John Seashoal Witcher (July 15, 1839 – July 8, 1906) was an American farmer, politician and soldier from

Cabell County Cabell County is located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 94,350, making it West Virginia's fourth most-populous county. Its county seat is Huntington. The county was organized in 1809 and named for ...

, West Virginia (then in Virginia), who helped found the new Union state during the American Civil War and served one term in Congress representing West Virginia's 3rd congressional district as a Republican. After losing his re-election, however, he resumed his federal and U.S. Army career. In addition to serving as

lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

and

brevet Brevet may refer to: Military * Brevet (military), higher rank that rewards merit or gallantry, but without higher pay * Brevet d'état-major, a military distinction in France and Belgium awarded to officers passing military staff college * Aircre ...

colonel of the 3rd West Virginia Volunteer Cavalry, Witcher also served a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates and as the 3rd Secretary of State of West Virginia. On March 18, 1867, President

Andrew Johnson Andrew Johnson (December 29, 1808July 31, 1875) was the 17th president of the United States, serving from 1865 to 1869. He assumed the presidency as he was vice president at the time of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Johnson was a Dem ...

nominated Witcher for appointment to the

grade of brigadier general, to rank from March 13, 1865; and the United States Senate confirmed the appointment on March 28, 1867.Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher, ''Civil War High Commands.'' Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. . pp. 577, 767. He is sometimes confused with his first cousin, Confederate Col. Vincent A. "Clawhammer" Witcher, a lawyer who lived in nearby Wayne County and who commanded the

34th Virginia Cavalry Battalion The 34th Virginia Cavalry Battalion was a cavalry battalion raised in the Appalachian mountain region of southwestern Virginia as well as adjoining areas of what became West Virginia as well as Tennessee, Kentucky and North Carolina for service in ...

Early and family life

Born in Cabell County, Virginia (now West 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. 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).

Career

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 the circuit court of Cabell County in 1861. On December 13, 1862, Witcher enlisted in the Union Army as a first lieutenant in the

3rd West Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment The 3rd West Virginia Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. In 1864, the regiment had an important part in the Battle of Moorefield, where a surprise attack led by General William W. A ...

. He was promoted to

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

on September 8, 1863,

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

on May 23, 1864 and

on May 6, 1865 before being honorably mustered out on June 30, 1865. After the war's end, Cabell County voters elected Witcher to represent them in the West Virginia House of Delegates. He also served as West Virginia's 3rd Secretary of State. On March 18, 1867, President

nominated Witcher for appointment to the grade of

brigadier general, to rank from March 13, 1865, and the United States Senate confirmed the appointment on March 28, 1867. Witcher was a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates in 1865, was Secretary of State of West Virginia from 1867 to 1869 and was elected a Republican to the United States House of Representatives in 1868, serving from 1869 to 1871. After being unsuccessful for reelection in 1870, he was appointed collector of internal revenue for the third district of West Virginia by President

Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. As Commanding General, he led the Union Ar ...

, serving from 1871 to 1876. Witcher served as United States pension agent in Washington, D.C. from 1878 to 1880 and was

and paymaster of the United States Army from 1880 until his retirement in 1899.Eicher 577 He was promoted to lieutenant colonel on the retired list on April 23, 1904.

Death and legacy

He moved to Salt Lake City, Utah in 1891 where he died on July 8, 1906. He is interred in Arlington National Cemetery.https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/5995216/john-seashole-witcher Arlington National Cemetery find-a-grave Retrieved August 8, 2019.

References

External links

Retrieved on 2008-10-18 {{DEFAULTSORT:Witcher, John 1839 births 1906 deaths Military personnel from West Virginia County clerks in Virginia Republican Party members of the West Virginia House of Delegates People from Cabell County, West Virginia Politicians from Salt Lake City People of West Virginia in the American Civil War Secretaries of State of West Virginia Union Army officers United States Army officers United States Army paymasters Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from West Virginia 19th-century American politicians

Early and family life

Career

Death and legacy

See also

References

External links