American Furniture, Folk and Decorative Arts

This flag belonged to businessman and entrepreneur, William Frank Witherell (1839-1912). A native of New York, Witherell was a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy. After the Civil War Witherell joined his uncle, W.H.H. Witherell, a New Orleans merchant and broker, as a wholesaler of hides and leather. In the 1870's, Witherell became active in mining in California, Colorado and Arizona and laterserved as superintendent of the Arivaca Milling, Mining & Commercial Company. Some of Witherell's papers may be found in Special Collections, Hill Memorial Library at Louisiana State University.