THADDEUS WHITE

The following bio was taken from page 442 of the book entitled "Rusk County History" compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

Transcribed by Claudia Schuster

Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Rusk County TX Coordinator

The White family originated near Fayettesville, Tennessee. Thaddeus White was born in 1850. He married Nancy A. Smith, and they reared four boys and four girls. Births in order of time are: Frances E., 1858; Mattie P., 1860; William, 1862; Sallie A., 1868; James A., 1870; Henry T., 1872; Robert Franklin, 1874; and Mollie E., 1882.

Thaddeus White served in the Confederate Army. While carrying a feed trough at the Battle of Murfeesboro, a bullet went through the trough, and caused a splinter to pierce his neck. He let go and moved on. Back home, he continued his trade, blacksmithing. The family farmland was very hilly. At times a pole was put across the wagon and someone held it down while others pulled the corn.

In 1886, my grandfather loaded two wagons with household goods and headed overland for East Texas. His eldest son, William, drove one team. All others of the family came to Overton, Texas by train. Following the two wagons was a pack of hounds. At times a stop was made for the dogs to return from chasing a fox or some other wild animal.

All those that came by train spent their first night in Texas at the home of Sam White, a brother of Thaddeus, some two miles out of Henderson on the Brachfield road, now known as the Porter place. Thaddeus built his home between Brachfield and Minden. He planed the lumber by hand. The house still stands in good shape. Many remember the place as the home of Jarrel and Bernice Griffith. Here his children grew to adulthood. Their nearest school was over three miles away, in the Patrick Community.

Frances White married A.C. McClure. He was a blacksmith and lived in Minden, Texas. They reared four children: Will, Mattie, Pearl, and Jesse.

Mattie P. White married W.S. Orr. They had five children: Spencer, Bernice, Edgar, Sam, and Herman. Their home was near Brachfield.

James A. White married Lizzie Wilson. Their children are Rockie, Avis, and Oran. Their home was off the Pine Hill road.

Henry Thaddeus White married Jessie Boynton. Their six children are: Donnie, Grady, Erin, Pattie Vera, Mildred, and Henry Ford. Their home was one-mile northeast of Brachfield.

Robert Franklin White married Dora Cyphers. They have one son, Horace Franklin White. Their home was in Brachfield.

Sallie A. White passed away at age forty-two, and Millie E. White, at age twenty-four. Both were single.

In the early years of this century, a one-room school was begun in Brachfield, where many children got a good elementary education. Many of them were the grandchildren of Thaddeus White. In 1913, the Patrick and Brachfield, schools were united and a three-room building was erected near the George Bolding home. Here, in 1916, a new game was started called basketball.

Many students were inspired to follow occupations other than farming. A great number entered the teaching field. Two or more generations have grown up since those days, reaping the fruit of the good seed sown in past generations.

Submitted by Grady White