Christian Streit White (March 10, 1839 – January 28, 1917) was an American
military officer,
lawyer,
court clerk,
pisciculturist, and
politician
A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking ...
in the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...
s of
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
and
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...
.
During the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...
, White served as a
sergeant major
Sergeant major is a senior non-commissioned rank or appointment in many militaries around the world.
History
In 16th century Spain, the ("sergeant major") was a general officer. He commanded an army's infantry, and ranked about third in th ...
and
captain in the
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...
and headed a bureau of the
Confederate States Department of the Treasury. White served under the commands of
Stonewall Jackson and
Jubal Early
Jubal Anderson Early (November 3, 1816 – March 2, 1894) was a Virginia lawyer and politician who became a Confederate States of America, Confederate general during the American Civil War. Trained at the United States Military Academy, Early r ...
and was responsible for the safekeeping of Hampshire County's
land registration records from destruction by
Union Army
During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...
forces. From 1864 to 1865, White was in command of Company C of the
23rd Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment.
White served as the Clerk of Court for
Hampshire County, West Virginia, for 29 years (1873–1902), and also served as the Clerk of Circuit Court for Hampshire County (1873–1876). He was the chairman of the Hampshire County Democratic Executive Committee in the 1870s, and during this leadership, registered members of the
West Virginia Democratic Party
The West Virginia Democratic Party is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the U.S. state of West Virginia.
History
The state of West Virginia granted itself statehood after its people, through a state constitutional convention, became a fr ...
grew from 449 to 1,369 in 1876. White was appointed by
West Virginia Governor
The governor of West Virginia is the head of government of West VirginiaWV Constitution article VII, § 5. and the commander-in-chief of the U.S. state, state's West Virginia National Guard, military forces.WV Constitution article VII, § 12. Th ...
John J. Jacob as one of the inaugural commissioners of the West Virginia Fish Commission. He established the Maguire Springs fish hatchery near Romney, and for a time, served as the commission's president.
White was a member of the White political family of Virginia and West Virginia and was the son of
John Baker White (1794–1862), a grandson of prominent Virginia judge
Robert White (1759–1831), and a great-nephew of
United States House Representative Francis White (1761–1826). He was a younger brother of
West Virginia Attorney General
West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth.
Etymology
The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some R ...
Robert White (1833–1915).
Family and background
Christian Streit White was born on March 10, 1839, in
Romney,
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
(present-day
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...
).
He was the second-eldest son of
Hampshire County Clerk of Court
John Baker White (1794–1862) and his second wife Frances Ann Streit White (c. 1809–1879) and a grandson of prominent Virginia judge
Robert White (1759–1831).
His older brother
Robert White (1833–1915) later served as
Attorney General of West Virginia
Attorney may refer to:
* Lawyer
** Attorney at law, in some jurisdictions
* Attorney, one who has power of attorney
* ''The Attorney'', a 2013 South Korean film
See also
* Attorney general, the principal legal officer of (or advisor to) a gove ...
.
He was likely named for his maternal grandfather Reverend Christian Streit, a
Lutheran
Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Cathol ...
minister of
Winchester, Virginia, who was of
Swiss descent.
White received his education at Potomac Seminary in Romney.
American Civil War service
On April 19, 1861, following the outbreak of the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...
, White
enlisted
Enlisted may refer to:
* Enlisted rank
An enlisted rank (also known as an enlisted grade or enlisted rate) is, in some armed services, any rank below that of a commissioned officer. The term can be inclusive of non-commissioned officers or ...
as a
private in the Hampshire Guards, which later became Company K within the
13th Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment of the Army of Virginia.
While Company K was under the command of Captain John B. Sherrard, White was promoted to
Third Sergeant.
White's company under the command of Sherrard departed Romney in June 1861.
Within four to five months, White was successively promoted through the
non-commissioned officer ranks to
Sergeant major
Sergeant major is a senior non-commissioned rank or appointment in many militaries around the world.
History
In 16th century Spain, the ("sergeant major") was a general officer. He commanded an army's infantry, and ranked about third in th ...
and acting
Adjutant of the 13th Virginia Infantry.
