This is Chapter Three of four. We continue this narrative about the White family moving forward through the end of the 19th century and into the first parts of the 20th century.
The Trees and The Vines
Let’s begin with Lemuel White, the son of Joseph and Belinda (Stitle) White.He was born September 16, 1858, Weathersfield township, Trumbull County, Ohio — died March 12, 1938 in Burton, Geauga County, Ohio. He married Jennie Ada Browne on December 21, 1889. She was born November 4, 1858 in Ohio — died April 17, 1930 in Middlefield township, Geauga County, Ohio. Her parents were Hiram Brown and Maria (Burnett) Brown.
We were curious about the fact that these ancestors were married on the last possible day of 1889 — December 31, 1889 to be precise. It was a Tuesday. Was this date considered Good Luck for the New Year? Was there some sort of looming deadline? It was also just a bit noticeable that this was the first marriage for either of them, and that they were both 31 years old.
We wish that we knew how they met. Not knowing is just annoying, because the possibilities are many. On the midway of the county fair? Introduced by friends at a dance? A church social? We will never know the details, but the thing is, they did marry and we’re glad they did because some of our family members would not be here had they not married.
Eventually, together they had three children:
- Blanche Marie (White) Hickox, 1892 — 1949
- Forest Lemuel White, 1894 — 1947
- Ralph Hiram White, 1895 — 1951
(Some of our family members are descended from Ralph).
This family is truly about being anchored in one place. As farmers, they literally planted themselves on the landscape and worked on the farm for years. Lemuel and his wife Jennie Ada, as well as their two older children, all stayed local by living in rural Geauga County. Their youngest son, from whom some of our family members are descended, seemed eventually to be cut from a different quilt.
The 1890 census was destroyed in a fire — please see The White Line, A Narrative — Two, for details about that tragedy. If we look at the four censuses which follow the lost 1890 Census, we can see a familiar pattern realized.
Observation: With our ancestors, some people grow tall like The Trees, their roots anchored deeply into the Earth. And some people grow like The Vines, seeking out new horizons as they spread out across the World’s surface. We are blessed with both – our family lines are filled with both The Trees and The Vines, which makes writing about them much more satisfying. (1)
Burton Township and The Village Green
Burton township was the first permanent settlement in Geauga County. “In 1796, surveyors for the Connecticut Land Company designated an area five miles square surrounding this place as Range 7, Township 7 of the Connecticut Western Reserve. A landowner’s expedition on June 15, 1798, arrived at the northwest corner of the township. One of its members, Thomas Umberfield (Umberville) brought his family to the center of the township (now Burton Village) on June 21, 1798.
Here they built the first home, a simple log cabin located southwest of the spring at the end of Spring Street. The owner of the largest parcel of land in the township, Titus Street, was given the honor of naming the township. He named it after his son, Burton.” (Ohio History Connection)
If you gaze at the map below you can observe a town center, somewhat oval in shape, surrounded by a small grid of streets. This grid quickly yields to meandering country roads. This center area is the Village Green, the anchor for the town. It is also sometimes called The Square (even though that is not the true shape). This village green/historic district is now on the National Register of Historic Places. (See footnotes).
in Burton township, Geauga County, Ohio. It appears that Lemuel had the smaller piece of property labeled No. 50 above in 1900. In 1927, it looks like he had taken over the major portion of the property labeled No. 59 which used to belong to his father Joseph.
“In early Connecticut villages, the Village Green was surrounded by churches, the town hall, and prominent houses. The green was the common land to be used by the people of the township. When settlers arrived in the Connecticut Western Reserve, they chose the same pattern for their villages. This Village Green, platted on July 10, 1798, was given by the original landowners as a gift to the Township of Burton on October 5, 1803.
Some of the early uses of the Village Green in Burton have been to serve as a common pasturing area for farm animals, drilling area for the local militia, place for Independence Day celebrations, site for early agricultural exhibitions, and for maple sugaring. At different times, the school, church, and town hall were located on this green.” (Ohio History Connection)
Some of the imagery shown below is from the period when the Lemuel White family lived in the community. (2)
Lemuel, Jennie Ada, and Their Children
The family photograph below lets us appreciate the different generations of this family. Standing behind Jennie Ada and Lemuel are their three children — so let’s learn a bit more about them.
