Bio: Oscar Eugene White,  Grant, Rapides, LaSalle, Caddo Parishes, 
Submitted by: Frank Madison Smart, Sonora, CA




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Oscar Eugene White was my maternal grandfather.


   OSCAR EUGENE WHITE (Daniel2, William 1), b. at the "Old Callendar
Place" at Pleasant Hill near Pollock, Grant Parish, LA, 24 July 1879; d.
Shreveport, Caddo Parish, LA., 9 July 1930 of high blood pressure and
cerebral hemorrhange and is buried at Belah Churchyard Cemetery with
father Daniel near Jena, LaSalle Parish, LA.
   He m. Alexandria, Rapides Parish, LA 17 April 1902, EMMIE JOHNSON,
dau. of Marshall Whitfield and Mary (Cooper) Johnson, b. Pollock 26 Sep
1884, d. Shreveport 17 Jan. 1964. Mary Cooper was the daughter of Ether
D. and Isabel (Williams) Cooper. The wedding was performed at the
Bentley Hotel by Rev. M.J. Hoover with Fred Wilson as witness and
bondsman.
   Eugene was an engineer at the big sawmill in Trout, LaSalle Parish,
LA., for many years. He became very ill for a long time and finally
recuperated in Verda, LA with the help of Dr. Bonnette of Alexandria.
   While recuperating in Verda, he began the telephone system for that
town. He had gotten the idea from his brother-in-law, Bob Wagner who
conducted a general merchandise store in Verda.
   Eugene was financially broke after his long illness. Bob Wagner
helped Eugene gather the finances and became partners in the Verda phone
business. Eugene's brother, Pete, came over from nearby Jena to help
install the phone system. Pete had helped gtheir father Daniel install
the phone system in Jena.
   Pete and Eugene finished the entire telephone system including wiring
during 1908. Most of the equipment came from Western Electric and the
poles were bought in Verda. The phone system consisted of about 100
phones of the crank type with the switchboard located in the building
where the Masonic Lodge met. The total cost of the phone system was
about $1,200. After installation of the phone system, Eugene went around
soliciting subscribers for his exchanges.
   Eugene moved on from Verda to Jonesville, LA where he installed that
town's telephone sysgtem ca. 1911. He strung lines to plantations down
Black River with the help of brothers Pete and Nick.
   He then moved to Winnsboro, LA ca. 1913, where he became the owner
and operator of the electrick light, power and waterworks there. Eugune
remained there until ca. 1925 when he sold out the business and moved on
to Shreveport, LA., Eugene's brother, Pete, stayed on at the plant for
worked for the successor company.
   Eugene move the Cedar Grove, a suburb of shreveport and founded a
grocery store The name of the store was "Pure Food Grocery" located at
the corner of 70th Street and Southern Ave. (Submitters note: My family
home was at 6013 Southern Ave., and Grandma White's was at 6207 Southern
Ave., and we went to the Cedar Grove Methodist Church in the 6800 block
of Southern Ave. ) He remained there until his ddeath. He was a member
of the Baptist Church of Cedar Grove. Emmie continued to live at the
family home on Southern Ave., until her death.