He was further promoted to Adjutant, but White did not receive a
commission.
White served in the 13th Virginia Infantry for a little over a year until he was
discharged
Discharge may refer to
Expel or let go
* Discharge, the act of firing a gun
* Discharge, or termination of employment, the end of an employee's duration with an employer
* Military discharge, the release of a member of the armed forces from serv ...
from his service on account of a
disability
Disability is the experience of any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or have equitable access within a given society. Disabilities may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, ...
.
White had developed
typhoid fever
Typhoid fever, also known as typhoid, is a disease caused by '' Salmonella'' serotype Typhi bacteria. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and usually begin six to 30 days after exposure. Often there is a gradual onset of a high fever over several ...
and was ordered to recover in a hospital in
Staunton.
Following his recovery and during his
convalescence
Convalescence is the gradual recovery of health and strength after illness or injury. It refers to the later stage of an infectious disease or illness when the patient recovers and returns to previous health, but may continue to be a source of ...
in the winter of 1862 and 1863, White first served as a clerk in the
Confederate States Department of the Treasury in
Richmond, and he later received a post as head of an entire bureau of the department.
White's father John Baker White also served in the Confederate States Department of the Treasury until his death on October 9, 1862.
In spring 1863, White had recovered enough from his disability to serve in the
cavalry, although he was still unable to serve in the
infantry
Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and mar ...
.
White resigned from his post as head of a bureau in the Confederate States Department of the Treasury when he received a commission of
Captain from
Confederate States President Jefferson Davis.
Under the terms of his commission from President Davis, White raised a
company of 200 cavalrymen for "special service" from within
Union
Union commonly refers to:
* Trade union, an organization of workers
* Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets
Union may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Music
* Union (band), an American rock group
** ''Un ...
-controlled areas of Virginia.
The "special service" company was to include
reconnaissance
In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities.
Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops (skirmisher ...
scouts or
espionage
Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information (intelligence) from non-disclosed sources or divulging of the same without the permission of the holder of the information for a tangib ...
personnel.
White began recruitment of his company from several Virginia counties and neighboring states within Union control.
His company was charged with reconnaissance within the mountainous region of Virginia spanning
Greenbrier,
Pocahontas
Pocahontas (, ; born Amonute, known as Matoaka, 1596 – March 1617) was a Native American woman, belonging to the Powhatan people, notable for her association with the colonial settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. She was the daughter of ...
,
Highland
Highlands or uplands are areas of high elevation such as a mountainous region, elevated mountainous plateau or high hills. Generally speaking, upland (or uplands) refers to ranges of hills, typically from up to while highland (or highlands) is ...
,
Pendleton,
Randolph,
Hardy, and Hampshire counties.
The "special service" company under White's command became Company C of the
23rd Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment.
White's company initially consisted of 20 men from the Confederate States Department of the Treasury in Richmond, and after further recruitment, he raised a company numbering 300 men, although he was only permitted to retain 120 men.
The remaining recruits sought service under D. E. Beall of Hampshire County, and subsequently joined the cavalry of General
John D. Imboden.
His brother, Alexander White, served as the company's
first lieutenant
First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment.
The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a ...
and J. R. Baker served as the company's
second lieutenant.
White declined subsequent promotions, and remained in command of his company until the
conclusion of the American Civil War
The conclusion of the American Civil War commenced with the articles of surrender agreement of the Army of Northern Virginia on April 9, at Appomattox Court House, by General Robert E. Lee and concluded with the surrender of the '' Shenand ...
in 1865.
White and his company saw
combat from early 1864 through the early 1865.
During the summer of 1865 alone, White's company participated in 56 battles and skirmishes, including
picket fights, with two men killed, 26 men wounded (four of which later died as a result of their wounds), and ten men taken prisoner.
By October 1, 1864, White's company had 15 serviceable horses and 70 that were not serviceable.
Between 1863 and 1865, White received one severe wound (from June 21, 1864
) and two minor wounds from various campaigns.
White felt the effects of these wounds for the remainder of his life.
