Sudden Death of Mrs. Edw. P. White Stricken With Paralysis While Riding in Auto--Funeral Friday

Edward P. and Lizabeth Halsey White | c1926

Southampton Press 
Thursday, October 27, 1932
Issue 1847, page 1

Our community was deeply saddened on Tuesday afternoon by the sudden death of Mrs. Edward P. White, who passed away about 4:00 o'clock a few hours after suffering a paralytic stroke while riding in an automobile.

Mrs. White had called at the Press office to leave the manuscript of an article on the New York State Historical Association aftermath--which appears in this week's Press--and as she left she said that she was going to Oyster Bay to attend a luncheon.  Entering the car, which was driven by her sister, Miss Abigail Halsey, she had gone only a block when stricken by paralysis and was immediately taken to her home, where she died six hours later.

Mrs. White was 68 years of age, a daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Charles Henry Halsey of this village; she had lived here all her life and was prominently identified with all local civic and social affairs.  Her genial, kindly nature endeared her to all of her friends and associates, and her sudden passing was a grievous shock to all.

Gifted with much literary talent, Mrs. White was especially adept in historical research of events pertaining to Eastern Long Island and for some time has been Southampton Town Historian.  She was a frequent and welcome contributor to the Southampton Press, particularly on local historical matters.

Mrs. White was a descendant of Richard Terry and Thomas Halsey, founders of Southampton.  She was the organizing Regent of Southampton Chapter, D. A. R., secretary of the Southampton Colonial Society for many years; a member of the Society of Founders and Patriots of America; during the World War secretary of the Red Ross and after the war chairman of the Civic League.  One of her outstanding works was the collecting of Southampton Town records of the World War which is now being published.

She was largely instrumental in bringing to Southampton this month the annual conference of the New York State Historical Association.  She was deeply interested in the work of the association and gave much time and thought to making the conference a success.  And on the day of her death, the last work she did was to write of the "aftermath" of that conference and bring it to the office for publication.  The article appears on page four of the Press.  During the past year Mrs. White enabled the Press to enter the State-wide contest of the Historical Association for the best collection of historical news in the weekly papers of the State and for which the Press received honorable mention--due wholly to her research and well-written articles.

Surviving the deceased are her husband, Justice of the Peace Edward P. White; two sons, Captain Edward P. White, Jr., and Harry Halsey White; a daughter, Miss Elizabeth White; and a brother and sister, Rev. Jesse Halsey of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Miss Abigail F. Halsey.

Funeral services are to be held Friday afternoon at 2 'o'clock at the house.

"the life of the little colony"

from "Southampton—Her Records and Her Landmarks" by Lizbeth Halsey White, Reprinted from the New York History, Vol. XIV, No. 4, October 1933.  

“In loving memory, October 1933”

We must go to the Dutch records, to learn of the adventures of the part of the Company, which sailing from Lynn down Long Island Sound [in 1640] made a landing at Cow Bay, adjacent to the Dutch settlement at New Amsterdam. They were shortly arrested by the Dutch authorities and imprisoned in the fort at New Amsterdam, and released only upon the promise to depart and never again return. From the testimony given at the inquiry we learn that hey had come to Long Island to plant and make a plantation; that twenty families were to come and if the land should be good they expected a good many. We learn also the names of the eight men who had a part in this expedition of whom six were under 28 years of ge. Edward Howell, the leader of the company and Daniel Howe, captain of the vessel, were of more mature years. A woman and a child were among the number. The time of the release of the prisoners is given as May 19, 1640, giving ample time for the party to make its passage down Long Island Sound and into the waters of Peconic Bay, named by the settlers the “North Sea”—a name given also to the hamlet which grew up around it.

Tradition tells us that, when the woman of the party stepped ashore after her long and tedious voyage, she exclaimed “For Conscience’s Sake, We’re on dry land once more!” and thus originated the name of the landing place of the colonists of 1640. From the records it is easy to infer that the woman was Eleanor, second wife of Edward Howell, and that the boy was their son Arthur, born 1635, who later became a picturesque figure in the life of the little colony.

