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WALLER Gilbert was born in Norway in 1846, son of Ole and Caroline (Hanson) Waller, the former of whom was born in 1814 and died in 1898, and the latter of whom was born in 1820 and died in 1894. They came to the United States in 1869 and settled on section 6, Spring Lake township, where they ended their days. Gilbert came to the United States in 1866, stayed for a time in Rock and Lafayette counties and then purchased eighty acres on general farming and stock raising, owning all 170 acres of good land. Mr. Waller is a quiet, unassuming man, and is greatly liked by all who know him. He served several years on the town board and one term on the county board. In 1877 he was married to Isabel Torgerson, born in Norway in 1852. This union has been blessed with eight children, seven of whom are living. They are: Oscar, living at Denver, Col.; Cora, Ida, Jessie, Theodore, Helmer and Emma, all living at home at present. Mr. Waller has three brothers and one sister. Hans lives in Trempealeau county , Wisconsin; Ole lives with Gilbert; the whereabouts of Christ are not known, and Mattie the sister, died in Norway while still a little girl. (This excerpt is taken from Volume 2 of "History of the St. Croix Valley" published in 1909).
WARNER, Hans B, Honorable (Civil War) was born at Guldbrandsdalen, Norway, July 12, 1844. He immigrated and settled in Dodge county, Wisconsin, in 1849 and thence removed to Pierce county in 1855, where he resided until his death, August 18, 1896. He enlisted March 28, 1864, as a private in Company G, Thirty-seventh Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. He was wounded and taken prisoner in front of Petersburg, July 30, 1864, and was held a prisoner of war in Danville and Libby prison until paroled September 1, 1864. He was discharged from service July 1865, on account of wounds received in battle. Mr. Warner has held various local offices; was county clerk of Pierce county from January 1, 1869, to December 24, 1877, when he resigned to assume the duties of state secretary, which position he held from January 1, 1878, to January 1, 1882. He was elected state senator in 1882 for the Twenty-fifth Senatorial district, then comprising the counties of Eau Claire, Pepin and Pierce, and served until January 1, 1887. He was elected judge of Pierce County in 1893, and held the office from January 1, 1894, to February 1, 1895, when he resigned, having been appointed a member of the state board of control. He was made president of the board, which position he held at the time of his death, which occurred at his home in the village of Ellsworth. In 1890 he was elected president of the Bank of Ellsworth, and took an active part in its management for two years. Mr. Warner was a successful politician. From quite an early period in his life he had been engaged in public duties, holding offices of varied importance, and in every instance more than fulfilled the expectations of his friends. Apt to learn, he soon became fully acquainted with political life and was admitted to be a leader in his county. Yet politics never concealed the man. In all his positions, high and low, he was still the same genial, courteous, high-minded gentleman and friend. The poor found in him a helper, the rich, a coadjutor. His free and generous nature prevented his acquiring a large amount of wealth, but he attained a moderate competence. In his chosen village he was ever loyal and one of the foremost in seeking to promote its interests. He was a member of the Masonic order, also a Knight Templar. Mr Warner married Julia E. Hudson, August 31, 1866. She was born in New York State, and came to Wisconsin with her parents. She now resides in her home in Ellsworth, Wis. (taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley", published in 1909).
WEGHORN, Jacob now residing on section 18, Hartland township, where he owns and farms 117 acres of rich farm land, was born in Ripley county, Indiana, October 28, 1854. His parents, Conrad and Elizabeth (Fryer) Weghorn, settled in Hartland township when Jacob was fourteen years old. His father and mother were born in Germany and came to America before their marriage and resided at Cincinnati, O., for some time. They then moved to Ripley County, Indiana, and lived there. He bought 400 acres of wild land in Hartland Township, and made a home for himself and family. He died in 1901 at the age of sixty-six. Jacob's early education was obtained in the common schools of Indiana, and upon coming to Wisconsin he helped his father do the farm work. When about twenty-three years old he started out for himself, buying a farm of sixty-five acres in Hartland township, section 5, and then he took to himself a wife and later moved on his present farm, which belonged to his wife. Mr. Weghorn belongs to the German Lutheran church, and in his politics is a Republican. He married May 1, 1887, Susan Drake, who was born in Pennsylvania and came to Wisconsin with her parents, John and Susannah (Gilmore) Drake. Her father was a native of Ireland and her mother of Pennsylvania, and were early settlers of Pierce county. They located on the farm our subject now lives on. Her father died in December 1888, at the age of eighty years, and her mother was seventy-one when she passed away. Mr. and Mrs. Weghorn have five children-Susie, born June 25, 1889; Sadie, born March 16, 1892; Charles, born March 1, 1894; Lizzie born January 15, 1896, and Dewey, born December 2, 1897. (taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley", published in 1909).
