No history of Kemmerer would be complete without extended reference to the Kemmerer Hardware & Furniture Company, of which William J. Witherspoon is the secretary and treasurer and in which undertaking he is associated with Albert P. Heitz and R. Howard Embree. The three are most progressive and enterprising young men and their well defined plans are being carried forward to successful completion. They are today at the head of one of the most important commercial enterprises of their section of the state and are now actively engaged as well in the automobile trade.
    Mr. Witherspoon is a native of Sumter, South Carolina. He was born on the 11^th of November, 1888, of the marriage of S. M. and Elizabeth (Montgomery) Witherspoon, who are also natives of that state, where the family has resided for many generations. The parents of William J. Witherspoon still make their home at Sumter and the father has devoted his life to agricultural pursuits. To them have been born eight children: Hugh, yet a resident of South Carolina; Robert and James, who are living in Salt Lake City, Utah; Joseph, of South Carolina; Samuel. who is now with the United States army in France; Mrs. Mary Muldrow, of South Carolina; Annie Laurie, at home; and William J., who was the fourth in order of birth.
    In his boyhood days William J. Witherspoon devoted his attention largely to the acquirement of a public school education in his native town. On removing to the west he made his way to Salt Lake City, Utah, where he entered the banking business, with which he was connected for three and a half years. He then removed to Kemmerer, Wyoming, and became associated with the Kemmerer Coal Company, with which he remained for three years. He also spent three years in the employ of the Frontier Supply Company and later became associated with the Kemmerer Hardware Company. After four years he purchased stock in the business and was elected secretary and treasurer of the Kemmerer Hardware Company, with Mr. Heitz as the president and Mr. Embree as the vice president. This undertaking has proven one of the important commercial interests of the city, and still further extending their labors, the three partners of the company organized the Up-to-Date Auto Company, of which Mr. Witherspoon became the secretary and the active manager. The company handles both the Reo and the Ford cars and maintains a well equipped garage in addition to handling all kinds of automobile accessories and supplies.
    In September, 1912, Mr. Witherspoon was united in marriage to Miss Marion Christmas, a daughter of Colonel and Mrs. H. E. Christmas, the former a prominent attorney of Kemmerer. They now have two children: Robert, born in 1914; and Francis, born in 1917.
    Mr. and Mrs. Witherspoon hold membership in the Episcopal church and fraternally he is connected with the Masonic lodge. In politics he is an independent democrat. He usually votes with the party but does not consider himself bound by party ties. He is one of the best known and most popular young business men of Lincoln county and aside from his business has those qualities which have won for him the warm friendship and kindly regard of all with whom he has been associated.