PETER RITCHIE WITHER (1861–1934)*
According to his birth record, Peter Wither was born on 10th February 1861, at Barmore, Stoneykirk, Wigtownshire, to tenant farmer Alexander Wither (1822–1865)† and his wife Helen Wither (née Ritchie) (1828–1878), who married on 4th June 1850 at Lochans, Inch, Wigtownshire.
The Wither family had lived on Barmore Farm since Whitsunday 1796, when it was first leased to Peter's paternal great-grandfather, John Wither (c.1730–1803).
Alexander and Helen Wither had at least ten children, of whom Peter was the eighth to be baptised:
1) Helen Steel Wither (1850–1888) [named after her maternal grandmother, Helen Steel]
2) John Ritchie Wither (1852–1858)
3) Elizabeth Wither (1854–1932)
4) Jane Wither (1856–1908) [twin]
5) Alexander Wither (1856–1923) [twin]
6) Margaret Wither (1858–1927)
7) John William Wither (1859–1903) [originally named William John Wither]
8) Peter Ritchie Wither (1861–1934)
9) Archibald Wither (1862–1947)
10) George Wither (1864–1952)
After his rural upbringing in Wigtownshire, Peter moved to Kelvinside, Glasgow, where he studied law; and then, following the death of his first wife and infant daughter, he emigrated to the USA, in 1888, with brother George, to Routt County, Colorado. They were subsequently joined by brother Archibald, in 1889, where they worked together as general contractors and merchants in Steamboat Springs. After living in Hahn's Peak and Denver, Colorado, he retired with his third wife to Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peter married 3 times:
1) to Elizabeth Norval (1862–1885) at The Manse in Maryhill, Glasgow, in 1882
2) to Ada Edgar in Hahn's Peak, Routt, Colorado, in 1890
3) to Anna Louise Jamison (1868–1943) in [probably Denver] Colorado, in 1900
He had 2 children with Elizabeth:
1) Helena Leonora Galbraith Ritchie Wither (1883–1885)
2) George Alexander Wither (1884–1923) [brought up by Peter's sister Jane Cronie (née Wither)]
and another 2 with Anna:
3) Eugene Jameson Wither (1901–1962)
4) Helen Ritchie Wither (1906–1994)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peter was a man of many professions:
Law Apprentice (as cited in the 1881 Kelvin census)
Commercial Traveller (as per his 1st marriage record in 1882)
Mercantile Clerk (cited in Elizabeth's death record in 1885)
General Contractor and Photographer (in the 1892 Steamboat Springs prospectus)
Lawyer (in son George's marriage record in 1907)
Advertising [for the Denver Post newspaper] (in the 1910 Colorado census)
Repair Man (in the 1920 California census)
Writer (as cited in son George's death record in 1927)
When living in Hahn's Peak and Steamboat Springs, Peter was known by the nickname "Scotty".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peter appears in 3 Scottish and 3 American censuses:
1) In the 1861 Wigtown census, Peter Wither (aged 2 months) is living on Barmore Farm in Stoneykirk with father Alexander (farmer, aged 38) and mother Helen (33) and siblings E[lizabeth] (7), Alexander (5), Jane (5), Margaret (3), and John W[illiam] (1).
2) In the 1871 Wigtown census, Peter (aged 10), is living at Lochans Corner House in Inch with mother Helen (aged 43) cited to be head of household, and siblings Margaret (13), John (11), Archibald (8) and George (6).
3) In the 1881 census for Kelvinside in Glasgow, Peter Wither (law apprentice, aged 20) is living at 38 Kelvin Drive with siblings Helen S[teel] (dressmaker, 36), Margaret (dressmaker, 25), Archibald (student of technical chemistry, 18) and George (commercial clerk at a wholesale grocers, aged 16).
1) In the 1910 Colorado census, Peter R[itchie] Wither (in advertising, aged 44) [actual age 49]‡ is living at 4117 West 30th Avenue, Denver with wife Anna (aged 39) and their children Eugene J[ameson] (9) and Helen R[itchie] (4).