Throughout his military service during the American Civil War, White served under the commands of
Stonewall Jackson and
Jubal Early
Jubal Anderson Early (November 3, 1816 – March 2, 1894) was a Virginia lawyer and politician who became a Confederate States of America, Confederate general during the American Civil War. Trained at the United States Military Academy, Early r ...
.
Following the surrender of General
Robert E. Lee on April 9, 1865, White and the remaining part of his company traveled to
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...
to join Confederate Army forces under the command of General
Joseph E. Johnston
Joseph Eggleston Johnston (February 3, 1807 – March 21, 1891) was an American career army officer, serving with distinction in the United States Army during the Mexican–American War (1846–1848) and the Seminole Wars. After Virginia secede ...
, but Johnston and his forces had already surrendered before White and his troops could reach them.
White and the remnants of his company disbanded without surrendering or being
parole
Parole (also known as provisional release or supervised release) is a form of early release of a prison inmate where the prisoner agrees to abide by certain behavioral conditions, including checking-in with their designated parole officers, or ...
d, and White returned to Romney around June 1, 1865.
Preservation of Hampshire County land records
White's father, Hampshire County Clerk of Court John Baker White, learned of the advancement of
Union Army
During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...
forces on Romney, and became concerned for the safety of the county's records. His father proceeded to load
land registration records ledger
A ledger is a book or collection of accounts in which account transactions are recorded. Each account has an opening or carry-forward balance, and would record each transaction as either a debit or credit in separate columns, and the ending or ...
books onto wagons and had them transported to Winchester, Virginia, for safekeeping.
In 1863, when Winchester was no longer a safe location for the storage of Hampshire County's land records and they again risked destruction by
Union Army
During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...
forces,
Christian Streit White took responsibility for the records and transferred them to
Front Royal
Front Royal is the only incorporated town in Warren County, Virginia, United States. The population was 15,011 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Warren County.
History
The entire Shenandoah Valley including the area to become ...
.
When Front Royal became endangered by advancing Union Army forces, White had the records moved to
Luray Caverns
Luray Caverns, originally called Luray Cave, is a cave just west of Luray, Virginia, United States, which has drawn many visitors since its discovery in 1878. The cavern system is generously adorned with speleothems such as columns, mud flows, s ...
where they remained for several months.
In fall 1864, the county's record books were rescued by White and his company as Union Army troops were in the process of destroying them.
White's company loaded about 150 record books into a wagon and they were taken to North Carolina where they remained safely for the duration of the war.
Hampshire County's land records survived and were returned to the courthouse following the conclusion of the American Civil War,
likely by a soldier returning to the area from North Carolina.
Had White's father John Baker White not separated the records and sent the bound volumes away for safekeeping, Hampshire County would have lost all its records during the course of the war, as those that remained in the courthouse were destroyed.
Political career
Clerk of Court for Hampshire County
![Old Hampshire County Courthouse Romney WV](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/Old_Hampshire_County_Courthouse_Romney_WV.jpg)
Following his return from the war to his hometown of Romney in June 1865, White was unable to recommence his
practice of law
In its most general sense, the practice of law involves giving legal advice to clients, drafting legal documents for clients, and representing clients in legal negotiations and court proceedings such as lawsuits, and is applied to the profess ...
or hold a public office due to the existing
state laws of the
Constitution of West Virginia
The Constitution of the State of West Virginia West Virginia State Constitution is the supreme law of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It expresses the rights of the state's citizens and provides the framework for the organization of law and gover ...
which
disbarred former Confederate States government and military personnel.
White's situation was further complicated, as he had not been
pardoned or paroled by the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
for his service in the Confederate States Army.
White rented a farm in Hampshire County and engaged in successful agricultural pursuits until the disenfranchisement of former Confederates was struck from the state's constitution in 1872.
In 1872, White was elected to the position of Clerk of Court for Hampshire County and began his term the following year in 1873.
During his tenure as Clerk of Court for Hampshire County, White also served one term as Clerk of the Circuit Court between 1873 and 1876,
but declined to run for a second term in that office.
Prior to the American Civil War, White's father John Baker White had also served as the county's Clerk of Court for 47 years between 1815 and 1861.
