New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-06-08
srrpnEN Y WHITE.

STEPHEN V. WHITE.
stephen Van Cullen White was born In The
South reared in the West and has spent the last
quarter of a century in he metropolis His birth
took place in Chatham County. North Carolina,
on AUGUST /. 1881. His father was descended
from a PENNSYLVANIA Quaker family. which went
south after the Revolution. and his mother be-
lonccd 10 one * the oldest families Of his native
state With Inherited hatred Of slavery, his
father opposed Tie sentiment 81 the community
in which he lived and at the time Of the Nat
Turner uprising. IN 1891 he refused 10 DO police
duty 10 guard against trouble with the slaves
For this he was compelled 20 leave the State siA
weeks after his son stephen was born.
The family iourncycd by wagon over The noun
tains Of Tennessee and he dark and bloody
ground Of Kentucky. and settled in the virgin
praircs Of Illinois. about six miles from tie juno
ton Of tie Illinois River with the Mississippi
Here log cabin was bail, and the soil was titled
by the father and hi, sons. Young stephen carly
became accustomed 20 various forms II farm work
which WAS nicr,per>cd with'thc rude rccrca'ions
Of The frontier or schooling he had little until
he was eighteen years old. but he read all that
came within his reach HI, first money
earned hy the sale 81 the skins Of wild animals
which he trapped. and he became expert enough
in cfadlinr and binding grain 10 earn 81 a day
in the harvest field before he lcft home
He CO.'S 70 C0rrTGr
In Iel9 nm elder brother gave him
the coveted opportunity 20 get liberal
education, and he speedily prepared himself with
enough Latin and Greek 70 enter KuoN College
in the class Of lsji he partly supported himself
while prosecuting his studies in his senior
year by teaching school for three months Upon
his graduation he won't 10 81. Louis. and obtained
a situation as bookkecper in rho Office 81 firm
20 which lis hrothcr-in-aw belonged. But "a
difference OF opinion in a few months led young
Mr. White 10 give mp business career and turn
bis attention 10 the law. A. the age Of twenty
four he entered the Office Of Brown n KasSon.
composed Of Benjamin Graft Brown. ancrward
candidate for Vicc-Prcsdcnt with Mr. Greeley
and John 4 Kasson. who later a Senator from
Iowa and Minister 70 Austria
While prosecuting his law studies, Mr. White
wrote articles for The Missouri Democrat OF
which Mr. Brown had become editor. and which
was subsequently merged in The Glohc-Dcmo
crat His ancestry and training led him naturally
10 affiliate with the Republican party from lis
birth. and he hmvcy distributed Fremont ballots
in st. Louis in the campaign of 1856. lie was
admitted to the bar November 1. 1886, and
the following month went 10 Dcs
begin 10 practice He soon gained
a leading place Al the bar and arrucd many inn
portant cases. especially in the United States
courts He defended successfully. in 1861 the
only treason case ever tried in the State. and In
sG3 argued a case i'm the United States supreme
Court in which The constu,onality Of municipal
bonds in aid OF railroads was sustained by the
corency and clcarness of his arguments. In this
way large sums of money were saved 10 investors
after the State courts had rcpudiated the obliga
lions In the illness Of the United States Dis
| trict-Attorncy for Iowa In sGi. Mr. White filled
his place for several months and conducted the
| civil and criminal business Of the Government
in the State.
MIX WHITE BECOMES a BANNER
In 1868 Mr. White decided 10 turn his at
! tentiOn from the law 10 become a banker and
| broker, and became one Of the firm Of Marvin
! & White in Wall-st Their business was sue
ccssful from the start, but Mr.. Marvin withdrew
in 1861. and Mr.. White continued his business
alone until in 1882 when Arthur Clanin and
| +. w. Hopkins became associated with ham under
the name OF $ v White a. 90 The firm occu-
| pies n handsome suite Of Offices at No 40 Wall
ST. and does a large business Mr. White made
| his greatest reputation upon the Street In CON
J nectiOn with the Delaware. LaCkawanna and
| Western stock in March, 1854. He is rcpntcd
10 have cleared at least 81 900 900 by the opera
| ton. number OF other achievements in tho
| Stock Exchange have established Mr.. White 5
reputation an able and successful financrr TIe
is regarded as one of the leading men on the floor
| of the Exchange. His firm does large business
| in buying and selling stocks for customers oil,
| of town, and hardly day passes in which Mr.
White is not bcsought for points" in Wall Street
| matters by persons who are led 10 address him
| partly, perhaps, from his prominent position In
| Plymouth Church.
| Mr.. White has made his home II Brooklyn since
he entered business life In New York and he oc
| cupcs one of the fine residences on the Icirhts
overlooking the river and Bay, at No 21O Columli;
| Heights. He had admired the utierances of Mr.
l,ecchcr while living in the West naturally being
attracted by his abolition sentiments, and went (,
hear him after removing to Brooklyn s;rone
friendship grew up between them and Mr.. White
has been trustee of the Plymouth Society for Z
score Of years. and il the treasurer of the church
For many years he WAS one Of the leading bidders
at the annual auction of pews, and divided will
H. b. Chafin and r. I. bush the distinction %
bidding the largest sums for choice OF pcws. II,
was accustomed 10 pay $500 or $500 premium
| annually. Since Mr. Becchcr's death his ntcrcs
in the church has in no wise declined and he wa
one Of those leading members who recently Offered
SOB 900 for "A new lecture room and Sunday schoo
building for the work under DR.. Abbotts direction
HIS INTEREST IN POLITICS.
In the success Of Republican principles an
! candidates Mr.. White has always taken a deel