Amariah Withrow

As printed in 1910

AMARIAH WITHROW.

One of the distinctive features of the smaller cities and towns of Illinois is the residence of retired agriculturists who have settled down adjacent to their farms which were the scenes of former labor and are now enjoying themselves with plenty of time to look into civic affairs and to give their communities the benefit of their experience. One of the respected retired farmers of Genesee is Amariah Withrow, who was born in White county, Illinois, May 4, 183 1, a son of Neely and Paula (Everlith) Withrow. The father was born February 16, 1810, and the mother February 6, 1806, both being natives of New York state. Later they removed to Kentucky and then to White county, Illinois, probably several years before Amariah Withrow was born. In 1836 they settled in Phenix township, Henry county, at a time when the Indians were still troublesome. The father was first a whig and later a republican. His death occurred January 23, 1839, but his widow survived him until June 25, 1891, and both were interred in the Phenix cemetery. They were married May 20, 1830. Five children were born to them, three of whom survive: Amariah, the subject of this review; John Wesley, born October 19, 1834, who lives in Geneseo; and Neely, born August 20, 1839, who lives in Central City, Nebraska. On February 24, 1841, Mrs. Withrow married Harvey Hiksox, who was born August 27, 1819, and died November 4, 1853. They had three children, all of whom died in childhood, except Eunice, who passed away February 7, 1897. She was the wife of Asoph King and lived in Central City, Nebraska.

Amariah Withrow attended school during the winter from the time he was ten years old until he was thirteen, when not otherwise engaged, and one term after he had attained his majority. He remained with his mother and stepfather until twenty-one years old and when he was twenty-five he had saved sufficient money to purchase forty acres of land in Phenix township. To this he kept adding until he now owns one hundred acres and at one time he had much more land but has disposed of some of it. Until 1895 he carried on general farming, but in that year he removed to Geneseo, where he built a comfortable house on North Aldrich street, which continues to be his home. He is a republican but advocates the temperance movement, and he is active in the Methodist church, of which he is a member.

On August 8, 1856, Mr. Withrow married Mary J. Huston, who was born in Ohio, October 6, 1832, a daughter of John D. and Margaret (Elder) Huston. The father was born in Ireland in the early part of 1800, while the mother was born in Pennsylvania. He came to America when sixteen and was a carter by trade. Both he and his wife died in Ohio. They had seven children, but Mrs. Withrow is now the only survivor. Mr. and Mrs. Withrow have had seven children, four of whom are living, and all were born in Phenix township: Eva Marian, born August 28, 1857, died at the age of three years; Sylvestor died when one month old; Ellis E. died at the age of thirteen months; William, born April 5, 1862, married Pearle Merriman, of Geneseo, and they live on the homestead; Letha Amelia, born in 1864, married Sheldon Farber and they live near Princeton, Iowa and have six children, Guy, Floyd, Ethel, Leonard, Jesse and Vera; Lucinda, born June 25, 1867, married Clarence Ray, lives in Monmouth, Illinois, and while she has no children of her own she has adopted her husband's daughter; and Jerome, born July 22, 1869, married Bessie Magnuson and they live in Geneseo township and have two children, Ellen and Carl. Mrs. Withrow is also a member of the Methodist church, and is an earnest, devout Christian lady.

Mr. Withrow is a self-made man and he admits that his wife has borne an important part in securing his success. Some of his pioneer recollections are extremely interesting and if space permitted the insertion of them in full would be desirable. He has seen Indians living in their wild state in Illinois, and when his family arrived here, they were one of three white household in Henry county. To these three white families there were one hundred Indians, but now nothing remains of the red men but a few relics, while the descendants of the paper face inhabit the land. Mr. Withrow is a kind-hearted, earnest man, kind toward all and extremely proud of his children and wife.

As printed in History of Henry County, Illinois (1910). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.