U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: --------------------------------------------------------------------- White, William Thomas (1858-1930) --------------------------------------------------------------------- A History of Preston County West Virginia Biographical Department, Supplied by J. R. Cole Kingwood, W. Va., The Journal Publishing Company, 1914 by H. S. Whetsell Pages 827-829, WILLIAM THOMAS WHlTE. The White family is a numerous one. Some are descendants of Scotch parentage, some of English. The earliest history we can find of William Thomas White, hardware merchant and postmaster of Terra Alta, goes back to William White, of Oakland, Maryland, whose family became somewhat prominent there early in the last century. Thornton White, son of William, was born in Allegheny county (now Garrett county), Maryland, at a point not far from what is now known as the White, farm, at Hutton, on March 29, 1823. He remained there until early manhood, and then he married Miss Catherine Stoyer and moved to Gladesville, where he became well and favorably known. He was a progressive citizen, honest and upright, and "his life," says one who intimately knew him, "if studied from early manhood until the end, would in its extreme simplicity and usefulness excite men to deeds of kindness, and of duties to man rarely practiced in the present age of civilization." Mr. Thornton White was a merchant, a postmaster, and a farmer. In 1861 he became an employee of the B. & O. Railroad Company and lived at Newburg until 1865, and then moved to Cranberry Summit, now Terra Alta, where he became associated with J. R. Smoot in the general merchandising business. In 1887, Mr. White, then living in Terra Alta, retired from business until his death, which occurred July 23, 1902. His wife died November 8, 1854. Their marriage occurred February 6, 1845. Their only child was a daughter, now the widow of John Stuck, of Newburg. On February 7, 1856, Mr. White married Bersheba A. Davis, daughter of Thomas Davis, a relative of Jefferson Davis, president of the Southern Confederacy. Of this marriage five children were born, namely: Lewis P., a banker; William T., hardware merchant; Mary C., Loretta R., and Hattie J. White, a leading teacher in Preston county. Mrs. White was a Christian woman and a devoted wife and mother. She had been a member of the Baptist Church for more than fifty years, and beloved by every one. Her death, which occurred January 19, 1909, was felt as a great loss to the community in which she lived. William Thomas White, postmaster and merchant of Terra Alta, was born in Gladesville, W. Va., September 26, 1858. He was educated in the public schools of his native town and began his career in life as a clerk in a general store, since which time he has become identified as one of the leading citizens of his town and county. His father and the late Hon. John P. Jones were close friends, and the two houses of White and Jones were eventually bound more closely together by the son, William T. White, marrying Miss Adaline Jones, after which the firm of "Jones & White" was formed and a business in general merchandising commenced. In 1885 Mr. White purchased all interest in the partnership, since which time he has done a large business himself, and since the year 1900 conducted solely an exclusive hardware store. In 1910 he was appointed postmaster of Terra Alta. Mr. White was married to Miss Adaline Jones. She was born at Ebansburg, Cambria county, Pennsylvania, June 4, 1860, and was the daughter of the late Hon. John P. Jones, several times a member of the State Legislature of both the Lower and Upper Houses of West Virginia. He was born in Aberaron, Wales, June 21, 1832, and died in Terra Alta, September 26, 1900. His parents came to this country in 1837, first locating in Pittsburgh. Afterwards they removed to Ebansburg, Pennsylvania, where Mr. White was born. He was married at Ebansburg, Pennsylvania, April 17, 1865, to Hannah E. Rogers, a most estimable lady, and to them were born the following children: Dr. Harriet B. Jones, a successful physician of Wheeling; Scott T. Jones, cashier of the Garrett National Bank at Oakland; Adaline, wife of W. T. White; Cora C., now the wife of Mr. Charles A. Rinard, of Kentland, Indiana; and Mollie, now deceased, who was the wife of James Anderson, of Parkersburg. The mother of these children was called from life October 12, 1894. The father was a thoroughly trained business man. He was engaged in the lumber business in Philadelphia until 1863, when he came to Terra Alta and did a large business here as a merchant from 1870 to 1880, when he retired. He was a man who was held in high esteem politically as well as otherwise and held numerous offices. He represented Preston county in the State Legislature in 1870, and again in 1872, and in 1876 he was elected to the State Senate and served in that body with distinction four years. In 1887 he was again elected to the Lower House of the State Legislature. Besides this he was honored by his party as a delegate to the most important State Convention and was four years member of the County Board of Commissioners. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church and virtually founded the first one himself in Terra Alta, and shortly afterwards opened what was practically the first Sunday school ever held in the town, and the rule of his life was to attend all services regularly. For many years Mr. Jones was agent here for the American Bible Society, giving his time and oftentimes his means to place Bibles in every home. In the death of Mr. Jones, Terra Alta lost a great friend. William T. White and his sons, as merchants in the hardware line and managers of the city post office, have maintained the high standard of business life and social standing of both the paternal and maternal sides of their ancestors. They are pains-taking, careful, honest and accommodating. The children of Mr. and Mrs. W. T. White are as follows: John Hugh White, born at Terra Alta, June 9, 1886; Herbert Harold White, born December 15, 1888. He married Leola Warner. One daughter, Eloise, was born to them, March, 1909. Mollie Eugenia and Margaret Lovetta, born September 9, 1891. Margaret Lovetta died August 28, 1892. Scott Lewis White, born July 31, 1893. Mr. William T. White is a Past Master and a 32nd degree Mason. He is a Past Supreme Representative of the Knights of Pythias, and treasurer of the Home Board. In matters financial, besides his large interest in the business world, he is a director of the First National Bank of Terra Alta and was one of its charter members. He has been a lifelong member of the Presbyterian Church and one of its elders for many years. He is a staunch Republican, a man of high ideals in life, and a well and favorably known citizen of Preston county. --------------------------------------------------------------------- From Death Certificate, Preston County, WV #15981 FULL-NAME: William Thomas White BIRTH-DATE: September 17, 1858 BIRTH-PLACE: Preston DEATH-DATE: November 16, 1930 DEATH-PLACE: Terra Alta, Portland District, Preston County, WV MARITAL-STATUS: Married (Adaline J. White) OCCUPATION: Merchant FATHER: Thornton White (born in Maryland) MOTHER: Bassheba Davis (born in Virginia) CAUSE-OF-DEATH: Cerebral Hemmorhage BURIAL: Terra Alta (Wife of William Thomas White) From Death Certificate, Preston County, WV #12317 FULL-NAME: Adaline Jones White BIRTH-DATE: June 4, 1860 BIRTH-PLACE: Edinburg, Pa. DEATH-DATE: October 23, 1945 DEATH-PLACE: Main Street, Terra Alta, Preston County, WV MARITAL-STATUS: Widowed (W. T. White) OCCUPATION: Housewife FATHER: John P. Jones (born in Aberron, Wales) MOTHER: Hannah Rogers (born in Pa.) CAUSE-OF-DEATH: anoxamea with Pulmonary Oedema causing cardiac failure INFORMANT: Herbert H. White (of Terra Alta, W.Va.) BURIAL: Terra Alta Cemetery, in Terra Alta, W.Va --------------------------------------------------------------------- If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access other biographies for Preston County, WV by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/wv/preston/bios.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------