Charles Edward White was born September 28, 1868. Where he was born is a bit of a mystery. His obituary states that he was born in Union County, Missouri. However, there is no county named Union, and, as far as I can find, there has never been a county by that name. There is a town by the name of Union, which is the seat of Franklin County, and is believed to be what is meant as his place of birth.

Born three years after the close of the Civil War, Charles was born under the administration of President Andrew Johnson and grew up during what we call today the "Wild West." Outlaws such as Frank and Jesse James roamed the area.

It's not known when Charles moved to Henry County, but he married Sarah Katherine Larrimore there, at Calhoun, October 12, 1886. The fifteen year-old Sarah had been born March 29, 1871 in Calhoun, Henry County, Missouri.

Sarah was the daughter of Hiram Larrimore and Mary Ann Short. While still a young girl, between 1874 and 1876, the worse grasshopper plague even known in America swept through the area. The horde of insects came by the millions, eating everything in their path. Many people starved before new crops could be planted and harvested.

When Sarah married Charles White, the ceremony was conducted by William Briggs, who's future son, John, would one day marry her future daughter, Mary Ethel. That daughter was born July 11, 1887. Another daughter, Nancy Bell, was born March 8, 1892. Their son, Albert, was born about 1894.

Sarah, center right - circa 1925 Daughter, Ethel, center left.

Charles was a farmer and the family remained in the Henry County area until about 1895, at which time they moved to Rockville in Bates County, Missouri. Charles had some type of mental problem that progressively got worse, and in 1901 he was admitted to Missouri's mental hospital at Nevada for three months. He was readmitted in 1904 and would remain there until 1920. After Charles was released in 1920 it is believed he went back to farming on his place near Rockville. He and Sarah were members of the Methodist church there and remained on their books for nearly 50 years. Whatever his mental problem was, it wasn't cured. He was admitted once again at the Nevada institution on September 22, 1941 and this time remained until his death on October 1, 1944. At the time of his death, Sarah was living with her daughter, Ethel, in Fort Scott. Charles' funeral was held in Fort Scott and he was buried at Oak Grove Cemetery. He was survived by his wife, three children, six grandchildren and seventeen great grandchildren.

For most of her adult life, Sarah was a very large woman, weighing over 250 pounds. However, in the last few years of her life, she lost over half her weight due to illness. She remained living with her daughter, Mary Ethel, after Charles' death in 1944, and died in bed fourteen months later, after suffering a fall, on December 30, 1945. She was laid to rest beside her husband at Oak Grove Cemetery.

Sarah Katherine (Larrimore) White 1945

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