The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1911-08-11


fury ago q young lad stood by his
father On the docks At ApaIachicoIa
and watched come into the harbor the
first steamship that ever entered the
ports of Florida
The other day this same lad, now
past 81 years old, stood with he
crowds at Miami and watched BIZ
plane glide into the air, skim like z
bird through the heavens, and come
70 earth again al the bidding Of The
daring birdman in control Of its
movements.
Between the steamship and the BIZ
plane is a gap filed with the most
marvellous achievements Of the hu-
man race. II is easy TO sketch in de-
tails for ones seIf-Morse's telegraph,
the Atlantic cable. the telephone. the
tremendous development Of transpor-
tation facilities, the X-ray, the discov-
cry of radium, three great modern
wars, wireless telegraphy, aerial na-
yigation, TO mention only the things
that occur TO the mind onhand.
To the majority Of persons living in
Florida these events for the most part
are matters Of historic record. To
one citizen, however, who, as q boy
witnessed the arrival OF the first
steamboat On the west coast, and, as
man nearing the century mark,
witnessed the fight OF an airship
from the east coast, all OF these great
world achievements are matters of
personal knowledge.
This citizen, Judge P. ". White, Of
Quincy, Fla, was an honored guest of
Fort Myers the other day He came
with the governors party, but that
was merely a circumstance, as he had
been to Miami attending the recent
celebration, and was on his way 10
Cuba TO visit relatives. So many of
the venerable judges personal friends
were in the party that he gladly &C
cepted an invitation TO join them at
Miami and come to Fort Myers. II
was his first visit here in twenty
years and the wonderful development
he found was his constant theme.
Judge White has been a citizen of
Florida for So years. He came here as
a toddling 2-year-old, and when his
father, prominent physician of the
day, brought his family from Georgia
to Gadsden county they came into
savage wilderness. For towns there
were groups of Indian wigwams; for
roads, there were sinuous Indian
trails; for neighbors, there were the
tawny Seminoles. who gathered in ST.
lent wonderment about the pioneer
and looked with amazement on the
little white "papoose.'
This was before Florida was ceded
to the United States. DR.. White es-
tablished his home Oh a plantation Of
more than 1000 acres. Today his son
the last Of the line. still lives or the
same plantation. the acreage never
haring been divided. The house IN
which Judge White was married. six
ty-odd years ago, vet stands. and
trees which re and his fair young
bride planted on their wedding day
have grown into towering oaks OF
the forest
Into this life which encompasses
nearly three generations so much ac-
tiyity has been crowded that it is
scarcely comprehensive. With
mentality az alert as in those mem
orable reconstruction days when he
heard and settled that famous TIL
den-Hayes case; faith in his fellows
that nothing in his long and varied
experience has been able to shake,
and hope for the future based upon
an intuitive understanding Of the
great "Uncreate." in whom Eve live
and move and have our being" Judge
Whites Is a character of lifetime
whose influence knows neither state
AAAAN@ t4J@ A4Si4E 4AtA4AkaLADiiE.
In brief article it is possible to
sketch only the barest outline of this
very interesting career. Besides,
Judge White is so retiring that he
shrinks from the public eye While
he win sit for the hour and talk IN
reminiscent strains. throwing absorb
ingly interesting side lights on Flor
ida history, his lips are sealed if
pencil is produced.
Il always refused to talk for pub
LEGATION when | was in active life.
Why should / do so now, when the
public might think it was nothing but
the speech of a garrulous old MANI"
he queried, with delightful simplicity
and modesty.
Nevertheless there are many who
know Judge White. and he cannot
hide his light entirely under a bush