Columbia County PA Archives Biographies.....WHITE, Alem Britton 1833 - living in 1899
  ************************************************
  Copyright.  All rights reserved.
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm
  ************************************************
  
  File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
  Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com July 2, 2005, 1:26 pm
  
  Author: Biographical Publishing Co.
  
  ALEM BRITTON WHITE, whose portrait is shown on the opposite page, was
  successfully engaged in the mercantile business in Light Street, Scott township,
  Columbia County, Pa., for many years, and is now agent for the Bloomsburg &
  Sullivan Railroad at Light Street. He is a son of Joseph and Lydia Ann (Robbins)
  White, and was born in Fishing Creek township, Columbia County, May 9, 1833.
  
    The White family is of German extraction. Peter White, the grandfather of our
  subject, was a prominent agriculturist of Scott township where he resided on a
  farm near Light Street which is now owned by the widow of H. C. Hartman. He*
  passed to his eternal resting place in 1815 while yet a young man. He formed a
  matrimonial alliance with Elizabeth Britton by whom he had eight sons and five
  daughters, a record of whom is here given: Harry, the only surviving member of
  the family, is a farmer residing in Indiana: Mary Maud married a Mr. Garrison, a
  farmer of Salem township, Luzerne County; Zebeth, who was a farmer and resided
  in Michigan; John, who was a farmer and resident of Richland County, Ohio;
  Joseph; William, who was a farmer on the old homestead; Samuel followed
  agricultural pursuits in Rich-land County, Ohio; Peter, who also made his home
  in Richland County, Ohio; Catherine, who was the wife of Samuel Oman, who was a
  farmer in Mt. Pleasant township, Columbia County; Sarah, who was the wife of
  Andrew Melick, also a farmer of Mt. Pleasant township; Elizabeth, who married a
  Mr. Emerson, a farmer of Indiana; Isaac, who was a farmer and lime-burner of
  Scott township; and Henry, who was a resident of Indiana.
  
    Joseph White, the father of our subject, was born on the old homestead March
  15, 1800, and after attaining man's estate went to Pine township where he
  engaged in tilling the soil and was a very well-to-do farmer. He was a member of
  the Methodist Episcopal Church of which he was steward and trustee. He passed
  into the unknown beyond at Iola, Greenwood township, December 2, 1858, aged
  fifty-eight years. He took the marriage vows twice, his first union being with
  Lydia Ann Robbins, a daughter of John Robbins, a farmer of Greenwood township,
  and they became the happy parents of eight children, namely: Sarah C., the wife
  of John Johnson, a farmer of Greenwood township; Alem Britton, the subject of
  this biographical sketch; Melissa J., deceased, who married Henry Miller of
  Watsontown, Northumberland County: John A., a carpenter and mechanic of Richland
  County, Ohio; Mary E., deceased, who married David Oman of Mt. Pleasant
  township, Columbia County; Anna A., widow of Samuel White of Fairmont township,
  Luzerne County; Harriet M., wife of Thomas Wright, a carpenter by trade and a
  farmer of Greenwood township; and Eliza R., the wife of S. B. Fornwald of
  Washington, Ind. Mrs. White died December 7, 1835, at the age of thirty-eight
  years. Joseph's second wife was Deborah Fowler and they reared two
  children,—Florence P., the wife of N. H. White of Almedia, Columbia County; and
  Joseph, a merchant of Light Street.
  
    Alem Britton White was reared on the farm and obtained his mental training in
  the public schools and Greenwood Seminary at Millville, Pa., after which he
  began teaching school at the age of fifteen years. He taught in the public
  schools, then for three terms was assistant in the Bloomsburg High School, and
  finally, for six months, taught in the Greenwood Seminary. In the spring of 1865
  he accepted a clerkship in a store at Bloomsburg where he remained until August
  when he entered upon the duties of a similar position for H. W. Creasy, a
  merchant of Light Street, where he remained until April, 1866, when he engaged
  in the mercantile business on his own account at Ashland, Schuylkill County. He
  continued in business there until August, 1868, when he returned to Light Street
  and again clerked for Mr. Creasy until April, 1871, when that gentleman died.
  Our subject then purchased the general merchandise store of Peter Ent of Light
  Street and successfully conducted it until 1895 when he retired in favor of his
  brother Joseph, who has since managed it. Upon the death of Mr. Ent he purchased
  the property upon which the store is situated and has since owned it. He was
  also engaged in the lumber, coal and fertilizer business which he still
  conducts. He was made agent of the Bloomsburg & Sullivan Railroad, when it was
  opened in 1888 and served as agent for the United States Express Company since
  it opened business in Light Street in 1892 until June, 1898. He is a man of
  superior business ability, and has been decidedly successful in all of his
  business ventures.
  
    On March 23, 1869, our subject was united in marriage to Esther E. Geisinger,
  a native of Luzerne County and a daughter of the late Samuel Geisinger, by whom
  he had one daughter who was called home in infancy. They have since adopted a
  daughter, Bessie, who is living at home. Politically he is a stanch supporter of
  the Prohibition party. He is a member of Locust Mountain Lodge, I. O. O. F., of
  Ashland, Pa., and of Washington Lodge, No. 265, F. & A. M., of Bloomsburg.
  Religiously he is a member and trustee of the Methodist Church, also
  superintendent of the Sunday School.
  
  
  Additional Comments:
  Extracted from:
  
  Book of Biographies of the Seventeenth Congressional District
  Published by 
  Biographical Publishing Company of Chicago, Ill. and Buffalo, NY (1899)
  
  
  
  This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/pafiles/
  
  File size: 5.9 Kb