The J.W. White residence, taken some years ago, showing Mr. and Mrs. White in the foreground. The house stands on the top of a hill overlooking the town of Hanover. For perhaps more than fifty years Mrs. White lived in this house, which is constructed along the style of the houses of the Colonial days. The characteristics that mark it as such are, a fireplace within, which was built for use and not for looks, a large chimney over the roof, and a central tower, such as the old plantation owners in the early days could look out from to see that all was well with their possessions

James W. White, General Manager of the Hanover Woolen Mfg. Co. is a citizen well known for his enterprise and the good judgment displayed in discharging the duties of his present responsible position. Of New England birth and ancestry, he claims Hillsboro County N.H. as his native place and the date of his birth, July 2, 1818. His parents were Jonathan and Sally* B. (Goss) White. His paternal grandfather, William White was a Revolutionary soldier, as was also grandfather Ephraim Goss. The parents were natives of Massachusetts, and spent their last years in N.H.

The subject of this sketch was the eldest son and remained a resident of his native county until a lad of about eleven years. He then removed with his parents, probably in 1829, to Lowell, Mass., where his father engaged in the manufacture of card clothing a number of years. Upon leaving the primary schools, James W., became a pupil of Prof. Greenleaf at West Bradford, and under the instruction of the great mathematician and popular educator of that day for a period of twelve months. Afterward he was employed as clerk in a store, and assisted his father in his business until the spring of 1837 when he set his face westward and came to the embryo town of Savanna, Ill, where he employed himself as clerk in a store until the spring of 1839, when he engaged in the mercantile business on his own account. He was thus occupied four years, then sold out and changed his residence to Elizabeth, where he had established a branch house, which was conducted by M.B. Pierce. Of this Mr. White assumed charge in 1843, and remained there two years. In the spring of 1845 he purchased the water power, and about 200 acres of land at Hanover; built first a dam and then a saw-mill that same year. In 1846 and 47 he built a large flouring-mill, which he operated until 1857. It then fell down from defective masonry, but he immediately rebuilt and conducted the business until 1864. In the meantime he carried on his mercantile interests in Hanover until 1855.

In the spring of 1846 Mr. White organized the Hanover Mfg. Co., with a capital stock of $60,000, which was afterward increased to $80,000. The Hon.H. Green was at once elected President of the Board of Directors, and Mr. White chosen as General Agent for the company. In January 1889, the business was merged into the Hanover Woolen Mfg. Co. The business has become very successful, and has been brought to this standpoint only by the exercise of the closest calculation, and rare good judgment on the part of the manager. The chief difficulty was to secure the assistance of moneyed men, and this was finally accomplished after great persistence, and the concern set upon its feet.

Mr. White was active in securing the incorporation of Hanover as a village, and has served on the Board of Trustees also as President of the Board. He has occupied the office of Supervisor, Postmaster, has served as Road Commissioner, and been otherwise closely identified with the interests of the township. He may be properly mentioned among the leading citizens of Jo Daviess County, and is a man possessing the entire confidence of the business community.

The 24th of January 1843 witnessed the marriage of our subject with Miss Almira Jenks, and to them there have been born three children, one of whom a daughter, Anna R. Craig, aged eighteen was lost on the steamer "Jonathan" July 30, 1865, on the Pacific Coast; Albert B. is a resident of Hanover and Ella M. is at home with her father. Mrs. Almira (Jenks) White, departed this life at the homestead in Hanover Twp. Aug. 2, 1852. Mr. White was a second time married Nov. 24, 1853 to Miss Harriet E. Fowler. Of this union there were born five children, for of whom are living - Florence White the wife of J.U. Howard of Wisconsin; Ralph W. White at home; Frank F. White at Colorado Springs, and William J. White at Hanover. The deceased child was a daughter, Bertha White, who died when ten months old.

Mr. White politically was first identified with the old Whig party, and voted for Gen. W.H. Harrison in 1840. He joined the Republican party at its organization in 1856, and cast his ballot for Benjamin Harrison,the grandson of old Tippecanoe, in November 1888. Socially he is identified with the Masonic fraternity. Mrs. White is a member in good standing of the Presbyterian Church. They are people held in high esteem in their community as representatives of its leading element.

From Portraits and Biographical Pg 490
*Complete name of the mother of J.W. White is Sarah Bathwick Goss