Peter White (Michigan)
Encyclopedia
Peter Quintard White was one of the original settlers of Marquette, Michigan
. He was a banker, businessman, real estate developer, and a philanthropist
; and was involved in a number of the area's iron mining-related businesses, including acting as a director the Cleveland Iron Company. White served in many local and state public offices, including postmaster
, county clerk, school board member, state representative and senator
, and as a member of the state library commission and a Regent of the University of Michigan
. Poet William Henry Drummond
said of White, "the trail Peter White has cut through life is blessed by acts of private charity and deeds of public devotion that will serve as a guide to those who follow in the footsteps of a truly great, and above all, good man."
, the son of Episcopal
clergyman Dr. Stephen White and Harriet Tubbs White. Peter's grandparents were Captain Stephan White, who commanded Fort Stanwix
in 1777 during the American Revolutionary War
and Mary Quintard White, from whom Peter received his middle name.
Peter White's mother, Harriet, died when he was a young boy. Soon after, when Peter was nine, his family moved to Green Bay, Wisconsin
. White attended school in Green Bay, and his father remarried. In 1842, White became dissatisfied with his family life, and left home to fend for himself at the age of 13. White travelled to Mackinac Island
, doing odd jobs until he found steady employment tending a store. After a time, White drifted to Sault Ste. Marie
, and from there hired on to crew a schooner sailing between Detroit and the Sault. During one of the voyages, the schooner sank, and the sailors took passage on another ship. While in port in Bay City, Michigan
, White fell while boarding the ship and broke his arm. The arm was badly set and swelled; on arrival in Detroit, local doctors thought it required amputation. However, Dr. Zina Pitcher
, invited to observe the operation, recommended waiting; the swelling subsided, Pitcher reset the arm, and White's arm was saved.
It took White's arm four months to heal, but as soon as he was able he began work as a clerk at Freeman & Bro., a store on Jefferson Avenue
in Detroit. He stayed on as a clerk for a year, then shipped out, hoping to be an assistant lighthouse keeper at the Waugoshance Light
. This position fell through, and White worked that summer building the crib pier
at Waugoshance, and worked as a store clerk during the winter. White stayed on the island for two years.
is now located. The party moved inland, and took possession of the land west of the Jackson Mine
, near what is now Ishpeming, Michigan
and the Cleveland Mines. After marking the site and spending a month clearing the area and prospecting for iron there, on June 10, 1849 they returned to the shore, expecting a shipment of machinery and more men from Worcester, Massachusetts
. The ship had arrived, and the party cleared the ground in the area to locate a town. The settlement was first called Worcester, but the name was soon changed to "Marquette" in honor of Pere Marquette
.
More men arrived on a second ship, and the party cleared land and erected buildings in Marquette to house a machine shop, forge, saw mill, and other industrial efforts. White worked as a fireman with the steam boiler, than as a mechanic in the machine shop. Although still young, White was much in the confidence of Graveraet, the party's leader, due in part to White's nimble mind and facility with languages. In particular, White could speak both French
and Chippewa, and Graveraet would task White with some delicate missions requiring one versed in language.
In the spring of 1850, the forge of the Marquette Iron Company was commissioned, and White was put in charge of the company store. Bt the fall, the town of Marquette had swelled in size, with workers for the Carp River Forge
rolling into town. White took a job carrying mail between Marquette and L'Anse
, but the pay never materialized, and he returned to his job at the company store.
was organized, splitting off from Houghton County
. White was elected county clerk and register of deeds, despite not being of the requisite age. As county clerk, White was also a member of the school board; he was elected treasurer of the board, a position he held until his death over 50 years later.
In 1852, W. H. Bruce of Green Bay, who had the responsibility of distributing mail to all of the Upper Peninsula, received Philo Everett's resignation as the postmaster
of Carp River
. Bruce knew Peter White's father Stephen, and apparently did not know that the Carp River settlement was growing moribund as its forge failed, and so appointed Peter White as the new postmaster of Carp River. White ran the Carp River post office
out of the store he clerked at, which was indeed next door to the house of the Marquette postmaster. Because White's store was more convenient, more citizens began sending mail through the Carp River post office than the next-door Marquette post office, and the postal service, whose officials were in far-away Washington, D.C.