2) In the 1920 California census, Peter R[itchie] Wither (repair man in electric company, aged 51) [actual age 59]‡ is living at 603 Cerritos Avenue, Long Beach with wife Anna L[ouise] (50) and their children Eugene (18) and Helen (14). Peter's year of immigration to US is herein cited to be 1890 [other sources say 1888], and his naturalisation year 1897.
3) In the 1930 California census, Peter R[itchie] Wither (69) is living at 1094 East Eleven Avenue, Long Beach with wife Anna L[ouise] (62) and daughter Helen R[itchie] (office stenographer, aged 24).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As cited in his death record, Peter died of cancer of the lower oesophagus, aged 73, on 2nd August 1934, at his home: 2057 East Broadway, Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California.
He was buried on 4th August, at Rose Hills Memorial Park, Whittier, Los Angeles County, at Whispering Pines Lawn, Burial Section 3, Burial Lot 175C, Grave/Niche 1, Entrance Gate 17. His third wife Anna Louise Wither (née Jameson) was buried next to him when she died in 1943. Also buried nearby in this cemetery are Peter's granddaughter Willagene Wither and her mother, Frances Virginia Wither (née Summer).
The text of Peter's obituary in the Steamboat Pilot newspaper, on 10th August 1934 reads:
"Peter R. Wither passed away August 2 at his home in Long Beach, Calif. He had been ill only a short time with cancer of the stomach. "Scotty" Wither, as he was familiarly known, came to Routt County from Scotland in 1888 with his brother George and they were later joined here by Archie Wither. He remained in this section only a few years, going to Denver and later to California. He was one of a family of 10 members [siblings], of whom the surviving members are Archie Wither of Steamboat Springs and George Wither of Denver, pioneers of this section. Scotty Wither was 74 [73] years of age and is survived by his wife and two children, Eugene of the Los Angeles Herald and Helen, who resides in Long Beach."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Errata:
* Peter was incorrectly reported by sister-in-law Jane Galbraith Norval as being deceased in the death record of his first daughter, Helena, in 1885. Whether it was deliberate or accidental is unknown. His actual death year was 1934.
† Several family trees have suggested that Peter's father was Alexander McMaster Wither (1826–1898); however, this cannot be true: Alexander McMaster Wither died in Ohio, unmarried and without children, leaving his estate to his 3 sisters; moreover, Helen Ritchie is cited as being the widow of Alexander Wither, farm labourer, in his death record registered at Old Kilpatrick, Dunbartonshire in 1865.
‡ Peter's age is marked very flatteringly in the 1910 and 1920 American censuses.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Acknowledgements:
Many thanks to James L. Crawford and my American cousins Pete and Sally Wither for their help starting me on my journey following the trail of clues left behind by my pioneering ancestor.
Thanks to cookie44 for the photos taken in Rose Hills Memorial Park.
Special thanks to Anthea Norval for sending me the photo which possibly shows Peter and his first wife Elizabeth Norval. Unfortunately, no names were written on the back of the photo, but based on facial comparison between the young man in this photo and the older Peter, it's at least a good possibility that it is indeed Peter and Elizabeth.
I'd like to express my deepest gratitude to Tom Wither and Gary Horecka for the treasure trove of information that they have given me; and for posting, across The Pond, the photograph of Peter and elder sister Margaret, which I scanned, remanstered and uploaded to this profile.
On the back of this photograph, in Margaret's handwriting, is written:
Taken at Long Beach California
29-Aug
Uncle Peter & Myself
This means the photo was taken on 29th August 1926: Margaret sailed on 1st May 1926 from Greenock, Scotland to Quebec, Canada on the White Star Line steamship Regina and visited her brothers in Steamboat Springs and Long Beach. To which niece or nephew of Peter the letter was sent is now unclear.
[Memorial created by David Gilmour,
2x great-grandson of Peter Wither & Elizabeth Norval.]
