William H. Withey Biography

William H. Withey

Born 25 March 1831 Friendship, Allegany, New York
Died ????

Biography

Major WILLIAM H. WITHEY was born in Friendship, Allegany County, N.Y., March 25th, 1831. Attending school, when he had attained the proper age, and working on the farm until his sixteenth year, he then commenced working at the millwright trade. This he followed till he was twenty-one years of age, when he began attending school at Alfred University, where he remained a number of terms. On the 31st December, 1858, he was married to Miss AMANDA M. BEARS, of Bolivar. Afterward, lumbering and the mercantile business occupied his time till he volunteered, October twenty second, 1861, for the war, and joined the 28th NY Volunteers, of General Bank's Division. With this command he took part in driving out rebel General Jackson from the Shenandoah Valley, and in the famous retreat from it. His noble 28th had become so depleted by the fortunes of war that only 400 men survived, with whom, on the 9th of August, 1862, he went into the battle of Cedar Mountain, and was one of the 125 survivors of the regiment at the set of sun. Ten days after he was taken prisoner while attending the wounded officers in the hospital at Culpeper, Virginia. Having been carried to Richmond on the 25th of September, he remained there in prison till the 7th of October, when he was paroled, and, with others, sent to Washington, where he was discharged. On the 29th of August, 1864, he commenced raising a company of infantry, of which he was elected Captain, and on the 27th of September it was mustered into service, at Elmira, as Company B, 189th NY Volunteers. On being elected Major, the same generous uprightness characterized him as had won him the fullest confidence and love of his Company, and rendered him one of the most popular, true and useful officers of the regiment.

HISTORY OF THE ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-NINTH REGIMENT OF NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS. by Wm. H. Rogers, A.M., Chaplain. NY, 1865, additions by Gerry Raw halger@integrityonline12.com, self published, 1996

William H. Withey was born in Friendship, March 25th, 1831. He lived on the farm until his sixteenth year when he learned the millwright's trade, which he followed until he attained his majority, when he entered Alfred University, where he remained several terms. December 31st, 1857, he was married to Miss Amanda M. BEERS, of Bolivar. He was afterward engaged in trade and lumbering until he volunteered in the fall of 1861 and joined the 28th regiment N. Y. S. volunteers, with which he served until discharged. In August, 1864, he raised a company, which was mustered into service September 27th as Company B, 189th regiment N. Y. S. volunteers, of which he was elected major, and served until mustered out. Mr. Withey, who is now sheriff of Allegany county, has served as deputy census marshal and two years as canal superintendent.

HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, NEW YORK, New York: F. W. Beers & Co., 1879, p. 208, (Angelica)

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