Southampton County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Withy, Captain George H., 1910 

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GEORGE HURST WITHY

CAPTAIN GEORGE H. WITHY CLOSES USEFUL LIFE

   Captain George H. Withy, veteran pilot, true Christian gentleman and one of 
the finest characters our town has ever known, died at his home in Franklin 
Saturday, September 4, in his seventy-third year.  His health had been poor 
several weeks in the Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, last year, but his 
last days, when the hopelessness of his illness was apparent to everyone, were 
spent in the home and under the loving care of his daughter, Mrs. W.R. Hayes, 
and were characterized by the Christian fortitude, patience and beautiful 
optimism of one who "hopes to meet his pilot face to face."

   Captain Withy was born in Leeds, England, January 15, 1848, and came to the 
States with his father, Charles Withy, when a small child.  His father was 
engineer for the Albemarle Steam Navigation Company of this town for twenty 
years, beginning his service with them as chief engineer of the steamer 
"Stag", a river boat for many years a familiar and favorite means of 
transportation on the streams of eastern Virginia and North Carolina, but now 
a mere memory in the minds of our oldest citizens.  Serving as fireman on the 
"Stag" under his father, Captain began his connection with the A.S.N. Co., 
January 1, 1868, a period of service probably unequaled along the Atlantic 
Coast.  In November 1871, he secured his master’s license, and from that 
active service of his company he had been making regular trips as captain of 
the company‘s boats on the Blackwater, Meherrin, Wicacon and Chowan rivers and 
on the Albemarle Sound.

   Mr. J.A. Pretlow, president and manager of the A.S.N. Co., who held Captain 
Withy in the highest esteem, and sorrows as one of his own family in his 
death, estimates that during the Captain’s 53 years connection with his 
company he had traveled in command of the several steamers of the A.S.N. Co. 
over which he was captain more than 1,225,000 miles, or more than fifty times 
the distance around the world.

   Among the many interesting and dangerous situations occurring in his long 
and useful life the wreck of the steamer "Olive" on the night of February 16, 
1903, near the mouth of the Chowan river, and the heroic part played by 
Captain Withy following that catastrophe, is still fresh in the minds of 
everyone.  While the Olive was coming out of Edenton up the Chowan river, a 
hurricane of unprecedented violence struck the boat, causing her to sink in 35 
feet of water.  Only one lifeboat remained on ship, the majority of the crew 
and passengers escaping on this leaving Captain Withy, the colored chambermaid 
and three passengers behind.  They would have drowned but for the pilot house 
and hurricane deck of the steamer breaking loose and floating off with the 
five clinging to the top.  With the mercury only ten degrees above zero and 
the freezing water whipped by the wind driving over the, it looked as if they 
would freeze.  Captain Withy took off his coat, wrapped it around one of the 
passengers entrusted to his care, and by his indomitable courage and cheerful 
spirits kept those who were in that perilous position with him from giving up 
hope.  Nearly froze and at the point of exhaustion, they were rescued at 
daybreak by a passing Norfolk and Southern steamer.  It was characteristic of 
this fine old man that when whiskey in abundance was administered to the other 
members of the half-frozen group who had spent the night in the icy waters and 
under constant danger of drowning, he refused any other stimulant than strong, 
black coffee his favorite and strongest beverage as all cooks of the steamers 
which he commanded well knew.  It was learned afterwards that the lifeboat 
stood by the wreck for some time, but hearing nothing from those on board 
thought they had gone down with the ship.  The following day, Captain Withy 
hurried to Franklin and took command of the relief steamer which was sent to 
the scene of the accident.

   Captain Withy was a consistent, loyal and useful Christina.  He held his 
membership in the Franklin Baptist Church and no member was more faithful in 
attendance upon its services nor more zealous in the observance of its 
ordinances than he.  He lived a life known of all men, practicing his beliefs 
in his daily duties and associations and standing four-square in his 
obligations to his home, his fellowmen and his God.  He was also a member of 
Franklin Lodge No. 51, Knight of Pythias.  He is survived by his widow, who 
was Miss Emma L.* Gardner; two daughters, Mrs. W.R. Hayes, with whom he and 
Mrs. Withy had made their home for several years since moving from the old 
home in Isle of Wight, and whose husband, Captain W.R. Hayes is master of the 
steamer "Hertford", of the A.S.N. Co., and Mrs. Adolphus A. Cutchin of 
Franklin; four grandchildren, Dr. George Withy Hayes of Portsmouth, Misses 
Emma and Lizzie Mae Cutchin and Master Adolphus Cutchin of Franklin; one 
sister, Mrs. Helen Smith of Baltimore, a number of nieces and nephews and a 
host of friends.

   The funeral services were conducted Sunday afternoon at 3 o’clock from the 
church which Captain Withy had loved and served so well, Rev. M.A. MacLean, 
pastor of the church, being assisted by Rev. Francis R. Lee of the Episcopal 
Church.  A larger concourse of friends crowded the church and followed the 
body of their friend to its last resting place in beautiful Poplar Spring 
Cemetery where a profusion of handsome floral tributes covered the mound.

   The active pallbearers were Capt. E.A. Davenport, Capt. Z.L. Davis, Capt. 
B.A. Brooks, John Murphy, W.O. Bogart, Geo. H. Parker, B.B. Garrenton, Barclay 
Pretlow; honorary J.A. Pretlow, R.A. Pretlow, G.G. McCann, M. H. Moore, E. 
Frank Story, J.P. Gay, Crawford Barrett, Dr. A.P. Cutchin, Tim Johnson, E.S. 
Eley, D.A. Holland, A.W. Hayes, B.M. Cutchin, P.D. Camp, S.B. Savage, Jacob 
Bradshaw, A.G. Schram, A. L. Gardner, Tom Barrett, C.C. Vaughan, Sr., Jimmie 
Cobb, Jesse Edwards, I.E. Howell, J.R. Howell, Sam Nicholson, Uriah Rawls, 
Harry Steinhardt, George Steinhardt, Dr. R.H. Cobb, John Lankford, G.G. Smith, 
E.G. Evans, R.C. Campbell, J.N. Bell, C.A. Cutchins, Charlie Cutchins, L.L. 
Manry, J.A. Williams, J.R. McLane, J.B. Gay, W.G. Williams, R.A. Peters, Geo 
R. Hayes, General C.C. Vaughan, T.J. Bradshaw.


Captain George Hurst WITHY, A.S.N. steamboat captain, 
b. 15 Jan 1848, England**, d. 4 Sep 1910, at home, Franklin, 
interred in Poplar Spring Cemetery (Section 2, Plot 10*), Franklin, 5 Sep 1910, 
"The Tidewater News" (Franklin, VA), Sep. 10, 1910, p. 12 

*Original gave his wife's middle initial as "J."  She was Emma Lou GARDNER. 
   Southampton County Historical Society {SCHS} Cemetery Project, 
   Poplar Spring list: 
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/cemeteries/poplar2.txt 

**Obit gives his birthplace as Leeds, which is in north central England. 
   The death certificate (q.v.) for his daughter Elizabeth A. (WITHY; Mrs. 
   Wm.R.) HAYES gives his birthplace as Hull (Kingston-Upon-Hull), which is a 
   port city, located due east of Leeds. 
   http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/vitals/deaths/h200e1dc.txt 


Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by 
Mrs. Bruce Saunders (bs4403@verizon.net), 
and re-formatted by File Manager Matt Harris. 

file at: 
http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/obits/w300g1ob.txt