Gina, Grg1967@aol.com wrote: > > I am researching the White family in Rhea County, TN. I have a John White > (2/1/1855-1/6/1918) married to Susan Couch (1854-3/3/1936). I have been > unable to find parents for them. They had several children, Walter > (12/24/1881-2/14/1951), Milbourne(1875), Austin, Ida Bell (1873), and Jackson > P. (1888). Walter was Superintendent of schools in Rhea county for many > years, was a state Representative and Senator. He also ran for Governor of > Tennessee in 1926 and was defeated by Governor Austin Peay. My grandfather > Floyd was the son of Jackson White and Annie Heird, daughter of S.M. and > Louisa Heird. He married Dollie White, and they lived in Rhea County nearly > all thier lives. If you happen to have any info on this family, it would be > greatly appreciated. > > Gina Guinn >From "History of Rhea County, TN" pg 402 "WALTER WHITE Walter White was born on Dec 24, 1881, in Meigs County, the son of John and Susan (Couch) White. He attended public schools in Meigs County, then went on to attend the University of Chattanooga, American University, Harriman, Valparaiso University (Indiana), and studied law at Cumberland University, Lebanon, and at Southern University Law School, Memphis. He did not take the bar examination until 1944, when he was admitted to the Tennessee Bar. He was a resident of Rhea County from 1903. On Jan 10, 1915, Walter was married in Graysville to Ina (Wright) Whittemore, widow of Charles Whittemore and daughter of George A. Wright of Sarasota, FL. He had no children but had two stepchildren, Ernest and Ethel Whittemore. Ernest married Henrietta "Boots" Jones of Dayton. They lived mostly in Graysville. Walter taught school in Meigs, Roane, Bedford, Hamilton, and Rhea counties for 17 years. He was Superintendent of Schools of Rhea County seven times from 1919 and elected to that post in 1942. After admittance to the bar, he practiced law in Dayton from 1944 until his death. Walter was a Republican and was elected five times to the Tennessee House of Representatives in the 56th, 68th, 70th, 72nd-75th General Assemblies: 1909-1911, 1933-1935, 1937-1939, 1941-1949, representing Rhea and Meigs counties; the Senate 57th Assembly(1911-1913) representing Rhea, Bledsoe, Cumberland, Meigs, Sequatchie, Van Buren, and White counties. He was an unsuccessful candidate for governor in 1926, being defeated by Governor Austin Peay. He was Republican Leader in the House of Representatives in 1937 and was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1940. A brother, Milburn R. White, was a delegate to the 59th and 60th Assemblies, 1915-1919. Walter White was a member of the Baptist Church and the Knights of Pythias. He died on Feb 14, 1951, in Dayton, and is buried in Buttram Cemetery." >From Meigs County, TN Census and Marriage Records 1850-1900 page 357 1880 Census John H. White 26, Susan C 21, Ida Bell 12, Melbourne R 4, Matilda L 3, Daniel W 5/12, Geo W WEBB 21 (boarder) 7-15-97 1900 Census John A White 53 (Feb 1847-M 29), Sudie (Susan) 45 (Nov 1854-M 29-8-6), Ida B 26 (Apr 1873, Melburn 24 (Apr 1875), Matilda 22 (Oct 1877), Walter 18 (Dec 1881), Jackson 11 (Oct 1888), Oscar 5 (Aug 1894) 7-72a-160 Marriages: John White to Susan Couch, Dec 31, 1872 (Jan 2, 1873), I J Looney S, G W Paul JP 3-153 page 74 1870 Census William Couch 21, John 16, Isaac 13, Susan 15, Margaret 12, Matilda 10 8-12-94 William is probably not Susan's father as he is only 6 years older, maybe a brother taking care of the family? 1880 Census William Couch 27 (Chairmaker), Talitha A 20, Dorcus E White 37 (si)=sister, James W 2/12 (nw)=nephew, T C Foster 33 (farm laborer) 7-13-78 Marriages Houston White to Dorcus Couch, Jun 7, 1879 (Jun 8), John H White S, Z T Davis JP 3-257 William Couch to Delitha A Harrad, Jan 13, 1876 (Jan 14), J H White S, J W Paul JP 3-199 William Couch to Ida Mullins, Jan 9, 1892, "license returned not solemnized" More Meigs County HEIRD 1880 Census Simon M Heird 27, Louise J 21, William B 3, Alice L 1, Frankie HEIRD 47 (m)=mother, John R 12 (b)=brother 5-28-182 1900 Census Simon M Hurd 47 (Mar 1853-M 24), Pheby L 41 (May 1859-M 24-10-8), Alice L 21 (Feb 1879), James N 18 (Dec 1881), Thomas F 13 (Apr 1887), Maggie E 10 (Jul 1889), Annie E 8 (Feb 1892), Martha F 3 (Oct 1896), Charley F 5 (Aug 1894), 5-49b-28 Marriages Meigs S M Heird to P L Floyd, Oct 23, 1874 (Oct 24), B M Trew S, J W Moore JP 3-173 Is P L Pheby Louisa? Larry