The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-08-09
FIRST CITIZEN
OF MARQUETTE"
SKETCH OF ADVENTUROUS LIFE
OF PETER WHITE.

OF PETER WHITE.
He Landed at the Site of the Present
City in 1849 and, Since that Time,
Wealth, Honors and Friends Have
Come His Way in Steady Stream.
Special to The journal.
Marquette, Mich, Aug. 9.-Peter
White, FIRST citizen of Marquette and
illustrious pioneer of the Lake Superior
iron region, came to upper Michigan
ifty-six years ago, when the peninsula
was a wilderness.
Born at Rome, Oneida county, N. Y,
in October, 1880, he was 9 years of
age when his parents moved to Green
Bay, Wis, and he was Is years old when
per on Lake Superior fired his imagi-
nation and he ran away from home,
| bound for the promised land.
Young Peter arrived at Sault Ste.
Marie, via Mackinac island, in 1916.
He was without funds, nor would the
which he endeavored to take passage
to the copper district, permit him to
work his way-an exceedingly fortunate
circumstance for the juvenile argonaut,
for the vessel was never heard of again,
having been lost with all hands on that
very trip.
The next few years found Peter
Detroit, and then, while still in his
teens, he finally started for the Lake
Superior country, going as a member
of a party recruited at Mackinac to
assist in opening the newly discovered
iron veins in which is now the Negaunee
and Ishpeming field. This was in the
| spring of lS49: and after tempestu-
ent site of Marquette. at that time
bearing the name Of Indiantown. Dur
ing his first season in Marquette, young
Peter wasa successfully employed as
chanic, while in July of the following
year, 1850, he was placed in charge
of the Marquette Iron company's gen
eral store.
In the summer of 1861 the young man
found upon his return from an outing
in the woods that the county of Mar
quette had been organized and that he
had been elected county clerk and reg
lister of deeds. He did not want to
take the offices, feeling that some older
person should have been chosen, but he
was overruled by the argument that
it was necessary the person collected
should be able to read and write, and
that, unfortunately. the majority Of the
pioneers were disqualified. In conse-
quence of his election to the positions
mentioned, young White also became a
member Of the school board. of which
he was chosen treasurer, and this office
period of almost ffty-fve years. In
that same year, Mr.. White was ap:
pointed postmaster, and he continued
as such for twelve years.
Resigning his position with the sue
cessor to the Marquette Iron company
Mr.. White later opened store of bis
own, but sold out to 60 into the in
] business of banking in small way, ano
about the same time embarked rather
extensively in the real estate business
/ He was ambitious to become learned II
law, and during the early ffties he was
admitted to practice before the United
States court. He continued in the &C
tive practice Of the legal profession fol-
4 ner. .3.
In 1857 Mr., White was elected tt
the state legislature. In this yea
eral land office, which had beer
j transferred to Marquette from Saul
I Ste. Marie, and the little city being
e he was Poat made H c ehFX at e cSsoms
as well. In 1865, Mr.. White incorpor
ated his bank as the First National
. and became president of the institu
ton, position he still hols. In tn
meantime, aside from his many othe
4 interests, Mr.. White had become a.
+ iron merchant. He foresaw the BIZ
4 demand for pig iron at the close. Of tn
a civil war, and thru number of fortu
q nate transactions added materially t
8 his bank account These dealings lai
q no small part Of the foundation of hi
y fortune. In 1875, Mr.. White was agai
8 sent to the legislature, this time as
q senator, and it was! largely thru h
\ land grant which made possible til
4 construction Of a railroad from tn
= Straits Of Mackinac to Marquette, no
u portion of the Duluth, South Shore
N Atlantic system.
a Peter White 8 monument is Presqr
d isle. This is tract Of land, dense!
B wooded, 1926 acres in extent, and j
b of the city, and with its rockbour
II shores, brilliant verdure and rugge
81 and picturesque effects is veritab
81 gems of beauty. It was thru the pc
a sonal influence of Mr.. White at Was
n ington, aided by Senator Palmer
b Illinois, an old-time friend, thu
b Marquette for park purposes, and TIT
Fl the proposition met with opposition
b the city council, obstructionists raisi1
hi the point that the park would ben
NJ fit only the rich and that the cost
VI it's Improvement and maintenance W
d too heavy for the municipality.
b stand. Peter White met this obje
Ri tior by Offering to foot the bills for
u period of five years, and he carried Q
ID his bargain altho it cost him $3.50
d to do it, the road leading to the pa
al alone costing him 100000. ..
Ia Four years after the Incorporate
n of the city, Mr. White, while abros
"a Marquette, but he refused to SER
"a Later, when S. P. Ely, warm person
IA friend of Mr.. White, was chosen CT
b executive, Mr.. White commemorat
IA the incident by founding public
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