Addison White (May 1, 1824 – February 4, 1909) was an American politician who served the state of

Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...

in the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

between 1851 and 1853.

Biography

Addison White was born in Abingdon, Washington County,

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

on May 1, 1824, to Colonel James White. The Whites were considered the "First Family" of

Clay County Clay County is the name of 18 counties in the United States. Most are named for Henry Clay, U.S. Senator and statesman: * Clay County, Alabama * Clay County, Arkansas (named for John Clayton, and originally named Clayton County) * Clay County, Fl ...

, Kentucky. Addison's father was among the richest men in America due to his myriad business interests including salt mining which lead to his nickname "The King of Salt." He graduated from

Princeton College Princeton University is a private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the Unit ...

in 1844. In 1850, he was elected as a Whig to the U.S. House of Representatives, serving one term. Addison's 1st cousin, John White preceded his service and his nephew

John D. White John Daugherty White (January 16, 1849 – January 5, 1920) was an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Kentucky. He was nephew of John White and cousin of Addison White and Hugh Lawson White both of whom served in pub ...

followed him, also representing Kentucky. He was also a cousin removed of

Hugh Lawson White Hugh Lawson White (October 30, 1773April 10, 1840) was an American politician during the first third of the 19th century. After filling in several posts particularly in Tennessee's judiciary and state legislature since 1801, thereunder as a Tenn ...

, Brigadier General James White, and Joseph Lanier Williams. White served in the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the Military forces of the Confederate States, military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) duri ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. After the war, he moved to

Huntsville Huntsville is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Alabama. The population of the city is estimated to be 241,114 in 2024, making it the 100th-most populous city in the U.S. The Huntsville metropolitan area had an estimated 525,465 ...

Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...

and became a successful businessman and died there on February 4, 1909. He was buried in Maple Hill Cemetery in Huntsville.

References

Retrieved on 2009-02-26 1824 births 1909 deaths Princeton University alumni Politicians from Abingdon, Virginia Whig Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Kentucky White family 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives {{Kentucky-politician-stub