William Wallace White, 1869-1949

  William Wallace White was born 9 September 1869 in Turtle Creek, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, son of John G. White and Catherine Smith.  He married 19 November 1890 at What Cheer, Keokuk county, Iowa, Florence Adella Sturdevant who was born 24 March 1871 in What Cheer, Keokuk county, Iowa, daughter of James K. Sturdevant and Susannah Walter who are buried in the Jerome Cemetery.  William died 3 May 1949 at St. Joseph's Hospital in Centerville, Appanoose County, Iowa and was buried in the Jerome Cemetery, Lincoln Township, Appanoose County, Iowa. Florence died 14 March 1954 in Centerville, Appanoose County, Iowa, and was buried in the Jerome Cemetery, Lincoln Township, Appanoose County, Iowa.
  W. W. White was a coal miner who was active in the United Mine Workers of America serving as President of District 12 in Iowa in 1908 and working later as an international organizer of the union.  He was also an active leader and preacher in theBrethren [Believers] movement.
  To this union were born six children:
  1.  William Arthur White was born 28 December 1894/5 in Centerville, Appanoose County, Iowa and died 28 January 1977 in Miami, Dade County, Florida. He married 24 December 1914 in Reno, Washoe County, Nevada, Lucinda M. "Lou" Zugg who was born 29 December 1894 in Schuyler County, Missouri, daughter of Addison Sherman Zugg Jr. and Nancy Hetta Ayer, died 15 August 1984 at St. Luke's Hospital in Davenport, Scott County, Iowa, and was buried in Davenport Memorial Park, Scott County, Iowa.  He married, second, Cecile _____, a French Canadian who moved back to Canada after William died. William served in the Navy during World War I.
  2.  Mae Lois White was born 28 June 1897 in Appanoose County, Iowa, died 25 June 1961 in Midland, Midland County, Michigan. She married in Appanoose County, Iowa, on 4 July 1916 Charles Dewey Swan who was born 10 March 1898 in Bay City, Bay County, Michigan, son of Kirk Swan and Ida Robinson, died 1 August 1973 in Red Bluff, Tehama County, California.  To this union six children were born. 
  3.  Florence Elizabeth White was born in Washington Township, Keokuk County, Iowa, on 15 July 1900, died in October 1989 in Sterling, Logan County, Colorado, and was buried in Sunset Memorial Gardens, Sterling, Logan County, Colorado.  She married in Centerville, Appanoose County, Iowa, on 25 March 1922, Harlan Newton Barton who was born 11 November 1900 in Jerome, Appanoose County, Iowa, son of William Joseph Barton and Viola Butler, died in April 1990 in Sterling, Logan County, Colorado, and was buried in Sunset Memorial Gardens, Sterling, Logan County, Colorado.  To this union were born two children.
  4.  Rufus J. "R.J." White was born 20 August 1902 in Iowa, died 18 December 1959 in Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa.  He married c1927 Geraldine F.______ who was born 29 January 1905 in Missouri and died 21 December 1993 in Iowa.  Two sons were born to this union.
  5.  Faye Bertha White was born in Jerome, Appanoose County, Iowa, on 20 February 1905, died 16 July 1981 in New Sharon, Mahaska County, Iowa, and was buried in the New Sharon Cemetery in New Sharon, Mahaska County, Iowa. She married in Centerville, Appanoose County, Iowa, on 14 June 1924 Roy Franilin Howell who was born in Moulton, Appanoose County, Iowa, on 24 February 1903, son of William Craven Howell and Sarah Elizabeth Mitchell, died 13 May 1986 in Bettendorf, Scott County, Iowa, and was buried in the New Sharon Cemetery in New Sharon, Mahaska County, Iowa. Two daughters and one son were born of this union.
  6.  Jessie Edward White was born in Jerome, Lincoln Township, Appanoose County, Iowa, on 13 August 1907, died 9 March in El Reno,m Canadian County, Oklahoma, and was buried in Little Rock, Arkansas. He married, first, Esther ______ and, second, Florence Irene McCarthy who was born in Stirling, Logan County, Colorado, and was buried in St. Joseph, Missouri.  One son was born of this second marriage.

William Wallace White and Florence Adelle Sturdevant

----------------------------------------------------
Centerville Daily Iowegian and Citizen - 3 May 1949

----------------------------------------

W. W. White Succumbs Today

  W. W. White, 79, long time resident of Appanoose County, died this morning at 4:00 a.m., at the St. Joseph hospital in this city.  Mr. White had been ill the past three years, and had been in the hospital for the past ten days.

  He was born in Lucerne County, Pennsylvania but came to Appanoose County when a very small child.  He lived in Numa twenty four years, and had  lived at 910 South 18th Street in Centerville for the past year.