, soon closed the Marquette office. After some time, White formally changed the name of his post office to "Marquette," and he continued as the town's postmaster for a total of 12 years.
In May 1853, the Marquette Iron Company folded, in part due to concerns that its claims on the iron fields west of Jackson Mine would be superseded by a previous claim made by the Cleveland Iron Company. The Cleveland Company purchased the assets of the Marquette, including the company store where White worked. White continued working for the Cleveland Company for some time, but resigned in 1854 and opened his own store. In 1855, Peter White assumed the management of 64 acres of land in Marquette, which the Cleveland Company had received from the Marquette Iron Company. This was White's first taste of real estate dealings, a career which he expanded later.
The area around Marquette was growing, and in 1857 the state legislature was due to distribute lands granted to the state by the United States Congress
. White ran for a seat in the legislature, hoping to represent Marquette while the land distribution was debated. He won, and that winter attended the legislative session in Lansing
, taking 15 days to arrive after snowshoeing from Marquette to Escanaba
. By accounts, he did an admirable job in the legislature, but he did not run for re-election. Also in 1857, the land office was transferred from Sault Ste. Marie to Marquette, and Marquette was made the port of entry in place of the Sault. White then took over the position of land register and collector of customs for the port.
Around this time White also began studying law, eventually forming the firm of White & Maynard, where he practiced for ten years. He also began the firm of Peter White & Co. in 1853, for the purpose of conducting banking business.
In fact, 1857 was a busy year for White. He still ran his store and worked as a lawyer, while simultaneously acting as county clerk, registrar of deeds, school board treasurer, postmaster, land registrar, and collector of customs. In addition, he served as a state representative, and he got married.
On September 29, 1857, White married Ellen S. Hewitt, the daughter of Dr. Morgan L. Hewitt, the first president of the Cleveland Company. The couple had six children, four of whom died young. (Saint Paul's Episcopal Church in Marquette contains stained glass windows dedicated to his children and a chapel built by Peter White in memory of his 12-year-old son Morgan.) Of the remaining two, one daughter married A. O. Jopling and had two children, before she also died, preceding White in death. White's lone remaining daughter, the only one of his children to outlive him, married George Shiras III
, son of United States Supreme Court Justice George Shiras, Jr.
White also tried his hand at banking through Peter White & Co., lending out money to some entrepreneurs such as Stephen Gay and his Bancroft Furnace. In 1862, White incorporated, starting the First National Bank of Marquette and serving as its first cashier.
White was also in the business of selling iron, usually piecemeal to schooners returning to more southern ports. He was able to obtain the iron from his contacts with the Bancroft Furnace. Near the end of the Civil War
, White realized that once the war was over, American industry would want more iron than could be immediately supplied. Acting on that notion, White went on a buying spree, travelling to other ports such as Detroit and buying up iron warehoused there, often the same iron he himself had sold earlier. He quickly resold the iron in Cleveland
for double what he paid for it, clearing $35,000. This money was the foundation of his personal fortune.
In 1869, White became president of the First National Bank, an office he held until his death. In addition to his banking and real estate business, he invested in other businesses. He at one time owned The Mining Journal
, selling it in 1868 to Alfred P. Swineford
, and owned the Upper Peninsula Brewing Company
. Mining-related business opportunities abounded in the Marquette area; White was a director of the Cleveland Iron Company, and tried his hand at organizing both the Carp River Forge
. and the Munising Furnace. He also began an insurance company, was a director of the People's State Savings Bank
of Detroit, and owned large tracts of timbered land.
Somewhat later the town of Marquette was incorporated, and White ran for mayor. He was naturally a Democrat
, although he broke with the party later over certain monetary positions. White did no campaigning, and lost the election. Four years later, he was unanimously elected to the position; however, he declined to serve.
In 1875, White was elected to the Michigan Senate
, and was particularly successful in getting aid for a railroad between St. Ignace
and Marquette. He also introduced a bill to establish a state-supported school in Marquette. Although unsuccessful then, White fought for 25 years for the establishment of such a school, and finally the Northern State Normal School (now Northern Michigan University
) was opened in 1899. Although White again declined to run for re-election, he did campaign for Democratic presidential nominee Samuel J. Tilden
, ran unsuccessfully for Congress
in 1882, and in 1884 campaigned for Grover Cleveland
.
