Alan White, formerly of Carmi, Illinois, while doing research on his family found one of his great grandfathers by the name of Amzi A. White who was born in Connecticut and moved to Illinois about the same time as Marion’s John H. White who is memorialized on this site. His relative settled in Grayville, Illinois and was a businessman and city clerk.

Our John H. White was a friend and compatriot of John A. Logan and was arguably the first Marion citizen to die in the Civil War at the battle of Fort Donelson as a Lt. Colonel. John was also born in Connecticut and named his first son Amzi F. White. Our Amzi was a prominent Marion business man and erected a building on the Marion square that used to be located in the 800 block on the corner of the Square and S. Market street that was later called the Dunston Building and was even later demolished to make room for our new Civic Center.

The fact that they were both from Connecticut and left to reach Illinois about the same time coupled with John White naming his son Amzi appears be more than just coincidental. Unfortunately, the parentage of neither appears solid enough to tie the two together.

Alan is seeking any living relatives of our John H. White who may now live in Marion or elsewhere to try and figure this family relationship out. If you are related or have information, please contact me and I will put you in touch with Alan White.

To review the John H. White story, click here. To contact me about Alan, click here.

(Posted by Sam Lattuca on July 7, 2013)