California Biographies
Mendocino and Lake Counties, California
 
Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

Source:
History of Mendocino and Lake Counties, California
With Biographical Sketches
History by Aurelius O. Carpenter And Percy H. Millberry
Illustrated, Complete In One Volume
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1914


JAMES N. WHITE, a representative of one of the honored pioneer 
families of Mendocino county, Cal., was born in Cahto, April 10, 1852. His 
father, Robert White, was born in Ireland in 1822, and while a youth came 
to New Albany, Ind., where he remained ten years. He then went to New 
Orleans, where he ran as purser on the Mississippi river, and while there he 
became acquainted with Capt. J. P. Simpson. The two formed an attach- 
ment for each other, and as partners they came to California in 1849. After 
spending two months in Mariposa county, they returned to San Francisco, 
remaining until 1851. Then they engaged in quartz mining at Sonora, Tuo- 
lumne county, for eight months, returning to San Francisco. Going then to 
Log Cabin, Mendocino county. Mr. White was in charge of the Indian 
reservation at Fort Bragg until 1854, when with Capt. J. P. Simpson he 
located at Cahto. At the time there was a lake there, and plenty of game, 
thousands of ducks and geese. The Indians named it Cahto, meaning "Fat 
water." They located government land; drained the lake, which gave them 
two hundred acres of rich land, which was formerly the bottom of the lake. 
They built and started a store, as also a hotel and livery stable, purchased 
land adjoining and the Cahto ranch which embraced about thirty-two hundred 
acres. Robert White was postmaster and express agent. They also owned the 
Blue Rock ranch, but that ranch was later owned by James N. White and 
Captain Simpson. The captain was found dead by J. N. White, having suc- 
cumbed to heart disease. 

Robert White was married in 1850 to Laura Simpson, who was born 
in Illinois, a niece of Capt. John P. Simpson. She now resides in San Fran- 
cisco. Robert White was a past officer of Cahto Lodge No. 206, I. O. O. F. ; 
his demise occurred in 1897. 

Of their nine children six are living, of whom James N. White is the 
oldest. His education was obtained in the public schools and at Napa college. 
However, he chose ranching, having learned stock-raising from the time he 
was a boy. Purchasing his father's interest in the Blue Rock ranch he con- 
tinued at stock-raising, but some years after Capt. Simpson died Mr. White 
sold out to his widow. With four others he engaged in placer mining in 
Trinity and Shasta counties. They built reservoirs and flumes, and installed 
hydraulics, but the venture did not prove a financial success. Returning to 
Cahto he again followed the cattle business, buying and driving them to 
Westport and Caspar, where he had a steady market for them. He also han- 
dled hundreds of yoke of work-oxen, becoming so well posted and favorably 
known in that line that he was the buyer for most of the lumber companies 
on the upper ^Mendocino coast. About 1896 he purchased his present ranch of 
two hundred and ten acres, five miles north of Laytonville, watered by the 
South Fork of the North Fork of Eel river, which is devoted to raising grain 
and hops. 

In Ukiah, on October 14, 1895, Mr. White was married, being united with 
Nellie Bowman, who was born near Sebastopol, Sonoma county, the daughter 
of John and Eliza (Durben) Bowman, who came to Oregon in 1852, thence 
to San Francisco and on to Sacramento, where they ran the ferry in the 
early days. Afterwards the family located in Sonoma county, where the father 
died. The mother then removed to Humboldt county, locating three miles 
above Camp Grant, intending to engage in dairying.. But the Indians attacked 
her in the frontier home. The mother made a stout resistance and although 
she was wounded in the hip, she fought them off, killing several Indians and 
with her five children making her escape down to Mr. Ward's home. After 
the Indians had burned her home they attacked the Ward's home, but were 
repulsed. Two months afterwards Mrs. Bowman moved to Long Valley, 
where she located land and as she prospered purchased adjoining land until 
the ranch comprised three thousand acres, which is now the Andrew Bowman 
place. There she died in 1907. Mr. and Mrs. White have one child, Robert. 
Mr. White was a past officer of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and a 
member of the Encampment, but he is not now a member. Politically he is an 
ardent Republican.