Blanche Marie (White) Hickox
The eldest child, she was born on October 3, 1892 — died May 30, 1949. She married John Lynn Hickox whose family were old and early pioneers in the area. Noted by a descendant of her son on the right photo below, “Bob’s mother. She died on May 30, 1949 of a stroke as her brother and family were leaving after a visit here on the farm where I now live. Her youngest son Leonard was on his senior trip at the time.” —Trudy Hickox—
The bottom image is of the Hickox family home near the village green in Burton township.
(House image from the Burton Memory Project).
Forrest Lemuel White
The photo below shows Forrest, who was the middle child. He was born January 16, 1894 — died, February 12, 1947. He was a lifelong resident of the area, spending much of his adult life in the neighboring township of Middlefield. He was married two times, first to Josephine (Hubrath) White who died in 1928. Then to his second wife Edith Isabelle (Powell) White, who survived him. He was active in the Volunteer Fire Department, the Knights of Pythias charitable fraternity, and was the mail carrier for Rural Route One for 21 years.
(Bottom photo courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution).
Ralph Hiram White
We save the best for last! (We are only writing that because some of our family members are descended from Ralph). He was born September 13, 1895 — died, May 11, 1951. If you look carefully at his WWI Draft Registration card, you can see that at the age of 21 years, he identifies himself as working as a farmer along with his father.
That seems to be something that was destined to change within a few years. Unlike his two older siblings, he did not stay local, but moved north into the suburban cities of Cleveland Heights and Euclid, Ohio where he lived for the remainder of his life. Why this change away from many generations of his family being farmers? We’ve considered this for some time, and we have some thoughts… (3)
Generational Change
All of the White family children of this generation were born in the 1890s. This decade heralded many changes. “The period 1900 to the great stock market crash of 1929, was one of dramatic change in American society in general, agriculture in particular…. During this period, the Wright Brothers demonstrated their new flying machine at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, America opened the Panama Canal, a World War was fought and won…” (Frederick Jackson Turner, The Significance of the Frontier in American History).
The Khan Academy tells us in the article America Moves to The City, “Americans increasingly moved into cities over the course of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a movement motivated in large measure by industrialization. By 1920, more Americans lived in cities than in rural areas for the first time in US history…
In the United States the industrial revolution came in two waves. The first saw the rise of factories and mechanized production in the late 1700s and early 1800s and included steam-powered spinning and weaving machines, the cotton gin, steamboats, locomotives, and the telegraph. The Second Industrial Revolution took off following the Civil War with the introduction of interchangeable parts, assembly-line production, and new technologies, including the telephone, automobile, electrification of homes and businesses, and more.
The businesses and factories behind the industrial revolution were located in the nation’s towns and cities. Eleven million Americans migrated from the countryside to cities in the fifty years between 1870 and 1920. During these same years an additional 25 million immigrants, most from Europe, moved to the United States—one of the largest mass migrations in human history—and while some settled on farms, most moved into the nation’s growing towns and cities.“
So Ralph was right in step with his era — perhaps he preferred to live a life away from rural America and migrate into the opportunities afforded by living in the Cleveland inner suburbs. Cleveland was the 5th largest city in America by 1920. (See footnotes).
In the next chapter, which is the last one for The White Line, A Narrative, we will write about Ralph’s family life with his wife Sadie (Hoggarth) White and their children. Our sister Jo Ann (Bond) White, was married to Ralph’s son Wayne White. As he was once our brother-in-law, we spent much time in our youth with their family. (4)
Following are the footnotes for the Primary Source Materials,
Notes, and Observations
The Trees and The Vines
(1) — twelve records
Lemuel White
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/32512778/l-whit
Notes: Additional material from the findagrave.com website —
BIRTH: 16 Sep 1858 Ohio, USA
DEATH: 12 Mar 1938 (aged 79), Ohio, USA
Lemuel White
in the Ohio, U.S., Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center Obituary Index, 1810s-2016
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1671/records/2301646
Note: His obituary.
Lemuel White
in the Geneanet Community Trees Index
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/62476/records/5563616506
Note: His birth place is listed as Weathersfield township in Geauga County, but that location is actually in Trumbull County.
