Yolo-Napa-San Francisco County CA Archives Biographies.....White, William Samuel 1848 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com December 13, 2005, 10:12 pm Author: Tom Gregory WILLIAM SAMUEL WHITE Few citizens of Woodland have been so intimately associated with the growth of that community as has Mr. White, who since his settlement in Yolo county in 1878, has been untiring in his efforts toward its development. He was born February 22, 1848, on the St. Johns river, New Brunswick, his parents being Samuel and Margaret (Davis) White. The progenitor of the family to first locate in this country was Thomas White, of Kent county, England, who settled in New Jersey. In that state were born William and Philip White, the great-grandfather and grandfather of our subject respectively. They settled in New Brunswick and became United Empire Loyalists. William S. White spent his youth in the place of his birth and after the completion of his education he became an apprentice to a carpenter and builder. Later, in Boston, Mass., with his brother Philip he carried on contracting for eight years, after which lie sold out to his brother and in 1875 came to California. He was fortunate in securing the position of foreman in the erection of the Napa state hospital, a position which he held for one year, and after the same length of time passed in San Francisco he went to Rockville, Solano county, where he was engaged in carriage and wagon making. In 1878 he came to Yolo county, locating in Woodland, where he became foreman for Samuel Caldwell, and remained with this employer for six years. Later, in the employ of Glenn & White, he superintended the erection of many of Woodland's finest houses. Subsequently he decided to take up farming, and for this purpose purchased a quarter section of land on Hooker creek, Temaha county, upon which he set out an orchard of twenty acres, devoting the remainder of the ranch to general agriculture. However, owing to the fact that shipping facilities were at that time very unsatisfactory, he decided, after ten years of unprofitable endeavor, to abandon his enterprise, and disposing of his land again took up his residence in Woodland, where he bought the planing mill established in 1887 by his brother Charles G. in partnership with George Glenn, and to which they gave the name of the Ever Ready Planing Mill, which has never belied its cognomen. In addition to this new interest he again took up contracting and building, which he found most lucrative. Following is a list of the residences which Mr. White not only erected, but which he planned as well, since he is a skilled architect: The homes of Mrs. Clanton, W. F. Blanhard, J. H. Dungan, Dr. Grant, A. N. Hawkins, Mr. Corlett, Mr. Henshall and Mr. Wooley, and many others. He also erected the Unitarian. Church and superintended the construction of the Catholic convent, the A. D. Porter and the Curtis residences. In 1905 Mr. White built his own beautiful residence, which is one of the most artistic in the city. Mr. White's wife was formerly Miss Imogene Jackson, a native of Bucksport, Me., and the daughter of Benjamin E. and Charlotte (Lewis) Jackson, both natives of Maine. Mr. Jackson (a contractor during his active years) and his wife passed their last days in California with their daughter, Mrs. White. The latter was educated in East Maine Conference Seminary, in Bucksport, and was married in Boston September 19, 1872, to Mr. White. Four children were born of this marriage. Walter C., followed teaching for a time, after which he entered the University of California, where his career was cut short by his death, January 21, 1904, at the age of thirty-one, when in his senior year; Gertrude E. is a teacher in the Oak Street school; Lottie J. is at home; and Phenie May is deceased. Mr. and Mrs. White are members of the Unitarian Church, he being a member of the board of trustees. Fraternally he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, having joined the order before coming to the west. From 1907 to 1911 he served efficiently as city trustee of Woodland and he is conceded to be one of the most progressive and sagacious business men of the community. Additional Comments: Extracted from HISTORY OF YOLO COUNTY CALIFORNIA WITH Biographical Sketches OF The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been Identified With Its Growth and Development From the Early Days to the Present HISTORY BY TOM GREGORY AND OTHER WELL KNOWN WRITERS ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA [1913] File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/yolo/bios/white160nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cafiles/ File size: 5.0 Kb