My Genealogy Hound

John N. White, proprietor of the cotton-gin at Levesque, Smith Township, Cross County, Ark., first saw the light of day in Michigan, in 1848, and was the second of six children born to the marriage of James and Jane (Williams) White, natives of England and New York, respectively. The father went to California in 1849, and after returning followed agricultural pursuits in Michigan at an early day. Both parents are living at the present time. John N. White attended the public schools and the college at Hillsdale, until twenty-one years of age, when he engaged in the hardware business for himself in that town, and this continued for some time. In 1873 he moved to Missouri, located in Cole County, and engaged in the timber business, which he continued for three years. He then came to Arkansas and engaged in the same business on White River. In 1884 he came to Cross County, settled at Cherry Valley, erected a saw mill and there remained about a year in partnership with D. J. Burks. They moved the mill in 1885, continuing at this new location until the fall of 1886, and then bought a mill on the bay, where they were engaged in cutting timber for the railroad during 1886 and 1887. They then built, a gin and saw-mill on the railroad, at a point now named Levesque, and soon after erected and opened the first store at that place. This store was soon sold to O. A. Hamilton, and in 1887 the gin was burned down. Mr. White then bought his partner out and, in 1888, put up a new steam-gin with a capacity of twelve bales daily. In 1889 he sold the saw-mill to Smith, Cole & Davis. At present Mr. White is engaged in the logging business in the St. Francis bottom and in his gin at Levesque. He is a prominent saw-mill and timber man, is active and energetic, and although of Northern birth, finds Arkansas good enough for him. He was married, in 1884, to Miss Alice Cartright, of Pine Bluff, and to this union has been born one child, a son named Elmer.