John R. White Biography This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography, including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & Co., Chicago, 1899. Pages 739-740 Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://usgwarchives.org/sd/sdfiles.htm JOHN R. WHITE. Unconscious of the truth though we may be, yet our tribute of respect is accorded to those who have fought their way to success from an unfavorable beginning, developing not only a bright and sturdy character by the discipline imposed upon them, but whose persevering efforts have enabled them to succeed to the high aim of their ambition, and to a prosperous and successful life. Such is the position that the one whose name heads this sketch has rightfully attained. Mr. White, who is one of the most prominent farmers and stock raisers of Hanson county, is of English extraction, a native of North Carolina, and was born April 22, 1850. He was the eldest of a family of four children born to the union of Augustus E. and Margaret (Bundy) White, both deceased. When our subject was four years of age, the father was engaged in agricultural pursuits in Henry county, Indiana. At the age of fourteen years he began earnestly to contemplate a college education. His father by this time had passed away, and had left but little property, so that a college education could only be procured by his own efforts. He entered Earlham College, and received from there the degree of B. S., and at once obtained the position of principal of Le Grand Academy, of Marshall county, Iowa`. He there purchased a home and remained for five years. As the schoolroom work affected his health, and that he might better his condition financially, he decided to come west. In the fall of 1879, he purchased a farm on the banks of the James river, and also formed a partnership with Thos. Schofield, erecting the flouring mill known as the Mitchell Water Mill. After ten years of this work, and having become possessed of a considerable tract of grazing land, he sold his milling interests to his partner and began the stock raising business, dealing in cattle, sheep and hogs. About this time he also erected a private elevator near his farm, on the Omaha railroad, and which has but recently passed from his possession. He is at the present time retained as the buyer of this elevator. In 1898, he formed a partnership with Samuel Green, of Mitchell, and erected the James River Valley Creamery, one of the model plants of the state so far as arrangement and location are concerned. At the present writing Mr. White has a farm of four hundred and forty acres, upon which he is completing such improvements as will do credit to the Valley, and combine to make one of those model stock farms for which the state has its reputation. Politically he is well known throughout his county. He was a member of the Revolutionary legislature, while Dakota was yet a territory. He was an ardent believer in the principles of the Populist party, from its earliest organization, and has always maintained a close adherence to that party. He has devoted his time and energy to his chosen party, and has done much toward bringing the Populist party in Hanson county to its present state of efficiency. As an old teacher, he is ever interested in all educational matters, and he has given his aid and talent to school interests and has many times taken his time from his business in attending, and sometimes instructing in the various county institutes. He was married in 1874, to Miss Mary Willits, a native of Ohio, but at the time of her marriage a resident of Iowa, who was born August 26, 1850, and to their union were born five children, viz.: Everet, who is now a student of the South Dakota University; Marie M., who at the age of nineteen is a graduate of the Madison, South Dakota, Normal School. She began teaching at the age of seventeen, and at present is one of the teachers in the Mitchell High School. Walter W., Ralph and Robert.