Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Witherow, Thomas

by Thomas Hamilton (1842-1926)

WITHEROW, THOMAS (1824–1890), Irish divine and historian, son of Hugh Witherow, a farmer at Aughlish, near Dungiven, Londonderry, by Elizabeth Martin, was born at Ballycastle on 29 May 1824. He received his early education at Ralliagh church school, whence he passed to the care of James Bryce (1806–1877) [q. v.], and, later on, successively to the Academy and the Royal Academical Institution in Belfast. In 1839 he entered the collegiate department of the latter seminary, and here, with the exception of a session at Edinburgh, all his college days were spent. In 1845 he was licensed to preach by the presbytery of Glendermot, and in 1845 ordained at Maghera, Londonderry, by the presbytery of Magherafelt as colleague to Charles Kennedy. He proved himself a most able and faithful clergyman. In 1865, on the opening of the Magee presbyterian college, Londonderry, he was appointed by the general assembly professor of church history and pastoral theology. The duties of this chair he discharged during the remainder of his life with much zeal and efficiency. In 1878 he was elected moderator of the general assembly, and in 1884 a senator of the royal university of Ireland. He died on 25 Jan. 1890 at Londonderry, and was buried in the city cemetery there.

He married Catharine, daughter of Thomas Milling, Maghera, by whom he had seven daughters and three sons.

Witherow was author of a number of valuable works, the chief of which are:

1. ‘Three Prophets of our own,’ 1855.
2. ‘The Apostolic Church—which is it?’ 1856.
3. ‘A Defence of the Apostolic Church,’ 1857.
4. ‘Scriptural Baptism; its Mode and Subjects,’ 1859.
5. ‘Derry and Enniskillen in the year 1689,’ 1873.
6. ‘The Boyne and Aghrim,’ 1879.
7. ‘Historical and Literary Memorials of Presbyterianism in Ireland’ (1623–1800), 2 vols. 1879.
8. ‘History of the Reformation; a primer,’ 1882.
9. ‘Life of Rev. A. P. Goudy, D.D.’ (commenced by Thomas Croskery [q. v.], but left unfinished), 1887.
10. ‘Two Diaries of Derry in 1689, being Richards's Diary of the Fleet and Ash's Journal of the Siege, with Introduction and Notes,’ 1888.
11. ‘The Form of the Christian Temple,’ 1889.

He was a frequent contributor to the ‘British and Foreign Evangelical Review,’ the Belfast ‘Witness,’ and the Londonderry ‘Standard,’ and was one of the editors of the ‘Presbyterian Review.’ He was made hon. D.D. in 1883 by the Presbyterian Theological Faculty, Ireland, and LL.D. by the royal university in 1885.

[Personal knowledge; Minutes of General Assembly of Presbyterian Church in Ireland; obituary notice in Belfast Witness; information supplied by Rev. R. G. Milling, B.D., Ballynahinch.]

T. H.