Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I, Part 111

Author: Stewart, Joshua Thompson, 1862- comp
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 930

USA > Pennsylvania > Indiana County > Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I > Part 111

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Judge Thomas White was not only a great lawyer but a most enterprising, accurate, careful and successful business man.

Until 1851 the town of Indiana was enclosed almost by a Chinese wall. The only way of getting to, or going from it by public con- vevance, was by the old stage coaches, often called "Butter Peddling Wagons." By un- remitting effort, Judge White with several other public spirited citizens, succeeded in inducing the Pennsylvania Railroad Com- pany to build a branch from Blairsville to Indiana. Through the efforts of Judge White and these citizens, the Indiana Branch of the P. R. R. has been one of the important feeders to the main line, and became impor- tant to the travel of this region.

While in the activities of his professional career he was a great friend to and gave en- couragement to the young men of the com- munity. There were many lawyers who re- ceived their early instruction in their pro- fession in Judge White's office. There would often be a half dozen students studying law in his office. The Hon. S. S. Blair, who after- wards resided in Blair county and became one of the leading lawyers of central Penn- sylvania, often publicly said that Judge Thomas White was the most careful, conscien- tious and competent instructor of young men studying law in his office (there were many of them) he ever knew.

While many of the students afterwards be- came leading lawyers, being, however, while in the Judge's office of active minds and not yet of the sedateness of older citizens, they often played pranks; sometimes on the Judge himself.

As we have said the counties of Armstrong, Cambria, Indiana and Westmoreland made the old "Tenth District." From Indiana to Kittanning, county seat of Armstrong, it was by road twenty-six miles; to Ebensburg of Cambria, twenty-six miles; to Greensburg of Westmoreland, thirty-five miles. The Judge and some lawyers would go to the courts of these counties on horseback. Judge White always had good riding horses, and careful men to attend them.

He usually started on the circuit on Sun- dav. One of his men of all work about house and stable was a Welshman named David. While the students then, differing from these high cost living days, made the fires and swept the office, David was often about. There happened to be in the back office an old militia

ber week of Cambria County Court, the stu- dents got David into the office and said to him: "You know, David, in Wales the judges wear uniforms on the bench, and in Cambria county, where there are so many Welsh, Judge White wears this military coat. When he came from the last court there, by mistake, he brought this coat home, so, when you bring the Judge's horse out to his front door for him you must have this coat back of the saddle, spread over the horse's rump. Don't rumple it up." David, in his innocence, be- lieved all this. The students managed that David should bring the horse to the Judge's front door, on Philadelphia street, which was just where now the street car office is, about the time the people were coming from church on Sunday, so that many people would be on the street. Sure enough at the proper time, which was about the usual time for the Judge to start, David had the horse at the front door with this military coat attached to and spread behind the saddle. When ready to start, the Judge, bundled up. for the win- ter ride, came to the front door, Mrs. White accompanying him to say good-bye, when to his surprise he saw his uniformed horse and the people standing on the street looking. The Judge, surprised, but having a spirit of hu- mor, could only say, "Why, David," when to keep from laughing outright he retreated into the house. Some of the authors of the joke were near by, and relieved the situation by telling David they had just learned that the Judge had bought a new coat for Cambria, and to now take the horse to the stable and re- move this coat. There was a good laugh in the community about this practical joke of the Judge's students, who were never rebuked, as the Judge himself enjoyed the prank.

Judge White sold more land in various counties in western Pennsylvania than any other man of his time. Among other land holders that he represented was George Cly- mer, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, a great friend of George Wash- ington, and through whose influence Indiana county, in 1803, was created. He represented, also Timothy Pickering of Boston, Horace Binney of Philadelphia. and other prominent men.

Near the town of Indiana and north of it the Gilpins of Philadelphia owned a large hody of land. Beginning in 1847 Judge White, as the representative of the Gilpin Estate, subdivided into farms these Gilpin lands and sold them to various persons who

580

HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

occupied them as farms. Most honest and was an old institution and sent into the world patient was he with many of these people, a number of successful prominent men. Judge who starting in with practically nothing, yet through his indulgence and encouragement, paid for their farms with their products. Thomas White was one of its founders. When this academy languished and ceased to "keep school" Harry White's father secured private tutors, one of whom was the late Hon. John P. Penney, of Pittsburg, who, while study- ing law with Judge Thomas White, was private tutor to Harry White and the late Senator M. S. Quay. The private tutor taught in a building near Judge White's residence.

