Pope-Logan-Franklin County ArArchives Biographies.....White, William Jackson ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ar/arfiles.html ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Robert Sanchez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00027.html#0006574 June 3, 2009, 10:12 pm Author: S. J. Clarke (Publisher, 1922) WILLIAM JACKSON WHITE. One of the most successful business men in Pope county is William Jackson White, who for a half century has been identified with mercantile interests in Russellville, and he is also prominently connected with many other important enterprises, all of which have profited by his cooperation and keen sagacity and have constituted valuable factors in promoting the development and upbuilding of the town. He was born in Gordon county, Georgia, in 1852, and his parents were J. M. and Florida (Miller) White, both natives of Spartanburg, South Carolina. The father was born March 23, 1820, and the mother was born in 1822 and they were married in South Carolina, removing to Georgia soon afterward. The father cultivated a plantation in that state until 1869, when he came to Arkansas, opening a mercantile establishment at Ellsworth, in Logan county, which he continued to conduct until 1872. He then came to Russellville and in association with his son, W. J. White, engaged in general merchandising and the business is now being successfully operated by the subject of this review. Mr. White, Sr., also had financial interests and was the owner of valuable holdings in land but was not active in business after taking up his residence in Russellville, having accumulated a substantial competence through the capable management of his affairs. Mrs. White was a charter member of the First Methodist Episcopal church of Russellville, with which her husband was also affiliated, and his political allegiance was given to the republican party. He was one of the early postmasters of Russellville and one of the most prominent and highly respected residents of his community. His father, Logan White, was also a native of South Carolina, later came to Arkansas, and died in this state at an advanced age. His wife had reached the venerable age of ninety-three years at the time of her demise. Their son, J. M. White, died March 23, 1892, and his widow survived until 1908. In their family were twelve children, of whom four are living: William Jackson, of this review; Mary A., the widow of Freeman S. Casper and a resident of Denver, Colorado; J. W., who is engaged in merchandising in Russellville; and Helen, the wife of Jesse Leonard, who is identified with the hardware business here. William Jackson White attended the high school at Ozark, Arkansas, and on starting out in life for himself he acquired a third interest in a small store, of which his father and E. E. Eggleston were part owners, having thirty-six hundred dollars invested in the enterprise. Prices were high at that time and their capital was not sufficient to enable them to carry a large stock of goods. The partnership was dissolved at the end of the first year and Mr. White and his father took over the business, which was soon placed upon a paying basis, owing to the untiring efforts and excellent management of the son, who assumed entire control of the undertaking. As the business expanded he was obliged to seek larger quarters and in 1886 he erected a large two-story building, eighty by one hundred feet in dimensions, in which he has since conducted his interests, which with the passing years have constantly developed, having now assumed extensive proportions. Mr. White owns practically the entire block in which his store is located and nearly all of the block in front of his establishment, while he also has large land holdings in Pope county. He has likewise become the owner of a farm in Colorado, comprising several hundred acres of land, and is specializing in the raising of Percheron and coach horses, of which he has a very fine grade. A substantial home stands on this property and here Mr. and Mrs. White have spent their summers for the past twenty-three years. Subsequently the firm of White Brothers & Company, composed of W. J. White, Jr., J. W. White, Jr., and J. W. White, Sr., repurchased the interests in the old retail establishment that our subject and his father established May 14, 1872, the building being owned by our subject. He was one of the organizers of the Norwood Wholesale Grocery Company, which was formed at Russellville about 1915, and is now vice president of this company. The Norwood Wholesale Company maintain stores at Conway and Morrillton, Arkansas, in addition to their Russellville establishment, Mr. White being owner of the building in which the business is conducted at this point. He is considered one of the most successful merchants in Pope county and is also well known as a financier, having for thirty-two years served, as vice president and one of the directors of the Peoples Exchange Bank of Russellville, of which he was the organizer in 1890. His activities have covered a wide scope and his connection with any undertaking always insured a prosperous outcome of the same, for his efforts have been resultant factors in everything which he has undertaken. In 1899 Mr. White was united in marriage to Miss Lizzie Allen, a native of Grenada county, Mississippi, and a daughter of James Allen, who was for a number of years one of the prominent merchants of Russellville. Mr. and Mrs. White have had no children of their own, but their kindness of heart has prompted them to rear four children, namely: Eugene Shinn, who is connected with the government mail service, being employed in the office of the chief clerk at Little Rock; Hazel Jones, the wife of Arthur Winn, who is also identified with the mail service and resides at Joplin, Missouri; Vernon Shinn, who is engaged in the wholesale mercantile business at Russellville; and Sadie Jones, the wife of S. J. Ross, who is also connected with mercantile interests here. Mr. and Mrs. White are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and his political allegiance is given to the republican party. For two years he served as postmaster of Russellville, being appointed by President Garfield, and resigned at the end of that period. He has also been a member of the town council and in public affairs has ever taken a deep and helpful interest. His life has been a very active and useful one and he is now living largely retired in Russellville, at the age of seventy, devoting his attention to the supervision of his extensive interests. Along the path of opportunity open to all he has reached the goal of notable success, his progress being due to the fact that he has recognized and utilized opportunities which others have passed heedlessly by. He has always followed constructive methods, bending his energies to administrative direction and executive control, and his business activities have at all times balanced up with the principles of truth and honor. His life has been an exemplary one in all respects and from pioneer times until the present his name has been inseparably associated with the work of progress, improvement and upbuilding here. Additional Comments: Citation: Centennial History of Arkansas Volume II Chicago-Little Rock: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company 1922 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ar/pope/bios/white40bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/arfiles/ File size: 7.6 Kb