Matthew M. White 1865-1936

WHITE, FITZPATRICK

Posted By: Joe Conroy (email)
Date: 11/13/2010 at 20:34:02

Williamsburg Journal-Tribune
Williamsburg, Iowa
9 Jan 1936
Page 1 and 8

M. M. White, 72, Dies Sunday, A. M.

Passed Away at His Home in Ida Grove After Short Illness. Was Native of Iowa County

Born On Hilton Farm, 1863

Brother of P. P. White of Williamsburg, and Was Prominent Atty. of N. W. Iowa

Matt M. White, a well known attorney of Ida Grove, died at his home early Sunday morning after a short illness. He is survived by his wife, two sons, John of Ida Grove and Morrell White of Sibley, and two daughters, Mrs. Charles Fitzpatrick of Danbury, and Miss Saralene White of Omaha.

Besides these he leaves one brother, Atty. P. P. White of Williamsburg, and three sisters, the Misses Molly, Sara, and Nellie White of the old home in Hilton.

The funeral services were held Tuesday morning in Sacred Heart church, Ida Grove, with Father Costello in charge. The funeral services were attended by a great throng of Ida County friends of the deceased, and large delegations of prominent citizens from Sioux City, Des Moines, Cherokee, and other points from Western and Northwestern Iowa where the deceased was so well known.

The brother of Williamsburg, and the three sisters of the old Hilton home, left here early Monday morning for Ida Grove. Mrs. P. P. White, who is a sister of Mrs. M. M. White, was unable to make the trip.

Matt M. White was born in the old pioneer home in Hilton Township, seventy-two years ago, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Peter White, who settled in Hilton in 1856, being among the first of the pioneers of this section. He attended the old-Scotch school of Hilton and later finished his education at Notre Dame University where he was graduated from the school of law in 1880, and he immediately began his professional career at Holstein, meeting with marked success from the start; in 1904 he moved to Ida Grove where he became widely known as an attorney, and at once became one of the prominent democratic leaders of Northwestern Iowa. He served as county attorney of Ida County for two terms, was once his party's candidate for Congress in the old 10th district, and served for years as national committeeman from Iowa. About thirty-five years ago he was united in marriage with a popular young woman of Ida Grove, and for the past several years his oldest son, John, was associated with his father in the extensive law practice.

Matt White was very well known in Iowa County, and through the forty-six years of his residence in a distant county he made regular and frequent visits to the old home in Hilton and on these visits the old neighbors accorded him the warmest welcome; he was an outstanding type of the high-minded, idealistic citizen; he never forgot his early days on a pioneer farm and throughout his long and busy life he freely gave of his great ability to every cause that had for its objective the betterment of Iowa's agricultural interests. None possessed a higher type of rugged manhood; his sympathies encircled all human kind; Ida County, irrespective of race and creed, loved him with a love that never wearied or faltered through all the years; his honesty, integrity, and sense of fairness were never doubted, nor was he ever known to violate the requirements of Christian conduct or the ethics of the profession to which he imparted the highest honor.

Iowa County never failed to rate him as her own son, and here the widest sympathies go forth to the bereaved family and to the brother and sisters of the old home community.