While Judge White was a professional . man, yet he took great interest in farming and agriculture. In 1854 through his influ- ence and activity the Indiana County Agri- cultural Society was organized, and he be- came president of it and continued from year to year until his death, the first fair under his jurisdiction being held in 1855.

In his private life Judge White was a pure and upright man. There never was a more devoted husband and father. The happiness of his home and the comfort of his family were always his first thought, and no sacrifice was too great for him to make, to secure them.

In his religious life he was a sincere and earnest Christian, despising cant, hypocrisy or pretense. His chosen church was Protest- ant Episcopal, and through his efforts, and the study of the law in his office, which he did. mainly from his personal estate, the first Episcopal Church was built in Indiana and a congregation established.

There never lived in Indiana county a man more sincere, honest, enterprising, kind and encouraging to the poor man struggling for a living, and just to all men, than Judge Thomas White.

As he lies on the hillside overlooking Indi- in the trial of a case the day after his admis- ana, in what is called White's vault, this sion. generation knows little personally of him, but if the graves of many of his time, who started with nothing but good health, strong arms, honesty, industry and a desire for a fair chance to get homes in this, then, new country, could speak, the kindly utterance would be heard, we never had a better friend in our struggles than Thomas White.

GENERAL HARRY WHITE. Some wise man long ago said, "It is well our great men have left few sons to shine in the borrowed luster of a mighty name." In the larger sense this is true, but there are conspicuous excep- tions, an instance of which is found in the subject of this sketch, Harry White, third and youngest son of that eminent citizen, Thomas White, and his wife Catharine Brooks (Mc- Connell) White.

Born at Indiana, his environment was happy and his opportunities during his boy- hood for culture and education, both scholastic and social, very great. Like most boys he began at the public schools, then went to the Indiana Academy. This Indiana Academy

Harry was enterprising and ambitious and, naturally, a leader among his boy friends and companions. Early in life he had selected his profession and prepared himself for what he hoped would be his career. In 1850 he went to what was called the College of New Jersey, now Princeton University. Getting his degree with the class of 1854, he intended, with one of his school companions, to go South for a while and teach school; his father objected to this and desired him to begin

The practice of the courts then, on the matter of applications for admission to the bar, was to appoint a special committee of three lawyers, resident or from abroad, to ex- amine the applicant. After this examination in 1856 Harry White was admitted to the In- diana county bar, and very soon afterward to the bars of surrounding counties. He assisted

This year, 1856, was the initial one for the Republican party in national politics. The effort of Stephen A. Douglas in the United States Senate to repeal the Missouri Com- promise in the organization of the territories of Kansas and Nebraska, brought the exten- sion of slavery as the living question of the hour before the people of the country. Oppo- sition to this extension of slavery was the leading principle of the Republican party, and Harry White, a voter for the first time that year in national politics, became the first chairman of the Republican party in Indiana county. It was no injury to a young lawyer, in the country districts, to give attention to political questions then before the nation. Without previous political experience he made his first political speech in the town of Blairs- ville, and organized a vigorous campaign throughout the county, resulting in a very large majority for Fremont, the Republican candidate for president.

Harry White, while active in his profes- sion in the intervening years between 1856 and 1860, became a very prominent factor in

OST

Hany White

581

HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

the politics of Indiana and surrounding coun- ties. Armstrong, Indiana and Westmoreland counties composed a Congressional district, and after a canvass Harry White was nomi- nated for Congress in June, 1860, at Greens- · burg, over the late Senator Edgar Cowan. Being barely of the constitutional age for a Congressman, and some contentions arising which apparently endangered the election of a Republican from the district, he resigned the nomination against the protest of many friends, and Hon. John Covode became the candidate, and with Harry White's active support was elected. That campaign being a most active and exciting one, we shall for- bear narrating all its details.