According to his birth record, Peter Wither was born on 10th February 1861, at Barmore, Stoneykirk, Wigtownshire, to tenant farmer Alexander Wither (1822–1865)† and his wife Helen Wither (née Ritchie) (1828–1878), who married on 4th June 1850 at Lochans, Inch, Wigtownshire.
The Wither family had lived on Barmore Farm since Whitsunday 1796, when it was first leased to Peter's paternal great-grandfather, John Wither (c.1730–1803).
Alexander and Helen Wither had at least ten children, of whom Peter was the eighth to be baptised:
1) Helen Steel Wither (1850–1888) [named after her maternal grandmother, Helen Steel]
2) John Ritchie Wither (1852–1858)
3) Elizabeth Wither (1854–1932)
4) Jane Wither (1856–1908) [twin]
5) Alexander Wither (1856–1923) [twin]
6) Margaret Wither (1858–1927)
7) John William Wither (1859–1903) [originally named William John Wither]
8) Peter Ritchie Wither (1861–1934)
9) Archibald Wither (1862–1947)
10) George Wither (1864–1952)
After his rural upbringing in Wigtownshire, Peter moved to Kelvinside, Glasgow, where he studied law; and then, following the death of his first wife and infant daughter, he emigrated to the USA, in 1888, with brother George, to Routt County, Colorado. They were subsequently joined by brother Archibald, in 1889, where they worked together as general contractors and merchants in Steamboat Springs. After living in Hahn's Peak and Denver, Colorado, he retired with his third wife to Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peter married 3 times:
1) to Elizabeth Norval (1862–1885) at The Manse in Maryhill, Glasgow, in 1882
2) to Ada Edgar in Hahn's Peak, Routt, Colorado, in 1890
3) to Anna Louise Jamison (1868–1943) in [probably Denver] Colorado, in 1900
He had 2 children with Elizabeth:
1) Helena Leonora Galbraith Ritchie Wither (1883–1885)
2) George Alexander Wither (1884–1923) [brought up by Peter's sister Jane Cronie (née Wither)]
and another 2 with Anna:
3) Eugene Jameson Wither (1901–1962)
4) Helen Ritchie Wither (1906–1994)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peter was a man of many professions:
Law Apprentice (as cited in the 1881 Kelvin census)
Commercial Traveller (as per his 1st marriage record in 1882)
Mercantile Clerk (cited in Elizabeth's death record in 1885)
General Contractor and Photographer (in the 1892 Steamboat Springs prospectus)
Lawyer (in son George's marriage record in 1907)
Advertising [for the Denver Post newspaper] (in the 1910 Colorado census)
Repair Man (in the 1920 California census)
Writer (as cited in son George's death record in 1927)
When living in Hahn's Peak and Steamboat Springs, Peter was known by the nickname "Scotty".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peter appears in 3 Scottish and 3 American censuses:
1) In the 1861 Wigtown census, Peter Wither (aged 2 months) is living on Barmore Farm in Stoneykirk with father Alexander (farmer, aged 38) and mother Helen (33) and siblings E[lizabeth] (7), Alexander (5), Jane (5), Margaret (3), and John W[illiam] (1).
2) In the 1871 Wigtown census, Peter (aged 10), is living at Lochans Corner House in Inch with mother Helen (aged 43) cited to be head of household, and siblings Margaret (13), John (11), Archibald (8) and George (6).
3) In the 1881 census for Kelvinside in Glasgow, Peter Wither (law apprentice, aged 20) is living at 38 Kelvin Drive with siblings Helen S[teel] (dressmaker, 36), Margaret (dressmaker, 25), Archibald (student of technical chemistry, 18) and George (commercial clerk at a wholesale grocers, aged 16).
1) In the 1910 Colorado census, Peter R[itchie] Wither (in advertising, aged 44) [actual age 49]‡ is living at 4117 West 30th Avenue, Denver with wife Anna (aged 39) and their children Eugene J[ameson] (9) and Helen R[itchie] (4).