White served as the Park and Cemetery Commissioner for Marquette for over forty years. In that capacity, he personally lobbied Congress
to turn over Presque Isle, then reserved for a lighthouse, over to the city of Marquette to turn into a public park. With that accomplished, he convinced the city council to accept the gift, and used his own fortune to improve the park and maintain it for five years.
In 1893, White was appointed one of the commissioners of the 1893 World's Fair
. At around the same time, he began serving as president of the Mackinac Island State Park
Commission, a position he kept until his death. He provided the city of Marquette with a bronze statue of its namesake, Pere Marquette, which was unveiled in 1897.
In 1899, after many years of advocacy by White and others, the Northern State Normal School (now Northern Michigan University
) was opened. White gave the school's art department; in 1902, the school built the Peter White Science Hall
.
One of White's most enduring philanthropies was the sponsorship of the Marquette public library. He began the library in 1872, constructing its first building and donating 10,000 books from his personal library to the city. Over time, the library grew, needing more space, and eventually White set aside space in his own bank building to house the library. Even that was not enough, and in 1904, White and other leading Marquette citizens erected the Peter White Public Library
at a cost of $47,000. He was appointed a member of the State Board of Library Commissioners in 1903, a post he held until his death.
The University of Michigan
conferred an honorary Master of Arts
degree on White in 1900. White endowed followships at the university in history and classical studies, and in 1903, he was elected to the Board of Regents of the University of Michigan
, a position he held until his death.
White's wife, Ellen, died in June 1905. On the morning of June 6, 1908, Peter Quintard White complained of indigestion while visiting Detroit Michigan, and began a walk from the Detroit City Hall
back to the Ponchartrain Hotel. He fell on the street and died almost instantly. He was survived by one daughter and two grandchildren.
Marquette, Michigan
Marquette is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Marquette County. The population was 21,355 at the 2010 census, making it the most populated city of the Upper Peninsula. Marquette is a major port on Lake Superior, primarily for shipping iron ore and is the home of Northern...
. He was a banker, businessman, real estate developer, and a philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
; and was involved in a number of the area's iron mining-related businesses, including acting as a director the Cleveland Iron Company. White served in many local and state public offices, including postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
, county clerk, school board member, state representative and senator
Michigan Senate
The Michigan Senate is the upper house of the Michigan Legislature. The Senate consists of 38 members, who are elected from constituencies having approximately 212,400 to 263,500 residents....
, and as a member of the state library commission and a Regent of the University of Michigan
Board of Regents of the University of Michigan
The Board of Regents of the University of Michigan is the legal corporation that controls the University of Michigan, comprising the campuses at Ann Arbor, Flint, and Dearborn. The Board of Regents was created by the Organic Act of March 18, 1837 that established the modern University of Michigan...
. Poet William Henry Drummond
William Henry Drummond
William Henry Drummond was an Irish-born Canadian poet whose humorous dialect poems made him "one of the most popular authors in the English-speaking world," and "one of the most widely-read and loved poets" in Canada....
said of White, "the trail Peter White has cut through life is blessed by acts of private charity and deeds of public devotion that will serve as a guide to those who follow in the footsteps of a truly great, and above all, good man."
Early life (1830–1848)
Peter White was born on October 31, 1830 in Rome, New YorkRome, New York
Rome is a city in Oneida County, New York, United States. It is located in north-central or "upstate" New York. The population was 44,797 at the 2010 census. It is in New York's 24th congressional district. In 1758, British forces began construction of Fort Stanwix at this strategic location, but...
, the son of Episcopal
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
clergyman Dr. Stephen White and Harriet Tubbs White. Peter's grandparents were Captain Stephan White, who commanded Fort Stanwix
Fort Stanwix
Fort Stanwix was a colonial fort whose construction was started on August 26, 1758, by British General John Stanwix, at the location of present-day Rome, New York, but was not completed until about 1762. The fort guarded a portage known as the Oneida Carrying Place during the French and Indian War...
in 1777 during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
and Mary Quintard White, from whom Peter received his middle name.
Peter White's mother, Harriet, died when he was a young boy. Soon after, when Peter was nine, his family moved to Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,...
. White attended school in Green Bay, and his father remarried. In 1842, White became dissatisfied with his family life, and left home to fend for himself at the age of 13. White travelled to Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island is an island and resort area covering in land area, part of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in Lake Huron, at the eastern end of the Straits of Mackinac, between the state's Upper and Lower Peninsulas. The island was home to a Native American settlement before European...
