• [excerpts] White, Rev. William, was born in New York, July 26, 1768. Soon after his brith his parents removed to Philadelphia, where, when young, he found the Saviour, and became a member of the First Baptist Church. About 1790 he removed to Roxborough township, and by the Roxborough church was licensed to preach in 1793, and in it, the following year, he was ordained. He became pastor of the New Britain church in 1795, and remained with that church for eight years. On Jan. 23, 1804, he became pastor of the Second Baptist church of Philadelphia. The church was not quite a year in existence; their meeting-house had just been dedicated and their first pastor left the impulse of their bright hopes, and was encouraged by their zealous and united efforts to spread the gospel.
Mr. White was an eloquent preacher, and a thinker of original powers. Except Dr. Stanghton, there was no man in Philadelphia or in Pennsylvania the superior of the first pastor of the Second church. His success was almost unexampled in Philadelphia for those times. In thirteen years he baptized over 500 persons, men and women of intelligence, who remained faithful witnesses for Jesus during many subsequent years.
Mr. White removed from the Second church in 1817, and for some years gave no preaching. In 1822 he became pastor of the church at Lancaster, O., subsequently he was pastor of the churches of Muddy Prairie and Chillicothe.
4197, p 2• The Regular Baptist Church was organized in Lancaster in 1817, by Rev. George Debott, who was its first pastor. Mr. Debott lived to a very advanced age. Rev. William White, father of the late Dr. James White, of Lancaster, succeeded Mr. Debott as pastor, and continued in the relation for many years. Rev. Samuel Carpenter was the next pastor; he began his labors in the relation in 1829.
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• Unproven that this William White is the father of Rebecca White, but it is likely based on his residence in Lancaster from 1822, and his burial at Elmwood Cemetery in Lancaster, Ohio. Same cemetery as for Anna Maria Cox Eckart.
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