ACPA - Cemetery Restoration Projects

Ward-Witherington Cemetery Restoration Project
Conecuh County, Alabama

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by Bill King, February 27, 2005

Location of this old cemetery is on land originally recorded to William Ward in 1837 and is located at the NWQuarter of SEQuarter of Section 10, Township 7, Range 11 of Conecuh County, AL. This cemetery site is located NE of Cooks Crossroads & Bowles in NE Conecuh County, near Fork Sepulga, at the convergence of the east and west branches of the Sepulga River.
We wish to thank George Ward of Brewton, AL for his tireless work in clearing this old abandoned cemetery and for his construction of the large and very nice metal cemetery sign for the WARD-WITHERINGTON CEMETERY.
Photo # 1 shows the proposed new design for the cemetery sign placed at the base of the hill leading up to this old cemetery, established about 1819 with the burial of William Witherington, Sr., who was born about 1740 in Craven County, NC. He died here at Fork Sepulga on Sept. 22, 1819, only a few months after arriving from Feliciana Parish, LA with his son, William Witherington, Jr.
Both his son, William Witherington, Jr. and wife, Sarah Stanley, are also believed to be buried in this cemetery. William Witherington, Jr. had land holdings of 240 acres recorded in 1833 which was located to the immediate north of this cemetery. Witherington's three parcels of land, of 80 acres each, were all located in Section 10, Township 7, Range 11 in Conecuh County, AL.

Photo # 2 is a photo of the marked graves in the cemetery. Markers were placed here by George Ward of Brewton, AL, whose ancestors are also buried in this cemetery. There are thought to have been up to 100 graves in this cemetery.

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Photo # 3 is photo of Ed Witherington of Mobile, AL and Bill King of Houston, TX taken on a family visit in 2003 to the cemetery. William Witherington, Jr. was the 3rd Great Grandfather of Ed Witherington and the 4th Great Grandfather of Bill King. Ed Witherington is the present owner of the Historic Witherington Plantation Home located only about 8 miles to the SW of this cemetery site on Highway 83, a few miles north of Evergreen, AL.

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Descendants of both William Witherington Sr. and William Witherington Jr. are currently in the planning stages for a major event to be held at the site of this old cemetery sometime during the fall of 2005. Application has been made to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for a grave marker reflecting the military service of William Witherington Jr., who served as an Ensign in the 17th Regiment of the Mississippi Territory Militia (1813-1814) during the War of 1812. It is believed that his service was against the Creek Indians in Monroe County, likely at Fort Claiborne in the fall of 1813.
Current plans are underway to invite the participation of the DAR, the SCV, the Alabama Historical Society, and the Alabama Cemetery Preservation Alliance, along with many Witherington descendants, in the ceremony for the placement of the VA Grave Marker as a lasting memorial in the memory of William Witherington, JR. A formal date will be established upon notification of the delivery date of the grave marker from the VA.
William Witherington, SR. holds "Patriot" status with the DAR for providing "supplies and foodstuffs" for the American troops in South Carolina during the Revolutionary War. Many descendants of William Witherington, SR. have been able to enter the DAR through his "Patriot" status.	~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Contact: Bill King

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