WELD, Professor Allen H. was born at Braintree, Vt., September 7, 1809. His early life was passed in comparative poverty, his parents having a large family with a meager income, so much so that they were unable to give to him even a common school education. Being ambitious and desirous of obtaining an education, he left his father's home at quite an early age, and from that time bent his efforts to obtaining a college education. By strict economy and hard work he became fitted for college and entered Dartmouth College at Hanover, N. H., in the year 1832. While at Dartmouth he supported himself and paid his school expenses by teaching in the winter in district schools and by music classes and such other work as he could find at hand. At the end of his sophomore year he went to Yale College, graduating from that university in 1836. Having incurred considerable indebtedness while at Yale, in the last year of his course he went to Nantucket Island and opened a private school, which became almost immediately very popular, and within a year he was able to pay off his obligations. Having received an offer of the principalship of North Yarmouth Classical Academy, an institution located near Portland, Me., and having for its object the preparation of young men for college, in 1837 he accepted the position and removed to that place, teaching a successful school for eleven years. While at North Yarmouth, Professor Weld prepared several school books, among which were Weld's English Grammer, Weld's Latin Lessons, Weld's Parsing Book and others, all of which became popular school books at New England and had a wide circulation in those states. In the year 1848 Professor Weld resigned his position at North Yarmouth, and after teaching in a private school in Boston for about a year, went to Cumberland, Md., and took charge of the Allegheny County Academy, located at that city. Here the people erected a fine school building at his suggestion and made him welcome. He remained at this city for six years, removing from there to West Lebanon, N. H., near the home of his boyhood and among the relatives of his wife. While at Cumberland he had received a visit from Professor Pratt, a cousin, with whom he had been very intimate in boyhood and whom he had not seen for many years. Professor Pratt had led a rather wandering life, being engaged in organizing and teaching schools of music, in which occupation he had been quite successful. He was a fine musician and had a remarkable faculty of organization in this department. In his wanderings he had learned of a beautiful location just opened by the government for settlement, in the Northwest, which was known as the St. Croix valley. Professor Pratt had made some investments there himself and his glowing descriptions of its beauty and probable growth induced Professor Weld to also invest a large part of his life's saving in that locality. A year or two after going to West Lebanon, he felt that it would be wise to look up his holdings and so he took a journey into this promised land. Visiting it in the summer season when nature had lavished her choicest gifts upon the land, he was so much pleased with it that before returning home he purchased a farm near the village of River Falls. From this time he was desirous of leaving his professional work and taking actual possession of his land, and in 1858, he left West Lebanon and removed permanently to this valley. But his fame as a teacher had preceded him, and he was soon called upon to take charge of school work. He taught in the vicinity several seasons, and with the assistance of his wife, organized the first graded school in River Falls. About this time he was elected county superintendent of schools of St. Croix County, which position he held for several terms. To his surprise he received, without solicitation on his part, an appointment as a regent of normal schools of Wisconsin. Upon entering into the duties of this office, he became very much interested in the normal school system, and after investigating the question, felt that one school should be located in the St. Croix valley, believing that in this region, rapidly growing and early settled by men and women of intelligence and culture, that such a school would be of vast benefit to that locality and the state at large. He had a natural inclination for organizing and for building schoolhouses, having been interested in the erection of several during his professional life. With this thought in view he consulted many of the leading and influential citizens of the valley, and meeting with a hearty response, from this time he devoted his energies to convincing the other members of the board of the advisability of locating the fourth normal school in the St. Croix valley. For this end he labored earnestly for several years, ably and faithfully aided by many of the citizens of River Falls and its vicinity. After much discussion, the board finally determined that the good of the state demanded attention to the educational wants of the Northwest, and, accordingly, about the year 1872, Professor Weld and his friends had the gratification of a vote by the board making a definite location of the Fourth Normal school at River Falls. A fine school building was erected in 1874 at a cost of about $60,000 and its subsequent history has fully vindicated the views of those who so earnestly and faithfully strove for its establishment. Soon after the school was dedicated the health of Professor Weld began to fail, and he died at his beloved home upon his farm, October 18, 1882, mourned by many friends. In 1837, while at North Yarmouth, he married Harriet W. Wood, of Lebanon, N. H. They had two children: George H., who died at the age of six years, and Allen P. Weld, who is now residing at River Falls. Mrs. Weld survived her husband, and is at the time of writing this sketch (1908) residing with her son at River Falls, having attained the ripe age of ninety-three years.