  Surviving are his wife, Florence Sturdavent White, and six children: William A. White, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Mrs. Mae Swan, who has lived here the past year, helping care for her father; Mrs. Florence Barton, Sterling, Colorado; R. J. White, Des Moines; Mrs. Fae Howell, New Sharon; and J. E. White of Fairbury, Nebraska. Twelve grandchildren, eight great grandchildren, and three sisters, Mrs. Lizzie Watson of Centerville, who is now visiting in California; Mrs. Jane Green, Des Moines, and Mrs. Mary Butler, Des Moines, also survive.  

  His parents, one infant daughter, and three brothers preceded him in death. One sister, Mrs. Margaret Jones also preceded him in death on February 2, 1949.

  Funeral arrangements are pending arrival of relatives, and will be announced later. The body is at the Miller Funeral Home.

------------------------------------------------
Centerville Daily Iowegian and Citizen - 4 May 1949
--------------------------------------

White Funeral Will Be Thursday

  Funeral services for W. W. White, long time Appanoose County resident, will be held Thursday, May 5, at 2:00 p.m. at the Miller Funeral Home.  Rev. David Lawrence will officiate, and burial will be in the Jerome Cemetery

-------------------------------------

Gravestone in the Jerome Cemetery for
William Wallace and Florence Adelle (Sturdevant) White
[Block 5, Lot 7]
-------------------------------------
Iowa Unionist - 28 June 1907
---------------------

  W. W. White of Jerome, Iowa, vice president of the United Mine Workers, district No 13, was chosen by the recent convention of Iowa State Federation of Labor, as a delegate from that body to attend next year's session of the A.F. of L.  The choice is a good one. Mr. White is thoroughly posted on labor topics.

----------------------------------------------------
The Mixer and Server - 15 July 1907
Official Journal of Two Unions
-------------------------

  W. W. White of the United Mine Workers of America, vice president and resident of Oskalooa, Iowa, responded to the toast, "Organized Labor." Mr. White is a forcible speaker and he told the guests in word pictures of the life of a miner and what organization has done for that class of workmen and that he at 12 yearsof age, went to work in the mines, and that the unions are trying to keep other little children from going to work at such an early age, as the school is the proper place. Mr. White was elected to the next meeting of the American Federation of Labor as delegate to represent the Iowa State Federation of Labor.

----------------------------------------------------
Des Moines Daily News - 27 March 1908
--------------------------
W. W. White Now Heads Iowa Miners

  A slate of officers, headed by W. W. White for President, were elected by the members of District 13, United Mine Workers of America.

------------------------------------------------------
The Centerville Daily Citizen - 15 April 1908
----------------------------
Make But Few Changes in the New Mine Agreement
President White of the Mine Workers Is Optimistic
Shorter Work Day Pay Day

  Des Moines, April 15.--The joint scale committee of coal miners and operators yesterday adopted a resolution to be included in the new agreement which makes a five hor workday on the two pay days of each of each month. A number of other resolutions were adopted and the agreement is now complete except for the consideration of about a dozen of the resolutions of the expired agreement.ag

  The joint committee expects to have the new agreement complete by tonight or tomorrow noon and will be presented to the joint convention of miners and operators which has been called for tomorrow afternoon. As soon as the agreement is approved by the convention it will be put into force and operations at the mines resumed.

  The members of the committee feel that the matter will be entirely settled by the end of the week.

  "I feel sure that the agreement made by the committee, when completed, will be acceptable to the mine workers, said President W. W. White of the Iowa district of mine workers. "The terms and scale of wages, with a few minor changes are practically the same as they were in the agreement which expired March 31." 

-------------------------------------

The Centerville Daily Citizen - 1 April 1909

----------------------------

  Oskaloosa Herald: --The term of office of W. W. White, as president of the Iowa Mine Workers, expired today, and the gentleman and his family terminated their residence here, returning to their former home at Jerome. Mr. White has made many warm friends during his stay of a little over one year. They wish him success in his future undertakings on employment. Friends had hoped that Mr. White would locate in Oskaloosa but he returns  to Jerome where he has property interests.

---------------------------------------------

Centerville Daily Citizen - 14 April 1910

---------------------------

There May Be Two Candidates

Thought Probable Another Appanoose County Man for Governor

  W. W. White, a well known labor leader in the state, is slated to head the party prohibition ticket to be named at the state convention to be held in Des Moines on April 26 and 27 says the Register and Leader.

  Mr. White has been an ardent advocate of temperance and has been a temperance lecturer before the labor organizations of the state. He is now in Washington, D.C., in the interest of national labor measurers but it is believed by the prohibition party leaders that he will accept the nomination. Because the party ticket failed to poll the required two per cent of the total vote cast at the general election two year ago, the names of the state candidates will have to go upon the official state ballot by petition.

-----------------------------------------------

Centerville Daily Iowegian and Citizen - 5 April 1941

-------------------------

  Will and Rufus White, of Des Moines; Mrs. Ray Howe, of Oskaloosa; Mrs. Harlan Barton, of Colyar, Kansas; and Jess White, of Denver, Colo., have been called here by the critical illness of their mother, Mrs. W. W. White, who is in St. Joseph's Hospital.

-------------------------------------------