White - Michael D. - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

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Source: Portrait & Biographical Record of Montgomery, Parke & Fountain Counties. IN. Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1893, p. 141.

One year on the farm so restored Mr. White's strength, that he felt able to begin the study of law, and entered the office of Gen. Lew Wallace. After his admission to the Bar, he formed a partnership with Gen. Wallace, which continued until 1858. Mr. White early in life displayed some of those gifts of speech which afterward placed him among the orators of the State. His legal attainments were acknowledged during his first year of practice, as he was then elected Prosecuting Attorney for Montgomery and Boone Counties. For a time he was a partner with the distinguished James N. Binford, and gave special attention to criminal law.

In 1860, Mr. White defeated Gen. Manson for the State Senate, in which body he served as a member of the Committee on Federal Relations, a committee of much importance at that time. In 1876, he was called still higher, and received the election to Congress over the Democratic Greenback candidates. His majority of fourteen hundred and ten over the Democrats was with one exception the largest republican majority attained by any Congressional Candidate in the district. The Hon. Godlove S. Orth, the next candidate, had a majority of only ninety-eight votes.

Since his retirement from Congress, Mr. White has attended closely to his profession, in which he has been eminently successful. The marriage of our subject took place April 29, 1858, to Laura E., the daughter of Dr. J. G. McMechan, an old physician, now living at the age of eighty-six years. Mrs. White's birth took place May 14, 1837, in Crawfordsville, Ind., and the following children do honor to their parents' name: Millie, now Mrs. W. A. Stillwell, of Minneapolis, Kan.; John L., of Buffalo, N.Y.; George R., a telegraph operator in Monroe County, Ind.; Grace, a graduate of the High School of the Class of '89, and who has for three and a half years been delivery clerk in the post-office; Anna L., who is at home; and Robert, a child of thirteen, at home. The family are members of the Christian Church, in which Mrs. White is a faithful worker. Mrs. White is a pleasant lady of culture and refinement, and one whose friendship it is worth one's while to cultivate. She commands the respect of the people equally with her husband, and is a most fitting companion of the honorable man with whom her married life has been passed.

Mr. White is a member of Masonic fraternity, is a plain, unassuming man, popular with all parties, an able lawyer, and has gained the cognomen of "honest Mike White." He is one of the most popular members of the Montgomery County Bar, and no complaint has ever been made as to trickery in connection with his life. He has quite a reputation as an orator, and has modeled his career after that of the Hon. Henry S. Lane. His efforts on the platform are frequently marked by flashes of fire equal to those of his great predecessor, and in earnestness of purpose and logical elucidation, he is not inferior to Indiana's gifted orator. - transcribed by kbz

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Source: Crawfordsville Daily Journal, Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, Indiana Tuesday 6 Feb 1917

This morning at  10:10 o'clock at his home, 408 W. Pike Street, Michael Daugherty White  answered the summons of death. The passage of his spirit marked the  termination of one of the two most notable careers Montgomery County has  known.  Past 89 years of age, Mr. White had retained the vigor and  vitality of young manhood until a few weeks ago when he was stricken  critically ill.  Montgomery County showed its love and respect for the  grand old man during these past few weeks in the manner in which its  citizens have watched the progress of Mr. White's illness, expressing  joy when the word would come form his home that he seemed slightly  improved and displaying genuine sorrow when unfavorable reports would  come from the bedside. Today when the word was spread around the city  that Mr. White had died, deepest regret and sadness were in evidence on  all sides. The community did not view the death as the passing of a man  who had lived his allotted time and should be called to his reward.  Everyone watned Mr. White to live, to recover from his illness and to go  on with his quiet kindly deeds that have chracterized not only his  closing years but his entire life. Mr. White was born on a farm in Clark  County, Ohio Sept 8, 1827, a son of Lanson and Mary Daughterty White.  His grandfather Nathaniel White, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War,  who emigrated first to Ohio and then to Tippecanoe County, Indiana With  him came Lansom White and his family when Michael was an infant of two  years old.  The families located on a farm in Tippecanoe COunty and it  was there that Mr. White grew to young manhood receiving his education  in the common schools that the community afforded at that time.  Mr.  White's father died in 1844 and his mother in 1892. In 1848, Michael D.  White removed to Crawfordsville and attended what was known as the old  county seminary. Later he was a student in Wabash College for a period  of four years. Then on account of his health he went to Darlington where  he clerked in a store for a year. Deciding upon a law career as his  life's work, Mr. White returned to Crawfordsville in 1853 and read law  with the late General Lew Wallace for a year after which he was offered a  full partnership with General Wallace, which he glady accepted.  In his  legal studies, Mr. White made rapid progress and in 1854 he was  admitted to the Montgomery County bar. In the fall of that year he was  elected prosecuting attorney of the joint courts of Montgomery &  Boone Counties, serving in this position for two years and refusing to  accept a second term which was urged upon him. Mr. White continued to  practice law as a partner of General Wallace and when the latter was  elected state Senator in 1856, Mr. White conducted the affairs of the  office.  This partnership lasted until 1859 when General Wallace joined  with Col. Sam C. Wilson the old office of Wallace & White being  retained by Mr. White.  In 1860, Mr. White was elected state Senator  from Montgomery County having the distinction of being the first  Republican ever elected senator from this county.  He served with  distinction for four years, giving his constituents entire satisfaction.  He refused a second nomination. His service in the legislature was  during the civil War period and Mr. White was largely engaged as a  Senator in raising soldiers for service in the Union Army. After his  term of office expired, Mr. White resumed the practice of law and in  1876, having continued to take an active part in public affairs, he was  elected to Congress, serving in this reponsible position for two years.  He was defeated for a second nomination although it was widely declared  at the time that he was people's choice.  He resumed the practice of law  and remained an active member of the bar here until 1911, when he  retired.  Mr. White remained actively interested in politics and he  continued a staunch Republican rejoicing in the victories of the party  and soothing the spirits of the younger men when defeat would come.  Whenever there was a Republican meeting, Mr. White's presence could be  counted on and even during the campaign of last fall, after he had  observed his 89th birthday, Mr. White was a prominent factor in the  campaign in this county.  During this period he made speeches, filled  with all the vigor of a young man and he watched the issues closely. At  the meetings held in this city, Mr. White had a position on the stage,  seated at the side of the various speakers who were brought here. At no  time did the speaker of the evening receive more applause than was given  by the audience when Mr. White walked quietly onto the stage. A rare  wit was one of Mr. White's attributes that was recognized by all who  knew him. Often he was chosen for the closing address at a banquet or  meeting because he was able to send the crowd away in smiles by his  bright sallies and because he possessed the power to revive faltering  hopes in the hearts of those who heard him.  It was on April 29, 1858,  that Mr. White was married, his bride being Miss Laura E. McMechan of  Crawfordsville, daughter of Dr. James G. and Eliza McMehan, pioneer  residents of the city.  Mrs. White who is now nearly 80, survives her  husband. No closer affection between two persons has ever existed than  that of Mr. and Mrs. White during the period of nearly 3 score years  that they had spent together. 10 children were born to Mr. and Mrs.  White, 5 are living: Mrs. Wallace Stilwell of Los Angeles, Cal; John L.  White of Portland, ore; Mrs. Earl C. Finaly of Spokane, Wash; Mrs.  Howard I. Shaw of Dayton Oh; and George Raymond White of this city.  Mr.  White had long been a member of the Christian Church and he was  faithful in his adherence to his religion, being an active worker in the  church for years. He was a member of the Masonic order of long  standing. Funeral services will be held from the 1st Christian Church on  Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock, with Rev. RE Moss pastor of the  church.  Burial in Masonic Cemetery. - kbz