WELD, Allen P. the only surviving son of Professor Allen H. Weld, was born at North Yarmouth, Me., May 13, 1839. In 1847 he removed with his parents from that place, and while his father was engaged in Boston, he passed the winter in Lebanon, N. H., the former home of his mother. After spending a few months in the state of New York, in 1849, the family removing to Cumberland, Md., he went with them and there fitted for college in his father's school. He entered Dartmouth College in 1855, graduating 1859. After finishing his course he emigrated to the St. Croix valley, Wisconsin, and passed two or three years upon his father's farm in the town of Troy, working on the farm in the summer and teaching winters. In 1865, he commenced reading law in the office of H. C. Baker, Esq., at Hudson, Wis., supplementing his reading later at the Albany Law school, where he graduated in 1867. Returning to Wisconsin he practiced law at that place for a while, but later went to River Falls, where he settled in 1869 and has made this place his home ever since. Here he held several minor municipal offices and upon the organization of the village into a city was elected city clerk, an office which he has held for seventeen terms with one interval, owing to business requiring his attention elsewhere. In 1895 Mr. Weld was appointed by the governor, county judge to fill the unexpired term of Judge Warner, who had resigned. Judge Weld has been re-elected to this office three times and has devoted himself almost entirely to the duties of his office since his appointment, though making his home at River Falls. He has, however, taken great interest in the city of River Falls, and been largely identified with efforts which have been made for its progress. In 1871 he married Alice P. Powell, a daughter of Lyman N. Powell, one of the Powell brothers, who were largely interested in the original founding of the village, and who did much for its welfare. The mother of Mrs. Weld was a sister of Lute A. and Horace A. Taylor, the first persons to establish a newspaper in the village. Judge Weld has two children, Laura H. Weld, now teaching at the Platteville Normal School, and Lyman P. Weld, who is engaged in business at Colorado. The judge and his wife occupy the first two-story frame house built in the village of River Falls, and which was for many years the hospitable home of the Powell family. Reference: Taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley", published in 1909
WELKER, Martin, (Civil War) residing in the city of River Falls, Wis., where he is leading practically a retired life, was born in Summit county, Ohio, March 25, 1844. He received his early education at the place of his birth. His father died when Martin was about seven years old and he then went to live with his grandfather, George Welker, who was a farmer, and our subject worked on the farm until he had reached the age of twenty years. In 1864 he enlisted in Company I, One Hundred and Fourteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, afterwards was transferred to Company I, One Hundred and Eighty-eighth Ohio, and served bravely to the close of the Civil War. He was mustered out at Nashville, Tenn., and discharged at Columbus, Ohio. After the close of the war he returned to his Ohio home and remained there engaged in the carpenters trade till January 8, 1874, when he settled at River Falls. Here he lived about six years farming, and in 1880 he removed to North Dakota and purchased 160 acres of land in Grand Forks County, where he resided until 1891. He then rented this farm and returned to River Falls, where he has since resided, following the carpenters trade to some extent. Mr. Welker married Phoebe Hudson, November 22, 1881. She was born in Jo Davies county, Illinois, a daughter of George and Martha (Bennett) Hudson. Her father was born in England, and came to the United States when twenty-one years old. Her mother was born in Montreal, Canada. They were early settlers in Illinois. In 1863, Mr. Hudson moved with his family and settled two and a half miles east of River Falls, Wis., where he had purchased eighty acres of land. This he improved and here he lived until his death, about 1904, engaged in general farming and stock raising. He was seventy-six years old. His wife is still living, and resides with her daughter, Mrs. Welker, is the age of seventy-seven years. Mrs. Welker was educated in the district schools and the State Normal school. Mr. and Mrs. Welker have had two children, both born in North Dakota. Herbert was born October 23, 1887, and Mona, June 8, 1891. The latter is now attending the High school. The mother of Mr. Welker, after the death of he first husband, married Abraham Ashley. She had moved with her youngest son, George, to Eau Galle, Wis., and here she was married, afterwards settled three miles East of River Falls, lived there till 1880, and then moved to North Dakota. She lived here ten years, and in 1890 returned to River Falls. Mr. Ashley died January 5, 1896, and Ashely died April 5, 1902, at the age of eighty-four years. Mr. Welker is a member of the G. A. R.-I. N. Nichols Post No. 177. Reference: Taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley", published in 1909
