My Genealogy Hound

Judge James Madison White, one of the oldest and most respected citizens of Lawrence County, Mo., was born in Giles County, Middle Tenn., August 6, 1809, and is the son of John and Sarah (Gamble) White, whose ancestors on both sides were from South Carolina, and were principally tillers of the soil. John White was a carpenter by trade, and served with Sen. Jackson at New Orleans. He died in Tennessee when Judge James M. White was a lad. The latter, in October, 1831, came to Missouri, and made a settlement, where he has lived for fifty-seven years. He was married in his native county and State to Miss Annie Gibson, whom he buried in 1858. She was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and died, leaving him with five sons and three daughters, all living. They had buried two sons, young men: Moore Gibson and William Newton. Those living are John, Sarah (wife of John Marbut), Gideon Lafayette (of Lawrence County), Alfred B., David L., Leona (wife of Dr. I. B. Young), Mary (wife of William Dyer) and Finis E. Judge White has given his children good education, and is one of the prominent citizens of his township. He has been an elder in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church for fifty-four years, and helped organize the first Sabbath-school ever held in Southwest Missouri. He was elected judge of Lawrence County, and served through 1856 and 1857. He formed a second marriage, in 1859, with Mrs. Nancy Irwin, widow of Rev. James H. Irwin, a pioneer of the county, and a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.