THOMAS ROWAN WHITE 1811-1904
(Used middle name Rowan rather than given name Thomas)

Son of Robert White (1780–1848) and Eliza Pew Freeman (1791–1865)

BIRTH: 29 Jun 1811
Near Uniontown, Fayette County, Pennsylvania

DEATH: 7 Apr 1904
Oakland, Garrett County, Maryland

BURIAL: 9 Jun 1904
International Order of the Odd Fellows Section (I.O.O.F)
Oakland Cemetery, Oakland, Garrett County, Maryland

Married Margaret Sivilla Waltz on 9 Apr 1846 at Red House, Allegany County (now Garrett), Maryland. (NOTE: The family Bible of Margaret (Waltz) White s parents, William Waltz and Mary Hauser Waltz, records the marriage date as 16 Apr 1946. However, the Maryland, U.S., Compiled Marriages, 1667-1899, lists the marriage date as 9 Apr 1846.)

Of this union, 14 children:

1. John F.: b. 16 Apr 1847; d. 1922
2. James William: b. 15 Feb 1848; d. 1 Jul 1917
3. George David: b. 6 Aug 1849; d. 4 Dec 1943
4. Mary Elizabeth: b.1852; d. 1903
5. Sarah Catherine: b. 30 Sep 1854; d. 19 May 1939
6. Virginia B "Jennie": b. 7 Jun 1856; d. 14 Apr 1927
7. Perry E.: b. 28 Oct 1859; d. 11 Oct 1936
8. Thomas Rowan: b.1860; d. 1907
9. Charles Edgar: b. 23 Jul 1866; d. 22 Aug 1942
10. Delia Ann: b. 25 Oct 1868; d. 8 Aug 1951
11. Bertha Mary: b.4 Jan 1870; d.
12. Marian Alberta "Bertha": b. 9 Jan 1871; d. 12 Oct 1945

The following obituary clipped from The Garrett Journal and yellowed with age was found among the family albums and papers of Susan Edna (Whorton) Friend, whose great-grandmother Eva Marion (Waltz) Arnold was a sister to Rowan's wife, Margaret. The article was among papers, photos, family Bibles, and other artifacts related to the Waltz, Hauser, Whorton, and Arnold families given to Susan by her aunt Winona M. Whorton in 1980.

OBITUARY: The Garrett Journal (Oakland, Maryland), Thur., 14 Apr 1904 - Page 1

As briefly noted in our column last week, the venerable Rowan White, in point of age probably the oldest resident of our county, died at his home on Oak Street, on last Thursday morning after a serious illness resulting from old age. Mr. White had reached the ripe old age of 92 years and nine month and was quite active and retained all his faculties until a few months before his death.

He was the father of a family of 14 children, ten of whom with his aged widow survive him, all of whom are peaceful and useful citizens, many of them now residing in Oakland. The surviving children are as follows:

John, James, Geroge D., Thos. R, and Charles all of Oakland and Perry E. of Davis, W. Va. The surviving daughters are Sarah, Jennie, Deliah, and Bertha all residing near Oakland except Jennie who is married and lives near Kingwood, W. Va. The aged widow resides with her daughters in Oakland.

Mr. White was born near Uniontown, Pa., June 20th, 1811, and went from there to Kingwood, W. Va., when only fourteen years old and followed the occupation of teamster for a number of years and drove over the Northwestern pike for a number of years. It was along the line of this highway that he met and married his life long-parner, who was a daughter of the late Wm. Waltz and at the time of their marriage lived near Red House in district No. 8. The marriage took place in the spring of 1886.

In 1859 Mr. and Mrs. White moved to Oakland where they conducted at hotel and livery and in time Mr. White was appointed postmaster in which capacity her served for 16 or 18 years.

We are not aware that Mr. White ever embraced any religious belief, but his life was a most exemplary one and he was never known to do an injury to any one and always greeted his acquaintances with a pleasant word and always showed a most cheerful spirit. His activity up until a few months prior to his death was surprising to everyone.

His remains were buried in the Oakland cemetery on last Saturday afternoon after appropriate services conducted at his home by De. Scott of St. Paul's M. E. church, Rev. J. M. Davis a lifelong friend, and Rev. W. H. Miller of the Presbyterian church. the pall bearers were grandsons of the deceased. (Transcribed by Ronn E. Friend. NOTE: 1. The Northwestern pike mentioned in the obituary is U. S. Route 50. NOTE 2: The obituary notes that Rowan and Margaret had 14 children, of which ten survive. However, Margaret's obituary published upon her death states that ten children were born to this union. Based on census data and inscriptions in family Bibles, it appears that Rowan and Margaret had twelve children. NOTE 3: Rowan's niece Lidia Catherine White, the daughter of his brother David Oglevie White, married Benjamin Waltz, a brother to Rowan's wife Margaret.)