John Baker White (August 4, 1794 – October 9, 1862) was a 19th-century American military officer, lawyer, court clerk, and civil servant in the U.S. state of Virginia.
During the War of 1812, White enlisted in the United States Army as a soldier and was promoted to the military rank of ensign. In 1815, White was qualified as Clerk of Court for both the county and circuit courts of Hampshire County, Virginia (now West Virginia) and he continued to hold these offices through successive appointments and elections for 46 years between 1815 and 1861. To date, White remains the longest-serving Clerk of Court for Hampshire County since the office's creation in 1757. As a prominent lawyer and court clerk, White taught jurisprudence. Many of White's law students later became eminent lawyers and public officials in their own right, including Henry Bedinger, United States House Representative and United States Ambassador to Denmark.
During the American Civil War, White was concerned for the safety of the county's records and proceeded to load land registration records ledger books onto wagons and had them transported for safekeeping. Because of White's efforts, Hampshire County land records survived the war, while those records that remained in the courthouse were destroyed. White was threatened by occupying Union Army forces to either vacate his residence in Romney or face arrest because of his Confederate sympathies. White relocated to Richmond and served in the Confederate States Department of the Treasury.
White was a member of the White political family of Virginia and West Virginia and was the son of prominent Virginia judge Robert White (1759–1831) and the father of West Virginia Attorney General Robert White (1833–1915) and Hampshire County Clerk of Court Christian Streit White (1839–1917).
Early life and military career
John Baker White was born on August 4, 1794, near Winchester in Frederick County, Virginia. White was the third and youngest child of prominent Virginia General Court judge Robert White (1759–1831) and his wife Arabella Baker (daughter of John Baker). Among his other relations, White was a great-great-nephew of United States House Representative Alexander White (1738–1804) and a great-nephew of another United States House Representative, Francis White (1761–1826).
During the War of 1812, White enlisted in the United States Army as a soldier and was promoted to the military rank of ensign.
Clerk of court career
Following his service in the War of 1812, White settled in Romney, Virginia (now West Virginia) where he was appointed as deputy clerk for both the superior court and circuit court in Hampshire County in 1814. On March 20, 1815, White was qualified as Clerk of Court for both the superior and circuit courts of Hampshire County, and he continued to hold these offices through successive appointments and elections for 46 years between 1815 and 1861. To date, White remains the longest-serving Clerk of Court for Hampshire County since the office's creation in 1757.
Academic affairs
As a prominent lawyer and court clerk, White conducted the teaching of jurisprudence in both his Clerk of Court office and residence, where he allowed his law students to reside during their studies. Many of White's law students later became eminent lawyers and public officials in their own right, including: Henry Bedinger, United States House Representative and United States Ambassador to Denmark; James Dillon Armstrong, Hampshire County Circuit Court judge and son of William Armstrong; Dr. Robert White, Presbyterian minister of Tuscaloosa, Alabama; and Virginia lawyers Newton Tapscott, Alfred P. White, and Philip B. Streit.
In addition to his law instruction, White was an active member of the Romney Literary Society. When the act of incorporation for Romney Academy was amended by the Virginia General Assembly on March 25, 1839, White was appointed as a trustee along with other prominent Romney area residents David Gibson, Angus William McDonald, Daniel Mytinger, and John Kern, Jr. The 1839 act authorized any of the five appointed trustees of Romney Academy to fill vacancies on the board "occasioned by death, resignation, removal, or legal disability", thereby preventing future prolonged vacant trustee seats.
Business affairs
By 1839, White was serving on the board of directors of the Bank of the Valley of Virginia in Romney. During the absence of the board's president, David Gibson, White served as president pro tempore from November 29 until December 13, 1839. The Wirgman Building housed the Bank of the Valley of Virginia during White's tenure on its board of directors.