EV. SILAS WHITE, who for the last thirty-five years has worthily officiated as a minister of the Church of God, in connection
) with agricultural pursuits, in the vicinity
of Charleston, is widely and favorably known in
this section as an individual possessing all the elements of a kindly Christian character, whose days
have been filled with industry and usefulness. He
is now passing down the hill of life a life that has
had many sorrows, but has also held many joys and
pleasures. His history, briefly narrated, is in substance as follows:
Mr. White was born in Wayne County, Ind.,
March 3, 1818. and is the son of Asa and Polly
(Lewis) White, natives respectively of North Carolina and Kentucky. The parents were married in
the Blue Grass State and not long afterward be-
came residents of Indiana, being among the first
settlers of Wayne County, where they engaged in
farming pursuits. In 1840 they set out for Illinois, and coming to this county the elder White
rented a tract of land which he occupied until 1861.
He then removed to Douglas County, where his
death took place during the war. Both parents
were devoted members of the Baptist Church, and
reared a family of eight children.
Rev. Silas White was reared on the farm, receiving such education as is afforded in the district
school, and remained under the parental roof until
seventeen years of age. His father then gave him
his time, and he learned the carpenter’s trade, at
which he worked in connection with farming, and
gave to his father a portion of his earnings. He
thus followed the life of an exemplary and dutiful
son, and when twenty-two years of age took the
first step toward establishing a home and domestic
ties of his own. This was his marriage with Miss
Mary J., daughter of Solomon Boone, and whom it
is supposed was the grand-niece of the famous
Kentuckian, Daniel Boone, who so delighted in
fighting the Indians during the pioneer days. Mrs.
White was born at Pickaway Plains, Ohio, in about
1822.
After their marriage the young people located
upon a farm in Wayne County which our subject
rented for one year, and from which he removed in
1842, to this county. Here he entered 120 acres
in Hutton Township, and having saved quite a
sum of money from his former earnings, was enabled to purchase the land when it came into market. He occupied this until the spring of 1844, in
the meantime laying off the grain fields and pasture
lands, building neat and substantial fences, and improving the property with good farm buildings.
Upon the homestead thus established he continued
a resident for over forty years, and was then admonished by declining strength that he must rest.
He accordingly rented his farm, and purchasing a
snug home at Charleston, repaired to it with his
estimable wife. Mr. White added to his first purchase of land until he became the possessor of 250
acres, which constitutes one of the finest farms in
that section of country.
The children of Rev. Silas and Mrs. Mary J.
White included five sons and five daughters, of
whom only two sons survive. The elder of these,
Monroe, married Miss Mary Hall, and they have
six daughters—Sarah F., Hannah A., Millie H.,
Lucy E., Sarah J. and Charity E. Isaac married
Miss Josephine Sandoe, and is the father of three
children—Zaccheus Boone, Emma M. and Effie E.
When Mr. White came to this county he settled
in the timber, and the howling of wolves and
panthers was often heard in the night around their
cabin home. There were plenty of deer and wild
turkey, and the family always enjoyed the luxury
of wild meat. The first dwelling was a hewed-log
house, 22x18 feet, which was well built and considered very fine for those days. , Of this Mr. White
was the main carpenter and builder, getting out his
lumber by means of a whip-saw, by which he also
manufactured his flooring, doors and window casings. The next business was to clear the ground
around it, and the first year he succeeded in getting ten acres in a good state of cultivation. The
next spring he put in a crop of corn and wheat, the
former of which brought but fifteen cents per
bushel and the latter thirty-seven and a half cents.
He pursued the even tenor of his way thus year
after year, welcoming with pleasure the little faces
that came one by one to the household circle, and
bending with sorrow over the many graves which
contained the forms of his loved ones, most of
whom died in early childhood.
Mr. White commenced his labors as a Christian
minister in 1850, and was ordained two years later.
He often recalls the time when lie traveled through
the country from one appointment to another, and
the kindly manner in which he was treated by the
pioneers, who, living partially isolated, were always
rejoiced to welcome the face of a friend. He received a rich reward for his labors in witnessing
the salvation of souls, and was the humble instrument in turning many from the errors of their
ways. For these services he required not money,
glad if he could accomplish something for the
Master, and now while nearing the close of a long
and useful life he has the satisfaction of being able
to look back upon his years as well spent, and upon
a life which has not been in vain.
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