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AMERICA THE GREAT MELTING POT Contact information on HOME page Direct descendant is highlighted in red |
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| Samuel Ryerson White | see FAMILY TREE | |
| Born: 22 June 1838 Helts Praire, Vermillion Co., IN Married: 01 Sept 1871 Newport, Vermillion Co., IN Died: 26 Oct 1900 Quaker, Vermillion Co., IN FATHER MOTHER WIFE |
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CHILDREN |
| 1. Clifton G White b. 1872 |
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| 2. Earle O. White b. 1877 |
 Earle O White |
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| 3. Milo Gilmore White b. 1882 |
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Samuel Ryerson White
by Susan Brooke
Jan 2023
Sam was born 22 Jun 1838, the second child of Enoch and Lydia White. (1) He attended Asbury Academy for two years and then Asbury College for two more. Then the Civil War began. Sam was 24 years old.
"He marched all through the South with Company D of the 85th Division as their regimental clerk and never carried a gun. After the war, he was so impressed with the South he took The Atlanta Journal for years. He was deputized to write the history of the regiment but was too ill to do the work. The slight volume in our library on that regiment was practically dictated by him to a Mr. Rev. J. E. Brant who lived with the Whites all one summer working on it." (2)
After the war, Sam returned home and married Rose Gilmore on 1 Sep 1871. (3) He was 33, already a prosperous farmer, and Rose was 25. Again quoting Martha Helt,
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"Sam married Rose and they lived for three years apparently on the land in Helt township. Then Sam bought eight hundred acres from his father-in-law just across the line in Illinois west of Quaker. I imagine there were some who said the young couple was throwing away a good future saddling themselves with such poor ground. Desolate looking it must have been. A monotonous level of swamp grass which by fall was higher than a horse's back and stretched as far as an eye could see with no tree breaking the outline. Soil was a spongy black which in the spring oozed water. To drain the land, a huge boulder was sunk into the soft muck. Then a pair of oxen dragged it across the field making an open ditch later to be tiled. Rose planted sun flowers and castor beans for shade and they settled down to a very prosperous country life. The big house, now the home of Mrs. Milo White, your great aunt Stella, was built, as nearly as I can figure, around 1882. E. O. recalled how impressed everyone was that they could drive to Ridgefarm and telephone to Danville for needed supplies. Life must have been pretty even in that farm home before the turn of the century guided by a firm hand under the strict discipline of the Methodist church. We know they attended church faithfully as in the library we have a book presented to "Master Earle White for regular attendance in Sunday school." signed by the superintendent, Samuel R. White. Rose taught a Sunday School class for years after she moved to Dana. |
Sam and Rose built their home about 1782. (4) They raised their three sons in this home. (5) He died 26 Oct 1900 in his home. He was 62 years old. (6) His granddaughter, Martha Helt, wrote, "In politics at that time the professional poles would count so many Republicans in the county, so many Democrats and Sam White. All of the trees around the Milo White house as well as the two groves were his work and he gave away saplings to all who asked. Most of the maples trees lining the streets of Dana are a gift from his farm." Sam White was a kind and generous man.