2) In the 1920 California census, Peter R[itchie] Wither (repair man in electric company, aged 51) [actual age 59]‡ is living at 603 Cerritos Avenue, Long Beach with wife Anna L[ouise] (50) and their children Eugene (18) and Helen (14). Peter's year of immigration to US is herein cited to be 1890 [other sources say 1888], and his naturalisation year 1897.
3) In the 1930 California census, Peter R[itchie] Wither (69) is living at 1094 East Eleven Avenue, Long Beach with wife Anna L[ouise] (62) and daughter Helen R[itchie] (office stenographer, aged 24).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As cited in his death record, Peter died of cancer of the lower oesophagus, aged 73, on 2nd August 1934, at his home: 2057 East Broadway, Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California.
He was buried on 4th August, at Rose Hills Memorial Park, Whittier, Los Angeles County, at Whispering Pines Lawn, Burial Section 3, Burial Lot 175C, Grave/Niche 1, Entrance Gate 17. His third wife Anna Louise Wither (née Jameson) was buried next to him when she died in 1943. Also buried nearby in this cemetery are Peter's granddaughter Willagene Wither and her mother, Frances Virginia Wither (née Summer).
The text of Peter's obituary in the Steamboat Pilot newspaper, on 10th August 1934 reads:
"Peter R. Wither passed away August 2 at his home in Long Beach, Calif. He had been ill only a short time with cancer of the stomach. "Scotty" Wither, as he was familiarly known, came to Routt County from Scotland in 1888 with his brother George and they were later joined here by Archie Wither. He remained in this section only a few years, going to Denver and later to California. He was one of a family of 10 members [siblings], of whom the surviving members are Archie Wither of Steamboat Springs and George Wither of Denver, pioneers of this section. Scotty Wither was 74 [73] years of age and is survived by his wife and two children, Eugene of the Los Angeles Herald and Helen, who resides in Long Beach."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Errata:
* Peter was incorrectly reported by sister-in-law Jane Galbraith Norval as being deceased in the death record of his first daughter, Helena, in 1885. Whether it was deliberate or accidental is unknown. His actual death year was 1934.
† Several family trees have suggested that Peter's father was Alexander McMaster Wither (1826–1898); however, this cannot be true: Alexander McMaster Wither died in Ohio, unmarried and without children, leaving his estate to his 3 sisters; moreover, Helen Ritchie is cited as being the widow of Alexander Wither, farm labourer, in his death record registered at Old Kilpatrick, Dunbartonshire in 1865.
‡ Peter's age is marked very flatteringly in the 1910 and 1920 American censuses.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Acknowledgements:
Many thanks to James L. Crawford and my American cousins Pete and Sally Wither for their help starting me on my journey following the trail of clues left behind by my pioneering ancestor.
Thanks to cookie44 for the photos taken in Rose Hills Memorial Park.
Special thanks to Anthea Norval for sending me the photo which possibly shows Peter and his first wife Elizabeth Norval. Unfortunately, no names were written on the back of the photo, but based on facial comparison between the young man in this photo and the older Peter, it's at least a good possibility that it is indeed Peter and Elizabeth.
I'd like to express my deepest gratitude to Tom Wither and Gary Horecka for the treasure trove of information that they have given me; and for posting, across The Pond, the photograph of Peter and elder sister Margaret, which I scanned, remanstered and uploaded to this profile.
On the back of this photograph, in Margaret's handwriting, is written:
Taken at Long Beach California
29-Aug
Uncle Peter & Myself
This means the photo was taken on 29th August 1926: Margaret sailed on 1st May 1926 from Greenock, Scotland to Quebec, Canada on the White Star Line steamship Regina and visited her brothers in Steamboat Springs and Long Beach. To which niece or nephew of Peter the letter was sent is now unclear.
[Memorial created by David Gilmour,
2x great-grandson of Peter Wither & Elizabeth Norval.]
