Henry & Mary White's Children, 1856

Henry White's living heirs in 1856 are identified through a lawsuit brought by his son, Jacob White. Henry's heirs were the plaintiffs named in the lawsuit. I have added birth information inside brackets for each person listed in this lawsuit. Only the list of plaintiffs will be discussed today, but the entire court transcription is found here. 

Family History Library Film #946608,  Henry County Missouri,

Court Records Missouri. Circuit Court (Henry County) Vol A-B, 1835-1858

Henry County, Missouri County Court Minutes Book B--Jacob White vs Mary White et al, continued

p. 257

Adjournment May Term 1856

Jacob White [18 September 1823] Plaintiff

Against

Mary White [9 Dec 1891], 
Joseph White [1815], 
John White [abt. 1821],

Eli White [8 Oct 1827], 
David White [abt. 1830],

Noah White, 
Margaret White [abt. 1835],

Beniah N White [12 Mar 1835], 
Oliver White [abt. 1844], 

Mary Ann White [abt. 1839], 

Mary E White [1850]

and Mariah White [27 April 1853]

This list was not arranged in chronological order. If it had been chronological, Mary Ann White would be listed before Oliver White. Also, the last two names indicate that this list is not strictly comprised of Henry Sr.'s children. According to the 1850 and 1860 Henry County, Missouri censuses, Mary E. and Mariah White were grandchildren, daughters of Henry White Jr. 

Is this list first sorted into Henry's living children/children of Henry's deceased children, then male/female, then maybe local/non-local, then chronological order?

During the proceedings, Jacob White named Henry and Mary White as his parents. The first person on the plaintiff list, Mary White, was, of course, Jacob's Mother. The next names--her sons--were listed in age order, oldest first: Joseph White, John White, Eli White, and David White.

I'm not familiar with Noah White. Was he listed last because he was younger than David, or was he listed at this point because the other sons lived locally in Henry County, Missouri and he did not?

Sons, Christian and Henry Jr. had already passed away and were not listed.

Margaret White came next. According to the lawsuit, she was Henry White's daughter, and after Henry's death, Jacob was to care for her. She was the only child mentioned in this arrangement. Does her placement here indicate the last of Henry Sr.'s children? Margaret and Beniah N. White seem to be nearly the the same age: I don't know which one was born first.

Beniah N. White's parents have long been a mystery. Both Henry Sr. and Christian White had sons who were Beniah's age in the 1840 Census. Oliver White was listed next after Beniah N. My guess is that Beniah N. and Oliver were the sons of Christan White, grouped together as his male heirs. Mary Ann was listed after them, possibly indicating the last of Christian's surviving children. 

Mary E. and Mariah White appear at the very end of the list. Since their father, Henry Jr., was younger than Christian, I believe his children were listed last. 

Currently, I feel this list shows three families in 1856: Henry Sr.'s, Christian's, and Henry Jr.'s. Noah White is still not identified, but I have a favorite candidate to put forward in the future. 

Evidence might turn up anytime to prove me wrong. In the meantime, I welcome your suggestions if you have a different opinion on how to interpret this list.

Henry & Mary White's Children, 1830 & 1840 Censuses

It's hard to determine how many children Henry and Mary White had. (Henry is about 16 years older than Mary, so it's possible he was previously married with children, but I have no evidence of it.) I don't know of any White family Bibles, so we will have to rely on censuses.

Map of Indiana and Ohio from FamilySearch.

In 1830, Henry White was enumerated in Preble County, Ohio (highlighted in orange). In 1840, he was enumerated in Randolph County, Indiana (in pink), a different state, but not very far from Preble County.

 The censuses of that time gave only broad age ranges. You're already familiar with the 1830 Preble County, Ohio Census:

1830 Preble, Ohio Census

This census identifies 8 children, presumably 6 sons and 2 daughters. These censuses do not differentiate between immediate family members, relatives, visitors, workers, etc. They can inaccurately reflect how many children a couple actually had.

1830

"Sons": 2 males 0-4; 1 male 5-9; 1 male 10-14; and 2 males 15-19.
"Daughters": 1 female 0-4; 1 female 5-9.

1840 Randolph County, Indiana Census

The 1840 Randolph County, Indiana census shows 7 children: presumably 5 sons and 2 daughters.

"Sons": 2 males 5-9; 3 males 10-14.

"Daughters": 1 female under 5; 1 female 5-9.

