Biography of John White, St Francis County, AR

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Submitted by: Paul V Isbell
        Date: 22 Jan 2009
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
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John M. White, proprietor of the cotton gin at Levesque, Smith Township, Cross
County, Ark., first saw the light of day in Michigan, in 1848, and was the
second of six children born to the marriage of James and Jane (Williams) White,
natives of England and New York, respectively. The father went to California in
1849, and after returning followed agricultural pursuits in Michigan at an early
day. Both parents are living at the present time. John N. White attended the
public schools and the college at Hillsdale, until twenty years of age, when he
engaged in the hardware business for himself in that town. In 1873, he moved to
Missouri, located in Cole County, and engaged in the timber business, which he
continued for three years. He then came to Arkansas and engaged in the same
business of the White River. In 1884 he came to Cross County, settled at Cherry
Valley, erected a sawmill and there remained about a year in partnership with D.
J. Burks. They moved the mill in 1885, continuing at this new location until the
fall of 1886, and then bought the mill on the bay, where they were engaged in
cutting timber for the railroad during 1886 and 1887. They then built a gin and
saw mill on the railroad, at a point named Levesque, and soon erected and opened
the first store at that place. This store was soon sold to O. A. Hamilton, and
in 1887 the gin was burned down. Mr. White then bought his partner out and, in
1888, put up a new steam gin with a capacity of twelve bales daily. In 1889, he
sold the saw mill to Smith, Cole & Davis. At present, Mr. White is engaged in
the logging business in the St. Francis bottom and in his gin at Levesque. He is
a prominent saw mill and timber man, is active and energetic, and although of
northern birth, finds Arkansas good enough for him. He was married in 1884 to
Miss Alice Cartright, of Pine Bluff, and to this union has been born one child,
a son named Elmer. 

Goodspeed Memoirs and Biograhies-1890