View source for Ruth Berkeley White

'''Ruth White''', author and Baha'i (b 27 Jun 1888, Winstead, [[Connecticut]])

This article was writen and is copyright by Will Johnson, [mailto:wjhonson@aol.com wjhonson@aol.com], Professional Genealogist.  My thanks to Fred Glaysher for help on compiling the information here.

In an online genealogy, unsourced, it is said that her birth name was Emma Decker, that her parents were Peter Decker and Anna Geiger and that she was born in Brooklyn.  Based on her several entries in the Ships logs below I think she was more-then-likely born in Litchfield County, [[Connecticut]].  Her birthday of 27 Jun is consistent, her birthyear being either 1886 or 1888.  I believe that someone has merged two different women together.

It is said that her stage name was Ruth Berkeley, but [http://www.h-net.org/~bahai/diglib/books/U-Z/W/White_Ruth/BLOL009.gif here] in 1912, in Boston, she refers to herself as "Miss Berkeley", and a few pages later [http://www.h-net.org/~bahai/diglib/books/U-Z/W/White_Ruth/BLOL012.gif here] states that she was writing articles for newspapers, and that both her parents were Roman Catholic.  While a little later on, [http://www.h-net.org/~bahai/diglib/books/U-Z/W/White_Ruth/BLOL023.gif here] she relates that she had been on the stage, but had given it up.  She went to Boston to write for the newspaper, but then about 1912, returned to New York City and was doing art drawings for a fashion magazine. [http://www.h-net.org/~bahai/diglib/books/U-Z/W/White_Ruth/BLOL027.gif Here again] on 24 Aug 1912, Abdul Baha calls her "Miss Ruth Berkeley".

Her first married name was Mrs George Rowell, and by this marriage she had a daughter, but I know nothing more of the daughter.  Her second husband Herbert Lawrence White (1869-1953), graduated in law from Cornell University, but was set-up as a businessman in his family's company the Utica Drop Forge Company.  Herbert [http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/gopher/other/journals/kraftpub/Genealogical/Pierpont%20Family/pierpont.gen here] is shown with a wife Emma (Ruth) Decker born 27 June 1880, but note that there, they state, that this couple were married on 28 Oct 1912 in Chicago.  I think, possibly, this woman is only his *first* wife, and that they divorced and then he married Ruth Berkeley.  Still looking for more clues to this mystery.  Ruth relates how she and Lawrence met [http://www.h-net.org/~bahai/diglib/books/U-Z/W/White_Ruth/BLOL034.gif here].

[http://www.h-net.org/~bahai/diglib/books/U-Z/W/White_Ruth/BLOL035.gif Here] she states : "Five months after my first meeting with Lawrence White we were married....It was his first marriage and my second.  Ruth Berkeley was the stage named of Mrs. George Rowell; the result of my first marriage had been a daughter."  She then talks about how Abdul Baha left New York, so evidently they must have been married by the end of 1912.

Herbert is the one of that name who was son of William Mansfield White by his wife Anna Maria Pierrepont.  This is proven by comparing the California Death Index entry below, to the ship's logs below.

In 1930/1 they lived on Morningside Drive in New York City, but possibly as well had a home in Utica, New York. She perhaps moved in the mid 40s to Beverly Hills, California where one of her books is published in 1946.  At one point their address is given as "R.D. 2, Santa Cruz, California". Her husband died in Santa Monica, Los Angeles County, California in 1953.  She was evidently yet living as late as 1962, in South Carolina.

== Works ==       
*''`Abdu'l-Bahá and the Promised Age'', 1927, Appendix, 1929  entitled [http://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/Ruth%20White.htm ''Is the Bahá'í Organization the Enemy of the Bahá'í Religion?'']. New York: J.J. Little and Ives Co., January 1929. (Copyright was renewed 2 Dec 1954 by Ruth White, see [http://www.ibiblio.org/ccer/1927a1.htm here]) [http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/3894952&referer=brief_results OCLC 3894952]

*''`Abdu'l-Bahá's Alleged Will is Fraudulent'', 1930. Rutland, VT. The Tuttle Company [http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/40853993&referer=brief_results OCLC 40853993]

*''Correspondence Between the High Commissioner of Palestine and Ruth White, Concerning the Alleged Will and Testament of Sir `Abdul-Bahá Abbas'' . 11. Los Angeles , Calif. : White, 1932. [http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/23790959&referer=brief_results OCLC 23790959]