Sources
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Martha Helt wrote the following about her grandfather. "The main line
for our family goes to Sam, your great grandfather. Him I do not know as
he died in 1900 but I think he must have been an interesting and intelligent
gentleman. He attended Asbury Academy for two years and then Asbury
College for two more, leaving in 1862 to go to war. He marched all through
the South with Company D of the 85th Division as their regimental clerk and
never carried a gun. After the war, he was so impressed with the South he
took The Atlanta Journal for years. He was deputized to write the history
of the regiment but was too ill to do the work. The
slight volume in our library on that
regiment was practically dictated by him to a Mr. Rev. J. E. Brant who
lived with the Whites all one summer working on it. |
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(3) Married: 01 Sept 1871 Newport, Vermillion Co., IN Salem Methodist Episcopal Church built in 1848 on land directly across from where Eli Lilly now stands on route US 63. This road leads to the Helt's Prairie Cemetery.  San's songbook |
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Marriage Notes From Local Paper "For several days the latter part of last week our people were on the ? over an event which it was reported would come off on Sunday evening at the M. E. Church. A number of fine white envelopes containing a sheet of purest paper on which was printed ominous words that were interpreted to mean that there was to be a wedding and that a son of Helt's Prairie was to lead to the hymnal alter one of Newport's fair daughter, at the time and place above named, were quietly passed around. And, on Sunday at the close of the morning services, Rev. W. A. Smith announced the event to his congregation. Seven P. M. was the hour set for the gathering together of the witnesses and at that hour we repaired to the church only to find it already filled to overflowing, with a well dressed and happy company. The seats in the house were mostly given up to the ladies, while the male portion of the audience sought such accommodation as were to be found in the aisles, against the wall and outside the door. At half past seven, the wedding party consisting of Mr. Samuel R. White, the bridegroom, Miss Rose Gilmore, the bride, with the father of the bride and some half dozen relatives, and friends arrived on foot from the residence of Dr. Gilmore the bride's father, and proceeded up the aisles to the altar, where the Rev. W. W. Smith met them and at once proceeded to unite in the body bonds of wedlock, Mr. Samuel White and Miss Rose Gilmore. The ceremony was short and was listened too with marked attention by all in attendance, At its close the Rev. gentleman uttered a short and impressive prayer, asking the blessing of Heaven upon the happy couple. They then received the congratulations of their friends, after which they returned to the home of the bride's father. Mr. Samuel White is the son of Mr. Enoch Which, a wealthy farmer of Helt's Prairie, in this county, and is himself a well-to-do farmer. Miss Rose Gilmore, the bride, is the oldest daughter of Dr. John Gilmore, of Newport, - Well known in this and Park county. May connubial happiness, uninterrupted prosperity and the choicest blessing of Heaven always attend Mr. White and his fair Rose." |
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(4) Home built by Sam and Rose White about 1882 |
 house before it was remodeled - photo courtesy of Christy Morgan |
 house after it was remodeled in 1976 by granddaughter Madeline White Morgan - photo courtesy of Christy Morgan |
(5) Sam and his three sons thrashing
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| (6) Sam wrote his will on Aug 29, 1900 and died on Oct. 26, 1900 |
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| Died: 26 Oct 1900 Quaker, Vermillion Co., IN |
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Death of Samuel R. White Samuel R. White, who was a native born citizen of Helt’s Prairie, this county, died at his home, one and one-half miles west of Quaker, at 4 o’clock on Friday morning, October 26, 1900. His funeral occurred on Sunday last, his funeral being preached in the Lebanon church, this township, by Rev. J. E. Wright of Dana, in the forenoon, after which his remains were taken to the Helt’s Prairie cemetery for internment. A large concourse of relatives and friends were present at the church and followed the remains to the cemetery, reaching there late in the afternoon. The deceased was born within a mile of the cemetery where his remains now repose, in the year 1838, making him 62 years of age. The writer has been acquainted with the deceased since 1856, and can truthfully say he always lived a conscientious, honorable and upright life. He was a true Christian in his daily walk and a man whom we always esteemed very highly. In July, 1862 he enlisted in company D, 85th Regt. Ind. Vols. and served till the close of the war. He was a good and brave soldier and was in many hard fought battles. The soldier boys whom he served with cherished a warm feeling for their deceased comrade, who fought gallantly for the old flag in his country’s need for help. He was loyal and true and had the respect of all his friends and acquaintances. He had suffered intensely the past two or three years, but bore up cheerfully. No doubt death was a great relief to him. He was the only son of Enoch and Lydia White of Helt’s Prairie, who died a number of years ago. A wife, the daughter of Dr. John Gilmore who died a few days ago, and several children survive him. | |
| Buried: Helt's Prairie Cemetery, Vermillion Co., IN
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