There is very little overlap between the two censuses. The only children that carry forward ten years into 1840 are the 3 boys, 15-19. This doesn't quite jibe with the 1830 census information. Perhaps the boy listed in the 1830 census in the 5-9 category was placed in the 10-14 category in 1840, making a total of 3? The 2 girls from the 1830 census were either married, or passed away before 1840. We don't know their given names and since other White's lived in the same area, it seems impossible to identify them.

Christian White, over 20 and under 30, is enumerated just above Henry White in the 1840 census. I believe he is Henry's son since he relocated with the White's to Henry County, Missouri and Henry served as his probate administrator in 1850. 

Joseph White is enumerated just after Henry in 1840. I believe he is Henry's son, too. He also relocated to Henry County, Missouri and is found there in the 1850 census. His headstone indicates he was born in 1815, so he could be the younger of the two boys in the 1830 census listed in the 15-19 age range.

Fortunately, the names of many of Henry and Mary's children can be found in the 1850 Henry County, Missouri census.

Henry White's Son, Henry Jr.

Catch my mistake?

Henry County, Missouri Abstracts of Wills and Administrations 1835-1854, compiled by Jacqueline Hogan Williams & Betty Harvey Williams, 1968. p. 38.

[COUNTY COURT RECORD BOOK C]

Henry White. Died intestate Adm. Jacob White appt. 22 Nov. 1852 Sec. Frederick McNew and Joseph White  page 40.

I've assumed that the above entry was for Henry White Sr., but it finally occurred to me that there should be two Henry White entries, for both Jr. and Sr., listed in this probate book. There is only one Henry White in it. Is it possible that the two Henry's were accidentally combined and the earliest record date kept in the transcription? Does this explain the 1852 date given for Henry Sr. instead of 1853? Or is 1852 a typo? Was one Henry accidentally omitted? The court records will need to be consulted with these possibilities in mind.

On 16 Jul 1851, Henry White Sr. sold land to Henry White Jr., so Henry Jr. was alive on this date.

On 16 Feb 1853, Henry White by Admn. sold land to F. F. Summers, but the transaction wasn't complete until 15 March 1854. Was this sale made in behalf of Henry White Jr., since Henry Sr. didn't die until March 1853? The land description is hard to read, but it seems to be a different piece of property than the first, possibly indicating Henry Jr. still owned property when he died. 

It looks like there are more questions than answers again!

And in any event, whenever you catch my mistakes, please feel free to comment.

Henry White's Son, Christian or Christopher?

Is his name Christian, or Christopher, or both?

In the following book of Henry County, MO Court record abstracts, only one other White death is listed before Henry White died:

Henry County, Missouri Abstracts of Wills and Administrations 1835-1854, compiled by Jacqueline Hogan Williams & Betty Harvey Williams, 1968. p. 33.
COUNTY COURT MINUTES BOOK B
Christopher F. White. Died intestate Adm. Henry White appt. 3 May 1850 Sec Frederick McNew and Henry Duning pages 254,285,286,287,288,257,324

Christopher? Who is Christopher? I was familiar with Christian F. White from the 1840 Randolph County, IN census (3rd entry from bottom, just above Henry White):

Christian F. White in 1840 White River Twp., Randolph County, IN Census

And I'd also seen Christian F. White in Preble County, Ohio marriage records (see last entry):

Preble County, Ohio Marriage Records

But I'd never come across the given name, Christopher, before. Is he a different person? Is it a transcription error? Or might Christopher and Christian possibly be the same person? In reading The Genealogy of The Family of Ralph William Cokonougher by Ralph W. Cokonougher, I came across the following example of Christopher and Christian being the same person. From page 201, "Christopher (aka Christian) Cohenour, Jr., born 11 March 1797...". 

This surname, Cokonougher, is another Gochenour variant, and Christopher was born not long before our Christian was born. The census shows our Christian F is under thirty and over 20 in 1840, having been born roughly 1811-1820. Christian's wife is older, in the "under 40 and over 30" category, born between 1801 and 1810. There are two males in the household, "5 and under 10", born between 1831 and 1835.

One mystery, possibly solved already, is Elizabeth Smith, wife of Christian F. White in the Preble County marriage record above. The website, Miner Descent, may have come to the rescue with a suggestion. See entry #8 here. Unbelievable! This Elizabeth candidate comes complete with a birthdate, 7 Feb 1810, and both parents' names, James Smith and Anna Smith. Yes, a double Smith inheritance. An older sibling was born in Kentucky, so it's possible Elizabeth might have been born there, too.