White served as Clerk of Court for Hampshire County for 29 years until 1902.
He and his father served in the position a combined total of 76 years.
Also following the war, White was elected as a member of the
Romney Literary Society.
Hampshire County Democratic Executive Committee
By 1876, White was serving as the chairman of the Hampshire County Democratic Executive Committee. While holding this post, White organized and carried out extensive campaigning for
West Virginia Democratic Party
The West Virginia Democratic Party is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the U.S. state of West Virginia.
History
The state of West Virginia granted itself statehood after its people, through a state constitutional convention, became a fr ...
membership and political candidates. Through his efforts, the number of registered Democrats in Hampshire County swelled from 449 in the preceding election year to 1,369.
During the West Virginia Democratic Party Senatorial Convention held at
Moorefield in August 1886, White proposed and advocated the first tariff reform and anti-monopoly resolutions ever passed and adopted by a West Virginia Democratic Party Convention.
Prior to its passage at the convention, White's proposal received strong opposition.
Tariff reform and anti-monopoly resolutions similar to White's proposal were adopted by the national
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to:
*Democratic Party (United States)
Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to:
Active parties Africa
*Botswana Democratic Party
*Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea
*Gabonese Democratic Party
*Demo ...
as part of its 1888 platform.
White had been among the first Democratic Party members in Hampshire County to openly declare his opposition to the fiscal policies of the administration of
United States President
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...
Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18, 1837June 24, 1908) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 22nd and 24th president of the United States from 1885 to 1889 and from 1893 to 1897. Cleveland is the only president in American ...
.
Under White's leadership, Hampshire County's Democratic delegation was the first Democratic county organization in West Virginia to hold public meetings in opposition to Cleveland's fiscal policies.
As the county executive committee chairman, White was the first Democrat in Hampshire County to deliver a public speech denouncing these policies.
By 1897, White had participated as a delegate from Hampshire County to most of the Senatorial and Congressional Democratic Party conventions in West Virginia, and every state Gubernatorial convention with the exception of one.
White was described by
George W. Atkinson in his ''Prominent Men of West Virginia'' (1890) as "a consistent, but liberal Democrat"
and by historians Roberta R. Munske and Wilmer L. Kerns in their ''Hampshire County, West Virginia, 1754–2004'' (2004) as "a self-proclaimed liberal Democrat."
West Virginia historians
Hu Maxwell
Hu Maxwell (September 22, 1860, Saint George, Virginia (now West Virginia) — August 20, 1927, Evanston, Illinois) was a local historian, novelist, editor, poet, and author of several histories of West Virginia counties.
Biography
Maxwell was ...
and
Howard Llewellyn Swisher in their ''History of Hampshire County'' (1897) stated that White was "independent in thought and character and fearless in following his convictions, he has never been a follower of party leaders."
West Virginia Fish Commission
On February 20, 1877, an act entitled "Act to increase the supply of food fishes in the rivers and waters of this State" was passed by the
West Virginia Legislature
The West Virginia Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of West Virginia. A bicameral legislative body, the legislature is split between the upper Senate and the lower House of Delegates. It was established under Article VI o ...
creating the West Virginia Fish Commission for the purpose of propagating
pisciculture for the
stocking
Stockings (also known as hose, especially in a historical context) are close-fitting, variously elastic garments covering the leg from the foot up to the knee or possibly part or all of the thigh. Stockings vary in color, design, and transpare ...
of
streams in West Virginia to transform them into viable fisheries.
White was appointed by
West Virginia Governor
The governor of West Virginia is the head of government of West VirginiaWV Constitution article VII, § 5. and the commander-in-chief of the U.S. state, state's West Virginia National Guard, military forces.WV Constitution article VII, § 12. Th ...
John J. Jacob as one of the inaugural commissioners on June 1, 1877, along with John W. Harris of Greenbrier County and Henry B. Miller of
Wheeling.
White was appointed for a term of four years.
The newly appointed commission convened on July 17, 1877, and White was elected its secretary and Harris as its president.
White and his two commissioner colleagues were "dedicated to their cause,"
but their beginning efforts faced opposition from public officials who did not understand the importance of the fish commission.
