THE WILLIAM WHITE FAMILY LEGACY

I remember well, all of this family, except Grandpa William Henry, James Henry, and Iva Amy. Each of them expired before or soon after I was born in 1909, but I felt I knew them by conversations between my parents, (John and Clara White) and Dad's siblings as I was growing up. 

Grandma never talked about him much, but I gathered he was a Civil War Veteran at an early age. When or where he and grandma was married, I do not know, but all the children, I believe, were born and raised on the old homestead, four miles north of Portland, Michigan and a mile and a quarter south of a small village named Collins, Michigan. 

Grandpa was always spoken of highly by dad who seemed to love him very much. His jovial nature,seemed to come to life under the influence of alcohol. It also unveiled his unusual talent for singing and dancing, I'm told. Addiction was probably formed in the Army. 

It seemed that any kind of a job was hard to get and keep, although' he worked hard when not "under the influence". 

He spent some time between 1879 and 1884 in a lumber camp near Ludington. A man, who called himself Charles White, from near Ludington, visited my dad in the early thirties to meet his half-brother, John. Dad was kind to him, but, when he visited Uncle Joe and Uncle Frank, they didn't accept him very well. He also made himself known to Merva and Milford when Milford was preaching at Carson City. They met at a religious gathering. They became aware that he was a good Christian man, active in his church. 

Dad said that his father died an alcoholic with "Bright's Disease" and "Delirium Tremors". His last words were, "Don't lay me so close to the water." 

He fathered four sons and two daughters each of whom could make him proud. 

I don't know when Lucy's father, Nelson Waters was married to her mother, (whose name I can't remember), but he had two daughters by a previous marriage. Lucy and Nelson Jr. were born to this union before Nelson Sr. was killed in the Civil War. Lucy's mother later married a Mr. McClockney who had had two sons by previous marriage. 

Grandma never talked much about the McClockneys, but one of them, Roy, lived in Henderson, Michigan when we did. Evidently they were not close. Uncle Nelson and his family lived near Brighton, Michigan. His children were Guy and Amy Isham. 

As I look back, my grandmother must have been an amazing woman. She actually kept the family going. As I remember her from the time I was three years old, until her death in 1932, she had a well-kept seven room house (the homestead), nice furniture, beautiful dishes, silver, kitchenware -even a phonograph which we girls loved to crank up and play by the hour. She never seemed to mind. All of this was obtained by selling Watkins products. She must have called on homes traveling by horse and buggy (wish I had asked her) for there was a good sized barn on the place. We girls and our cousins, especially, Estle (Frank's boy) used to play in the hay loft. Such fun! 

On memorial days, she got out all her large jars, etc. and filled them with lilacs and wild flowers that we girls picked from the "woods". We didn't get help from Estle. He was always fishing in the Grand River which ran not quite a mile beyond the "woods" on the south end of the property. We always had to go find him to join in the family festivities. 

At 10 a.m. we all went to Portland to see the parade and later put the flowers on the graves of the family. She even had one for my grandfather and grandmother Hendee. Then usually followed a picnic lunch. 

Many winters she stayed with us, from 1917 in Flushing, Michigan to 1925 in Henderson, Michigan. The one in 1917-1918 in Flushing was memorable. The results of World War I reared its ugly head. Between shortage of food and fuel, ravaging snowstorm and 8 big fires in the small town, including the schoolhouse, there were days of anxiety, but she managed to keep our minds off our difficulties by reading library books, I loved the series, "The Five Little Peppers and How They Grew". She made about 30 shawls for soldiers and tried to teach me to knit. That she failed in completely, but succeeded to teach Merva to knit and crochet, too. She also helped us girls to stage a "surprise" ('?) birthday party for Mom on January 31, We (?) "made" the cake. 

She suffered with "rheumatism" a great deal and her bedroom always was strong with the "aroma" of Ben Gay. 

In her last few years, Uncle Joe and Aunt Grace took care of her, living in her home. She became very senile and had to be restrained at times to keep her from getting out of bed which surely would have resulted from a fall and broken bones. The family was unhappy about that, not understanding that she needed constant care. 

She did love the Lord and.was a blessing to us all when Dad and Mom found Jesus at the old Methodist Church in Henderson. 

