John Witcher
Encyclopedia
John Seashoal Witcher was a nineteenth century politician and clerk from Virginia
and West Virginia
and was lieutenant colonel of the 3rd West Virginia Volunteer Cavalry
in the Civil War
.
(now West Virginia
), Witcher attended the public schools as a child. He was elected clerk of the circuit court
of Cabell County in 1861 before enlisting in the Union Army
as a first lieutenant in the 3rd West Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment
on December 13, 1862. He was promoted to captain on September 8, 1863, major
on May 23, 1864 and lieutenant colonel
on May 6, 1865 before being honorably mustered out on June 30, 1865. 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
, serving from 1871 to 1876. Witcher served as United States pension agent in Washington, D.C.
from 1878 to 1880 and was major
and paymaster
of the United States Army
from 1880 until his retirement in 1899. He moved to Salt Lake City, Utah
in 1891 where he died on July 8, 1906 and interned there in Mount Olivet Cemetery.
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
and was lieutenant colonel of the 3rd West Virginia Volunteer Cavalry
3rd West Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment
The 3rd West Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 3rd West Virginia Cavalry was organized in western Virginia between December, 1861...
in the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Biography
Born in Cabell County, VirginiaCabell County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 96,784 people, 41,180 households, and 25,490 families residing in the county. The population density was 344 people per square mile . There were 45,615 housing units at an average density of 162 per square mile...
(now West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
), Witcher attended the public schools as a child. He was elected clerk of the circuit court
Circuit court
Circuit court is the name of court systems in several common law jurisdictions.-History:King Henry II instituted the custom of having judges ride around the countryside each year to hear appeals, rather than forcing everyone to bring their appeals to London...
of Cabell County in 1861 before enlisting in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
as a first lieutenant in the 3rd West Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment
3rd West Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment
The 3rd West Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 3rd West Virginia Cavalry was organized in western Virginia between December, 1861...
on December 13, 1862. He was promoted to captain on September 8, 1863, major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
on May 23, 1864 and lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
on May 6, 1865 before being honorably mustered out on June 30, 1865. Witcher was a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates
West Virginia House of Delegates
The West Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house of the West Virginia Legislature. Only three states—Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia—refer to their lower house as the House of Delegates.-Historical:-Current:-District organization:...
in 1865, was Secretary of State of West Virginia
Secretary of State of West Virginia
The Secretary of State of West Virginia is one of the elected constitutional officers of the U.S. state of West Virginia.The current Secretary of State, Natalie Tennant , was elected in November 2008 and assumed the office in January 2009....
from 1867 to 1869 and was elected a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
in 1868, serving from 1869 to 1871. After being unsuccessful for reelection in 1870, he was appointed collector of internal revenue
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
for the third district of West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
by President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
, serving from 1871 to 1876. Witcher served as United States pension agent in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
from 1878 to 1880 and was major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
and paymaster
Paymaster
A paymaster often is, but is not required to be, a lawyer . When dealing with commission payments on contracts dealing with large amounts of money , most banks in the United States are very wary of handling such large amounts of money...
of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
from 1880 until his retirement in 1899. He moved to Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
in 1891 where he died on July 8, 1906 and interned there in Mount Olivet Cemetery.