John Donnom Witherspoon III (Don)

1935 – 2017

John Donnom Witherspoon III (Don), son of John Donnom II and Eloise Witherspoon, of Georgetown, Texas, died from lung and heart complications on July 10, 2017.

Mr. Witherspoon was descended from notable Laurens County residents, including  John Drayton Williams who was a signer of Ordinance of Secession from Laurens District.  John Drayton’s grandson, Col. James Williams,  built the Villa at Martha Franks around 1859-1861. Col. Williams owned White Plains and Spring Grove plantations in the Mountville area and was a lieutenant governor of South Carolina. Mr. Don  Witherspoon’s grandfather was a South Carolina state representative from 1933-1937.

The bedroom suite of Col. Williams was donated to the Laurens County Museum by Mr.  Don Witherspoon and is on display at the current museum. There are also five volumes of family papers and other artifacts from the Witherspoon family.

Don Witherspoon was a stalwart supporter of the Laurens County Museum. He purchased and donated the buildings on the Historic Public Square now known as the Witherspoon Building. This will be the museum’s future home.

He was a great friend of the museum, proud of his connections to Laurens County and will be greatly missed.