I'm glad I had so many good memories of my Grandma White. 

When I first knew my Aunt Cora, she was in her late forties. Grandma told us that, as a young girl, she went to work for an old couple named Campbell. She cared for both until Mrs. Campbell died. After that, because it didn't "look good" for her to continue caring for him alone, they were married. No one seemed to know for sure if love prompted the marriage, but those were the happiest days of her life. Mr. Campbell (she pronounced it 'Camel') was kind to her, they seemed to enjoy companionship and he left her with a sizable inheritance. 

Later she married John Mclntyre who bought and sold animal furs and hides. I only remember him as a burley, stocky, self-centered man who loved the "bottle" too much. He got my dad in trouble when they visited us one week-end in Butt, Michigan. Mom made it very clear that he was never welcome in our home again.' Dad was unhappy because the respect Aunt Cora deserved, was never given her. 

They had a son, Raymond, born about 1902. When he was 14 and I was about 7, we used to visit Aunt Cora at her "huge" rooming house in Howell, Michigan. To me, it was a mansion - a whole apartment on one side and 3 or 4 bedrooms upstairs and an attic bedroom where Uncle John slept. Arbors, shrubs, and flowers adorned three sides of the house. Upstairs, believe it or not, was a large bathroom. Flushing the toilet became such a pastime, that when the plumbing went bad and my misdemeanor was discovered, I was not allowed in the room unless someone was with me. That was my first experience with indoor plumbing. 

One of the highlights of our visits was when Aunt Cora pumped her player piano and Raymond played his drums to fast, rousing music (he played at dances). We had a concert each time we went, and often when Aunt Cora wasn't stuffing us with her famous molasses cookies, she'd let us do the pumping to make that beautiful music. We were amazed at what came out of those rolls with holes in them that she placed in the "front door" of that piano. 

She also made rugs, crocheted, knitted and tatted (like Grandma always did) and had a gorgeous crocheted bedspread. I asked her if I could have it when she was through with it, but it was probably worn out before she was, because she died when she was 82 and I had been married 20 years. Even then, in 1950, it was almost unheard of that anyone would live that long. 

Her son married at 15 years old (lied his age). His wife, Cora, (they called her "Cho") was helpful and a nice woman, but during the war, in a factory, he met someone he liked better, divorced and remarried a very nice woman who cared for Aunt Cora her remaining years. Raymond died of a massive coronary in the early sixties. 

"Uncle Jim" died the year after I was born, so what I remember about him was told me. 

It seemed he loved balloons and spent a lot of time entertaining at fairs and special occasions. I do not know what else he did for a living. 

He married Alice and they had three children, Arthur, Dale and Mildred. In the summer of 1910, against the pleas of his wife and mother, he decided to make one last balloon ascension at Caro Michigan Fair. 

He ascended fine, but, in returning the parachute did not open and he landed on a telephone pole. It was his last. 

Arthur spent much time with Grandma growing up and was there often when we visited her. He enlisted in World Was I as a photographer, married Lydia in Florida and had six children and retired in the 40's. We received word he died suddenly not long after. His family still lives down there but have lost track of them. 

Dale was a nice man, a bachelor until in his forties. He had no children except an illegitimate daughter whom he claimed lived up north of Grand Rapids and whom he kept in touch with and paid for her livelihood. His first wife died and he married Evelyn, a woman who was a widow of a Nazarene minister. I married them at her home off S. Division in Grand Rapids. He owned his home in Jennison, Michigan where they later lived until he died of Congenital Heart disease in the early 80's. 

Mildred was the rebellious child, spent a lot of time in a bar and was herself a bartender most of her life, probably because her mother, Alice went to live with and became the "common law wife" of an older man named "Hazelbeck". Mildred later married. All we know of her was that she was a bartender in Grand Rapids. 

In the early 20's, Alice adopted a beautiful baby girl called "Mary". We wondered for years why she did that. Mary was Dorothy's age and she spent a great deal of time with us. Other friends kept her a lot too, and she always wondered who her real parents were. 