WELLS, John (Civil War) is one of the earliest settlers of Pierce county now living. He resides in the city of River Falls, Wis., where he is leading a retired life. He was born in Huntingtonshire, England, August 3, 1839. His mother died when he was three years old, and his father when our subject was twelve years of age. The boy then lived with his grandparents until their death, and when he was eighteen years of age, in 1847, he came to America, settling in Pierce county, Wisconsin, and worked for a number of farmers, in different parts of the St. Croix valley. Upon the breaking out of the Civil War, in 1861, he enlisted in Company I, Twelfth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and served three years. He was at Vicksburg and Atlanta and took part in many of the important engagements. He was mustered out and discharged at Chattanooga, Tenn. He then returned to River Falls, where he has since resided. He is a member of the G. A. R.-I. N. Nichols Post No. 177, department of Wisconsin. During his early life he was a Democrat in politics, but of late years has voted with the Republican party. Mr. Wells married for his first wife a Mrs. Dickey, who died, leaving no children. Mrs. Cotney became his second wife. Her maiden name was Ruby Ann Rathburn, and to her there were no children born. Mr. Wells married for his third wife, Mrs. Susan Herrick, a sister of his second wife. Mrs. Wells was a mother of ten children by her first husband, seven of whom are living. Anna Quinette died at the age of eighteen; Daniel resides in New York state; Ruby married Edward Mussey, of North Dakota; George lives in New York state; William died at the age of thirty years; Flora is the wife of Harley Chinnock, St. Croix county; Mary died when three years old; James resides in New York state; Samuel resides at Grandview, Wis.; Clarence, the tenth child born, resides in St. Croix County. All of the children were born in the state of New York. Mrs. Wells was born June 28, 1830, at Oxford, N.Y. Reference: Taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley", published in 1909
WETHERN, D.N., was born in Detroit, Me., came to Diamond Bluff, Wis., with his parents, and remained at home until twelve or thirteen years of age, when he secured employment on a wood boat for George Hampton, remaining for a season and a half. He then worked one season for A. R. Mero and one winter banking wood. After a year at Granite Falls he returned to Daimond Bluff and entered into partnership with A. R. Mero in three wood boats, remaining in this partnership and carrying on the wood business until at the end of six years he acquired the interest of Charles H. Mero in a store and warehouse, which continue for two years under the firm name of Mero & Wethern, after which Mr. Wethern bought the store and Mr. Mero took the warehouse, each retaining one boat and selling the third. Since that date Mr. Wethern has been continuously engaged in the merchandise business, but was burned out and rebuilt in 1882. About 1888 he built a steamboat name "Sea Wing," which hauled rafts for two years, when the boat was wrecked on Lake Pepin while running a Sunday excursion, being struck by a cyclone. Mr. Wethern's wife and youngest son, together with ninety-one others, lost their lives. Two years after that Mr. Wethern built another boat named "Sea Wing" after the wrecked boat, using it in rafting for about twelve years, when it was put out of commission to use the engines and shafting for a new and larger boat named "Twin City," which was engaged in towing rafts one season, then turned into the packet trade between Wabasha, Minn., and St. Paul for one year, afterward being taken to the southern Mississippi by W. H. Morgan, where it remained. The next summer Mr. Wethern bought a sawmill from a man named Helmake and also a tug called "Gracie Douglas," which he ran for two or three years. In 1907 he built the "J. M.," a stern-wheeler, which he still owns and operates in towing and freighting. Mr. Wethern was married October 22, 1876, to Nellie Boyce, daughter of Horace and Lena Boyce, of Diamond Bluff, Wis. They were the parents of two boys. Roy H. is now engaged on the "J.M.," having previously worked on the "Red Wing" and other boats. Perly lost his life with his mother in the wreck already mentioned. Mr. Wethern is a Democrat in politics. He was chairman of the town board five years, on the sideboard one year and treasurer two years. He fraternizes with Masonic orders at Red Wing, Minn., and Prescott, Wis. He was married March 5, 1905, to Josephine L. Wheeler, daughter of Valentine and Jane E. Wheeler, of Prescott, Wis. (Taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley", published in 1909).
