Nicholas White, 1813–1876

Nicholas White (or Whyte, in some records) was born about 1813 in Ireland. His wife, Rosanna Farrell, was born on 7 July 1818 (calculated from death record) in Ireland. Nicholas died on 1 August 1876 with burial at Calvary Cemetery from St. Malachi Church in St. Louis (Undertaker, P. McCann). Rosanna died on 21 August 1898 with burial at Calvary Cemetery from Church of the Immaculate Conception in St. Louis (Undertaker, Geo. N. Lynch). Neither Nicholas nor Rosanna have a tombstone or grave marker.

Nicholas and Rosanna were the parents of James, Samuel, Thomas Henry, Harriet (wife of William H. Gaffney), Anna M., Rosanna (died young), Nicholas, Rosanna (wife of R.D./Isica Roberts), Hannah (died young), Ellen, and Mary L. “Mollie” (wife of Jonathan Harrigan).

Census records indicate that their oldest son, James White, was born about 1835 in New York, and the family was listed in St. Louis in the 1840 federal census. Nicholas applied for naturalization on 8 December 1840 in the St. Louis Common Pleas Court. On 23 January 1842, St. Francis Xavier Church was the location for the baptism of their son, Thomas Henry. Sponsors were John Dexelin (or Develin) and Maria McFadden.

The 1845 St. Louis city directory listed Nicholas White’s occupation as a slater (installing slate roofs). Their son Nicholas was baptized at St. John the Apostle & Evangelist Church on 7 April 1851; sponsors were James White and Mary Keenan. Rosanna and Hannah, young daughters of Nicholas and Rosanna, died in 1852 with burial at Rock Spring Catholic Cemetery in St. Louis.

The St. Louis city directories indicate Nicholas White resided at 2304 Chestnut from 1868 until his death in 1876. In his will, he mentions half-interest in a patent for improvements in a plow. Rosanna posted administratrix bond; securities were William Keane and Thomas Scott. (Thomas Scott, M.D. had signed the death certificate of Nicholas White.) Estate inventory was by Richard Walsh, Thomas Tuffy, and J. H. McEntire.

On 11 January 1877, Ezra O. English and Rosanna Whyte, filed application for a patent dated 14 August 1877, U.S. Patent No. 194,231. At the time of the 1870 federal census, Ezra O. English was working at a barrel factory; since neither was a farmer or mechanic, it seems that the patent was merely an investment. For a while the family continued to live at 2304 Chestnut; then in 1883 Rosanna was living at 2000 Olive, and in 1891 she lived at 2346 Pine.

An interesting development: the 1943 death certificate for Nellie White, daughter of Nicholas White and Rosanna Farrell, lists her parents as Patrick Naughton and Rose Anna Farrell, both born in Ireland. Patrick Naughton was also listed as a slate roofer in St. Louis city directories.

Written by Betty Rolwing Darnell
September 2016

© 2016, St. Louis Genealogical Society

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Last Modified: 26-Oct-2018 11:58