Introduction

This collection was given to the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center in 2004 by Carol Flemmer.

Biographical Sketch

Stanley Benton White was born on December 14, 1834 to Dr. James W. and Maria Elizabeth Beecher White in Lancaster, Fairfield Co., OH. He had two younger brothers, Edward Beecher and James W. On May 26, 1862, Stanley enrolled in the army for a three-months service. He served in Company K of the 85^th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, mustering out with the company on September 2, 1862. After mustering out, he remained in the South, switching from job to job and working as a clerk in the Quartermaster’s office and then as clerk and messenger for several different officers.

Stanley Benton married Hannah Farmer (born about 1852) on December 11, 1870. They had two daughters, Blanche (born about 1873) and Marie (born about 1876). Although there are no other marriage records that have been found for Stanley B. White, he appears to have been married before Hannah, since in his letters to his parents he repeatedly inquires after his “little boy” back at home. In the 1870 census, a 34 year-old Stanley is listed as a druggist living at home with his mother (his father appears to have already died). There is also a Charles, age 9 and “at school,” listed as a member of the household. He therefore would have been born about 1861 and would have been the right age to have been Stanley’s son. However, in the 1880 census, Charles is not part of Stanley’s household.

Scope and Content

This collection contains 10 letters dating from November 15, 1863, to July 1898, although most of the letters were written in 1865. Eight of the letters were written by Stanley B. to his parents, and one is from Stanley to his daughter Blanche. The tenth letter is from Blanche and rather than a letters, it is a narrative describing an incident from her past in which she met a young man named William Steven Charles; on one romantic evening he proposed and she declined. Years later (July 1898), while serving in the Spanish-American War, he sent her a poem written about that night. The poem as well as the envelope are included with her description, which was prompted by her receipt of the poem.

Inventory

Ac. 5669

10 items

From Stanley B. White to Parents:

1. Knoxville, TN, November 15, 1863

2. Louisville, KY, July 3, 1864

3. Chattanooga, January 4, 1865

4. Fort Crayton, February 22, 1865

5. U.S. Steamer Kennesaw, Chattanooga, May 30, 1865

6. U.S. Steamer Kennesaw, July 1, 1865

7. U.S. Steamer Kennesaw, Chattanooga, July 14, 1865

8. Chattanooga, TN, September 30, 1865

From Stanley B. White to Blanchie:

9. Kirkesville, OH, December 10, n.y

From Blanche:

10. Columbus, OH, July 1898 (with poem)