BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES, BELMONT COUNTY, OHIO

"History of the Upper Ohio Valley" Vol. II, 1890.

Presented by Linda Fluharty from hard copies provided
by Mary Staley & Phyllis Slater.


Pages 520-521.


BENJAMIN WHITE, a venerable resident of Belmont, Belmont county, is one
of the few worthy pioneers living who have witnessed the wonderful
development of the country during the present century. He was born in
Pennsylvania (Fayette county), April 7, 1806, the eldest son of John
White. The latter, who was of Irish ancestry, died when his son was
four years old. His wife was Mary Minton, who came with her parents
from Sweden in an early day. They had two children besides Benjamin,
viz.: John, a resident of Mt. Pleasant, Ohio, and William V., a black-
smith by trade, who lives in Washington county, Iowa. Benjamin White
began working in childhood on a farm, and at sixteen years of age was
apprenticed to a tanner for four years. Subsequently he carried on his
employer's business four years and then engaged in the business on his
own account, though with little capital, and is now carrying on the
tannery business for his son at the age of eighty-four years. He is a
member of the Christian church, of which he has been an elder for many
years. He has been thrice married; first to Rebecca Sidwell, by whom
he had four children, of whom two are living, Rebecca and John. The
second wife was Margaret E. Phipps, of Smithfield, by whom the following
children are living: Lydia A., John, Regina, Albert, William and Benjamin.
His present wife is Elizabeth Stonebraker. William H. White, son of the
above, was born in Belmont county, September 6, 1841. In his twentieth
year he enlisted in Company A, Twenty-fifth regiment Ohio volunteers,
under Col. Jones, and Capt., afterward Col., Charlesworth, and left
for the front in June, 1861. He served gallantly three years, participat-
ng in the battles of Cheat Mountain, Green Brier, Camp Baldwin, Bull
Mountain, Freeman's Ford, and the second Bull Run, and then after being
detained some time in hospital at Alexandria, was with his regiment at
Chancellorsville, and at Gettysburg, where he was wounded. He was then
sent to Camp Chase, and transferred to the invalid corps at Indianapolis,
where he was mustered out in June, 1864. Returning to Belmont county,
he was in 1867, married to Laura J. Widdoes, of this county, and they
have five children: Clayton L., Anna L., Lizzie J., Dora M., and Walter
G. Mr. White is engaged in business as a tanner, and is also occupied
as a mason. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church,
of which he has been class-leader, and both are highly esteemed by the
community.