White embarked upon a search for potential locations for a state
fish hatchery
A fish hatchery is a place for artificial breeding, hatching, and rearing through the early life stages of animals—finfish and shellfish in particular.Crespi V., Coche A. (2008) Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Gloss ...
, and in the summer of 1877, he purchased the Maguire Springs and near Romney from Charles Harmison of
Valley View.
At the Maguire Springs, White "erected and equipped" a fish hatchery costing $700 at his own expense,
and by 1878, the hatchery was in "successful operation" and 600,000 fishes had been distributed from it.
The West Virginia Fish Commission later purchased from White the Maguire Springs and the surrounding for $550.
In 1880, the Maguire Springs hatchery was vastly improved and expanded with the construction of ponds and the erection of a fence around the hatchery facility.
In 1885, a residence was constructed at the hatchery for the facility's manager.
Following Miller's resignation from the commission, White was appointed as the President of the West Virginia Fish Commission in June 1885.
By June 1886, the hatchery ponds at the Maguire Springs were enlarged and in 1891, a hatching house was built along with additions to the manager's residence, all under White's direction.
White also personally served as the manager of the Maguire Springs fish hatchery during hiatuses between manager appointments.
By 1893, fish populations within the streams of West Virginia became self-sustaining and the hatchery operations at Maguire Springs were discontinued.
In 1877,
United States Fish Commission
The United States Fish Commission, formally known as the United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries, was an agency of the United States government created in 1871 to investigate, promote, and preserve the fisheries of the United States. In 1 ...
er
Spencer Fullerton Baird requested that West Virginia introduce the
Chinook salmon
The Chinook salmon (''Oncorhynchus tshawytscha'') is the largest and most valuable species of Pacific salmon in North America, as well as the largest in the genus '' Oncorhynchus''. Its common name is derived from the Chinookan peoples. Other ...
into its streams.
The West Virginia Fish Commission's "first and most expensive efforts" involved the hatching and stocking of the salmon in West Virginia's streams.
To accomplish this feat, White designed and built
charcoal raceways to culture the salmon.
The salmon were released into the
South Branch Potomac River
The South Branch Potomac River has its headwaters in northwestern Highland County, Virginia near Hightown along the eastern edge of the Allegheny Front. After a river distance of ,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolu ...
where they flourished and were caught by fishermen from Romney to
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
The salmon introduced by White and the commission migrated to the
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay ( ) is the largest estuary in the United States. The Bay is located in the Mid-Atlantic region and is primarily separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Delmarva Peninsula (including the parts: the Eastern Shore of Maryland / ...
, but did not return to West Virginia's streams to
spawn
Spawn or spawning may refer to:
* Spawn (biology), the eggs and sperm of aquatic animals
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Spawn (character), a fictional character in the comic series of the same name and in the associated franchise
** '' Spawn: ...
.
Between 1877 and 1882, the West Virginia Fish Commission successfully hatched and distributed salmon,
trout
Trout are species of freshwater fish belonging to the genera '' Oncorhynchus'', '' Salmo'' and '' Salvelinus'', all of the subfamily Salmoninae of the family Salmonidae. The word ''trout'' is also used as part of the name of some non-salm ...
,
black bass
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...
,
shad,
carp,
gray bass,
pike perch,
silver perch, jack, and
blue catfish
The blue catfish (''Ictalurus furcatus'') is the largest species of North American catfish, reaching a length of and a weight of . The typical length is about 25–46 in (64–117 cm). The fish can live to 20 years. The native distribution o ...
, as well as mill pond
roach as food for the bass.
In a report to the United States Fish Commission on the quality of the hatchery's carp, White wrote: "One small scale carp, accidentally killed in draining the pond, was fried as pan-fish, eaten in my family, and pronounced good."
Over a decade after his appointment to the commission, White and his colleagues continued to perform their duties of office without pay from the West Virginia Legislature.
The legislature continued to authorize $500 annually for the hatching and stocking of fish in West Virginia's streams.
White was reappointed as a commissioner by each succeeding Democratic governor.
For the majority of his tenure serving on the West Virginia Fish Commission, White held the post of the commission's President.
