The Family of George E. Withington and Lurena Briggs Withington

The Parents of George E. Withington

Samuel H. Withington and Alma Ingalsbe Withington

The Parents of Lurena Briggs

Leonard B. Briggs and Mary Allen Briggs

Withington Family Tree

Ingalsbe Family Tree

Briggs Family Tree

Allen Family Tree

Marriages of George E. Withington

1st Marriage to Susan J. Farley

2nd Marriage to Lurena Briggs in 1873

Marriages of Lurena Briggs

Marriage to George E. Withington in 1873

Lurena Briggs Withington Recalls Log Cabin Days

From an Unknown Newspaper, 3 October 1944

Springwater - Mrs. Laurena M. Withington, Springwater’s oldest woman resident, will celebrate her 90th birthday anniversary on Friday with a family dinner at the home of her son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. L. A. Withington.

She was born in the Town of Richmond and is the last survivor of a family of seven children whose parents, Leonard Briggs and Mary Allen Briggs, were early settlers and lived in a log cabin. Mrs. Withington proudly boasts that her grandmother, Mary Garlinghouse, was the first white child born in Ontario County, Town of Naples. She recalls unusual incidents regarding the log cabin days.

The cabin floor was made of wide boards with an occasional knothole and one night the Briggs children heard a peculiar noise beneath the floor. Their uncle, a Mr. Garlinghouse, was visiting there and he decided to investigate. He stuck his finger through a knothole, intending to raise one of the floor boards, but his finger was severely bitten by a rattlesnake. A tourniquet was applied and the injured man was put on a horse and hurried to the doctor, a distance of several miles.

In those days early weddings were the usual thing and at the age of 19 Laurena Mary Briggs of Richmond, and George A. Withington, Erie Railroad agent of Springwater, were married Oct. 4, 1873, by the Rev. W. J. Hobbs, pastor of the Advent Church in Springwater.

“Mr. Withington drove a horse and buggy to my father’s home in Richmond and took me to the parsonage for our wedding ceremony,” relates Mrs. Withington. “Then we boarded the train to Rochester where we stayed at the old Whitcomb House for three days and then went on to Niagara Falls.”

Withington, who served as Erie station agent at Springwater for 30 years, and after his retirement was a coal and produce dealer, died several years ago. At the time of his death Mrs. Withington was issued a lifetime travel pass signed by the president of the Erie Railroad Company, and although failing health does not permit her to use the pass, it is renewed yearly, on Jan. 1.

In former years Mrs. Withington was associated closely with the Methodist church and an active member of the Worker’s League, of which she is a past president. Now she leads a quiet life at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Alma Capron. Both her hearing and eyesight are impaired but with the help of a magnifying glass she is able to read the daily paper.

An ardent Republican, Mrs. Withington did not miss the privilege of casting her vote until she was past 88 years of age.

She has one son, L. A. Withington of Springwater; one daughter, Mrs. Alma Capron of Springwater; a stepson; Farley J. Withington, 593 Park Ave., Rochester; a grand daughter, Miss Marion Capron, Hornell; two grandsons, Capt. Leonard Capron with Lt. Gen. George S. Patton’s Third Army, and Carl Capron of Shortsville. Also two great-grandchildren, Nancy, 10, and James, 2, daughter and son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Capron.

The Obituary of George E. Withington

11 June 1843 - 19 May 1915

From the Cohocton Valley Times, May 1915

George E. Withington, aged 72 years, a life long resident of Springwater, died Wednesday, May 19, 1915. Mr. Withington had not been in the best of health for some time but it was not until ten days ago that serious heart complications developed which hastened his death.

He served as Erie station agent here for many years and only a short time ago resigned to give his entire time to his coal business.

He enlisted for the Civil War in the 13th New York Regiment of Volunteer Infantry at the first call for volunteers in 1861, and served until discharged for disability. As soon as he recovered he again enlisted and served until the close of the war.

He is survived by his wife and aged mother, who is critically ill; two sons, Leonard A. Withington of New York, and Farley J. Withington of Rochester; also one daughter, Mrs. Ralph Capron of Rochester.

The funeral was held Friday.

Veteran of Civil War

The Obituary of Lurena Briggs Withington

3 November 1854 - November 1945

From the Livonia Gazette, 8 November 1945

Mrs. Lurena Briggs Withington of Springwater, widow of George E. Withington, died at the home of her son, Leonard A. Withington, in Springwater, Tuesday, in her 92nd year, following a short period of declining health.

Mrs. Withington was born in a log cabin in the town of Richmond, Nov. 3, 1854, one of seven children of Leonard and Mary Allen Briggs.

Following her marriage to Mr. Withington she moved to Springwater where she had lived ever since. Mr. Withington, a Civil War veteran, died in 1915. Mrs. Withington was the last survivor of her parent’s family.

Surviving here are three children: Farley G. Withington of Rochester, Leonard A. of Springwater, Mrs. Alma Capron of Springwater; also several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 2:30 this afternoon at the home of the son in Springwater, the Rev. O. C. Baker, pastor of the Springwater Methodist church, which Mrs. Withington attended regularly, officiating.

Mrs. Withington was one of the oldest members of Kanaghsawa chapter, D.A.R., Livonia.

The Burial of George E. Withington

Mt. Vernon Evergreen Cemetery in Springwater NY

The Burial of Lurena Briggs Withington

Mt. Vernon Evergreen Cemetery in Springwater NY

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