*[http://www.h-net.org/~bahai/diglib/books/U-Z/W/White_Ruth/BLOL.htm ''Bahá'í Leads out of the Labyrinth'']. New York: Universal Publishing Company, 132 E 65th Street, New York, 1944. Digitally republished, East Lansing, Mi.: H-Bahai, 2004. [http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1527153&referer=brief_results OCLC 1527153]

*[http://www.h-net.org/~bahai/diglib/books/U-Z/W/White_Ruth/QWT.htm ''`Abdu'l-Bahá's Questioned Will and Testament'']. Beverly Hills: Ruth White, 1946. Digitally republished, East Lansing, Mi.: H-Bahai, 2004. [http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/2488238&referer=brief_results OCLC 2488238]

==Primary documents==
*[http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=View&r=an&dbid=1075&iid=m1464_518-0315&fn=Hubert+L&ln=White&st=r&ssrc=&pid=2394373 ''Border Crossings: From Canada to U.S., 1895-1956''], sailing on the Ascania, out of Southampton, 31 Jul 1925, arriving at Quebec, 9 Aug 1925 : "Hubert L White, 55, married, born Cardasenga, 12 Oct, 1869, resident of 119 White Stop, Utica, NY; Emma D White, 39, born Goshen 27 Jun 1886"
*[http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=View&r=an&dbid=7488&iid=NYT715_4274-0205&fn=Herbert+L&ln=White&st=r&ssrc=&pid=2004712216 ''New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957''], sailing on the Majestic, out of Cherbourg, 23 May 1928, arriving at New York 29 May 1928 : "Herbert L White, 59, married, born 12 Oct 1869 Canasaraga, NY; resident of 102 White Blvd, Bleeker Street, Utica NY; Ruth White, wife, 40, born 27 June 1888 Winsted, Conn"
*[http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=View&r=an&dbid=7488&iid=NYT715_4788-0252&fn=Lawrence&ln=White&st=r&ssrc=&pid=2012546490 ''New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957''], sailing on the Bremen, out of Southampton, 26 Jul 1930, arriving at New York, 31 Jul 1930 : "Lawrence White, 60, married, born Canaseraga, NY, 12 Oct 1869, resident at 102 White Bldg, Bleeker St, Utica, NY; Emma, 42, born Wingted, Conn, 27 June 1888"

*A letter dated 25 Nov 1930 ([http://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/RWhiteLibC.htm photostatic copy here]), from Secretariat, Government Offices, Jerusalem is directed to her as "Mrs H Lawrence White, Butler Hall, 88 Morningside Drive, New York City"

*A bit later on, at least after Jul 1931, her address is also given as "Mrs H Lawrence White, 102 White Building, Utica, New York"

*And in a bibliography, her evidently privately published "Abdul Baha's Questioned Will and Testament" is published in Beverly Hills 1946.

*[http://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/Ruth%20White.htm "Ruth White"] on Frederick Glaysher's site

*[http://books.google.com/books?id=1t4CAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA449&lpg=RA1-PA449&dq=%22hubert+lawrence+white%22&source=web&ots=oazsCkqSG7&sig=mCeLdhtL_vSnLUBPuBJIdF1bLtk ''The Sixth Decennial Catalogue of the Chi Psi Fraternity 1902''], by Chi Psi, Auburn (1902) stating : "Class of 1892... Hubert Lawrence White, LL. B., Manufacturer, [residence] 294 Genesee St, Utica; [business] 75 Genesee St, With Utica Drop Forge & Tool Co. since graduation; son of W.M. White, Phi '54 and brother of C. C. White, '05"

*[http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&rank=0&f1=Hubert&f2=&f0=White&sx=&f4Day=&f4Month=&f4Year=&f6=&f5Day=&f5Month=&f5Year=&f7=&f10=&f9=&f3=&f8=&prox=1&f4=++&f5=++&db=cadeath1940&ti=0&ti.si=0&gss=angs-d&fh=8&recid=7871593&recoff=1+2 ''California Death Index, 1940-97''] showing : "Hubert Lawrence White, born 12 Oct 1869 New York, died 15 Nov 1953 Los Angeles County, mother's maiden name Pierpont [sic]"

==Secondary sources==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_White "Ruth White"] on Wikipedia

[[Category:Bahai individuals]]