, doing odd jobs until he found steady employment tending a store. After a time, White drifted to Sault Ste. Marie
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
Sault Ste. Marie is a city in and the county seat of Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is in the north-eastern end of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, on the Canadian border, separated from its twin city of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, by the St. Marys River...
, and from there hired on to crew a schooner sailing between Detroit and the Sault. During one of the voyages, the schooner sank, and the sailors took passage on another ship. While in port in Bay City, Michigan
Bay City, Michigan
Bay City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan located near the base of the Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 34,932, and is the principal city of the Bay City Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Saginaw-Bay City-Saginaw Township North...
, White fell while boarding the ship and broke his arm. The arm was badly set and swelled; on arrival in Detroit, local doctors thought it required amputation. However, Dr. Zina Pitcher
Zina Pitcher
Zina Pitcher was an American physician, politician, educator, and academic administrator. He was a president of the American Medical Association, a two-time mayor of Detroit and a member of the Board of Regents of the University of Michigan.-Early life:Zina Pitcher was born in Sandy Hill, New York...
, invited to observe the operation, recommended waiting; the swelling subsided, Pitcher reset the arm, and White's arm was saved.
It took White's arm four months to heal, but as soon as he was able he began work as a clerk at Freeman & Bro., a store on Jefferson Avenue
Jefferson Avenue (Detroit)
Jefferson Avenue is a scenic road along the eastern part of the Detroit metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Michigan. It travels alongside Lake Erie, the Detroit River, and Lake Saint Clair. This road also provides access to many recreational facilities in the area...
in Detroit. He stayed on as a clerk for a year, then shipped out, hoping to be an assistant lighthouse keeper at the Waugoshance Light
Waugoshance Light
The lighthouse at Waugoshance protects boats from a shoal area at the northern end of Lake Michigan. The lighthouse is located in Emmet County, Michigan, United States, and in U.S. Coast Guard District No. 9.-Reason for lighthouse:...
. This position fell through, and White worked that summer building the crib pier
Crib pier
A crib pier is a type of pier built with the supporting columns made of 'cribs'. Typically a crib is made from wood, but it could be made from any long cylindrical material...
at Waugoshance, and worked as a store clerk during the winter. White stayed on the island for two years.
The iron fields and the founding of Marquette (1849–1850)
In 1849, Robert J. Graveraet arrived on Mackinac Island, looking for men to accompany him to prospect in the newly discovered iron fields of the Upper Peninsula, on behalf of what would become the Marquette Iron Company. A friend, customs inspector Samuel K. Haring, urged White to join the party. Sensing an opportunity, White joined, despite taking a pay cut. The party set sail from Mackinac Island, through Sault Ste. Marie, and eventually landed where Marquette, MichiganMarquette, Michigan
Marquette is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Marquette County. The population was 21,355 at the 2010 census, making it the most populated city of the Upper Peninsula. Marquette is a major port on Lake Superior, primarily for shipping iron ore and is the home of Northern...
is now located. The party moved inland, and took possession of the land west of the Jackson Mine
Jackson Mine
The Jackson Mine is an open pit iron mine located northwest of intersection of Business Route M-28 and Cornish Town Road in Negaunee, Michigan. It was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1956 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971...
, near what is now Ishpeming, Michigan
Ishpeming, Michigan
Ishpeming is a city in Marquette County in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 6,686 at the 2000 census. This is down from a higher population in the 1950s and 1960s when the economically supportive iron ore mines had a much higher employment level...
and the Cleveland Mines. After marking the site and spending a month clearing the area and prospecting for iron there, on June 10, 1849 they returned to the shore, expecting a shipment of machinery and more men from Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
. The ship had arrived, and the party cleared the ground in the area to locate a town. The settlement was first called Worcester, but the name was soon changed to "Marquette" in honor of Pere Marquette
Pere Marquette
Pere Marquette or Père Marquette may refer to:*Father Jacques Marquette, a French Jesuit missionary and namesake of Marquette University*Father Marquette National Memorial in Straits State Park...
.