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Source: Masonic Cemetery

  Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, Indiana

   

Michael Doherty White (1827-1917) of Crawfordsville,   Montgomery County, Ind. Born in Ohio, 1827. Republican. Member of   Indiana state legislature; U.S. Representative from Indiana 9th   District, 1877-79. Died in 1917. Interment at Masonic Cemetery.   See also: congressional biography.

   

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Source: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

   

WHITE, Michael Doherty, a Representative from Indiana; born in   Clark County, Ohio, September 8, 1827; moved with his parents to   Tippecanoe County, Ind., in 1829; pursued classical studies;   moved to Crawfordsville, Crawfordsville County, Ind., in 1848;   attended the county seminary and Wabash College, Crawfordsville;   clerked in a store for one year; studied law; was admitted to the   bar in 1854 and commenced the practice of his profession in   Crawfordsville; law partner of Gen. Lew Wallace; prosecuting   attorney of Montgomery and Boone Counties 1854-1856; member of   the State senate 1860-1864; elected as a Republican to the   Forty-fifth Congress (March 4, 1877-March 3, 1879); was not a   candidate for renomination in 1878; continued the practice of law   in Crawfordsville, Ind., until 1911, and died there on February   6, 1917; interment in the Masonic Cemetery.

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Note from Montgomery County INGenWeb coordinator, Karen Bazzani Zach -- I have found Michael White's  name as both Michael Daugherty White and Michael Doherty White. Not sure which is correct but assume Daugherty since that was his father's name.

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Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal Friday, 3 December 1897

Indianapolis Journal: Ex-Representative M. D. White, or “Mike” White, as he is familiarly known over the state, is here to urge executive clemency in behalf of Steele and Sidener, the erring members of the Crawfordsville post office force. Mr. White enjoys the distinction of having appeared in twenty eight murder cases since he began practicing law in Indiana. He prosecuted John Coffee, who was hung at Crawfordsville several years ago. The Coffee execution was a ghastly affair, and the man was really hanged three times before life was extinct. The trouble was due to a defective rope that broke under his weight. A man named Dennis was arrested with Coffee, and had his trial immediately after Coffee was convicted. Dennis was also found guilty and sentenced to death. Mr. White prosecuted Dennis, but in the latter case he found himself confronted by a peculiar situation. He made up his mind at the beginning of the trial that Dennis was an innocent man, but, being an honest lawyer, the attorney did his duty by the State. His prosecution of Dennis was vigorous, but it was a noticeable fact that during his argument Lawyer White refrained from asking the jury to fix any particular punishment.

Immediately after Dennis had been sentenced to die his attorneys bestirred themselves in an effort to get a new trial, and finally succeeded. The lower court was reversed and the case sent back to Montgomery County. Attorney “Mike” White, acting for the State, at once went before the court and recommended that Dennis be released. He declared the belief that the man was innocent and announced that the State had no disposition to push the case further. “When that case went to the Supreme Court,” replied Attorney White yesterday, in talking of the Dennis trial, “I made up my mind that in the event it was not reversed I would go to Governor Gray personally and tell him that Dennis was an innocent man. I believed it, although I prosecuted him. I should have said to Governor Gray that to hang the man would be murder.”