Elliott White

WHITE, EVANS, THOMPSON, SWEETSER

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 11/13/2011 at 12:52:50

ELLIOTT WHITE, a practical agriculturist, who has successfully won his way to a position of honored usefulness, has for many years been prominently associated with the rapid growth and development of the vital interests of Black Hawk Township, Grundy County. His fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres is now under a high state of cultivation, and his home is well known to his wide circle of acquaintances and fellow-countrymen as the abode of hospitality.

A native of Ireland, our subject was born in County Fermanagh in 1841. There his parents, Robert and Anna (Evans) White, were born, as were also his grandparents, Henry and Sarah White. Grandfather White was born in the same county as was our subject, and there followed the combined occupations of a farmer and linen weaver. He was the father of a family of eight children. In religious belief he was a member of the Church of England. He lived to the advanced age of ninety-four years. His good wife, however, survived him for many years, and died when in her one hundred and sixth year.

Robert White spent his boyhood years on his father’s farm in Ireland and was trained to habits of thrifty prudence. He was given as good opportunities for an education as the schools of the early days afforded, and was carefully instructed in farm duties. He was married when forty years of age to the daughter of Jared and Barbara Evans, who was twenty-one years his junior. Upon the day she was baptized he said he would wait for her, and he kept good his word. To them were born eight children, as follows: Henry, James, Robert, our subject, Jared, Mary A., Charlotte and Jane. The latter is now deceased. James came to the United States, and during the late war served through the entire period as a member of the Fifteenth New York Heavy Artillery. The father of our subject died when ninety years of age, in 1851, and his wife departed this life fifteen years later.

Elliott White remained at home until the decease of his father, when he made his home with his eldest brother until coming to America in 1863. He was given a fair education in Ireland, and on landing in the United States located in Ontario, Canada, where he worked out as a farm hand for about four years. At the expiration of that time he made his way to the States, and was employed for a like period in the stone quarries of Wisconsin. In 1870 he made his advent into Grundy County, where he rented and operated farm land until 1885, when he was enabled to purchase the place where he is at present residing. It consists of a quarter-section, and at the time it came into his possession bore but little improvement. Under his untiring energy he has made a wonderful change in its appearance, as it now bears all the improvements found upon the estate of a first-class agriculturist.

In 1872, in Grundy Centre, Mr. White and Miss Frances A., daughter of Thomas P. and Direxa (Thompson) Sweetser, were united in marriage. Mrs. White was born in Portland, Me., of which place her parents, who were of English and Dutch ancestry, were natives. By their union our subject and his wife became the parents of five children: Georgiana, Minnie Maud, William Henry, James Alton and Frederick Arthur. The eldest daughter is a graduate of the Waterloo schools, and is now engaged in teaching in the Reinbeck High School. Minnie is also a school teacher in Grant Township, this county, and is a graduate of the Reinbeck High School.

While residing in Canada, Mr. White was a member of the Orangeman Lodge. He is now connected with the Legion of Honor of Iowa, and with his wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a stanch Republican in politics, and although he has never been an aspirant for political preferment, has been the incumbent of various responsible local positions.

Source:
Portrait and Biographical Record
of Jasper, Marshall and Grundy Counties, Iowa
1894