White, James M. bio

Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County, Illinois: containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county: together with portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States, and governors of the state; Biographical Pub. Co., Chicago, IL; 1890; page 341-342; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
James M. White. On the opposite page is presented a portrait of this gentleman, who is one of the heroes of the late war, in which he fought bravely and sacrificed much for the sake of his country. He is the son of a pioneer of this county, and now resides with his brother on the old homestead that his father improved from the wilderness on section 11, Bernadotte Township.
The parents of our subject, William and Malinda (January) White, were natives respectively of Greenbrier County, W. Va., and Adams County, Ohio. They passed the early years of their married life in Ohio, and came from there to Cuba, this county, in 1849. They lived there one year, and then located on the farm of eight acres, where our subject now lives, and here their declining years were passed in peace and comfort.
The subject of this biographical review was born in Greene County, Ohio, August 25, 1836. He received his schooling in the district schools of his native State and of Illinois. He was here reared to the life of a farmer. When the war broke out, he was among the first to lay aside his work and volunteer to aid in defending the stars and stripes. He enlisted in the Fifty fifth Illinois Infantry, and bore a gallant part in the following battles: Pittsburg Landing, Corinth, Arkansas Post, and in the siege and capture of Vicksburg, where he was active in the two charges; he also fought at Jackson, Miss., and in many other engagements and skirmishes. The battle of Kenesaw Mountain, in which he engaged June 26, 1864, will ever be memorable to him, as it was there he was wounded and crippled for life. He was struck on the right knee with a musket ball which shattered his leg, rendering amputation necessary on the same day. He patiently endured the severe sufferings caused by the operation, and was removed to Resaca, Ga., whence he was taken to Rome, in the same State, and thence to Springfield, Ill. He remained in the hospital in that city until he was honorably discharged form the service June 1, 1865.
After his bitter experiences of life on Southern battlefields and in the hospitals, our subject returned to his old home. He had won a military record that placed him high among the brave soldiers who so nobly fought for the Union, and to whose unflinching courage and steadfast adherence to the cause we owe it today that our glorious flag is waving over a free and undivided country. He served long and faithfully, and showed on every occasion that he possessed the true soldierly qualities valued by a leader, and proving to him that his men will face every danger without question and perform every duty with conscientious fidelity. In two years after he enlisted, he veteranized with his regiment, and was with it until he was incapacitated for further service by his wound.
Since the close of the war, Mr. White has lived quietly on the old homestead with his brother. He is so crippled that he is unable to do much hard labor, but his sister-in-law finds him of great assistance in caring for the children, and in doing the thousand and one nameless little acts that are so helpful. He is partly indemnified for what he has suffered for the sake of his country, by a pension from the Government. He received $24 per month until 1888, when the sum was increased to $36 a month. He cast his first vote for President, for Buchanan, the only Democrat he ever voted for, and is sorry he did so. He has ever been a loyal citizen, both in time of peace and in time of war, and is well known throughout the community as an honest, upright and warm hearted man.