Many Withrow genealogies provide a name of "Robert Watchers Withrow" for Robert Withrow (1771-1860). This mistake first arose in an early index of Greenbrier Co, WV marriages (e.g. "Early Greenbrier County Marriages" in The Journal of the Greenbrier Historical Society, Vol. V, No. 2, 1988), in which the transcriber misread the entry to read "Watchers" based on the spelling "Wathero" instead of Withrow. Subsequently, probably as an attempt to reconcile the mistake, some researchers adopted the name "Robert Watchers Withrow." No evidence exists of Robert's middle name (if any). Below is a copy of the original marriage return by the Rev. John Alderson covering 1788 and 1789. The underlined entry records the marriage of Robert Withrow and Jane Alderson (daughter of Rev. John Alderson's brother Thomas Alderson). The spelling is non-standard: "Robart Wathero." It appears that the transcriber mistook the ink splotch in the "h" as a "c", and read the ending "o" as an "s".

A list of marriages by the Rev. John Alderson for 1788 and 1789 (Greenbrier Co, WV Historical Society. Copy provided by Don Withrow)

 

A magnified view of the entry.

Detail of the marriage return entry for Robert Withrow

 

The spelling of Robert's name is standard--Robert Withrow--in Thomas Alderson's permission for his daughter Jane to marry.

Permission of Thomas Alderson for a marriage license for his daughter Jane Alderson to marry Robert Withrow. Greenbrier Co, VA, 19 March 1789 (Greenbrier Co, WV Historical Society. Copy provided by Don Withrow)

 

And Robert signed in his own hand on the marriage bond with William Griffith as "Robert Withrow"

Marriage bond of Robert Withrow, Greenbrier Co, VA, 20 March 1789. Signed by Robert Withrow and William Griffith (Greenbrier Co, WV Historical Society. Copy provided by Don Withrow)