After Sumter was fired upon, in April, 1861, Harry White for a while, in common with others, closed his law books and made ceaseless efforts to educate the people of this region to the necessities of the great conflict of arms. He was soon elected captain of a company and tendered it to Governor Curtin. Because the Governor did not accept his com- pany, many of its members joined other organizations. After this Harry White went to see Governor Curtin and inquire why the company he had offered was not accepted. In the interview on the subject the Governor said, "I did not accept you because of the request of your father. You know, Harry, how highly I esteem your father, and with tears in his eyes he besought me not to accept you for service, as you were all he had left at home." Whereupon Harry replied, "I am sorry to distress my father, but I feel it my duty to go into the service and am going, if I have to carry a musket." Then the Gover- nor said, "If that is the way of it I will com- mission you as Major of the 67th Regiment, which is struggling in recruiting at Cam- macks Woods, at Philadelphia." The com- mission was authorized by the Governor, accordingly, and Harry White went imme- diately to work recruiting to complete the filling of the regiment, taking some members of his old company, that he had offered, into it. Recruiting during the latter part of the summer of 1861 was not very active for many reasons, but during the winter of 1862 the regiment was completely organized and sent in active service.

The regiment was sent to relieve Gen. Dick Coulter's 11th Pennsylvania Regiment at Annapolis, Md., and for several months it performed the irksome duty of taking charge of parole camp there, and Major White was detailed to protect the Annapolis & Elk Ridge railroad and the Baltimore & Ohio from Anna-

polis Junction to Washington City. After several months the regiment was relieved from its irksome duties and sent to Harpers Ferry and the Shenandoah valley.

In the fall of 1862, while Major White was in the field, the people of his Senatorial dis- triet, composed of Armstrong and Indiana counties, without his request, elected him to the Senate of Pennsylvania. The Pennsyl- vania Legislature meeting in January, 1863, at Harrisburg, President Lincoln sent Major White a leave of absence during the session of the Legislature that winter ; and he served in the Senate during the session of 1863, mak- ing occasional visits to his regiment, then in winter quarters at Berryville, Va. Having taken many of his old friends and neighbors to the service he refused to resign from the army, and on the adjournment of the Legis- lature in the spring of 1863 rejoined his regi- ment. He refused to take his salary as a sena- tor, but sent it to the Soldiers' Relief Fund of the two counties of his Senatorial district.

When he rejoined his regiment there was much active service in the Shenandoah val- ley. General Milroy was in command of the division, with headquarters at Winchester, Va. Major White was assigned to the com- mand from Berryville to Snickers Ferry. Almost daily Mosby, Imboden, MeNeal and other Rebel partisan commanders were mak- ing raids in the valley, and frequently affairs would be had with these forces of the enemy.

Early in June, 1863, General Lee started on his campaign to Pennsylvania. The Army of the Potomac, under Hooker, was down the Rappahannock near Fredericksburg, and the only force between Lee's advancing army and the Pennsylvania line was Milroy 's division, in headquarters, at Winchester. On the 11th of June, 1863, Early's and Johnson's divisions of Ewell's corps of Lee's army approached Winchester, and the Union forces there en- gaged these Rebel forces for three days. On the night of the 12th of June Major White received an order to take the advance with infantry, cavalry and artillery to the relief of Milroy at Winchester. Although Winches- ter was but twelve miles west on a direct road, vet, owing to the position of the enemy, the march to Milroy's relief was roundabout. Reaching Winchester about midnight, the fight was resumed on the 13th. Milroy's division did not know it was engaging Lee's advancing army, but so it was, and in the fight on the 15th Major White was captured by the 9th Louisiana Tigers. If the fight of Winchester had not taken place, the battle

582

HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

between Lee and the Army of the Potomac might not have taken place at Gettysburg.

At the date of his capture all exchange of prisoners had stopped, and Major White was sent with other prisoners to Libby at Richmond. This was the commencement of a long, painful and historic imprisonment. The many incidents and occurrences among the prisoners in Libby during the summer and fall of 1863 would fill a volume of star- tling details. This, indeed, was the angriest time of the war.

