Saturday, November 5, 2011

Leonard White Or Isaac White For Whom White Co., IL, Is Named?

From Cemeteries of Gallatin Co., Illinois, Book 1:


Upon acquiring statehood in 1818 Illinois received title to the salt pro­ducing lands and continued the five leases signed in 1817. One lease was to Meredith Fisher and Willis Hargrave, another to Jonathan Taylor, another operator was James Ratcliff, another was Timothy Guard whose works were still oper­ating in 1832, and the last was Geo. Robinson who in 1816 purchased for $7,000 all the equipment and lease of Leonard White. (Deed book A of Gallatin County) Robinson had been county sheriff and White had resigned as militia captain in 1812 to accept an appointment as county judge.


Was it this Leonard White for whom White County, Illinois, was named? From the Illinois Second Judicial Circuit Court website:

[White County FYI] Named for [Captain] Leonard White, pioneer of Gallatin County, Major of the Territorial militia, member of the Constitutional Convention of 1818, State Senator in the second and third General Assemblies.[Veteran of the War of 1812]

Other sources stated that White County was named for Isaac WhiteIt was Isaac White who initiated the Masonic Lodge at Vincennes and it was he who died at the Battle of Tippecanoe on November 7, 1811.

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