More men arrived on a second ship, and the party cleared land and erected buildings in Marquette to house a machine shop, forge, saw mill, and other industrial efforts. White worked as a fireman with the steam boiler, than as a mechanic in the machine shop. Although still young, White was much in the confidence of Graveraet, the party's leader, due in part to White's nimble mind and facility with languages. In particular, White could speak both French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and Chippewa, and Graveraet would task White with some delicate missions requiring one versed in language.
In the spring of 1850, the forge of the Marquette Iron Company was commissioned, and White was put in charge of the company store. Bt the fall, the town of Marquette had swelled in size, with workers for the Carp River Forge
Carp River Forge
The Carp River Forge is an abandoned forge located along the Carp River on the grounds of the Michigan Iron Industry Museum, at 73 Forge Road near Negaunee, Michigan. It was the first forge constructed in northern Michigan; the site was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1956 and listed...
rolling into town. White took a job carrying mail between Marquette and L'Anse
L'Anse, Michigan
L'Anse is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Baraga County. The population was 2,107 at the 2000 census. The village is located within L'Anse Township....
, but the pay never materialized, and he returned to his job at the company store.
Public service in Marquette (1851–1857)
In the summer of 1851, the county of MarquetteMarquette County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Hiawatha National Forest * Huron National Wildlife Refuge* Ottawa National Forest -University:Northern Michigan University is a four-year university, established in 1899, located in Marquette, Michigan, on Michigan's Upper Peninsula...
was organized, splitting off from Houghton County
Houghton County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Keweenaw National Historical Park * Ottawa National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 36,016 people, 13,793 households, and 8,137 families residing in the county. The population density was 36 people per square mile . There were 17,748 housing...
. White was elected county clerk and register of deeds, despite not being of the requisite age. As county clerk, White was also a member of the school board; he was elected treasurer of the board, a position he held until his death over 50 years later.
In 1852, W. H. Bruce of Green Bay, who had the responsibility of distributing mail to all of the Upper Peninsula, received Philo Everett's resignation as the postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
of Carp River
Carp River Forge
The Carp River Forge is an abandoned forge located along the Carp River on the grounds of the Michigan Iron Industry Museum, at 73 Forge Road near Negaunee, Michigan. It was the first forge constructed in northern Michigan; the site was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1956 and listed...
. Bruce knew Peter White's father Stephen, and apparently did not know that the Carp River settlement was growing moribund as its forge failed, and so appointed Peter White as the new postmaster of Carp River. White ran the Carp River post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
out of the store he clerked at, which was indeed next door to the house of the Marquette postmaster. Because White's store was more convenient, more citizens began sending mail through the Carp River post office than the next-door Marquette post office, and the postal service, whose officials were in far-away Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, soon closed the Marquette office. After some time, White formally changed the name of his post office to "Marquette," and he continued as the town's postmaster for a total of 12 years.
In May 1853, the Marquette Iron Company folded, in part due to concerns that its claims on the iron fields west of Jackson Mine would be superseded by a previous claim made by the Cleveland Iron Company. The Cleveland Company purchased the assets of the Marquette, including the company store where White worked. White continued working for the Cleveland Company for some time, but resigned in 1854 and opened his own store. In 1855, Peter White assumed the management of 64 acres of land in Marquette, which the Cleveland Company had received from the Marquette Iron Company. This was White's first taste of real estate dealings, a career which he expanded later.
The area around Marquette was growing, and in 1857 the state legislature was due to distribute lands granted to the state by the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
. White ran for a seat in the legislature, hoping to represent Marquette while the land distribution was debated. He won, and that winter attended the legislative session in Lansing
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
, taking 15 days to arrive after snowshoeing from Marquette to Escanaba
Escanaba, Michigan
Escanaba is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, located in the banana belt on the state's Upper Peninsula. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 13,140, making it the third-largest city in the Upper Peninsula after Marquette and Sault Ste. Marie...
. By accounts, he did an admirable job in the legislature, but he did not run for re-election. Also in 1857, the land office was transferred from Sault Ste. Marie to Marquette, and Marquette was made the port of entry in place of the Sault. White then took over the position of land register and collector of customs for the port.
Around this time White also began studying law, eventually forming the firm of White & Maynard, where he practiced for ten years. He also began the firm of Peter White & Co. in 1853, for the purpose of conducting banking business.