When Major White left the Senate, in the spring of 1863, to rejoin his regiment, the Re- publican party had five majority. The fall election that year reduced this majority in the Senate to one, leaving it 17 to 16.

Under the cartel about the exchange of pris- oners made in 1862, surgeons and chaplains as well as nurses were not subject to capture as prisoners of war, but with the captured at Winchester, surgeons and the other exempted classes were all taken to Libby. Among the chaplains was the late Chaplain MeCabe. After the captured at Chickamauga were brought to Libby, there were about ninety surgeons there. The deadlock in the exchange of surgeons was broken on the 23d of Novem- ber, 1863, and the effort of Major White to escape as a surgeon is narrated by Judge Robert Ould, the Rebel commissioner of ex- change. In his report on the subject, pub- lished in the Annals of the War, he makes the following reference to Harry White:

"There was one incident in the course of deliveries which was quite dramatic, though very painful to one of the parties-a Pennsylvania colonel. In the beginning of the war surgeons were regarded as non-combatants, and not subject to detention on either side. A difficulty, however, arose between the two governments about one Dr. Rucker, who was held in confinement on the charge of murder and other high crimes. The United States demanded his release, and failing to secure it put Dr. Green, a Confederate surgeon, in confinement in retaliation. This led to the detention of all surgeons on both sides. I made vigorous efforts to restore the old practice, and at length succeeded. Accordingly, a day was fixed for the delivery of all surgeons on both sides at City Point, and all the Federal sur- geons were directed to be sent from the Libby prison and put on board the flag-of-truce steamer. I ac- companied the party. When we were nearing the steamer 'New York' I perceived that a signal was flying for me to come to the shore with my boat. I did so, and found there a communication stating that Col. Harry White, commanding one of the Pennsylvania regiments, had disguised himself as a surgeon and was then on board my boat. I imme- diately directed the prisoners to be drawn up in line on the shore and made them an address, in which I recounted the efforts I had made to secure the immunity of their class, and stated that an officer of the line, not entitled to exchange or release,

was among them, disguised as a surgeon. I then raised my voice and shouted, 'Colonel Harry White, come forth.' He stepped in front at once, and in a few words claimed that he had a right to resort to any stratagem to effect his release. I replied that I was not there to dispute or affirm what he said but that he must return to Richmond under arrest. It was a heavy blow to him, struck at the moment when he was sanguine of his liberty. Two minutes more would have placed him on the 'New York,' where he would have been safe, even if his dis- guise had been there detected. He had been a long time in captivity and extraordinary efforts had been made to secure for him a special exchange. He had been elected as a Republican to the Penn- sylvania Senate, which, without him, was equally divided between the war and anti-war parties. His presence was needed to effect an organization and working majority in that body. I had learned these facts from more than one quarter, and was not disposed to assist in giving aid and comfort to the war party. I was under no duty to release Colonel White, as the exchange of officers had ceased. So obstinate was I that when the Federal agent offered me a major general and several officers of lower grade for him I declined to accept. I might have speculated to great advantage on him if I had heen so disposed, and the situation in Pennsylvania would have warranted it. If every officer and man had been a Harry White there would never have been any difficulty about exchanges. Indeed, if the anxiety manifested about him had heen distributed, instead of making him the reservoir of all, it would have been better for a good many people. 'Great is Diana of the Ephesians.'"

On his return to Libby, Harry White was put into one of the famous dungeons at that place and his experience there would too much extend the story of his imprisonment. On Christmas Day, 1863, he was taken from Libby and under guard sent to Salisbury (N. C.) prison, with the following order from Gen- eral Winder, the commandant of Rebel pris- ons: "I send you Major White of the 67th Pennsylvania. An important prisoner. You will deprive him of all money and valuables and place him in close, separate and solitary confinement." Having been a prisoner then for six months, he had no money or valuables to be deprived of, but was put in solitary con- finement in a dungeon 8 feet long and 4 feet wide and under constant guard. This con- dition continued for several days when the dead house was cleaned ont and he was placed there in solitary confinement under gnard the balance of the winter, until the 13th of March, 1864 ; when he was put in the stockade with the remainder of the prisoners. This harsh. severe and unsual treatment, different from that given other prisoners, was because Harry White was a Republican member of the Senate of Pennsylvania, as well as an officer of the army. In an effort to secure his exchange, the authorities at Washington had told the Rebel commissioner of exchange that they had

