JAMES M. WITHERS, whose ranch is about six miles from Napa on the Sonoma road, has been a resident of California most of the time since 1850. He was born in Lincoln County, Kentucky, in 1814. His parents, John and Sallie (Morgan) Withers, were natives of Virginia and moved into Kentucky in the latter part of the last century, bought a farm and lived there until they died. The last member of the family who owned the place died there as recently as last September (1889).
On striking out in the world for himself, Mr. Withers was engaged in trading through the Southern States until 1843, when he moved to Missouri and followed farming there until 1850; he then crossed the plains with ox teams, reaching Placerville, August 1. For the first year he engaged in merchandising; he then returned by water to the East, but on the way was ship-wrecked at El Rosani, in the State of Sonora, Mexico. After walking thirty miles to a rancho, the party sent a man on horseback to San Diego, to bring down a vessel to transport the shipwrecked passengers and crew to Panama, a distance of 700 miles. After waiting sixteen days, the vessel, a steamer, took them along, and Mr. Withers made his way to New York without further mishap.
After visiting Kentucky, and occupying his Missouri farm two years, he sold out all his interests there and came to California, again crossing the plains, in 1854, and bringing with him a stock of cattle from Missouri. He spent the next two years in butchering and selling them, besides others which he bought in the mines.
In 1856 he again returned to the East, by the Panama route, intending to make his home in the older States, but the difference in climate determined him to make his permanent home on the Pacific coast, and in 1857 he again crossed the plains, having with him his wife and son, and bringing a stock of cattle and horses; and he has since that time made his home continuously in the Golden State.
For several years he traded in cattle and sheep in Oregon and Idaho. In 1868 he settled in Monterey County and engaged in wheat-raising until 1876. He then came to Napa County and purchased his present home, 350 acres, for which he then paid $30,000. This farm he has managed as a stock and grain ranch. In his political views he has always been liberal, first as a Whig and then as a Republican since the formation of the latter party.
In 1845 Mr. Withers married Miss Mary Christopher, a native also of Lincoln County, Kentucky, her parents having been natives of Virginia. Mr. Withers has two children living; Milton, now a resident of San Francisco; and Annie, now the wife of W. C Duhig, of Napa County. Courtesy: "A memorial and biographical history of northern California, illustrated. Containing a history of this important section of the Pacific coast from the earliest period of its occupancy...and biographical mention of many of its most eminent pioneers and also of prominent citizens of today." THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY, Chicago. 1891.
James married Mary christopher in June 1845 in lincoln County, Kentucky.
In 1849, they were living in Buchanan County, Missouri and moved to Cloverdale, California in 1867.
No other data is known.
JAMES M. WITHERS, whose ranch is about six miles from Napa on the Sonoma road, has been a resident of California most of the time since 1850. He was born in Lincoln County, Kentucky, in 1814. His parents, John and Sallie (Morgan) Withers, were natives of Virginia and moved into Kentucky in the latter part of the last century, bought a farm and lived there until they died. The last member of the family who owned the place died there as recently as last September (1889).
On striking out in the world for himself, Mr. Withers was engaged in trading through the Southern States until 1843, when he moved to Missouri and followed farming there until 1850; he then crossed the plains with ox teams, reaching Placerville, August 1. For the first year he engaged in merchandising; he then returned by water to the East, but on the way was ship-wrecked at El Rosani, in the State of Sonora, Mexico. After walking thirty miles to a rancho, the party sent a man on horseback to San Diego, to bring down a vessel to transport the shipwrecked passengers and crew to Panama, a distance of 700 miles. After waiting sixteen days, the vessel, a steamer, took them along, and Mr. Withers made his way to New York without further mishap.
After visiting Kentucky, and occupying his Missouri farm two years, he sold out all his interests there and came to California, again crossing the plains, in 1854, and bringing with him a stock of cattle from Missouri. He spent the next two years in butchering and selling them, besides others which he bought in the mines.
In 1856 he again returned to the East, by the Panama route, intending to make his home in the older States, but the difference in climate determined him to make his permanent home on the Pacific coast, and in 1857 he again crossed the plains, having with him his wife and son, and bringing a stock of cattle and horses; and he has since that time made his home continuously in the Golden State.
For several years he traded in cattle and sheep in Oregon and Idaho. In 1868 he settled in Monterey County and engaged in wheat-raising until 1876. He then came to Napa County and purchased his present home, 350 acres, for which he then paid $30,000. This farm he has managed as a stock and grain ranch. In his political views he has always been liberal, first as a Whig and then as a Republican since the formation of the latter party.
In 1845 Mr. Withers married Miss Mary Christopher, a native also of Lincoln County, Kentucky, her parents having been natives of Virginia. Mr. Withers has two children living; Milton, now a resident of San Francisco; and Annie, now the wife of W. C Duhig, of Napa County. Courtesy: "A memorial and biographical history of northern California, illustrated. Containing a history of this important section of the Pacific coast from the earliest period of its occupancy...and biographical mention of many of its most eminent pioneers and also of prominent citizens of today." THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY, Chicago. 1891.
James married Mary christopher in June 1845 in lincoln County, Kentucky.
In 1849, they were living in Buchanan County, Missouri and moved to Cloverdale, California in 1867.
No other data is known.
Family Members
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