Who is
engaged in general farming on section 20, Antioch Township has spent
almost his entire life in this county. Here his infancy and childhood
days were passed and Lake County's citizens have witnessed the efforts
of his maturer years. Those who have known him from boyhood up have
found in him an honorable man who is faithful to every trust reposed in
him and therefore deserving, of the high regard in which he is held.
Mr. White was born in New York, September
11, 1842, and is a son of George White. His father was born and reared
on a farm in the south of Scotland, and at the age of twenty-five sailed
for America, settling in New York, where he married Margaret Johnson who
was also a native of Scotland. With a sister she had come to this
country some time previous. After about three years spent in the Empire
State, Mr. White removed with his family to Lake County, Ill., traveling
by way of the lakes to Kenosha, Wis. He settled in Antioch Township,
where his brothers had already located one hundred and sixty acres of
land for him on section 22. It was entirely destitute of improvements
and he had a log house built, in which the logs were set on end.
Breaking and planting the wild land it soon became transformed into a
good farm which continued to be the home of Mr. White until his death in
February, 1867, at the age of fifty-five years. His excellent wife still
survives him and makes her home with her children. Of the seven born
unto Mr. and Mrs. White six are yet living, the eldest being Andrew;
Sarah, wife of George Dodge, is living near Millburn; William is a
farmer residing north of Millburn; John L., a physician, died in
Michigan; David is living on the old homestead with his mother; Robert
G. is a resident farmer of Minnesota; Margaret J. married Ralph Worden
of Michigan. The entire family grew to man and womanhood on the White
homestead and have become useful and respected members of society. The
parents were consistent and faithful members of the Congregational
Church of Millburn and in politics Mr. White was a Republican from the
organization of the party. He was also an honest and industrious citizen
who left to his children the priceless legacy of a good name.
As before stated, Mr. White has spent
almost his entire life in this county, having been only two years old
when the family came to Illinois. His educational privileges were
intermixed with much hard labor in the fields for as soon as old enough
to hold the plow handles he was put to work upon the farm, serving his
father until 1861. In the meantime the cloud of war was rising and at
last its lightning struck Ft. Sumter. On the first call for troops made
in April of that year, Mr. White became a member of Company K. Twelfth
Illinois Infantry and from Springfield was sent to Caseyville, Ill., and
on to Cairo, where at the expiration of his term he received his
discharge. He then returned home and enlisted in the autumn of 1862,
being assigned to Company C, Ninety-sixth Illinois Regiment. The
regiment was organized in Rockford, Ill., and then sent to Covington,
Ky., and on to Danville, where the troops went into winter quarters. The
following season we find them embarking at Louisville on transports for
Ft. Donelson but they arrived just too late to participate in the
battle. We next find them in Nashville and later in Franklin, Tenn. On
the Duck River march, Mr. White was taken sick and received his
discharge in Nashville on account of his physical disability.
After his return home, Mr. White followed
various occupations and spent one year in Missouri, building bridges. He
then bought land of the railroad company and in 1868 purchased his
present farm which comprises about two hundred acres that is divided
into fields of convenient size and well tilled. A log house and an old
barn constituted the improvements but the cabin has long since given
place to a commodious residence and the outbuildings are models of
convenience. The site of the home is a beautiful one on the bank of Loon
Lake.
On November 15, 1865,in Avon Township,
Mr. White wedded Jane Hughes, a native of Pennsylvania, and a daughter
of David Hughes who was born in Wales. They now have three children, one
son and two daughters--Alice M., Cora S. and David G. Mrs. White is a
member of the Christian Church of Antioch, and in politics he is a
stanch Republican. General farming has been his business and in that
line he has met with good success.
|