John Seashoal Witcher | |
|---|---|
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| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromWest Virginia's3rd district | |
| In office March 4, 1869 – March 3, 1871 | |
| Preceded by | Daniel Polsley |
| Succeeded by | Frank Hereford |
| 3rdSecretary of State of West Virginia | |
| In office 1867–1869 | |
| Governor | William E. Stevenson |
| Preceded by | Granville D. Hall |
| Succeeded by | James M. Pipes |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1839-07-15)July 15, 1839 Cabell County, Virginia, United States (nowWest Virginia) |
| Died | July 8, 1906(1906-07-08) (aged 66) Salt Lake City, Utah, United States |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Mahaley Witcher |
| Profession | Politician, Soldier |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service | |
| Years of service |
|
| Rank | |
| Unit | 3rd West Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
John Seashoal Witcher (July 15, 1839 – July 8, 1906) was an American farmer, politician and soldier fromCabell County,West Virginia (then in Virginia), who helped found the new Union state during theAmerican Civil War and served one term in Congress representingWest Virginia's 3rd congressional district as aRepublican. After losing his re-election, however, he resumed his federal andU.S. Army career. In addition to serving aslieutenant colonel andbrevetcolonel of the3rd West Virginia Volunteer Cavalry, Witcher also served a member of theWest Virginia House of Delegates and as the 3rdSecretary of State of West Virginia. On March 18, 1867,PresidentAndrew Johnson nominated Witcher for appointment to thebrevet grade ofbrigadier general, to rank from March 13, 1865; and theUnited States Senate confirmed the appointment on March 28, 1867.[1]He is sometimes confused with his first cousin, Confederate Col.Vincent A. "Clawhammer" Witcher, a lawyer who lived in nearbyWayne County and who commanded the34th Virginia Cavalry Battalion.[2][3]
Born inCabell County, Virginia (nowWest Virginia) to farmer Jeremiah Witcher and his wife Polly, John Witcher was his family's only son, having an elder sister Emily (b. 1838) and younger sisters America (b. 1844) and Valeria (b. 1846). The family also included his paternal grandmother Sarah until some time before 1860.[4][5] John attended the local private schools as a child, as well as helped on the family farm.
He married Mahaley F. Witcher, four years his junior, and they had a daughter Valera in 1862 and sons William V Witcher (b. 1863), P. Sheridan Witcher (b. 1865) and John T. Witcher (b. 1867).[6]
John Witcher, who listed himself as a farmer on the 1860 census (when the household also included a 25 year old day laborer), was elected clerk of thecircuit court of Cabell County in 1861.
On December 13, 1862, Witcher enlisted in theUnion Army as afirst lieutenant in the3rd West Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment.[1] He was promoted tocaptain on September 8, 1863,major on May 23, 1864, andlieutenant colonel on May 6, 1865, before being honorably mustered out on June 30, 1865.[1]
After the war's end, Cabell County voters elected Witcher to represent them in theWest Virginia House of Delegates. He also served as West Virginia's 3rdSecretary of State.On March 18, 1867,PresidentAndrew Johnson nominated Witcher for appointment to the grade ofbrevetbrigadier general, to rank from March 13, 1865, and theUnited States Senate confirmed the appointment on March 28, 1867.[7]
Witcher was a member of theWest Virginia House of Delegates in 1865, wasSecretary of State of West Virginia from 1867 to 1869 and was elected aRepublican to theUnited States House of Representatives in 1868, serving from 1869 to 1871. After being unsuccessful for reelection in 1870, he was appointed collector ofinternal revenue for the third district ofWest Virginia byPresidentUlysses S. Grant, serving from 1871 to 1876. Witcher served as United States pension agent inWashington, D.C. from 1878 to 1880 and wasmajor andpaymaster of theUnited States Army from 1880 until his retirement in 1899.[8] He was promoted to lieutenant colonel on the retired list on April 23, 1904.[8]
He moved toSalt Lake City, Utah in 1891 where he died on July 8, 1906.[8] He is interred inArlington National Cemetery.[9]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Secretary of State of West Virginia 1867 – 1869 | Succeeded by James M. Pipes |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromWest Virginia's 3rd congressional district March 4, 1869 – March 3, 1871 | Succeeded by |
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