California Biographies, Santa Cruz County EDWARD WHITE. Transcribed by Peggy Hooper Source: History of Santa Cruz County, California Pacific Press Publishing Company San Francisco, Cal. 1892 By E. S. Harrison This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm EDWARD WHITE. Ever since the discovery of gold in California the White family has been identified with the history of the coast coun- try, its founder on the shores of the Pacific having been Hon. William F. White, a pioneer of 1849 who had enjoyed no educational advantages, yet who was able to achieve more than ordinary success. A native of Ireland, he had immi- grated to the United States with his parents in 1820 and had settled with them in the city of Binghamton, N. Y., later, however, removing to the south. During 1848, in Savannah, Ga., he was united in marriage with Miss Fannie J. Russell, a niece of Hon. Stephen M. Mallory, one of the most distinguished citizens of Florida during the Civil war era and a member of the cabinet of Jefferson Davis, holding the chair of secretary of the navy. The late United States Senator Mallory of Florida added lustre to the family name by his long and brilliant public career. The young married couple determined to seek a home in the far west and during January of 1849 they left New York for California as passengers on the clipper ship South Carolina that sailed around the Horn. There were three hundred passengers on the ship, Mrs. White being the only woman. The ship passed safely to the end of its cruise, en- tered the Golden Gate and cast anchor in the harbor of San Francisco, June 10, 1849. In a very short time Mr. White had become familiar with the cosmopolitan city of his adoption and had purchased a lot on the corner of Bush and Montgomery streets, where he engaged in mercantile pursuits with John A. McGlinn and D. J. Oliver as partners. The disastrous fires common to the early history of San Francisco destroyed his store building and merchandise on two dif- ferent occasions and caused him to determine to locate elsewhere. Under a partnership formed with Messrs. W. T. Sherman, E. D. Baker and Montgomery (the first two prominent at- torneys and the last-named a member of the cabinet of Abraham Lincoln), William F. White acquired for $40,000 an interest in the Sal Si Puedes, comprising thirty-two thousand acres in the Pajaro valley, and purchased from Don Manuel Jimenez. Moving to the large tract, he thereon erected, at a distance of five miles from Watsonville to the northeast, the first substantial house in the valley. The outside lumber was shipped from Maine and was of such high-grade quality that the building is even now in a fair state of preservation. One of the ranch-partners. Colonel Baker, was killed in the battle of Ball's Bluff. Mr. White retained his interest in the estate until 1889, when he sold out and moved to Oakland. In that city he died the following year. His widow survives and makes her home in San Francisco. Throughout his long identification with the history of California he maintained a warm interest in all movements for the upbuilding of the state. Intelligence and broad-minded patriotism brought to him considerable prominence and the highest esteem of acquaintances. During 1880 he was a candidate for governor on the Workingman's ticket, his opponents being George C. Perkins and Hugh J. Glenn. Later he was appointed to the position of bank commissioner and in that capacity he continued for eight years. In addition he enjoyed the honor of serving as a delegate to the con- stitutional convention which drafted the last constitution of California. Other public honors came to him in the course of his long life and ]iis labors for the people won the warmest praise of all classes of citizens. In the family of William F. White there were eight children, two of whom were sons. One of these, Senator Stephen White, attained to national prominence. The other, Edward, while of a more retiring disposition and therefore less widely known, was none the less successful in his special sphere of labor. A native of San Francisco, he was born June 25, 1851, in a little house that stood on what is now the corner of Turk and Taylor streets. At the time this was the only house in a distance of two miles. As a boy he attended local schools and afterward became a student in Santa Clara College, where he completed his studies. From an early age he was interested in ranching and aided his father at home. When the time came to select an occupation his tastes led him to choose agriculture, but he has since specialized as an orchardist. The Calabasa ranch, which he purchased in 1884 and has since owned, lies about six miles from Watsonville and contains a very valuable orchard of fifty acres. In addition to the supervision of the ranch he is identified with the Orchard Realty Company, also has extensive lumber interests, was one of the original promoters of the Watsonville Oil Company and in many other ways has aided in the upbuilding of the locality. The marriage of Edward White was solemnized July 1, 1889, and united him with Anna E. Royce, daughter of John Royce. They became the parents of eight children, namely; Edward, Ellen, Stephen, Lucille, Raymond (deceased), Will- iam, Mildred and James. Politically Mr. White always has been stanch in his adherence to Democratic principles and has supported with enthusiasm the men and measures advocated by the party. For four years he represented his locality as a member of the county board of supervisors. At this writing he holds office as trustee of the Agnew State Hospital at San Jose, which he had filled by appointment for sixteen years. The Knights of Columbus, of which he is state deputy, have enlisted his allegiance and secured his intelligent aid in influential capacities, and in addition he also has fraternal associations with the Native Sons of the Golden West.