After she and Dorothy graduated together in Portland, Michigan, Dorothy started working at the Ionia Court House. Because Mary was being married to Herb Fryover, she asked Dorothy to look up legal papers. They discovered that Mildred was her mother and a prominent married man in Portland was her father. Her five children found out (from legal papers) after her death in the late 80's. 

Uncle Frank was my favorite Uncle. He married Bertha who lived in Collins. They had one son, Estle who in later life was called "Pat". 

Bertha died during World Was I with the "Spanish Influenza" and Uncle Frank and Estle moved to Lansing where he later married Molly, an English woman. 

The only job I ever knew him to have was buying popcorn from farmers, popping it in the basement of his home on Isbel Street, Lansing, Michigan and selling it to stores, organizations and whoever would buy it under the famous name of "Frank White's Popcorn". It was always superb. Estle worked into the business, mostly curing, packaging and distributing it for years. He finally took over and was credited for sending tons of unpopped corn to the soldiers in World War II. 

As a youth, Estle became very bitter about his mother's death and for many years did not accept Molly who loved him very much, and protected him many times. In later years they became good friends which made us all very happy. 

When he was in his early 50's, he married Lydia who was then in her late 60's whom, he really cared for. He made a beautiful well furnished home for her and took care of her until she died in her late 80's. He died of a massive coronary in the middle 1980's. 

I knew less about Uncle Joe than the others. He and his wife, Grace, married probably in 1905, before Mom and Dad married in January 1906. 

Aunt Grace and Mom came from two different "worlds" which made it very difficult when Mom and Dad moved right in with Grandma, where Aunt Grace and Uncle Joe were already living. They never had any children, which made it doubly difficult for both when in April of 1907, Merva was born. Mom never mentioned details, so they must have "put up" with each other. One of her frequent remarks was "There's no house big enough for two families". 

I don't know' what Uncle Joe did then, but he did work at the Reo factory in Lansing for many years. 

They always had a nice home and well-ordered lives, thanks to Aunt Grace's meticulous habits and frugality. Even Grandma was uncomfortable in their home and would only stay 2 or 3 weeks at a time. She would rather be around children anyway. Aunt Grace was a "gracious" lady and we all liked her, even so. She never meant to make it uncomfortable for anyone. 

Later, Uncle Joe went into the business with Uncle Frank and Estle. Before his, however, Uncle Joe and Aunt Grace moved in with Grandma and took care of her lovingly (and it was a chore, for she had what they called then, "hardening of the arteries") until her demise in 1932. 

Aunt Grace died in the early 40's and in the middle 40's Uncle Joe brought a new bride to visit us in Woodbury. They went to live in Muir, Michigan. She was a kind, loving woman and cared for him until he was admitted into a home in Sheridan, Michigan and died in 1957 in the Sheridan Hospital. 

He gave his heart to the Lord while visiting us at Merva's wedding (1927), but became interested in Spiritualism because of lack of finding a good Spirit-filled church home. 

Dad was born at the old homestead. He spent a carefree, happy life with his brothers and sister, Iva Amy. As a youth, he and my mother's cousin, Lee Hendee, went to social gatherings and were constantly arguing (because of nothing better to do, I guess) about politics. Lee was a staunch Democrat and Dad was an avid Republican. They knew why, too. Integrity was my dad's "middle name". Black was black and white was white and nothing in between. Grandma made sure that the children all went to Sunday School in the little Methodist church in Collins. 

He was heartbroken when Iva succumbed to typhoid fever when she was only 15. He had promised God that if He would spare her life, he would be a minister. When God said "no", so he did too, and turned his back on God, although he never lost his tender heart and loving character. 

He sheared sheep with cousin Lee for a while, but later went to work at the Portland, Michigan elevator. 

Uncle Joe and Aunt Grace, recently married, lived with Grandma at the old homestead when Mom and Dad planned to live with her also for a few months after they were married January 6, 1906. Mom was always disappointed because they came home from the wedding to an oyster stew' instead of a pig meal and no cake like Aunt Grace had had on her wedding day. She often made the remark, "There's no house big enough for two families. When you girls get married you can hash out your own problems. You make your bed, you can lie in it." 

Merva was born April 23, 1907. Within the next year they moved to Ithaca, Michigan where he worked in a farmer's elevator. Doriene was born October 9, i909 and the next summer they moved back to Portland to resume his old job. 