WETHERN, David Young, was one of the early settlers of Diamond Bluff Township. Upon coming from Maine in the early days he located first at Marysville, Minn., opposite the present site of Diamond Bluff, Wis., where he built a hotel and store and dealt in lumber, living there three years until the high water forced some eight or ten families, the Wetherns among them, to seek higher ground, and they accordingly moved to the present township of Diamond Bluf. It is worthy of note that our subject was the first man to bring a team of horses to this section, oxen being used almost exclusively in those early days. This pair came from Ohio and the bringing of them entailed considerable difficulty. The family lived in Diamond Bluff village five or more years, then went to a farm in the township and lived five years afterward, returning again to the village, where the father engaged in the wood dealing business. He then went to Granite Falls, Minn., and became a general merchant, opening the first store in that town. May 16, 1870, he was murdered by a man known as Cooney, who shot him for his money while he was on his way from Granite Falls to St. Paul to purchase a bill of goods. Cooney was convicted of the murder. Another man, Simpson by name, was shot but not killed. Our subject married Esther A. Niles and had three sons-David Niles, Alfred H. and Benjamin R. David Niles. Wethern was born in Detroit, Me., October 8, 1854, was educated in the common schools of Pierce county, and has become one of its leading citizens. He is a Democrat in politics and served in practically all the town offices, including those of town clerk and town chairman for several terms. The Baptist belief is the family faith. Benjamin R. is a farmer of Itaska Lake, Minnesota, and Alfred H. lives in Clam Falls, Wis. (Taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley" published in 1909).
WETHERN, George, (Civil War) was born in Somerset county, Maine, in 1841, and lived there seventeen years; came to Minnesota in 1858, and enlisted August 14, 1862, in Company A, Ninth Minnesota Infantry; served until October, 1863, under General Sibley against the Indians, then went south; came back and was honorably discharged in St. Paul, July 1865. He went to Pierce county, Wisconsin, for one year, then returned to Hennepin county. In March, 1867, he married Amanda Wilson, and located in Pierce county, Wisconsin, in 1868; but returned to Minnesota in 1875 and settled in Brooklyn, where he has since resided. They have had six children, four are now living. Submitted by Claudia Schuman, coordinator for the Hennepin County Biographies site.
WEYH, Henry, was born in Fombach, Germany, April 13, 1846, and educated in both Germany and America. When Henry was about eight years old, his parents, Eramus Weyh and Margaret Weyh, came to this country in 1854 and settled in Inver Grove, Dakota county, Minn., and remained about eight years. The father took up 160 acres of government land, but upon his death there, young Henry came to Prescott, Pierce county, Wis., and made his home for a time with his sister, Mrs. Curtis. He then went to Nashville, Tenn., where he was employed by the government as an army blacksmith. Upon his return to this part of the country he worked as engineer in a sawmill for Peters and Rienhart, at Ellsworth, Wis., and Hastings, Minn. When that firm dissolved partnership in 1870, Mr. Weyh went to work for Henry Chase, of Faribault, Minn., where he remained eight months. His next employment was for two years in a stave factory at Hersey, Wis., owned by Peters and Bennett. In 1873 he came to Oak Grove, Wis., and bought a farm from August Meier, where he has since continued to reside. He was married March 4, 1872, to Dora Meier, daughter of August and Caroline Meier, of Oak Grove, by which union nine children have been born, eight of whom are living. William, the oldest, is noted below; Sophia Carolina Wilhelmina was born April 19, 1874, and is now Mrs. Herman Geister, of Oak Grove, Wis.; Louise Caroline Dora was born January 31, 1876; Henry George was born December 27, 1877, and died May 26, 1898, of appendicitis, being buried at St. John's cemetery; George August was born November 17, 1879, and lives at home; Dora Carolina Sophia was born December 19, 1881, and is now Mrs. John Fitzpatrick, of Prescott, Wis; Louis George Henry was born January 1, 1884, and lives at home; Caroline Hattie Minnie was born June 25, 1886, and lives at home; Frank Adolph Frederick was born February 18, 1893, and lives at home. Mr. Weyh is a member of St. John's Lutheran Evangelical church and affiliates with the Maccabees at Prescott, Wis. He is a Democrat and has served on the side board six years, from 1892 to 1898. He owns 200 acres of good land on section 28, Oak Grove, where he is engaged in general farming and stock raising. Reference: Taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley", published in 1909