PETER RITCHIE WITHER (1861–1934)*
According to his birth record, Peter Wither was born on 10th February 1861, at Barmore, Stoneykirk, Wigtownshire, to tenant farmer Alexander Wither (1822–1865)† and his wife Helen Wither (née Ritchie) (1828–1878), who married on 4th June 1850 at Lochans, Inch, Wigtownshire.
The Wither family had lived on Barmore Farm since Whitsunday 1796, when it was first leased to Peter's paternal great-grandfather, John Wither (c.1730–1803).
Alexander and Helen Wither had at least ten children, of whom Peter was the eighth to be baptised:
1) Helen Steel Wither (1850–1888) [named after her maternal grandmother, Helen Steel]
2) John Ritchie Wither (1852–1858)
3) Elizabeth Wither (1854–1932)
4) Jane Wither (1856–1908) [twin]
5) Alexander Wither (1856–1923) [twin]
6) Margaret Wither (1858–1927)
7) John William Wither (1859–1903) [originally named William John Wither]
8) Peter Ritchie Wither (1861–1934)
9) Archibald Wither (1862–1947)
10) George Wither (1864–1952)
After his rural upbringing in Wigtownshire, Peter moved to Kelvinside, Glasgow, where he studied law; and then, following the death of his first wife and infant daughter, he emigrated to the USA, in 1888, with brother George, to Routt County, Colorado. They were subsequently joined by brother Archibald, in 1889, where they worked together as general contractors and merchants in Steamboat Springs. After living in Hahn's Peak and Denver, Colorado, he retired with his third wife to Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peter married 3 times:
1) to Elizabeth Norval (1862–1885) at The Manse in Maryhill, Glasgow, in 1882
2) to Ada Edgar in Hahn's Peak, Routt, Colorado, in 1890
3) to Anna Louise Jamison (1868–1943) in [probably Denver] Colorado, in 1900
He had 2 children with Elizabeth:
1) Helena Leonora Galbraith Ritchie Wither (1883–1885)
2) George Alexander Wither (1884–1923) [brought up by Peter's sister Jane Cronie (née Wither)]
and another 2 with Anna:
3) Eugene Jameson Wither (1901–1962)
4) Helen Ritchie Wither (1906–1994)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peter was a man of many professions:
Law Apprentice (as cited in the 1881 Kelvin census)
Commercial Traveller (as per his 1st marriage record in 1882)
Mercantile Clerk (cited in Elizabeth's death record in 1885)
General Contractor and Photographer (in the 1892 Steamboat Springs prospectus)
Lawyer (in son George's marriage record in 1907)
Advertising [for the Denver Post newspaper] (in the 1910 Colorado census)
Repair Man (in the 1920 California census)
Writer (as cited in son George's death record in 1927)
When living in Hahn's Peak and Steamboat Springs, Peter was known by the nickname "Scotty".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peter appears in 3 Scottish and 3 American censuses:
1) In the 1861 Wigtown census, Peter Wither (aged 2 months) is living on Barmore Farm in Stoneykirk with father Alexander (farmer, aged 38) and mother Helen (33) and siblings E[lizabeth] (7), Alexander (5), Jane (5), Margaret (3), and John W[illiam] (1).
2) In the 1871 Wigtown census, Peter (aged 10), is living at Lochans Corner House in Inch with mother Helen (aged 43) cited to be head of household, and siblings Margaret (13), John (11), Archibald (8) and George (6).
3) In the 1881 census for Kelvinside in Glasgow, Peter Wither (law apprentice, aged 20) is living at 38 Kelvin Drive with siblings Helen S[teel] (dressmaker, 36), Margaret (dressmaker, 25), Archibald (student of technical chemistry, 18) and George (commercial clerk at a wholesale grocers, aged 16).
1) In the 1910 Colorado census, Peter R[itchie] Wither (in advertising, aged 44) [actual age 49]‡ is living at 4117 West 30th Avenue, Denver with wife Anna (aged 39) and their children Eugene J[ameson] (9) and Helen R[itchie] (4).