In August 1913 they moved to take an elevator in Burt, Michigan. Then on August 9, 1914, Leona was born. 

Henry Ford was offering the "unheard of" salary of $5.00 a day at the Flint, Michigan factory, so in August of 1917, we moved to Flushing, Michigan, (twelve miles from Flint), having bought a new Ford touring car. They used $100.00 from the sale of the old cow to make the down payment - the car cost $500.00 - no tax, etc. 

That job lasted only one year - (too confining). So in the summer of 1918, they moved to a farmer's elevator job in Henderson, Michigan. That summer he had a sever case of mumps, caught from us girls who had them lightly. We lived then in a farmhouse about a mile north of town. I remember yet the job it was for my mother to wash (outside in a tub) the sweat drenched sheets caused by his fever. We girls had to pump the water and let it warm in the sun. She changed his bed 4 or 5 times a day and we all thought for a while he wasn't going to make it. 

The elevator also handled coal. Mom helped him in the office and would help weigh the coal on the huge scales. 

In the fall of 1918, we moved into town into the only vacant building (the home of the bank before the new one was built), so we girls could go to school. Armistice Day was November 11, and of course he celebrated, but not for long. He took his work very seriously. Later, in the spring, we moved to a house beside the new bank owned by an old man who kept the front room for his living quarters. 

This did not prove so comfortable, so when a house across the street became available in the summer of 1919, we moved into it. This was where Iva was born in October of 1919 and also Dorothy came in August of 1923. He was always disappointed not to have a boy, but would often say "I wouldn't take a million dollars for any one of my girls, but wouldn't give a nickel for another one". 

He loved his family very much. He was a kind man and a good neighbor, but became very disturbed when he had to deal often with my mother's jealousy over a lady bookkeeper he hired after Mom quit helping him in order to have the babies. 

His temper almost got the best of him at times. I remember one time he kicked at, and broke a slide that held the grain in the bin, and lost a lot of grain while he fixed it. One time I remember a railroad tie taking a beating. Guess who won? 

One thing he took solace in was a corn-cob pipe which was always in his mouth during waking hours except when he was eating. 

A big transformation came into his life in February' of 1922. An evangelist by the name of Rev. Ludwig came to the little Methodist church for two weeks. Mom, Merva, and I had "gone forward", stood, affirmed our faith in His saving grace and signed cards of commitment. I believe Mom and Merva really touched God and both started praying for Dad. He spent at least one miserable week but was persuaded to go on the last Friday night. Rev. Ludwig preached on "Hell" and when, in a God-inspired moment, he opened the side door off the platform revealing the darkness, Dad was where he saw ? "all Hell with writhing souls". That night, at home he had an angry fit and exclaimed, "If my dad isn't in heaven, I don't want to go there." We were all crushed, but kept on praying and Sunday night, not being able to resist the touch of Merva's hand on his shoulder, he went forward much to the rejoicing of all those friends and family who prayed for him. 

The next morning when we all sat down to breakfast, Dad said "Ma, will you say "Grace". I'll never forget that sweet, humble look in Grandma's eyes as she said, "Can't you, Johnny?" Like a streak of lightning, he ran into the living room, stretched himself out on the couch and cried like a baby. I never saw my dad shed a tear before and I was really frightened. What happened the next few minutes, he never said much about, except that God saved him, but the next day, a neighbor made the remark, "Well, John White must have got religion - he wasn't smoking his corn-cob pipe." 

He never had a craving for tobacco again. He did say that that day something went wrong, he kicked a railway tie and took God's name in vain (that was one of his bad habits too). He said, "I got down on my knees right there and asked God to forgive me and He did." What a testimony from a prominent, respected man in the community. 

He became "class leader", giving devotions each Sunday morning, one half hour before the church service and often taking the Thursday night prayer meeting. 

His vocabulary changed after his conversion. When he'd get upset, he'd say, "What the Sam Hill - the Sam Hill". 

His spiritual growth was increased, and ours too, when he decided that all of us should arise one hour sooner each morning and have family devotions after breakfast. All of us had to pray, too. That has influenced my whole spiritual life. 