[Portrait of Lemuel White]
Lemuel White
https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/49710386/person/13176201095/media/1c51dceb-5877-4c48-a429-dfb85b663e7e?queryId=b0d829fd-9003-4d57-b6ac-e97e717f9c6a&searchContextTreeId=&searchContextPersonId=&_phsrc=Nzf5&_phstart=successSource
Jennie Ada Brown White
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/32512931/jennie_ada_white
Note 1: Additional material from the findave.com website —
BIRTH: 4 Nov 1858, Ohio, USA
DEATH: 27 Apr 1929, (aged 70), Middlefield, Geauga County, Ohio, USA
Note 1: The findagrave website website lists only two children, but she had three: Blanche Marie (White) Hickox, Forrest Lemuel White, and Ralph Hiram White.
Note 2: Her death date on both the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center Obituary Index and her grave marker indicates 1930, not 1929.
[Portrait of Jennie Ada (Brown) White]
Jennie Ada Brown WHite
https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/49710386/person/13423844714/media/dd66d4e4-839c-48b5-90cb-9c4b202c45a2?queryId=f4badb04-3e9c-4a52-a642-b502a9dae7e0&searchContextTreeId=&searchContextPersonId=&_phsrc=Nzf10&_phstart=successSource
Note: Written at the source for this file, “Jennie Ada Brown White was born in November 1858 and died April 27, 1930. She gave birth to 8 children, yet only 3 lived: Blanche Marie (my husband’s mother), Forrest Lemuel and Ralph Hiram White.”
— Trudy Hickox
Jennie Ada White
in the Ohio, U.S., Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center Obituary Index, 1810s-2016
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1671/records/2216737
Note: Her obituary.
Lemuel White
in the Ohio, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1774-1993
Geauga > 1877-1899
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61378/records/1024610
Book page: 160, Digital page: 267/447, Left page, middle entry.
Lemuel White
in the 1900 United States Federal Census
Ohio > Geauga > Burton > District 0043
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7602/records/40096118?tid=&pid=&queryId=0140b2ee-a246-47df-a1fe-d860e8bc1a34&_phsrc=ttI2&_phstart=successSource
Book page: 14, Digital page: 27/38, Entries 21 through 24.
Note: Their three children are already born, Blanche (7), Forrest (6), Ralph (4).
Lemuel White
in the 1910 United States Federal Census
Ohio > Geauga > Burton > District 0053
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7884/records/21706834
Book page: 9, Digital page: 11/17, Entries 45 through 49.
Lemuel White
in the 1920 United States Federal Census
Ohio > Geauga > Burton > District 0061
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6061/records/33650965
Book page: 3B, Digital page: 6/24, Entries 59 through 63.
Note: They have a Hired Hand.
Lemuel White
in the 1930 United States Federal Census
Ohio > Geauga > Burton > District 0004
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6224/records/72491910
Book page: 2B, Digital page: 4/14, Entries 88 through 91.
Note: They have a Boarder and a Hired Hand.
Burton Township and The Village Green
(2) — four records
Ohio History Connection
Remarkable Ohio, 9-28 Burton, Ohio —
First Permanent Settlement in Geauga County / The Village Green
https://remarkableohio.org/marker/9-28-burton-ohio-first-permanent-settlement-in-geauga-county-the-village-green/
National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmarks
Program Records, 2013–2017
Burton Village Historical District
https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71988681
1927 Burton Township Tax Map
indicating the properties of the Lemuel White family
Note: There are three important steps to access this file:
1) Go to this link:
https://adp.geauga.oh.gov/departments/department-of-archives-and-records/history-and-research/records-available-for-research/
2) Select this link: Tax Maps See Geauga County Engineer’s Historical Maps
3) Refer to this graphic below for navigation. In the window that appears in the lower left-hand position of the screen, go to Burton township, (it matches the image below). Click on the small red star labeled 1927. (it will then highlight as green). The map will show up in the right-hand window.
Burton Collage:
The Cleveland Memory Project
Burton Memory Project
https://www.clevelandmemory.org/burton/
Lemuel, Jennie Ada, and Their Children
(3) — fourteen records
[Photo of the White family]
Ralph, Jennie, Blanche, Lemuel, and Forrest WHITE
https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/49710386/person/13176201095/media/0ba18aa2-b334-457b-bb9d-8b3f55b6b5ed?queryId=6fc10f41-43d7-4754-b762-9f4a00d8ff71&searchContextTreeId=&searchContextPersonId=&_phsrc=Nzf6&_phstart=successSource
Blanche Marie (White) Hickox
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/65197524/blanche-marie-hickox
Notes: Additional material from the findagrave.com website —
BIRTH: 3 Oct 1892 Burton, Geauga County, Ohio, USA
DEATH: 30 May 1949 (aged 56) Geauga County, Ohio, USA
[Photo of Blanche Marie White, younger)
Blanche Marie WHITE
https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/27776269/person/12555699177/media/1b894498-8670-431d-a3b1-40fe70b5ccad?galleryindex=1&sort=-created
[Photo of Blanche Marie (White) Hickox, older]
WHITE, Blanche Marie
https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/27776269/person/12555699177/media/5f2c3a17-c60b-422b-8992-5f20ba075191?galleryindex=2&sort=-created
John Lynn “Lynn” Hickox
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/65197560/john_lynn_hickox
Notes: Additional material from the findagrave.com website —
BIRTH: 29 Aug 1881, Mesopotamia, Trumbull County, Ohio, USA
DEATH: 18 Sep 1950 (aged 69), Burton Station, Geauga County, Ohio, USA
from his Findagrave.com file.
