by the death of
Dr. H. C. White, on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 1903,
Somerville lost one of her best-known and most esteemed citizens.
In 1874, when he moved from his native
state of Maine, he made his home among us, and from that time, by the practice of his profession, by his services on the school board, and in his more public capacity as a representative in the state legislature, he served this community most wisely and faithfully.
The high regard in which he was held by his fellow-citizens was manifested by the large concourse of people that attended his funeral, one of the largest ever known in
Somerville.
In recognition of his high services as a publicminded
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citizen, and as a fitting tribute to, his memory, the flags of the city, by the order of the mayor, were displayed at halfmast.
The funeral was at the Baptist Church on Cross street, of which
Dr. White was a consistent and devoted member, and the sermon by his pastor,
the Rev. John R. Gow, was in full sympathy with the occasion.
No words are more appropriate for this brief sketch of
Dr. White's career than those of
Mr. Gow, from whom we would quote the following—
All the problems in the relations between man and man might be settled if all men would live as wisely, independently, bravely, and unselfishly as Dr. White has lived, and in all the issues there is, after all, but one issue for each of us: whether we will be as true to the example of this good friend of ours as he has ever been to us, and to his Great Examiner.
We thank God, then, for a man who has given us a good opinion of humanity.
We thank Him that the message of the Master has been exemplified before our eyes in one who has sought to do unto others as he would that they should do to him,
As
Dr. White was a member of the Somerville Historical Society, it is fitting that the pages of its quarterly publication preserve this outline of a life which nearly reached the allotted limit of three-score years and ten.
Horace Carr White, the son of Gideon and
Rhoda (
Springer)
White, was born in
Bowdoin, Me., January 26, 1836.
His family early removed to
Litchfield, Me., where he attended the Liberal Institute, but on account of trouble with his eyes, he was unable to carry out his plans for a college course.
He graduated from the medical department of Bowdoin College in 1859, and after practicing in
Lisbon Falls, in 1862 he entered the army as assistant surgeon of the Eighth Maine regiment.
When he returned, much broken in health from overwork and exposure, he remained at
Lisbon Falls until his removal to
Somerville in 1874.
For twelve years he was a valuable member of the school board, and he served in the
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Massachusetts House of Representatives for the years 1897–‘98–‘99-1900.
During this time he was on various important committees, as the one on metropolitan affairs, of which he was chairman two years.
Dr. White was identified with all educational and temperance measures in which the city was interested.
His work in leading the movement which resulted in the establishment of the
Somerville hospital is well known to the people of this city.
Besides being a member of the above-mentioned church, he belonged to several military and medical organizations, and various secret orders.
Dr. White married
Miss Mary L. Randall, of Harpswell, Me., who, with two daughters and a son, survives him. The home is on Perkins street.