2) In the 1920 California census, Peter R[itchie] Wither (repair man in electric company, aged 51) [actual age 59]‡ is living at 603 Cerritos Avenue, Long Beach with wife Anna L[ouise] (50) and their children Eugene (18) and Helen (14). Peter's year of immigration to US is herein cited to be 1890 [other sources say 1888], and his naturalisation year 1897.
3) In the 1930 California census, Peter R[itchie] Wither (69) is living at 1094 East Eleven Avenue, Long Beach with wife Anna L[ouise] (62) and daughter Helen R[itchie] (office stenographer, aged 24).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As cited in his death record, Peter died of cancer of the lower oesophagus, aged 73, on 2nd August 1934, at his home: 2057 East Broadway, Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California.
He was buried on 4th August, at Rose Hills Memorial Park, Whittier, Los Angeles County, at Whispering Pines Lawn, Burial Section 3, Burial Lot 175C, Grave/Niche 1, Entrance Gate 17. His third wife Anna Louise Wither (née Jameson) was buried next to him when she died in 1943. Also buried nearby in this cemetery are Peter's granddaughter Willagene Wither and her mother, Frances Virginia Wither (née Summer).
The text of Peter's obituary in the Steamboat Pilot newspaper, on 10th August 1934 reads:
"Peter R. Wither passed away August 2 at his home in Long Beach, Calif. He had been ill only a short time with cancer of the stomach. "Scotty" Wither, as he was familiarly known, came to Routt County from Scotland in 1888 with his brother George and they were later joined here by Archie Wither. He remained in this section only a few years, going to Denver and later to California. He was one of a family of 10 members [siblings], of whom the surviving members are Archie Wither of Steamboat Springs and George Wither of Denver, pioneers of this section. Scotty Wither was 74 [73] years of age and is survived by his wife and two children, Eugene of the Los Angeles Herald and Helen, who resides in Long Beach."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Errata:
* Peter was incorrectly reported by sister-in-law Jane Galbraith Norval as being deceased in the death record of his first daughter, Helena, in 1885. Whether it was deliberate or accidental is unknown. His actual death year was 1934.
† Several family trees have suggested that Peter's father was Alexander McMaster Wither (1826–1898); however, this cannot be true: Alexander McMaster Wither died in Ohio, unmarried and without children, leaving his estate to his 3 sisters; moreover, Helen Ritchie is cited as being the widow of Alexander Wither, farm labourer, in his death record registered at Old Kilpatrick, Dunbartonshire in 1865.
‡ Peter's age is marked very flatteringly in the 1910 and 1920 American censuses.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Acknowledgements:
Many thanks to James L. Crawford and my American cousins Pete and Sally Wither for their help starting me on my journey following the trail of clues left behind by my pioneering ancestor.
Thanks to cookie44 for the photos taken in Rose Hills Memorial Park.
Special thanks to Anthea Norval for sending me the photo which possibly shows Peter and his first wife Elizabeth Norval. Unfortunately, no names were written on the back of the photo, but based on facial comparison between the young man in this photo and the older Peter, it's at least a good possibility that it is indeed Peter and Elizabeth.
I'd like to express my deepest gratitude to Tom Wither and Gary Horecka for the treasure trove of information that they have given me; and for posting, across The Pond, the photograph of Peter and elder sister Margaret, which I scanned, remanstered and uploaded to this profile.
On the back of this photograph, in Margaret's handwriting, is written:
Taken at Long Beach California
29-Aug
Uncle Peter & Myself
This means the photo was taken on 29th August 1926: Margaret sailed on 1st May 1926 from Greenock, Scotland to Quebec, Canada on the White Star Line steamship Regina and visited her brothers in Steamboat Springs and Long Beach. To which niece or nephew of Peter the letter was sent is now unclear.
[Memorial created by David Gilmour,
2x great-grandson of Peter Wither & Elizabeth Norval.]
