OBIT: John WITHEROW, 1890, of interest in Blair County, PA

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JOHN WITHEROW.
Death of an Aged Citizen of Perry County.

  A telegram received yesterday announced the death of Mr. John 
Witherow at his late residence near New Bloomfield, Pa., on Tuesday 
morning, November 18, 1890, at 1.30 o'clock.  He was aged 87 years and 
1 month and the cause of his death was simply old age.  He was in the 
full possession of his faculties up almost to the hour of his death.
  John Witherow was born in Chester county in the year 1803, his 
parents moving from thence to what is now known as Atkinson's Mills, 
Mifflin county, where the subject of this sketch passed his youth and 
early manhood.  Here he was engaged in the fulling and carding business 
with his father and brothers.  About the year 1835 he moved to Perry 
county, locating at Landisburg for a short time, but finally buying the 
property near New Bloomfield, Perry county, and there spent the 
remaining half century of his life.  Fifty years ago the fulling and 
carding business was quite an industry in this state and he found it 
necessary to enlarge and rebuild the carding and fulling mill, and, in 
connection with a saw mill, in which he carried on business 
successfully for a great many years, Witherow's mills being one of the 
old land marks of that section.
  Mr. Witherow was married three times.  His first two wives were 
sisters - Margaret Ann and Sarah Sunderland, respectively - who were 
residents of Mifflin county.  About the year 1852 he married Maria 
Roth, a sister of the late Conrad Roth, who survives him.  Mr. Witherow 
was the father of twelve children, nine of whom are living.  Their 
names are: Mrs. Sarah McGowan, Baltimore, M.D. [sic]; Mrs. Rebecca 
Dern, wife of the senior proprietor of the TRIBUNE; Mrs. Annie E. 
Moore, of New Bloomfield; Miss Mary Witherow, residing at the old 
homestead; Samuel S. Witherow, who carried on the business in 
partnership with his father, John N., of Vineyard Station, Mifflin 
county; Mrs. Clara W. Klinepeter, of New Bloomfield; Mrs. Alice V. 
Strouse, of Mexico, Juniata county, and Charles T. Witherow, of this 
city.  David Lukens, of Atchison, Kansas, a nephew of the deceased, 
made his home with the family until he migrated to the west.  There are 
descendent from him fifteen grand children and nine great grand 
children.
  In religion Mr. Witherow was a Presbyterian, having been a consistent 
member of that church for the greater part of his lifetime.  In 
politics an old-line democrat, holding his political faith next in 
importance to his religious belief.  The funeral services, which will 
be held on Friday morning at 10 o'clock, from his late residence, will 
be the closing scene of a long, honored and well-spent life, and as the 
friends turn from the open grave, they can truly say: He has fought the 
fight and has kept the faith.  Let him be at peace.

Morning Tribune, Altoona, Pa., Wednesday, November 19, 1890