Confederate memorial activities
![Confederate Memorial Romney WV 2010 04 25 01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/Confederate_Memorial_Romney_WV_2010_04_25_01.jpg)
In spring 1866 while at the residence of his brother Robert White in Romney, White, his brother Robert and his wife, his sister Fannie White, and Bessie Jane Schultze (later White's wife) originated the idea of erecting a monument memorializing the Confederate dead.
This discussion led to the first decoration of Confederate graves at Indian Mound Cemetery in Romney on June 1, 1866, and to the subsequent erection of the
Confederate Memorial at Indian Mound Cemetery which was dedicated on September 26, 1867.
From its formation until June 1897, White served as the Commander of Camp Hampshire Number 446 of the
United Confederate Veterans
The United Confederate Veterans (UCV, or simply Confederate Veterans) was an American Civil War veterans' organization headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was organized on June 10, 1889, by ex-soldiers and sailors of the Confederate Sta ...
, the first camp organized in West Virginia.
At the United Confederate Veterans headquarters in
on August 24, 1895, White was appointed by General
John Brown Gordon
John Brown Gordon () was an attorney, a slaveholding plantation owner, general in the Confederate States Army, and politician in the postwar years. By the end of the Civil War, he had become "one of Robert E. Lee's most trusted generals."
Af ...
as one of the inaugural members of the committee for the Confederate Memorial Association, which was charged with organizing and consolidating the association and selecting its chairman.
White and the committee was also responsible for the erection of a "great building or memorial hall" known as the "Battle Abbey of the South," which had been proposed by former Confederate States Army private Charles Broadway Rouss.
White and the committee nominated General
George H. Steuart as the chairman of the Confederate Memorial Association at Gate City Guard Armory in
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
on October 19, 1865,
where Colonel J. O. Murray served as White's proxy.
White's failing health caused him to resign from his position on the committee in early 1897 and upon the acceptance of his resignation, his brother Robert White was appointed to replace him.
Business pursuits
On February 23, 1871, the West Virginia Legislature passed an act
incorporating the
South Branch Railway Company, responsible for the construction and operation of a
branch line
A branch line is a phrase used in railway terminology to denote a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line.
Industrial spur
An industr ...
connecting Romney with the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad main line at
Green Spring.
White was named by the legislature as one of the
commissioners of the South Branch Railway Company, charged with the responsibility of
signing up investors to purchase
capital stock
A corporation's share capital, commonly referred to as capital stock in the United States, is the portion of a corporation's equity that has been derived by the issue of shares in the corporation to a shareholder, usually for cash. "Share capi ...
in the company.
In 1890, White was a
shareholder in two corporations operating in Romney.
As one of five corporators, White held one share, valued at $130, in the Hampshire Building and Loan Association No. 1, which raised money for the purpose of providing loans for the purchase of property, home improvement or construction, and the liquidation of liens on property.
Hampshire Building and Loan Association No. 1 was incorporated by
West Virginia Secretary of State
The Secretary of State of West Virginia is an elected office within the U.S. state of West Virginia state government. The secretary of state is responsible for overseeing the state's election process, including voter registration and election res ...
Henry S. Walker on March 11, 1890.
White was one of six corporators, with two shares ($35 each), of the Romney Manufacturing, Land and Improvement Company, which was created for the acquisition of land near Romney for the establishment of a hotel or summer resort and the development of residential real estate.
The Romney Manufacturing, Land and Improvement Company was incorporated by Walker's successor, William A. Ohley, on July 10, 1890.
Later life and death
![Indian Mound Cemetery Romney WV 2013 07 13 50](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Indian_Mound_Cemetery_Romney_WV_2013_07_13_50.jpg)
White continued to serve in public office late into his life, and by 1916, he was serving as a chancery commissioner for Hampshire County along with his son Robert and
Joshua Soule Zimmerman.
White also continued to operate a law practice with his son Robert in Romney.
White died in Hampshire County on January 28, 1917, at the age of 77.
