John Witherow was the first Witherow to come to the United States from Antrim County, Ireland in 1760. His grandson John, married Eliza Baker in Gettysburg, Penn., and they moved to Danville, Indiana, where John practiced law and became a State Senator.

In 1854 their first son, Samuel, was born followed by William, Lillian, and Mary. When samuel was 14, the family moved to California and settled in Old Shasta. John practised law and taught school. He was a Charter Member of the Masonic Lodge and Past Master. Samuel herded sheep in the valley and did odd jobs while he studied to be a teacher.

In 1873 the family moved to Los Angeles. Samuel passed his first teachers examination in 1874 at the age of 20. He taught in the Los Angeles area for 3 terms before moving back to Shasta County.

Samuel and Joseph Darrah homesteaded what is known as the Witherow ranch on Bear Creek. Later Samuel bought Joseph's share.

While teaching in the Shingletown area he met and married one of his pupils, Susan Darrah in 1882. They lived near the Darrah Mill on Bear Creek. Their three sons, John (1884), William (1886), and Harry (Buck 1891) were born there. Lillian was born in 1893 at the Simon Darrah homestead and Mary in 1895 in a house near Bear Creek Falls, where Samuel was teaching at the first Bear Creek School.

Samuel received his life time teaching certificate in Shasta Co. In 1894. He taught at Klotz, Sierra, Bear Creek, Parkville, Millville, Anderson and other schools in the district. Teaching in the mountains in summer and valley in the winter. While teaching in Anderson in 1898 he was appointed Deputy Co. Clerk and moved his family to Redding. He was a member of the Eastern Star in Redding and the Redding Elks Lodge. He was also a member of the Millville Masonic Lodge and A past master.

In 1906 he was elected County Clerk, a position which he held until his death in 1924. Susan died in 1933 and both are buried in thr Redding Cemetery

There have been 6 generations of the family born and raised in California, starting with Susan Darrah Witherow who was born at Shingletown in 1863.

Source: Shasta Historical Society