583

HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

his resignation as a senator, and their refusal to exchange him was only inflicting torture on him. The Rebel authorities did not be- lieve that they had his resignation and placed him in solitary confinement at Salisbury, to make it impossible for him to send any resig- nation, but Harry White, after his failure to escape as a surgeon, prepared his resignation on a slip of paper and inclosed it in the back of a Sanitary Commission Testament, one of the kind given to soldiers, and gave it to the surgeon whom he had personated when he went out with the surgeons and reached City Point. Following is a copy of the resignation :

Libby Prison, Richmond, Virginia. November. 1863.

Hon. J. P. Penney,

Speaker of the Senate of Pennsylvania.

Dear Sir:

Considerations I may briefly state, make it prudent and proper for me to tender my resignation as a mem- ber of the Senate of Penna.

After the adjournment of our Legislature last spring, I rejoined my regiment and resumed my mili- tary duties in the field. Upon the advance of General Lee's army, in June last, into the Shenandoah valley. on his Pennsylvania campaign, the forces with which I was connected were ordered to Winchester, and in the battle at that place I fell into the hands of the enemy as a prisoner of war, with other Federal offi- cers. I was immediately sent to Richmond, and since the 23d of June I remained a prisoner in the Libby.

No exchange of prisoners has taken place in the meantime, nor does any appear to be in early pros- pect. Shut off for long months from friends and the outer world, I have yet not been entirely ignor- ant of passing events. The recent election in our State has, I learn, altered somewhat from the last session the political complexion of our Senate. My absence, it seems, gives to each party represented there equal numerical strength. This will, in all probability, embarrass organization and delay necessary legislation.

I regret the situation and am unwilling my pres- ent personal misfortune should, in any way, affect public interests or interrupt, for a moment, that cordial cooperation between our State and the National government so necessary in this crisis.

It is true some time must yet elapse before my presence in Harrisburg is actually required, yet, as I have no hope of release by general exchange, the Richmond authorities, I am convinced, will retain me as long as possible, because I am a senator and my vote important. Under the circumstances it behooves me to do what I can to relieve the difficulty likely to result from my continued imprisonment.

I am sure you will not doubt me when I confess it would be much more agreeable to my taste and feelings to spend the months of the coming winter in active legislation in our Senate chamber, than to languish within the gloomy walls of Southern prisons. My present situation presents the less agreeable alternative in prospect and I see but one solution of the difficulty. Other and greater interests are involved in this matter than my personal comfort and private inclinations. My health, my life, are nothing to the success of those great principles I was elected to represent. The people of my district are chiefly interested in this matter and my duty to

them, in the premises, has given me many an hour of anxious solicitude in this weary prison life. I can- not in any way consult with them. They should not, however, at this time go unrepresented, Their generous confidence was but recently given me and they will, I trust, give the approval of their voice to the step I now take, and select as my successor one who will be as faithful to their interests and the great cause of our country as I, at least, tried to be.

Be pleased, therefore, to accept my resignation as a senator from the 21st Senatorial district. Be kind enough to convey to my brother senators assurances of respect and esteem; tell them "though cast down I am not dismayed," though I am in bonds, I am full of hope. Tell them my prayer and trust is, no word or act may go out of the councils of your Senate to weaken the arm or make faint the heart of those brave soldiers of the Union who are bearing in the field, to a sure and triumphant success, the greatest struggle of history. Accept, my dear sir, my per- sonal wishes for your good health and prosperity. ] am, Respectfully yours.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I, Part 111

Author: Stewart, Joshua Thompson, 1862- comp Publication date: 1913 Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 930

Author: Stewart, Joshua Thompson, 1862- comp
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 930