# Thomas Jefferson Withers

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American politician (1804–1865)

**Thomas Jefferson Withers** (1804 – November 7, 1865) was an American politician from [South Carolina](/source/South_Carolina) who served in the [Confederate States Congress](/source/Confederate_States_Congress) during the [American Civil War](/source/American_Civil_War).

## Biography

Withers was born in [York County, South Carolina](/source/York_County%2C_South_Carolina).[1] In his youth he was a protege of U.S. Senator William Smith and studied at South Carolina College.[2] He was elected as a state court judge in 1846, to fill the vacancy left by the election of [Andrew Butler](/source/Andrew_Butler) to the US Senate.[3] He represented the state in the [Provisional Confederate Congress](/source/Provisional_Confederate_Congress) in 1861 and signed the [Confederate States Constitution](/source/Confederate_States_Constitution) although it was reported that when taking the oath to the new constitution, he refused to kiss the Bible.[4]

Withers is also notable for the sexually explicit letters he wrote in 1826 to a college friend, future South Carolina governor [James Henry Hammond](/source/James_Henry_Hammond), with whom Withers had a homosexual relationship. The letters, which are housed among the Hammond Papers at the [South Carolina Library](/source/University_of_South_Carolina), were first published by researcher Martin Duberman in 1981, and are notable for being rare evidence of same-sex relationships in the [antebellum United States](/source/Antebellum_United_States).[5][6]

Withers married a Miss Boykin (sister-in-law of [Stephen Decatur Miller](/source/Stephen_Decatur_Miller), governor of South Carolina),[1] with whom he had several children.[7] Withers died at Camden in [Kershaw County, South Carolina](/source/Kershaw_County%2C_South_Carolina),[8] and was interred at the Quaker Cemetery in the same city.

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Perry_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Perry_1-1) Perry, Ex-Governor B. F. (June 27, 1872). ["Sketch of Hon. T. J. Withers"](https://www.newspapers.com/image/339394197/?terms=%22T%2BJ%2BWithers%22). *Yorkville Enquirer*. York, South Carolina. p. 1. Retrieved May 11, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Sketch of Hon. J. T. Withers"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/yorkville-enquirer-sketch-of-hon-j-t/164891412/). *Yorkville Enquirer*. June 27, 1872. p. 1. Retrieved February 7, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Edgefield1846_3-0)** ["Elections by the legislature"](https://www.newspapers.com/image/72221142/?terms=%22T%2BJ%2BWithers%22). *Edgefield Advertiser*. Edgefield, South Carolina. December 16, 1846. p. 2. Retrieved May 11, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Akers_4-0)** Akers, Merton T. (February 4, 1961). ["Confederate States Meet. (Another In Series Of Articles On Civil War History)"](https://www.newspapers.com/image/447653449/?terms=%22Judge%2BThomas%2BJ%2BWithers%22). *Latrobe Bulletin*. Latrobe, Pennsylvania. UPI. p. 14. Retrieved May 11, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Duberman_5-0)** [Duberman, Martin Bauml. "'Writhing Bedfellows': 1826." *Journal of Homosexuality* 6, no. 1 (1981): 85-101.](https://books.google.com/books?id=Nn-ySVOZaSQC) Reprinted in *The Gay Past: A Collection of Historical Essays*. Eds. Salvatore J. Licata, and Robert P. Petersen. New York: Haworth Press, 1981. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-917724-27-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-917724-27-5)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Rupp_6-0)** Rupp, Leila J. (1999). *A Desired Past: A Short History of Same-Sex Love in America*. University of Chicago Press. pp. 6, 50–51. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780226731551](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780226731551).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Abbeville_7-0)** ["Distressing Occurrence"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/9860142/thomas_jefferson_withers_injured_1858/). *The Abbeville Press And Banner*. Abbeville, South Carolina. March 11, 1858. p. 2. Retrieved May 11, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Edgefield_8-0)** ["Death of Judge Withers"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/9859911/thomas_jefferson_withers_death_1865/). *Edgefield Advertiser*. Edgefield, South Carolina. November 22, 1865. p. 2. Retrieved May 11, 2019.

## External links

- [Political Graveyard](http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/withers.html)

- [Thomas Jefferson Withers](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6718644) at [Find a Grave](/source/Find_a_Grave)

Articles related to Thomas Jefferson Withers v t e Signatories of the Provisional Constitution of the Confederate States President of the Congress Howell Cobb South Carolina Robert Barnwell Rhett R. W. Barnwell James Chesnut, Jr. C. G. Memminger Wm. Porcher Miles Laurence M. Keitt William W. Boyce Tho. J. Withers Georgia R. Toombs Francis S. Bartow Martin J. Crawford E. A. Nisbet Benjamin H. Hill Augustus R. Wright Thos. R. R. Cobb A. H. Kenan Alexander H. Stephens Florida Jackson Morton Jas. B. Owens J. Patton Anderson Alabama Richard W. Walker Robt. H. Smith Colin J. McRae Jno. Gill Shorter William Parish Chilton Stephen F. Hale David P. Lewis Tho. Fearn J. L. M. Curry Mississippi W. P. Harris Alexander M. Clayton W. S. Wilson James T. Harrison Walker Brooke William S. Barry J. A. P. Campbell Louisiana John Perkins, Jr. Alex. de Clouet C. M. Conrad Duncan F. Kenner Edward Sparrow Henry Marshall Texas Thomas N. Waul Williamson S. Oldham John Gregg John H. Reagan W. B. Ochiltree John Hemphill Louis T. Wigfall Category Commons v t e Signatories of the Confederate States Constitution President of the Congress Howell Cobb South Carolina Robert Barnwell Rhett C. G. Memminger Wm. Porcher Miles James Chesnut Jr. R. W. Barnwell William W. Boyce Laurence Keitt T. J. Withers Georgia R. Toombs Francis S. Bartow Martin J. Crawford Alexander H. Stephens Benjamin H. Hill Thos. R. R. Cobb E. A. Nisbet Augustus R. Wright A. H. Kenan Florida Jackson Morton J. Patton Anderson Jas. B. Owens Alabama Richard W. Walker Robt. H. Smith Colin J. McRae William P. Chilton Stephen F. Hale David P. Lewis Tho. Fearn Jno. Gill Shorter J. L. M. Curry Mississippi Alexander M. Clayton James T. Harrison William S. Barry W. S. Wilson Walker Brooke W. P. Harris J. A. P. Campbell Louisiana John Perkins Jr. Alex. de Clouet C. M. Conrad Duncan F. Kenner Henry Marshall Edward Sparrow Texas John Hemphill Thomas N. Waul John H. Reagan Williamson S. Oldham Louis T. Wigfall John Gregg William Beck Ochiltree Category Commons

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