My Genealogy Hound

W. E. White was born in Delaware in 1818, son of Clement and Sarah (Williams) White, natives of Delaware, and of English descent. They were married in their native State where they remained for a number of years, the father engaged in farming and merchandising. In 1819 he and his family immigrated to Northern Missouri, and settled near Palmyra, the county seat of Marion County, then known as Pike County. Here he followed the occupation of a farmer for nearly half a century, with fair success. He was at one time an old line Whig, but after the death of that party he was a Democrat. He died in 1863, and his wife, previously, in 1850. Our subject is the eldest surviving son of a family of eight children. He remained with his parents until twenty-one years of age, previous to which he received a liberal course of common school and academic instruction. He then began working on a farm, given him by his father, which was situated in Clark County, and here he kept bachelor hall for five years. He then wedded Miss Mary R. Cowgill, a daughter of George and Nancy Cowgill, residents of Clark County, but natives of Kentucky. By this marriage our subject became the father of one son, named Clement, now deceased. Since 1839 our subject has been a prominent, enterprising farmer, and is the owner of 500 acres of excellent land. Our subject is a Democrat in politics, and a member of the Masonic fraternity. His wife died in 1851, and five years later he married Miss Sarah Overstreet, a daughter of R. and Eliza E. Overstreet, residents of Clark County, but natives of Kentucky. To this last union was born one child, a son named Walter, who is now a farmer in Clark County. Three years after his second marriage he had the misfortune to lose his wife. He is now sixty-nine years of age, and is hale and hearty.