According to his birth record, Peter Wither was born on 10th February 1861, at Barmore, Stoneykirk, Wigtownshire, to tenant farmer Alexander Wither (1822–1865)† and his wife Helen Wither (née Ritchie) (1828–1878), who married on 4th June 1850 at Lochans, Inch, Wigtownshire.
The Wither family had lived on Barmore Farm since Whitsunday 1796, when it was first leased to Peter's paternal great-grandfather, John Wither (c.1730–1803).
Alexander and Helen Wither had at least ten children, of whom Peter was the eighth to be baptised:
1) Helen Steel Wither (1850–1888) [named after her maternal grandmother, Helen Steel]
2) John Ritchie Wither (1852–1858)
3) Elizabeth Wither (1854–1932)
4) Jane Wither (1856–1908) [twin]
5) Alexander Wither (1856–1923) [twin]
6) Margaret Wither (1858–1927)
7) John William Wither (1859–1903) [originally named William John Wither]
8) Peter Ritchie Wither (1861–1934)
9) Archibald Wither (1862–1947)
10) George Wither (1864–1952)
After his rural upbringing in Wigtownshire, Peter moved to Kelvinside, Glasgow, where he studied law; and then, following the death of his first wife and infant daughter, he emigrated to the USA, in 1888, with brother George, to Routt County, Colorado. They were subsequently joined by brother Archibald, in 1889, where they worked together as general contractors and merchants in Steamboat Springs. After living in Hahn's Peak and Denver, Colorado, he retired with his third wife to Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peter married 3 times:
1) to Elizabeth Norval (1862–1885) at The Manse in Maryhill, Glasgow, in 1882
2) to Ada Edgar in Hahn's Peak, Routt, Colorado, in 1890
3) to Anna Louise Jamison (1868–1943) in [probably Denver] Colorado, in 1900
He had 2 children with Elizabeth:
1) Helena Leonora Galbraith Ritchie Wither (1883–1885)
2) George Alexander Wither (1884–1923) [brought up by Peter's sister Jane Cronie (née Wither)]
and another 2 with Anna:
3) Eugene Jameson Wither (1901–1962)
4) Helen Ritchie Wither (1906–1994)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peter was a man of many professions:
Law Apprentice (as cited in the 1881 Kelvin census)
Commercial Traveller (as per his 1st marriage record in 1882)
Mercantile Clerk (cited in Elizabeth's death record in 1885)
General Contractor and Photographer (in the 1892 Steamboat Springs prospectus)
Lawyer (in son George's marriage record in 1907)
Advertising [for the Denver Post newspaper] (in the 1910 Colorado census)
Repair Man (in the 1920 California census)
Writer (as cited in son George's death record in 1927)
When living in Hahn's Peak and Steamboat Springs, Peter was known by the nickname "Scotty".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peter appears in 3 Scottish and 3 American censuses:
1) In the 1861 Wigtown census, Peter Wither (aged 2 months) is living on Barmore Farm in Stoneykirk with father Alexander (farmer, aged 38) and mother Helen (33) and siblings E[lizabeth] (7), Alexander (5), Jane (5), Margaret (3), and John W[illiam] (1).
2) In the 1871 Wigtown census, Peter (aged 10), is living at Lochans Corner House in Inch with mother Helen (aged 43) cited to be head of household, and siblings Margaret (13), John (11), Archibald (8) and George (6).
3) In the 1881 census for Kelvinside in Glasgow, Peter Wither (law apprentice, aged 20) is living at 38 Kelvin Drive with siblings Helen S[teel] (dressmaker, 36), Margaret (dressmaker, 25), Archibald (student of technical chemistry, 18) and George (commercial clerk at a wholesale grocers, aged 16).
1) In the 1910 Colorado census, Peter R[itchie] Wither (in advertising, aged 44) [actual age 49]‡ is living at 4117 West 30th Avenue, Denver with wife Anna (aged 39) and their children Eugene J[ameson] (9) and Helen R[itchie] (4).