In fact, 1857 was a busy year for White. He still ran his store and worked as a lawyer, while simultaneously acting as county clerk, registrar of deeds, school board treasurer, postmaster, land registrar, and collector of customs. In addition, he served as a state representative, and he got married.
On September 29, 1857, White married Ellen S. Hewitt, the daughter of Dr. Morgan L. Hewitt, the first president of the Cleveland Company. The couple had six children, four of whom died young. (Saint Paul's Episcopal Church in Marquette contains stained glass windows dedicated to his children and a chapel built by Peter White in memory of his 12-year-old son Morgan.) Of the remaining two, one daughter married A. O. Jopling and had two children, before she also died, preceding White in death. White's lone remaining daughter, the only one of his children to outlive him, married George Shiras III
George Shiras III
George Shiras, III was a U.S. Representative from the state of Pennsylvania.George Shiras was born in Allegheny, Pennsylvania. He attended the public schools and Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts...
, son of United States Supreme Court Justice George Shiras, Jr.
George Shiras, Jr.
George Shiras, Jr. was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States who was nominated to the Court by Republican President Benjamin Harrison. At that time, he had 37 years of private legal practice, but had never judged a case...
Peter White the businessman (1858-1880s)
In addition to his earlier real estate dealings, White began contracting to supply materiel for construction. He supplied Norway pine for the Marquette ore docks.White also tried his hand at banking through Peter White & Co., lending out money to some entrepreneurs such as Stephen Gay and his Bancroft Furnace. In 1862, White incorporated, starting the First National Bank of Marquette and serving as its first cashier.
White was also in the business of selling iron, usually piecemeal to schooners returning to more southern ports. He was able to obtain the iron from his contacts with the Bancroft Furnace. Near the end of the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, White realized that once the war was over, American industry would want more iron than could be immediately supplied. Acting on that notion, White went on a buying spree, travelling to other ports such as Detroit and buying up iron warehoused there, often the same iron he himself had sold earlier. He quickly resold the iron in Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
for double what he paid for it, clearing $35,000. This money was the foundation of his personal fortune.
In 1869, White became president of the First National Bank, an office he held until his death. In addition to his banking and real estate business, he invested in other businesses. He at one time owned The Mining Journal
The Mining Journal
The Mining Journal is the predominant daily newspaper of Marquette, Michigan and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.Like most market-dominant daily papers, the MJ is a seven-day morning paper. The Mining Journal is distributed over a wide area, in part because Marquette is the largest city for a...
, selling it in 1868 to Alfred P. Swineford
Alfred P. Swineford
Alfred Peter Swineford was an American Democratic politician who was a member of the Michigan House of Representatives, 1871 to 1872. In 1878 he was the Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Michigan, finishing third behind Lysander Woodward, the National Greenback Party candidate.,...
, and owned the Upper Peninsula Brewing Company
Upper Peninsula Brewing Company Building
The Upper Peninsula Brewing Company Building is an office building located at the intersection of Meeske Street and US 41 in Marquette, Michigan. It is also known as the Charles Meeske House. The structure served as the home and office of brewer Charles Meeske, secretary-treasurer and later...
. Mining-related business opportunities abounded in the Marquette area; White was a director of the Cleveland Iron Company, and tried his hand at organizing both the Carp River Forge
Carp River Forge
The Carp River Forge is an abandoned forge located along the Carp River on the grounds of the Michigan Iron Industry Museum, at 73 Forge Road near Negaunee, Michigan. It was the first forge constructed in northern Michigan; the site was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1956 and listed...
. and the Munising Furnace. He also began an insurance company, was a director of the People's State Savings Bank
Savoyard Centre
Savoyard Centre , also known as State Savings Bank, is an office building at 151 Fort Street in Detroit, Michigan. It was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1981 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Another historic marker erected November 13, 1964, also...
of Detroit, and owned large tracts of timbered land.
Somewhat later the town of Marquette was incorporated, and White ran for mayor. He was naturally a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, although he broke with the party later over certain monetary positions. White did no campaigning, and lost the election. Four years later, he was unanimously elected to the position; however, he declined to serve.
In 1875, White was elected to the Michigan Senate
Michigan Senate
The Michigan Senate is the upper house of the Michigan Legislature. The Senate consists of 38 members, who are elected from constituencies having approximately 212,400 to 263,500 residents....
