View source for Burton C. White

Burton Clark White (1854-1938) legislator and stockman of the Judith Basin country (Ubet, near Lewistown, Fergus Co.).

Born in Whitesville, Allegany Co., NY 2 Oct 1854 to Clark White (1822-1900) and Tryphena Covell (-1898). Clark White was a farmer, a merchant for 13 years, supervisor in 1878, justice of the peace 4 years, assessor two terms and town clerk for 2 years. Tryphena was Clark's second wife. Burton had four siblings and 3 step-siblings.

Burton completed a course of study in the Mansfield (Pa.) Normal School, graduating in 1878. Later he took a post-graduate course in the same institution, followed by three years in the study of law at Elmira, N. Y. Mr. White remained at the parental home until he had attained his twentieth year, earning much of his way through college. Mr. White taught in the public schools of New York for two years, was an instructor in the Soldiers' Orphans' Home, of Mansfield, Pa. Burton served 4 years as town recorder ("police magistrate" in one source) at Elmira, NY, then as head of the 12,000 inmate Elmira State Reformatory. Admitted to bar in NY, practiced there a short time, then sporadically in MT.

He arrived in MT at Great Falls in 1890, traveled by stage to Fergus Co, where he engaged in sheep ranching with two partners, Green and Perrine. They incorporated in Oct 1893 with $50,000 capital stock as the Buffalo Sheep Co. and White soon bought out Green's interest. White's brother-in-law Charles R. McClave bought out Perrine's interest and they continued under the corporation name. McClave eventually retired out and became president of the Montana Flour Mills Co. When Isadore and her 9 month old son joined her husband and brother in 1893, the area had its first shingled residence roof. At one time the residences were lit and powered by electricity generated on site. The ranch went from commercial sheep and wool production to Rambouillet breeding. They had 7000 head of sheep in one report. 1/3 of the 3000+ acres were under cultivation. Some cattle were raised and at one time they leased another 2500 acres for grazing.

White served 9 terms in the State Legislature, 5 of them consecutive.He was appointed the superintendent of the State Reform School for 3 years. He served for 11 years on the Lewistown school board. He was a 32 degree Mason, belonging to the Blue Lodge in Miles City and to the consistatory at Helena.

In Oct 1892, the [[Montana Wool Growers Association]] elected him president, but the announcement erroneously identified him as "Henry White", so it took him until July of the next to realize that he'd not been doing his duties.

The couple had one son and two daughters. Harold McClave White was born July 9, 1892, at Whitesville, New York and served in World War One and managed the sheep ranch for 14 years. Antoinette was head of the Antoinette White Clinic in Pasadena, CA and Eleanor P. Baker lived in Los Angeles (1938) and Pasadena, CA (1940 & 1955).

B. C. White, 83, died in Feb 1938 in Los Angeles, CA where he lived with his wife for a year. Isadore was still alive in 1955 when son Harold passed, still living with daughter Eleanor.

 
== Raw notes ==
Harold McClave White, the only son of Burton Clark White and Isadora McClave White, was born July 9, 1892, at Whitesville, New York.

His family moved to Montana when he was nine months of age, and he subsequently received his elementary education in the Montana Public Schools. He completed his college preparatory course at Andover Academy, Andover, Massachusetts, and then entered the University of Boulder, in Boulder, Colorado, where he studied engineering.
 
After a year at Boulder, Harold received an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point where he graduated in 1917. He was sent immediately to France and served as Captain in the Infantry during World War I, seeing action in many major engagements.
 
At the end of the war, he resigned from the Army and returned to Montana to take over the management of his father’s sheep ranch, and continued in that capacity until he come to Campbell in 1931.
 
Since that time his business interests have included the presidency of the Rice Hardware Company, and extensive farming operations through which he has pioneered in the development and maintenance of various phases and methods pertaining to the agricultural progress of this community.

He passed away at Doctors Hospital, Poplar Bluff, Missouri on July 23, 1955.

Surviving are his wife, Alma Rice White; his mother, Mrs. Burton C. White of Pasadena, California; his uncle, Charles R. MeClave of San Francisco; two sisters, Mrs. E. W. Baker of Altadena, California, and Miss Antoinette White, Pasadena, California; two nieces, Mrs. W. L. Watkins of Atherton, California, and Mrs. Stephen Veitch of Palo Alto, California.