WEYH, William August, was born June 30, 1873, and received his education in the public schools of Oak Grove township, Wisconsin. He remained on the home farm until about twenty-nine years of age, when he married Anna Geister, daughter of Ernst and Gatte Geister, of Oak Grove. This union has been blessed with two children, Della and Harold. Mr. Weyh lives on section 19, Oak Grove Township, where he carries on general farming and stock raising. Like his father, he belongs to St. John's church, the Maccabees at Prescott and votes the Democratic ticket. Reference: Taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley", published in 1909
WHITE, F.M. was born July 9, 1845, son of Eben and Ellen (Flag) White and grandson of Josiah and Fannie White, both of the latter, of whom passed away in New York state in 1863. Eben was born in Massachusetts in 1811 and died in 1889, his wife having been born in 1806 in Vermont, passing away in 1887, both deaths occurring in Maiden Rock township, Pierce county. Eben came to this part of the country in the early days and stopped for a short time at Wakota, Minn., after which he settled on Rush river, Salem township, Pierce county in 1855, purchasing eighty acres, to which he afterward added forty more, making 120 acres of well tilled land in all. In 1858 he brought his family to this locality. He was a farmer for the greater part of his life, but also engaged in saw milling for ten years in Pennsylvania before coming to Wisconsin. He was the father of five children: Homer was born June 8, 1839; Caroline, now a widow, was born April 22, 1837 and married Robert English; Eliza, born in 1843, is also a widow, having married the late George Heath in 1861; F. B. an F. M. are twins. F. M. received his education in the common schools and then took up work on the farm with his father, remaining on the home place until 1891, when he came to Maiden Rock and engaged in the mercantile business, in which he has been very successful, bearing an enviable reputation for honor and integrity. He is Republican in politics and is well informed on all the topics of the day. Mr. White was married in 1876 to Maggie Lee, a native of New York State, but a resident of Maiden Rock at the time of her marriage. This union has been blessed with three children: Bulah, born in 1881, died in 1883; Jesse was born in 1883 and Isabelle was born in 1890. Both the children are now at home assisting their parents. Reference: Taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley", published in 1909
WHITE, F. M. senior member of one of the leading law firms of River Falls, Wis., has attained to his present high standing at the bar by faithful work along the line of his chosen calling. He is a native of Wisconsin and was born at Prescott, Pierce County, July 29, 1862, the son of Joseph Spencer White, and Mary E. White, the former a native of Ohio, and the latter of Indiana. His father was a prominent lawyer of Western Wisconsin. Our subject attended the public schools of Prescott, Wis., and assisted upon his fathers farm until twenty-four years of age. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1886 at Breckenridge, Minn. On receiving his license to practice, he settled at Wheaton, Minn., where he remained until 1890. After spending a short time at Minneapolis, he removed in October of that year to River Falls, Wis., where he has practiced his profession ever since. In July 1906, a partnership was formed with George B. Skogmo, under the firm name of White & Skogmo. The practice of the firm embraces all branches of the law. Mr. White, as its head, is recognized far and near as a leader, both among his professional associates and the community in general. He is a staunch Democrat in politics, but while he has always taken a deep interest in the political affairs of his state, he is in no sense a politician; and with the exception of the office of mayor of the city of River Falls, which he has filled since 1905, having first been elected in the spring of that year, he has held no political office, preferring to devote himself to his professional work, in which he finds ample scope for the gratification of his highest ambition. He was chief of the fire department of River Falls for six years. October 12, 1892, he married Mary Foster, whose many womanly qualities have made her a leader among a large circle of friends and acquaintances. She is a daughter of the late Judge Joel Foster, who was an early settler of Pierce County and one of the prominent men of the county. He died at River Falls, Wis., in 1886. Mrs. White was born and educated at River Falls. Of three children born to the, the oldest, Kenneth S., is attending the High school. He was born January 17, 1897; Ruth was born May 1, 1900, and Shirley was born November 28, 1901. Mr. White was very active in connection with the litigation growing out of the failure of the Hudson Savings bank. Mr. White is connected with the Independent Telephone Company movement and president of the Pierce County Telephone Company. Reference: Taken from "History of the St. Croix Valley", published in 1909
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