, and was particularly successful in getting aid for a railroad between St. Ignace
St. Ignace, Michigan
Saint Ignace, usually written as St. Ignace, is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 2,678. It is the county seat of Mackinac County. From the Lower Peninsula, St. Ignace is the gateway to the Upper Peninsula.St...
and Marquette. He also introduced a bill to establish a state-supported school in Marquette. Although unsuccessful then, White fought for 25 years for the establishment of such a school, and finally the Northern State Normal School (now Northern Michigan University
Northern Michigan University
Northern Michigan University is a four-year college public university established in 1899 located in Marquette, in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. With a population of nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students, Northern Michigan University is the Upper Peninsula's largest...
) was opened in 1899. Although White again declined to run for re-election, he did campaign for Democratic presidential nominee Samuel J. Tilden
Samuel J. Tilden
Samuel Jones Tilden was the Democratic candidate for the U.S. presidency in the disputed election of 1876, one of the most controversial American elections of the 19th century. He was the 25th Governor of New York...
, ran unsuccessfully for Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
in 1882, and in 1884 campaigned for Grover Cleveland
Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents...
.
Peter White the philanthropist (1880s-1908)
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
to turn over Presque Isle, then reserved for a lighthouse, over to the city of Marquette to turn into a public park. With that accomplished, he convinced the city council to accept the gift, and used his own fortune to improve the park and maintain it for five years.
In 1893, White was appointed one of the commissioners of the 1893 World's Fair
World's Columbian Exposition
The World's Columbian Exposition was a World's Fair held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. Chicago bested New York City; Washington, D.C.; and St...
. At around the same time, he began serving as president of the Mackinac Island State Park
Mackinac Island State Park
Mackinac Island State Park is a state park located on Mackinac Island in the U.S. state of Michigan. The island park encompasses 2.81 mi² , which is approximately 74% of the island's total area of 3.78 mi² . The park is also within the boundaries of the city of Mackinac Island and has permanent...
Commission, a position he kept until his death. He provided the city of Marquette with a bronze statue of its namesake, Pere Marquette, which was unveiled in 1897.
In 1899, after many years of advocacy by White and others, the Northern State Normal School (now Northern Michigan University
Northern Michigan University
Northern Michigan University is a four-year college public university established in 1899 located in Marquette, in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. With a population of nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students, Northern Michigan University is the Upper Peninsula's largest...
) was opened. White gave the school's art department; in 1902, the school built the Peter White Science Hall
Longyear Hall of Pedagogy
The Longyear Hall of Pedagogy was an academic building located on Presque Isle Avenue, on the campus of Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan...
.
One of White's most enduring philanthropies was the sponsorship of the Marquette public library. He began the library in 1872, constructing its first building and donating 10,000 books from his personal library to the city. Over time, the library grew, needing more space, and eventually White set aside space in his own bank building to house the library. Even that was not enough, and in 1904, White and other leading Marquette citizens erected the Peter White Public Library
Peter White Public Library
The Peter White Public Library is a public library and community center in the City of Marquette, Michigan. The library building has stood at 217 North Front Street since 1904. An extensive renovation and addition was completed in 2000. The building also houses the , and Tu Kaluthia Café...
at a cost of $47,000. He was appointed a member of the State Board of Library Commissioners in 1903, a post he held until his death.
The University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
conferred an honorary Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree on White in 1900. White endowed followships at the university in history and classical studies, and in 1903, he was elected to the Board of Regents of the University of Michigan
Board of Regents of the University of Michigan
The Board of Regents of the University of Michigan is the legal corporation that controls the University of Michigan, comprising the campuses at Ann Arbor, Flint, and Dearborn. The Board of Regents was created by the Organic Act of March 18, 1837 that established the modern University of Michigan...
, a position he held until his death.
White's wife, Ellen, died in June 1905. On the morning of June 6, 1908, Peter Quintard White complained of indigestion while visiting Detroit Michigan, and began a walk from the Detroit City Hall
Detroit City Hall
The former Detroit City Hall once stood at the site of the One Kennedy Square building in downtown Detroit, Michigan. The former city hall building was constructed in 1861, and finished in 1871. It was demolished in 1961. It stood at 5 stories in height, 4 above-ground, and one basement floor. It...
back to the Ponchartrain Hotel. He fell on the street and died almost instantly. He was survived by one daughter and two grandchildren.