2) In the 1920 California census, Peter R[itchie] Wither (repair man in electric company, aged 51) [actual age 59]‡ is living at 603 Cerritos Avenue, Long Beach with wife Anna L[ouise] (50) and their children Eugene (18) and Helen (14). Peter's year of immigration to US is herein cited to be 1890 [other sources say 1888], and his naturalisation year 1897.
3) In the 1930 California census, Peter R[itchie] Wither (69) is living at 1094 East Eleven Avenue, Long Beach with wife Anna L[ouise] (62) and daughter Helen R[itchie] (office stenographer, aged 24).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As cited in his death record, Peter died of cancer of the lower oesophagus, aged 73, on 2nd August 1934, at his home: 2057 East Broadway, Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California.
He was buried on 4th August, at Rose Hills Memorial Park, Whittier, Los Angeles County, at Whispering Pines Lawn, Burial Section 3, Burial Lot 175C, Grave/Niche 1, Entrance Gate 17. His third wife Anna Louise Wither (née Jameson) was buried next to him when she died in 1943. Also buried nearby in this cemetery are Peter's granddaughter Willagene Wither and her mother, Frances Virginia Wither (née Summer).
The text of Peter's obituary in the Steamboat Pilot newspaper, on 10th August 1934 reads:
"Peter R. Wither passed away August 2 at his home in Long Beach, Calif. He had been ill only a short time with cancer of the stomach. "Scotty" Wither, as he was familiarly known, came to Routt County from Scotland in 1888 with his brother George and they were later joined here by Archie Wither. He remained in this section only a few years, going to Denver and later to California. He was one of a family of 10 members [siblings], of whom the surviving members are Archie Wither of Steamboat Springs and George Wither of Denver, pioneers of this section. Scotty Wither was 74 [73] years of age and is survived by his wife and two children, Eugene of the Los Angeles Herald and Helen, who resides in Long Beach."
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Errata:
* Peter was incorrectly reported by sister-in-law Jane Galbraith Norval as being deceased in the death record of his first daughter, Helena, in 1885. Whether it was deliberate or accidental is unknown. His actual death year was 1934.
† Several family trees have suggested that Peter's father was Alexander McMaster Wither (1826–1898); however, this cannot be true: Alexander McMaster Wither died in Ohio, unmarried and without children, leaving his estate to his 3 sisters; moreover, Helen Ritchie is cited as being the widow of Alexander Wither, farm labourer, in his death record registered at Old Kilpatrick, Dunbartonshire in 1865.
‡ Peter's age is marked very flatteringly in the 1910 and 1920 American censuses.
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Acknowledgements:
Many thanks to James L. Crawford and my American cousins Pete and Sally Wither for their help starting me on my journey following the trail of clues left behind by my pioneering ancestor.
Thanks to cookie44 for the photos taken in Rose Hills Memorial Park.
Special thanks to Anthea Norval for sending me the photo which possibly shows Peter and his first wife Elizabeth Norval. Unfortunately, no names were written on the back of the photo, but based on facial comparison between the young man in this photo and the older Peter, it's at least a good possibility that it is indeed Peter and Elizabeth.
I'd like to express my deepest gratitude to Tom Wither and Gary Horecka for the treasure trove of information that they have given me; and for posting, across The Pond, the photograph of Peter and elder sister Margaret, which I scanned, remanstered and uploaded to this profile.
On the back of this photograph, in Margaret's handwriting, is written:
Taken at Long Beach California
29-Aug
Uncle Peter & Myself
This means the photo was taken on 29th August 1926: Margaret sailed on 1st May 1926 from Greenock, Scotland to Quebec, Canada on the White Star Line steamship Regina and visited her brothers in Steamboat Springs and Long Beach. To which niece or nephew of Peter the letter was sent is now unclear.
[Memorial created by David Gilmour,
2x great-grandson of Peter Wither & Elizabeth Norval.]
Inscription
PETER R. WITHER
FEB. 10, 1861 – AUG. 2, 1934
Family Members
Siblings
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