James White (politician)
Encyclopedia
James White was an American
physician, lawyer, and politician. He was an early settler at Nashville, Tennessee
and in Louisiana
. He was a delegate for North Carolina
in the Continental Congress
and a non-voting member of the U.S. House
for the Southwest Territory
.
White was born into a prosperous mercantile family in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
. His early education was at the College of St. Omer, a Jesuit
school in modern-day France
(then part of the Spanish Netherlands). When he returned he entered the University of Pennsylvania
and studied medicine and law. After graduating he moved to North Carolina
.
In 1785 he was elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives
. In 1786, North Carolina sent him as a delegate to the Continental Congress
where he served there until 1788. Late in 1786, the Congress named him superintendent of Indian affairs for the southern department. After that he was frequently absent from Congress, travelling the Carolina and Georgia frontier negotiating with the Indian tribes. After his congressional service he moved to the frontier, buying land and settling in what became Nashville, Tennessee
.
When the Southwest Territory
's territorial legislature was formed in 1794, White was selected as its delegate
to the United States House of Representatives
, serving from 1794 to 1796. After Tennessee
gained statehood in 1796, he returned home to Davidson County
.
James White was a brilliant man, fluent in French and Spanish, but he had a tendency to become involved in complicated plots. In the 1780s he had become involved with John Sevier
's plan to place the State of Franklin
under Spanish
rule. He used his position and travels as Indian superintendent to serve as agent conducting negotiations between Sevier and the governor of Spanish Louisiana. In the 1790s he gotten involved with William Blount
's plan to work with the Indians and Britain
in staging an invasion of Spanish Florida
. As his role in these schemes became known, he moved to the Spanish territory of New Orleans in 1799, settling in what later became St. Martin Parish, Louisiana
.
While his earlier actions caused problems in Tennessee, they weren't generally known at a national level. So when the United States
area reached him again President Jefferson
named him as a Territorial Judge in 1804, first for the District of Louisiana
and then for the Territory of Orleans. His family prospered in Louisiana. His son (Edward Douglass White Sr.
) would become Governor of Louisiana, and his grandson Edward Douglass White
would serve as Chief Justice of the United States
.
James White died at home in 1809 in St. James Parish, Louisiana.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
physician, lawyer, and politician. He was an early settler at Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
and in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. He was a delegate for North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
in the Continental Congress
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
and a non-voting member of the U.S. House
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for the Southwest Territory
Southwest Territory
The Territory South of the River Ohio, more commonly known as the Southwest Territory, was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 26, 1790, until June 1, 1796, when it was admitted to the United States as the State of Tennessee.The Southwest Territory was...
.
White was born into a prosperous mercantile family in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
. His early education was at the College of St. Omer, a Jesuit
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
school in modern-day France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
(then part of the Spanish Netherlands). When he returned he entered the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
and studied medicine and law. After graduating he moved to North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
.
In 1785 he was elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives
North Carolina House of Representatives
The North Carolina House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The House is a 120-member body led by a Speaker of the House, who holds powers similar to those of the President pro-tem in the state senate....
. In 1786, North Carolina sent him as a delegate to the Continental Congress
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
where he served there until 1788. Late in 1786, the Congress named him superintendent of Indian affairs for the southern department. After that he was frequently absent from Congress, travelling the Carolina and Georgia frontier negotiating with the Indian tribes. After his congressional service he moved to the frontier, buying land and settling in what became Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
.
When the Southwest Territory
Southwest Territory
The Territory South of the River Ohio, more commonly known as the Southwest Territory, was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 26, 1790, until June 1, 1796, when it was admitted to the United States as the State of Tennessee.The Southwest Territory was...
's territorial legislature was formed in 1794, White was selected as its delegate
Delegate (United States Congress)
A delegate to Congress is a non-voting member of the United States House of Representatives who is elected from a U.S. territory and from Washington, D.C. to a two-year term. While unable to vote in the full House, a non-voting delegate may vote in a House committee of which the delegate is a member...
to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, serving from 1794 to 1796. After Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
gained statehood in 1796, he returned home to Davidson County
Davidson County, Tennessee
Davidson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2010, the population was 626,681. Its county seat is Nashville.In 1963, the City of Nashville and the Davidson County government merged, so the county government is now known as the "Metropolitan Government of Nashville and...
.
James White was a brilliant man, fluent in French and Spanish, but he had a tendency to become involved in complicated plots. In the 1780s he had become involved with John Sevier
John Sevier
John Sevier served four years as the only governor of the State of Franklin and twelve years as Governor of Tennessee. As a U.S. Representative from Tennessee from 1811 until his death...
's plan to place the State of Franklin
State of Franklin
The State of Franklin, known also as the Free Republic of Franklin or the State of Frankland , was an unrecognized autonomous United States territory created in 1784 from part of the territory west of the Appalachian Mountains that had been offered,...
under Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
rule. He used his position and travels as Indian superintendent to serve as agent conducting negotiations between Sevier and the governor of Spanish Louisiana. In the 1790s he gotten involved with William Blount
William Blount
William Blount, was a United States statesman. He was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention for North Carolina, the first and only governor of the Southwest Territory, and Democratic-Republican Senator from Tennessee . He played a major role in establishing the state of Tennessee. He was the...
's plan to work with the Indians and Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in staging an invasion of Spanish Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. As his role in these schemes became known, he moved to the Spanish territory of New Orleans in 1799, settling in what later became St. Martin Parish, Louisiana
St. Martin Parish, Louisiana
St. Martin Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is St. Martinville. As of the 2000 census, the population was 48,583.St...
.
While his earlier actions caused problems in Tennessee, they weren't generally known at a national level. So when the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
area reached him again President Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
named him as a Territorial Judge in 1804, first for the District of Louisiana
District of Louisiana
The District of Louisiana, or Louisiana District, was an official, temporary, United States government designation for the portion of the Louisiana Purchase that had not been organized into the Orleans Territory. It officially existed from March 10, 1804 until July 4, 1805, when it was incorporated...
and then for the Territory of Orleans. His family prospered in Louisiana. His son (Edward Douglass White Sr.
Edward Douglass White Sr.
Edward Douglass White, Sr. was the tenth Governor of Louisiana and a member of the United States House of Representatives. He served five nonconsecutive terms in Congress as an adherent of Henry Clay of Kentucky and the Whig Party.White was born in Maury County, Tennessee, the illegitimate son of...
) would become Governor of Louisiana, and his grandson Edward Douglass White
Edward Douglass White
Edward Douglass White, Jr. , American politician and jurist, was a United States senator, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court and the ninth Chief Justice of the United States. He was best known for formulating the Rule of Reason standard of antitrust law. He also sided with the...
would serve as Chief Justice of the United States
Chief Justice of the United States
The Chief Justice of the United States is the head of the United States federal court system and the chief judge of the Supreme Court of the United States. The Chief Justice is one of nine Supreme Court justices; the other eight are the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States...
.
James White died at home in 1809 in St. James Parish, Louisiana.