Evening star., 1941-11-13
Reports Facts" Concerning
Two James Whites and Others.

To the Editor of The Star:
There appeared in The Sunday Star
for October 5 an article by John CIagett
Proctor, captiored Districts Oldest
Church" 81. Pauls Rock Greek This ar
t!cle relates the family history Of Eleanor
and James White whose resting place IS
directly in front Of the church.
Speaking of James White who died
March s, 1901, the author says: There
IS every reason 10 believe that James
White was originally Of Prince Georges
County. Nd, and that he lived in that
part of the county which IN 1776 became
a part of Montgomery County. and sub
sequently part OF the District OF Co.
lumbia. He was very large owner OF
land, which he either received direct as
a grant from the crown or by way OF
inheritance from his father. whom some
give supposedly as Robert White. while
others give his fathers name as Zach
ariah. Either guess, however, is haZy.
The author appears not TO understand
the relationship of the two James
Whites.
The facts are that the first James
White, known as James White. ST. was
the son of Robert White and Ann Bur-
CESS, and lived on a tract Of land IN
Prince Georges County. Md, named
Pleasant Hills So far as the records in
dicate, James, sr., had only one son,
Zachariah, born November 13, 1871.
Zachariah White had number Of chill
dren. among whom were James, known
as James, jr., and generally referred to
as Capt. James White, and Eleanor,
who married Rev Mr.. John Bracken-
ridge.
The records also indicate that James
White, ST., in 1772 received by direct
grant. 536 acres Of land pheasant Hills,
which joined his fathers Roberts land),
named Mount Pleasure. Both tracts are
a part OF the Soldiers Home property.
Zachariah (son of James srD was grant,
ed large tract of land known as Part
nership The old White property. To-
Gated at Thirteenth and Longfellow
streets NV. is part OF this tract, the
present residence of grandchildren of
Capt James White (son of Zachariah.
AS to the location of Pleasant Hills. the
residence of James, Sr., there should be
no speculation. No part OF the Soldiers
Home property was ever in Montgomery
County, formerly Frederick County. The
writer understands the boundary line
between Prince Georges and Montgomery
Counties ran from the mouth of Rock
Creek past point on what is now East
ern avenue about one-third of mile
north of the Masonic and Eastern Star
Home. However, Partnership, the prop
erty of Zachariah, later acquired by
James. jr.. after the death of his mother
Mary in 1913, at one time was in Mont
gomery County, Md. The records do not
appear to indicate that James, ST., ever
owned property in Montgomery County.
Mount Pleasure, the property of Rob-
ert White father of James sr) was in
herited by James, jr, from his great
aunt, Catherine Turner a daughter Of
Robert White.
The writer also would like to correct
statements that Eleanor (Nelley), wife
of the Rev. John Breckenridge, was the
daughter of Capt. James White. This
could not be for the reason that Mrs
Breckenridge was aged So at her death,
September 81, 1917, while the records
show Capt. James as IS at his death,
December IS, 1926 They were brother
and nster, and the grandchildren Of
James White, 81. as evidenced by a Joint