He was
interred
Burial, also known as interment or inhumation, is a method of final disposition whereby a dead body is placed into the ground, sometimes with objects. This is usually accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing the deceased and objec ...
next to his first wife Bessie Jane Schultze and second wife Catharine Steele in the White family plot at
Indian Mound Cemetery in Romney.
Personal life
A practicing member of the
Presbyterian
Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...
faith, White was a
Mason in the Clinton Lodge of Romney, where he had served as a Master.
He resided at 332 East Main Street in Romney.
Marriage and issue
White was married on July 25, 1867, in Hampshire County to Elizabeth "Bessie" Jane Schultze, the daughter of Dr. Robert Schultze and his wife Elizabeth "Bessie" Armstrong Schultze.
Schultze was born on November 18, 1837, in
Rotterdam
Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Rotte'') is the second largest city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is in the province of South Holland, part of the North Sea mouth of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, via the ''"Ne ...
,
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
and was of
Scottish descent.
Her father, Dr. Robert Schultze, was a
professor
Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an academic rank at universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who professes". Professors ...
of foreign languages at the
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...
.
Schultze's father also served in the
British Diplomatic Service
His Majesty's Diplomatic Service (HMDS) is the diplomatic service of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, dealing with foreign affairs and representing British interests overseas, as opposed to the Home Civil Service, which ...
.
White and his wife Bessie had one child, a son:
Following the death of his first wife, Bessie, on June 24, 1869,
White again married on May 26, 1873, to Catharine Steele.
Steele was born in
Belfast
Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdom ...
or
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...
and was the daughter of Thomas G. Steele in
Fairmont, West Virginia, at the time of her marriage to White.
Steele arrived in the United States at the age of seven and was raised in Fairmont.
Steele's father was a native of Dublin and was the first secretary of the Grand Lodge of Odd Fellows of West Virginia.
White and his wife Catharine had four children, two sons and two daughters:
White's second wife, Catharine, died in 1911 in Romney
and was interred at Indian Mound Cemetery.
Personal possessions
White owned a number of antiques and pieces of furniture of historical interest.
Among these were items once possessed by
Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron
Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron (22 October 16939 December 1781), was a Scottish peer. He was the son of Thomas Fairfax, 5th Lord Fairfax of Cameron, and Catherine Colepeper, daughter of Thomas Colepeper, 2nd Baron Colepeper.
The ...
including a pair of
andiron
An andiron or firedog, fire-dog or fire dog is a bracket support, normally found in pairs, on which logs are laid for burning in an open fireplace, so that air may circulate under the firewood, allowing better burning and less smoke. They gene ...
s with heavy
brass
Brass is an alloy of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), in proportions which can be varied to achieve different mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties. It is a substitutional alloy: atoms of the two constituents may replace each other wit ...
heads and a
fender, possibly used at Lord Fairfax's
Greenway Court estate.
White also had a richly
inlaid table made of several types of wood, which once belonged to his grandfather, Virginia judge
Robert White.
Beneath the table's framework was pasted a small slip of paper on which Robert White signed his name and the date, 1789.
Historian Hu Maxwell noted the similarity between the
handwriting of White, his father John Baker White, and his grandfather Robert White.
White also owned a
sugar bowl from
Switzerland that had originated in
China and had been in the possession of the Streit and White families for over two centuries.
References
Explanatory notes
Citations
Bibliography
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External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:White, Christian Streit
1839 births
1917 deaths
19th-century American businesspeople
19th-century American lawyers
19th-century Presbyterians
20th-century American lawyers
20th-century Presbyterians
American people of Swiss descent
Burials at Indian Mound Cemetery
Businesspeople from West Virginia
Confederate States Army officers
Confederate States Department of the Treasury officials
County clerks in West Virginia
Hampshire County, West Virginia, in the American Civil War
Lawyers from Richmond, Virginia
Members of the Romney Literary Society
Military personnel from Richmond, Virginia
Military personnel from West Virginia
Politicians from Richmond, Virginia
People from Romney, West Virginia
People of Virginia in the American Civil War
People of West Virginia in the American Civil War
Pisciculturists
Presbyterians from West Virginia
Robert White family of Virginia and West Virginia
Virginia lawyers
West Virginia Democrats
West Virginia lawyers