Butte County
Biographies
JAMES M.
WHITE
JAMES
M. WHITE.--A very well-known and highly esteemed citizen of the Sacramento
Valley is James M. White, who is now residing about three miles south of Durham
on his forty-acre ranch. He was born in Branch County, Mich., February 3, 1864,
a son of Isaac H. and Mary Jane (Van Sycle) White.
They both came to California and settled at St. John's, in what is now Glenn
County, and for years conducted a hotel there. They both passed away in the
state of their adoption at an advanced age.
James M. White was educated in the public
schools, and was early trained to the duties of a farmer, which occupation he
has followed all his life, with the exception of the period during which he was
in the hotel business at St. John's. It was while he was thus engaged that he became
acquainted with a large circle of commercial travelers, by whom he was highly
respected. He catered to the traveling public, and was obliging and courteous;
and there is probably no man living in Butte County who has a wider
acquaintance among commercial men, politicians and public men, than has Mr.
White.
After leaving the hotel business, Mr.
White farmed two thousand acres of Senator Phelan's ranch for eight years,
raising hay and grain, with good crops and good prices usually his portion. In
1915 he came to his present location, and purchased forty
acres, which he improved. Later he added forty-five acres to his original
purchase, besides renting four hundred acres adjoining; and on these lands he
did a general ranching business.
On April 16, 1888, Mr. White married Miss
Victoria Spears, who was born in Illinois, near Litchfield, and was taken to
Missouri by her parents, William L. and Martha E. (Williams) Spears. There she
lived for a time, and then, in April, 1879, came with her parents to California,
where Mr. Spears engaged in farming in what is now Glenn County. Both parents
are now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. White have two children: Roy, who married
Catherine Bowe, by whom he has one child, James
William; and Ethel, who is at
home. Mr. White is a prominent member of the Odd Fellows. He
joined Stony Creek Lodge, No. 218, at Orland, of which he is a Past Noble
Grand, and District Deputy; and later he transferred his membership to Chico
Lodge, No. 113. He is also a member and Deputy Grand Patriarch of Chico
Encampment, District No. 6; and with Mrs. White he holds membership in the Rebekahs of Chico. They are highly esteemed by their
neighbors and friends, and are always found willing to do their share towards
helping to build up their community.
Transcribed by Sande Beach.
Source:
"History of Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages
1030-1031, Historic
Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2009 Sande Beach.
Golden Nugget Library's
Butte County Biographies