John Bishop White was born December
10, 1855. He was the son of John B.
White, a German immigrant who came to America
at the age of twelve and settled near Lewisville.
John Bishop was married on February 16, 1876 in Denton County,
to Isabella Wise, born April 18, 1860, the second child of David and Nancy Wise. John Bishop and Isabella Wise White were
farmers in the Mt.
Gilead community. They became the parents of seven daughters
and four sons.
1)
Eula White, born March 13, 1877, died February 1925 and
was buried at Poolville. She was married
to John Rogers.
2)
Sam White, born February 9, 1879, died December 17,
1939 and was buried at Colorado
Springs. He was
married to Claudia Reynolds.
3)
Minnie White, born May 19, 1880, died May 5, 1920 and
was buried at Elizabeth in Denton County. She was married to Bill Sutton.
4)
Roxie White, born February 3, 1882 and died November
28, 1911 and was buried at Poolville in Parker County. She was married to Tom Rogers.
5)
Waymond White, born November 25, 1884, death date
unknown, was buried in California. He was married to Ada Smith.
6)
Emory White, born December 22, 1886, died September 28,
1960 and is buried at Bourland
Cemetery. He was married to Mittie Blevins.
7)
Homer White, born February 22, 1888, died November 22,
1896 and is buried at Mt.
Gilead.
8)
Nora White, born April 1, 1890 and died December 14,
1960 and is buried at Bourland
Cemetery. She was married to Paul Warren.
9)
Treba White, born June 2, 1893. She was married to Alfred Joe Harris.
10) Zella,
born February 4, 1895. She is married to
Jack McGinnis.
11) Esther
White, born January 29, 1897. She is
married to Emerson Blevins.
The children
attended church with the older members of their family at Mt. Gilead
and also at Lonesome Dove, where their Grandfather (David) Wise preached. They learned the three ‘R’s at Possum Trot, a
one room school east of the farm owned now by Bill Sharpless. Teachers well remembered are Fannie Cautrell,
Josephine Short and Tom Buell. The
latter walked each morning from Roanoke
to the school house and was often accompanied by his pupils who joined him
along the way. It was his pleasure to
carry little Zella White, who was less able to walk than the other children
because of a heart ailment.
The father, John
B. White, developed chronic appendicitis but refused surgery because of the
poor chance of survival afforded by medical facilities of that time. He passed away November 21, 1897 and was
buried at Mt. Gilead.
The mother, a
widow at thirty six years of age, took over the task of caring for her family
of eleven children, the youngest less than a year old. With the help of the older children, she
increased the yearly income by leasing additional fields from neighboring
farmers. Cotton was the principal
crop. Twenty years later, in 1917, she
consented to sell the farm home and live with her children. She passed away April 18, 1935 at the home of
a daughter, Treba (Mrs. Joe Harris). She
was buried at Mt.
Gilead.
Children and
grandchildren of John Bishop and Isabella Wise White:
1)
Eula, married John Rogers. Their children are:
a)
Charlcy Belle
b)
Homer
c)
Lenora
d)
Esther
e)
Olan
f)
Bill
g)
Clara
h)
Woodrow
2)
Sam married Claudia Reynolds. Their children are:
a) Lonabelle
b) Burdena
c) Verna
3) Minnie married Bill Sutton. Their children are:
a)
Ada
b)
Olan
4) Roxie married Tom Rogers. Their children are:
a)
Annabelle
b)
Lorina
c)
Edna
5) Waymond married Ada Smith. Their children are:
a)
Minnie
b)
Ralph
6) Emory married Mittie
Blevins. Their children are:
a)
Velma
b) Oleta
c) Imogene
d) John Bishop
7) Homer
8) Nora married Paul Warren. Their children are:
a)
Virgil
b) Boyce
c) Mardelle
9) Treba married Alfred Joe Harris.
10) Zella married Jack
McGinnis. Their children are:
a)
Mildred
b) Alfus Lee
c) Pattie
11) Esther married Emerson
Blevins. Their children are:
a) Maxine
b) Maurine
c) Lloyd
d) Leslie
e) Louise
d) Joe M.
Sisters of John Bishop White were:
1)
Mandy married William O. Medlin.
2)
Babe married Bill Long.
3)
Molly married ---- Long.
4)
Katherine married Bruce Sloan.