of San Diego in the first Legislature that assembled at
Monterey in 1850, and with his voice and vote assisted in moulding the laws of
the State just created. He was elected the first Judge of the southern district
under the first constitution, a position which he filled with honor until he was
appointed, by President Pierce. Collector of Customs for the port of San Diego.
Soon after the expiration of his term as Collector, Judge Witherby purchased a
ranch, which is now called Escondido, and for over ten years he was a successful
farmer. In 1868 he sold his ranch and returned to San Diego. During those early
years Judge Witherby had judiciously invested in real estate. He is one of the
few men who have had steady faith in the great future of San Diego. When others
sold out their investments, discouraged at the prospect of the city's growth, he
held on. As a result he is now one of San Diego's wealthy men. He is interested
in many financial undertakings, and is a director in the Consolidated National
Bank. Politically Judge Witherby has always been a Democrat, and he is looked
upon as one of the leaders of the party in Southern California. He is a
public-spirited citizen, liberal in his views, and his generosity is proverbial.


Additional Comments:
From:

THE
CITY AND COUNTY
OF
SAN DIEGO.
ILLUSTRATED,
AND CONTAINING
BI0GRAPHICAL SKETCHES
OF
PROMINENT MEN AND PIONEERS.

SAN DIEGO, CAL.
LEBERTHON & TAYLOR
1888


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/sandiego/bios/witherby824nbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cafiles/

File size: 3.8 Kb