The 1850 Grand River Twp., Henry County, Missouri census shows a stray Elizabeth White, born Kentucky, living with the Aaron Spurgin/Spurgeon family, but she is much too old to be this Elizabeth unless a mistake was made. I'm keeping her in mind for later research, but for now, it doesn't seem to be her.

Henry White's Death Year Mystery Solved

Which year of death for Henry White is correct: 1853 (the year on his headstone) or 1852 (the year from the County Court Minutes transcription)? The mystery was brought up In this post about Henry White's headstone earlier. 

Even though I ordered  the wrong microfilm from Salt Lake, I accidentally came up with the right answer. Now everyone will be able to sleep again at night!

Family History Library Film #946608,  Henry County Missouri,
Court Records Missouri. Circuit Court (Henry County) Vol A-B, 1835-1858

Henry County, Missouri County Court Minutes Book B--Jacob White vs Mary White et al, continued
p. 257
Adjournment May Term 1856

Jacob White Plaintiff
Against
Mary White, Joseph
White, John White,
Eli White, David White,
Noah White, Margaret White,
Beniah N White, Oliver
White, Mary Ann 
White, Mary E White
and Mariah White

Now this day comes the plaintiff by his attorney and the said defendants though three times solemnly called come not but make default and it appearing from the return of the sheriff of Henry County Missouri that Mary White, Joseph White, John White, Eli White, David White, Margaret White, Beniah N. White, Oliver P. White, Mary Ann White, Mary E. White and Mariah White had been duly served with process more than 20 days before the first day of this term of this court and it being proven to the satisfaction of the court here that the order of publication made in vacation by the clerk of this court had been published in the "Osceola Independent" County of St Clair State of Missouri for Eight consecutive weeks the last insertion having been made more than four weeks before the first day of the May Term of this court ____ of which present is an adjourned term, By which order of publication it appears to the court that Noah White has been duly notified of the commencement of this suit and of the ________ thereof And it is being suggested to the court here that the defendants Beniah N. White and Oliver P. White were in fact under the age of twenty one years The court here doth appoint Thomas W. Freeman Guardian and the said Thomas W. Freeman being in court consents to act and no answer being filed by said defendants the course was taken ____ the court upon the petition of the Plaintiff and the evidence in the cause And it having been proved by the satisfaction of the court

p. 258
that on or about the 1st day of January 1853 plaintiff entered into an agreement with his father Henry White and his mother Mary White to the effect that plaintiff was to take care of and support his said father & mother and his said Sister Margaret White during life and assume and pay off the debts of his said father; in consideration of which the said Henry White and Mary White were to convey to said Jacob White by good and sufficient deed the following tract of land lying and being situated in the County of Henry and State of of Missouri to wit the E 1/2 of NE 1/4 of Section No 19 Township 40 range No. 26 containing 80 acres. That soon there after making of said agreement and before the making of said Deed the said Henry White died.

It is further proven to the satisfaction of the Court here that the plaintiff did on or about the said first day of January take possession of said land under said agreement and has made valuable improvements thereon--that the plaintiff did support and take care of his said father as long as he lived and pay off his debts and still continues to provide for his said Mother and Sister...In consideration of the promises it is therefore ordered adjudged and decreed by the Court here that if plaintiff shall continue said contract of supporting said Mary White and the said Margaret White according to the terms of said agreement so long as they shall live and not otherwise that the title to said piece of land to wit the E 1/2 of NE 1/4 of Section No 19 Town No 40 of Range No 26 containing 80 acres be vested in plaintiff free from all claim right(?) title as interest whatever of said Mary White widow of said Henry White as well as from all claims right and title of said Joseph White, John White, Eli White, David White, Noah White, Margarette White, Beniah N. White, Oliver P. White, Mary A. White, Mary E. White and Mariah White and that all the right, title, interest, Estate and property of the persons last aforesaid be divested out of them and vested in plaintiff. And that the said Plaintiff pay the costs of this proceeding

De Witt C. Ballon
Circuit Judge


" ...on or about the 1st day of January 1853 plaintiff entered into an agreement with his father Henry White and his mother Mary White..."

This shows Henry was alive in 1853, so the headstone is correct.

One mystery solved, but a new one has now surfaced. Who is Henry's son, Noah White?

Sweet dreams?