This brief history of the Withrow family and tannery is taken from the Greenbrier Independent, its series “Reminiscences of Lewisburg” that were published in March 1860, deeds in the Greenbrier County Courthouse, and other public sources.

 

Family

     James Withrow was born in 1776 and came to Lewisburg in 1796. He died in 1843 and is buried in the Old Stone Church cemetery.

     James had a son, James Withrow Jr, born in 1818 and worked with his father in the tannery business for a number of years. He died in 1901 and is also buried in the Old Stone Church cemetery.

     James Jr. had a son, Edgar Daingerfield Withrow, born in 1845. He was a Captain in Company E of the 14th Virginia Cavalry, was captured near Berryville, Virginia, in September 1864, and spent the remainder of the war as a prisoner at Camp Chase in Ohio. After the war, he worked with his father in the family tannery business. He was the third generation Withrow to operate the tannery.

 

March 13, 1860

     William Morrow erected a tannery and joined in partnership with James Withrow (1796), which was productive of large profits; and but a few years elapsed until his wealth elevated him to a condition to vie with the best men of the county . . .

Greenbrier Independent vol 11 no. 5  “Reminiscences of Lewisburg”

 

March 27, 1860 

     James Withrow's elder brother was at that time carrying on the manufacture of leather, and by his advice James set in with him, in his seventeenth year, and continued three years; when by the advice of and assistance of his older brother, he rented a tanning establishment in Warm Springs, in Bath county Va, which he occupied but a year or two, and removed to Lewisburg and commenced a partnership with William Morrow (1796), which continued some six years; at which time he purchased his partner's interest of the stock in trade (1802); and in but two years more (1815) he purchased the whole tannery with some six lots – on one of which he erected a comfortable dwelling house (now known as the Montwell house, overlooking his tannery). Being now some thirty-two years of age,and enjoying the advantages of wealth, to guarantee an easy independence, (without which he often said he would never marry) he determined on making a choice among the young ladies,with whom he had been a favorite many years. He was often seen on the way to Captain Edgar's, and in the course of a few months, a matrimonial engagement and marriage took place with his second daughter, Letitia.

Greenbrier Independent vol 11 no. 7  “Reminiscences of Lewisburg”

 

Tannery

February 24, 1807 Deed book 3 page 400

     William Morrow sells lots 9 and 11, the tanyard property, to James Withrow.

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September 18, 1815 Deed book 6, page 400

     William Morrow sells part of lot 9 and house to James Withrow, property that apparently was not included in the 1807 sale.

 

January 25, 1873

Lewisburg Tannery, James Withrow & Son

     James Withrow and E.D. Withrow having formed a co-partnership to carry on the Tanning business, will hereafter conduct the same,at the Lewisburg Tannery, in all its branches, under the style and firm of James Withrow & Son. They will keep constantly on hand a general assortment of all kinds of leather, and will pay a liberal price for hides and bark. A call from their friends is solicited.

Greenbrier Independent vol 7 no. 31 (Advertisement)

 

March 30, 1900 Deed book 55, page 92

     James Withrow sold the tanyard (lots where the tannery was located) to William Masters, one of the owners of the Lewisburg Milling & Electric Co.

 

June 4, 1900 Deed book 55, page 176.

     William Masters sold the tanyard to the Lewisburg Milling & Electric Co. which he partially owned.

 

June 7, 1900

Tannery Building Razed On Tuesday morning last (June 5) a force of hands began tearing down another old landmark of Lewisburg – the old Tanyard brick building- which was built about the year 1825, by the late James Withrow, father of our honored townsmen, James Withrow, Esq. The removal of the building is necessary to make room for the erection of a big Steam Roller Mill and the laying of an electric light plant.

Greenbrier Independent Vol 34 #52