Also he took us each night to a Free Methodist Camp Meeting in Owosso, seven miles from Henderson, traveling at 10 miles an hour in a Ford touring car. He insisted that Mom and we girls attend a tent meeting afterward at Ovid, Michigan. We tented and he came nights. 

We spent many summer nights, and especially Sundays, at Gaines, Michigan Camp Meeting and Eaton Rapids Camp Meeting, all of which enhanced our spiritual lives. 

From then on his goal was that his girls not only graduate from High School, at least, but marry preachers. This, in spite of the fact that he worried about their starving to death on preacher's salary. Four of his five girls did marry preachers, but none suffered close to starvation. 

Why, I never found out, but in 1924, we moved to Bellville, Michigan and lived above a bakery for three months. Then we moved to Byron, Michigan in a house provided by the elevator. In October that same year, we moved to Owosso where he worked in a factory. The first house was upon the hill. It was too cold, so we moved closer to his work, into a duplex. The next summer of 1925 we moved to Chesaning, Michigan where he managed the farmer's elevator there. 

Here in 1926, Merva and I both graduated from High School, she at Chesaning and I at Owosso (worked for my room and board) and there also in January of 1927, Merva was married to Milford Bowen pastor of a Methodist church near DeWitt, Michigan. In the summer of 1927, Dad had an offer by Bert Croel to manage the Springport, Michigan elevator. They were there from 1927 until January 1938. There, Doriene was married (February 10, 1930) and Iva graduated in June 1936. He and Dorothy were the only ones to get to her graduation, the rest of the family, including George and I, were quarantines. I had come home for a few weeks to take care of Mom who had had major surgery' and confined to a hospital bed in the living room, when George came down with Scarletina. I got it, too. A neighbor cared for baby Eileen, and a friend in Mayfield Heights helped Joe with Paul (2 years old). We managed, but Dad and Iva had to stay with friends until we were out of quarantine. 

His salary kept getting lower and lower as the depression increased, because Bert used the money Dad was making to help keep his other elevator going. Dad was patient, even though Mom had a hard time getting victory over that injury. 

He finally gave up and in January of 1938, they sold and stored furniture and came to stay with us in Mayfield Heights Ohio, and Howard and Leona, who pastored a church in Pennsylvania about fifty miles from us. He planned to try for another elevator or go into the popcorn business with Uncle Frank, but he took ill the last of March. Later, they diagnosed his problem as several small hemorrhages passing over his brain. After two weeks, during which time he had several "spells" where he would lose control of his acts, but afterward, would know what he did, we hospitalized him. He died with a massive hemorrhage on April 20, 1938 - would have been 53 years old in June. 

In those two weeks with us (the whole family was there for a week) he expressed that the only reality he experienced was God's Word. He also had a personal message for each of us. The only one that was understood by all was the one to Joe, which is evident it went unheeded. God is faithful and his life was the message he so wanted to get to the world. I'm sure he's reaping his reward with so many of his posterity living for God and preaching,g the word. At the moment, February 1998, I count 12 of his children and in-laws who have, at one time preached. All of his daughters (two of them, Merva and Iva are with Jesus) and spouses are either serving God on earth or in heaven and a large majority of grand children and spouses, great-grand children and great-great grand children are living for God. It was our distinct privilege this year to help two of his great-grand children to go on short-term missionary trips. His five daughters are matriarchs of a group of "Clara's girls" formerly the "White Sisters" who meet at least every other year since 1991 to get acquainted, but mostly for spiritual, mental, and physical renewal at a retreat in southern Indiana (Brown Co.). What a happy time we have loving and spending time for a weekend, praying and playing. 

Iva (the "baby") was much loved, by her family and friends and was already engaged to be married when her life was taken. 

She was very small, petite and pretty. She expired as a result of typhoid fever at the young age of 15 years (1904), and was mourned for many years. No one told me of any special happy or sad occasions in her life. Their memories seemed to be taken up with the grief of her passing. Wish I knew more about her. 

Iva Marie White was her namesake. 
 

Hendee Family

White/Hendee Geneaology Chart I

White/Hendee Geneaology Chart II

White/Hendee Picture Album

White/Hendee Index

Go to the Milford and Betty Bowen Family Page