As we build our own community on the land known as Celebrate
Virginia North, formerly part of the England Farm, and the Civil War Northern
Army Mud March, we researched another family who inhabited this land.
The genealogists that we are we couldn’t help but notice the two stone cemetery set off among the new homes. The corner lot is preserved in honor of the Withers
family. The Withers family had a
farm of over 3200 acres. The farmhouse still existed when the property was
purchased by developers. We were
curious about our cemetery neighbors and my hubby set out to research this
family. He wrote an article for our community newsletter with his findings.
That article was titled, Wither Art Thou?
Mary De Jarnette Withers,
wife of Edward has the oldest stone. Mary and Edward had eight children before
she died at the age of 37. Edward then married Mary’s sister, Sophie and they
had another eight children. My
husband concluded, “He, obviously, didn’t ‘wither away.’”
The second stone in the cemetery is that of Charles Withers who died in 1818 at the
age of 57. Charles, unmarried, was a brother to Edward.
Charles and Edward are two of nine children born to James and Susan Waller Withers. In 1793 James Withers was reported to hold
the office of Tobacco Inspector for Stafford County. Consequently the Withers was a prominent family in
the area.
Anita Dodd of the Stafford County Cemetery Committee thinks
there are additional graves in the plot, though no more stones have been
found. Not to worry though. The
small cemetery is property maintained and protected by black wrought iron
fence. The Withers family
presence on this land is remembered and honored. We will do our best to
continue good stewardship.