Clark White born Jan. 4, 1822, married in 1846, Lovina, daughter of Stephen Boyce, conducted farming on the old homestead, was a merchant for 13 years, supervisor in 1878. justice of the peace 4 years, assessor two terms and town clerk for years. Mrs. White died Jan. 25, 1852. Mr. White married second Tryphena. Covell. Three children by first wife, four by second; five now living, Mrs. Nancy Newman of Bradford, Pa., Burton C. White of Ubet, Mont., Mrs. Cora Emerson of Oswayo, Pa., Florence and Grace White of Whitesville. Mr. White has always been a farmer whose good judgment and sterling worth have been factors in the conduct of the town's affairs.

BURTON C. WHITE.— As a leading represent-
ative of the activities of Fergus county we
refer to Mr. White, who is extensively raising
sheep and cattle, owning fine ranch properties and
conducting his operations with consummate abil-
ity and wise discrimination. He has gained pres-
tige in other fields of endeavor as a teacher, a
lawyer and by successful reformatory work in
various state institutions, notably Elmira State Re-
formatory, Montana State Reform School and
Pennsylvania State Orphan School. Mr. White is
essentially a man of power, having the faculty of
leadership, and his results come as a natural se-
quence. He was born in Allegany county, N. Y.,
on October 2, 1854, the son of Clark and Try-
phena White, likewise natives of New York, where
the father was engaged in combined farming and
merchandising at the village bearing his name,
being successful in his endeavors, and standing
as a leader in his community. He was a stalwart
Democrat, and incumbent of public offices of trust.
His death occurred at Whitesville, N. Y., on July
18, 1900, and his wife surviving him until May
28, 1898. Their six children are Valentine (de-
ceased), Nancy M., Burton C, Florence, Cora M.
and Grace L.

Burton C. White received excellent educational
advantages, having, after an attendance at the
public schools, completed a course of study in the
Mansfield (Pa.) Normal School, graduating there-
from in the class of 1878. Later he took a post-
graduate course in the same institution, while his
scholastic discipline was rounded out by three
years passed in the study of law at Elmira, N. Y.
Mr. White remained at the parental home until he
had attained his twentieth year, taking satisfaction
in earning the money to defray his expenses at
school, although his father stood ready to assist him
and did so. Mr. White engaged in pedagogic
work in the public schools of New York for two
years, proving a peculiarly tactful and able teacher.
He was also an instructor in the Soldiers' Orphans'
Home, of Mansfield, Pa., later becoming one of
the members of the legal profession at Elmira,
N. Y., where he was elected recorder of the city
for a term of four years.

After being admitted to the bar and successfully
conducting work in the profession of law, in 1890
Mr. White came to Montana and soon thereafter
located his present ranch, within three miles of the
little village of Ubet. To his homestead he has
added until he has a landed estate of 3,400 acres,
while he leases 2,500 acres, used for grazing pur-
poses. He has made excellent improvements upon
his property, and a portion of the land yields large
crops of alfalfa and a considerable amount of grain,
but the chief feature of his industry is the raising
of sheep, of which he now has 7,000 head, while
the growing of high-grade cattle is also an import-
ant factor of his operations. Thus it will be seen
that he conducts a business of wide scope and
importance.

Mr. White was engaged in the practice of law
at Lewistown, the county seat of Fergus county,
from 1894 until 1896, both inclusive, while from
[[1 Apr 1897]], until May, 1900, he was superintend-
ent of the State Reform School at Miles City, Mrs.
\Miite serving as matron of the institution. He
is unswerving in his allegiance to the Democratic
party, and fraternally he is identified with the
Masonic order, the Benevolent Protective Order
of Elks and the Knights of Pythias. On June 8,
1887, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. White
to Miss Isadore N. McClave, who was born in
Steuben county, N. Y., the daughter of Michael
H. and Eliza McClave, both of whom were natives
of the Empire state. Mr. McClave was for some
time superintendent of the county farm near Bath,
the county seat of Steuben county, and later was
connected with milling. He is now retired from
active business, maintaining their home at El-
mira, N. Y., both being Methodists in religion,
while he belongs to the Masonic fraternity and
has ever given support to the Republican party.
Five children have blessed their home; Phoebe M.,
Alida, Isadore, Carrie G. and Charles P. Mr. and
Mrs. White have two children, Antoinette and
Harold M., and the family ranks high in social
life, and their home is one where a gracious hos-
pitality is ever in evidence. Mrs. White is an act-
ive church worker, and a communicant of Trinity
church, of Elmira, N. Y.

May 1904, Fergus Co. Argus:
The members of the Guild of St. James Episcopal church were entertained on Friday afternoon at the home of Mrs. B. C. White.