CHARLES D. WITHERSPOON
Was born at "Evergreen" (the home of his Ruffin ancestors for one
hundred and fifty years), on James river, Prince George county, Virginia.
He spent his early life in Greensboro, Hale county, Alabama,
until August, 1871, when he came to Virginia, and concluded his education
at Williamsburg in the following year. He began business with
Wm. Cameron & Bro., tobacco manufacturers, of Petersburg, Virginia,
in March 1873, and severed his connection with them the following
October by their discontinuing business during the financial panic of
that year. After farming for one year he entered the employ of D. B.
Tennant & Co., tobacco manufacturers, of Petersburg, in February,
1875, and he has continued with them, and their successor, Mr. David
Dunlop, in the capacity of book-keeper, to the present time.
Mr. Witherspoon is a son of Wm. Alfred Witherspoon (a hardware
merchant of Mobile, Alabama, who died in his thirty-second year) and
Tariffa Cocke. He is grandson of Dr. John R. Witherspoon, of Hale
county, Alabama, who married Sophia, daughter of Gen. Joseph Graham,
of Lincoln county, North Carolina, and Isabella Davidson of the
same county. He is great grandson of Robert Witherspoon and Isabella
Heatly; great, great grandson of James Witherspoon and Elizabeth
McQuoid; great, great, great grandson of John Witherspoon, of
Paisley (near Glasgow) Scotland, who settled in Williamsbug, South
Carolina, in December, 1734.
On his mother's side Mr. Witherspoon is grandson of Commodore
Henry Harrison Cocke, U. S. N., who married Elizabeth, daughter of
George Ruffin, of "Evergreen," and Jane Skipwith. Commodore Cocke
was born at "Montpelier," Surry county, Virginia, May 5, 1794. He
entered the U. S. Navy at the age of fifteen years, and was engaged in
the war of 1812 with Great Britain; was commissioned commodore in
July 1851, the then highest rank in the navy. In April, 1861, on the
secession of Virginia, he retired from the navy, then in his sixty-eighth
year; and was appointed under the Confederate government commander
of the defences of James river, where he erected five forts.
Mr. Witherspoon is a great grandson of Walter Cocke and Ann Carter
Harrison; great, great grandson of John Cocke and Rebecca Starke,
who were married in 1740.