Forrest Lewcrel White [His middle name is Lemuel].
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/29849130/forrest_lewcrel_white
Notes: Additional material from the findagrave.com website —
BIRTH: 16 Jan 1894 Burton, Geauga County, Ohio, USA
DEATH: 12 Feb 1947 (aged 53) Middlefield, Geauga County, Ohio, USA
[Photo of Forrest Lemuel White]
Forest Lemuel WHITE
https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/49710386/person/13423877817/media/e693ae88-aeff-4552-9c65-cb82fc2e712c?queryId=14e90997-5ac3-4fb9-987f-91f4111a2127&searchContextTreeId=&searchContextPersonId=&_phsrc=sUL11&_phstart=successSource
Josephine C (Hubrath) White
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/32512877/josephine-c-white
Notes: Additional material from the findagrave.com website —
BIRTH: 1895 USA
DEATH: 8 Jun 1928 (aged 32–33), Middlefield, Geauga County, Ohio, USA
Note: First wife of Forrest White.
Edith Isabelle (Powell) White
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/29849043/edith_isabelle_white
Notes: Additional material from the findagrave.com website —
BIRTH: Jun 1899, New Castle, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, USA
DEATH: 16 Aug 1986 (aged 87), Middlefield, Geauga County, Ohio, USA
Note: Second wife of Forrest White.
Knights of Pythias
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knights_of_Pythias
Ralph White
Birth – Ohio, County Births, 1841-2003
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X695-C4C
Book page: 250, Digital page: 159/319 Entry #5526, left page.
Ralph White
in the Ohio, U.S., Births and Christenings Index, 1774-1973
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2541/records/3357416
Ralph H White
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/42393802/ralph-h-white
Notes: Additional material from the findagrave.com website —
BIRTH: 13 Sep 1895
DEATH: 11 May 1951 (aged 55)
Source: Cleveland Press, Reel #127
“White, Ralph H., 1810 E. 227th St., Euclid, husband of Sadie (nee Hoggarth), father of Alice Ada and Wayne Ronald of Euclid, brother of Blanche Hickox and Forest (deceased).” Name: White, Ralph H., Obituary date: May 12, 1951.
Ralph Hiram White
in the U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
Ohio > Geauga County > ALL > Draft Card W
https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/records?recordId=20041023&collectionId=6482&tid=&pid=&queryId=5e594834-b3a5-40d0-b549-95b1c6a1078c&_phsrc=XgI1&_phstart=successSource
Digital page: 101/190
Generational Change
(4) — four records
Chapter 3: From the “Golden Age” to the Great Depression: 1900-1929.
Citing Frederick Jackson Turner, “The Significance of the Frontier in American History,” American Historical Association, Annual Report for the year 1893, Washington, D.C., pp. 199-227.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-CDOC-105sdoc24/html/ch3.html
Khan Academy
America Moves to The City
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/the-gilded-age/gilded-age/a/america-moves-to-the-city
Cleveland City Planning Commission
Cleveland In Perspective
https://planning.clevelandohio.gov/cwp/SummaryPersp.php#:~:text=Cleveland%20is%20now%20the%2033rd,most%20populous%20cities%20until%201970.
“Cleveland is now the 33rd largest city in America (in 2000), after having peaked as the 5th largest city in America in 1920 and having held onto a position in America’s top ten most populous cities until 1970.”
Art.com
Greetings from Cleveland, Ohio
https://www.art.com/products/p53776141616-sa-i6092797/greetings-from-cleveland-ohio.htm
Note: Vintage postcard image.
Our Ancestors, Our Narratives 