DistantCousin.com

Capt. John H. White

Capt. John H. White Dead

He Was One of Red Bank's Old-Time Citizens

He Was Born in Red Bank 75 Years Ago and Had Always Lived Here--He Was the Father of Ten Children, Eight of Whom Are Living

Capt. John H. White, known lovingly to all old-timers in Red Bank as "Capt. Jack White," died at his home on White street on Friday night. About a week before his death he suffered a slight stroke of paralysis. He seemed to be recovering from this when he had a relapse. He became delirious some time before his death and his talk was all of the sea and seemed to giving reminiscences of his earlier years when he sailed the ocean on coasting schooners.

"Capt. Jack" was born at Red Bank 75 years ago in the house on Mechanic street, just west of the Mechanic street schoolhouse. He was the son of Capt. John P. White. Many of the Whites in the old days were seamen and owned and sailed schooners and other craft. Capt. Jack for a number of years was first mate on one of his father's coasting schooners which sailed between New York and South Atlantic ports. He was also captain of racing vessels in a number of important events, and he sailed winning vessels in the Cape May races in the days when these were regarded as second only to the international races for the America's cup.

Capt. White's wife before her marriage was Miss Elizabeth Robbins, daughter of Capt. William H. Robbins. One of Capt. Jack's sons, Councilman William H. R. White, was named after his grandfather. Ten children were born to the family, two of whom have died. The eight now alive are Ferdinand L. White, Mrs. W. Edward Denise, Miss Phebe E. White, Councilman William H. R. White, Miss Bessie A. White, who is a stenographer in the ordnance department at Woodbury; Reuben E. White, John H. White, Jr., and Ensley M. White. Ferdinand, William, Reuben, and Ensley constitute a building firm in Red Bank who have built and are now building a large number of houses in Red Bank and who are doing their part to overcome the great shortage in houses hereabouts.

About twenty years ago Capt. White bought three houses on White street, close to Broad street. The houses and lots were bought from George Hance Patterson for about $3,500. Capt. White occupied the largest of these houses and he had made his home there ever since the purchase. For many years after leaving the sea he was employed as night watchman by business firms on Broad street.

The funeral was held at the house on Monday afternoon and the service was in charge of Rev. Robert MacKellar. The burial was a Fair View cemetery.

Source: Red Bank Register, January 1921

Funeral of Captain J. H. White, Former Pilot, Held in Red Bank

RED BANK, Jan. 17--Captain John H. White, a former schooner pilot and former Hudson River tugboat captain was buried this afternoon in Fair View Cemetery, after funeral services conducted at his home in White street by Rev. Robert MacKeller, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church. He died Saturday.

Captain White was born seventy-five years ago in Red Bank. At the age of seventeen he was mate on a lumber schooner which plied between New York and the Carolinas. He was on a transport during the Civil War and piloted some of the fast schooners in races off Cape May almost half a century ago.

For the last thirty-eight years, Captain White had been a night watchman for local merchants, and during those years never missed on night. He never had the services of a doctor until five days before his death, when he fell in his home and sustained injuries.

The captain is survived by a wife and eight children. The children are: Ferdinand L. White, Mrs. W. Edward Denise, Miss Phoebe E. White, Councilman William H. R. White, Miss Bessie A. White, Reuben E. White, John H. White Jr. and Ensley M. White.

Source: From the News, January 1921

Both versions submitted by a visitor to this site