When the settlers landed they discovered they were in the vicinity of an encampment of the Indian tribe of the Shinnecocks and near the headquarters of the sachem, Mandush.

Making their peace with the Indians, they made their way through the woods and wilderness to a ridge of land within sight of the “South Sea,” where were built their first rude habitations. On the corner of Meeting House Lane and Old Town Road, where now is the hospital garden, in 1641 was built the earliest church to which had already come its first minister. The name Abraham Pierson stands first on the Indian deed, finally consummated December 13, 1640, and which he no doubt helped to compose.

*Paper read before the New York state Historical Association, at Southampton, October 6, 1932. The author, Mrs. Edward P. White, had been town historian since 1923 and was most active in preparing for the meeting of the Association. AS already noted in New York History, April 1933, Mrs. White Died very suddenly on October 25, 1932. We are indebted to her sister, Miss Abigail F. Halsey, for the manuscript of this paper. Editors.

Halsey Films | Frame by Frame Index | c 1926 | Cincinnati, Lake Placid, Boston, Southampton, Whalebone

Film Still | Frederick Halsey | Cincinnati | c1931

1) Cincinnati c1931 Scottie dog, Frederick Halsey (in white shirt and white pants, getting into car), unidentified young boy and girl at car?

2) (00:24) Cincinnati 1926 Frederick (in white shirt and dark short pants) and Abigail Halsey (mowing),  7^th Presbyterian, older man on sidewalk?, street car, delivery to church, likely Charlie Casey (janitor at Seventh Presbyterian; man in hat and glasses by church plague), Abbie and Frederick on bikes, Wilmun "Billy" Halsey, Abbie, Charles (mowing and on bike), Abbie and Freck (by door), Charles (coming out door in hat), Billy and Abbie (on tricycles), Freck (drawing on sidewalk and opening garage), Charles (driving), Freck and Abbie (getting into car), Freck and Charles (wrestling), Abbie (in dress), Abbie and Billy (playing store), Helen (in knee socks), Charles, Billy, Abbie (on bike), Freck and Abbie with Charlie Casey, Billy, Abbie, Freck (getting into car), unidentified young woman in coat in front of Helen Sr.?, Helen Halsey Sr, Helen Jr. (w/out coat), Charles (in suit getting into driver’s seat), Abbie on tricycle with Helen (in hat)

3) (03:05) Cincinnati c1926 Charles (dark suit), Frederick (light suit), Billy (in sailor suit and w/violin), Abbie (with umbrella), Helen (in smocking), maid (in doorway), Helen Sr in doorway with umbrella and Billy and Abbie, Helen (in smocking), Abbie and Billy with children at water fountain and people in park

4) (04:10) Lake Placid 1926 Grandfather Frederick Isham, Freck (exiting and entering house), Abbie and Helen (picking flowers), Helen (knee socks), Abbie (in hat), Freck (short pants, lifting Abbie), Billy (in coat and cap), Charles (playing on fence w/ hat), Billy (in cap), Freck walking with Abbie down path, Helen, Helen, Billy and Abbie walking down street into store, Helen, Billy and Helen outside house, Billy and Abbie in garden

5) (04:53) Concord/Boston/Bunker Hill Monument 1926 Men with ox cart, Helen Halsey, Helen Jr., and Abbie with women and children walking across bridge (Isham cousins?), Bunker Hill Memorial, street scenes in Boston, Boston Harbor, train station, rowing on Charles River?, Abbie and Helen on Boston Street, New Hampshire w/Dr. and Mrs. John Mason Little’s family (following death of Dr. Little in March 1926?)

6) (07:36) Whalebone 1926 Jesse Halsey (white shirt, cap, tending fire pit), Helen Halsey (white dress, black hat, sitting with girls), unidentified bald man in black suit sitting?, Sam Herrick and Edward Pearson White (in boat), Frederick Halsey (black suit by boat), Edward Post White, Sr. (in beach chair), Nancy Herrick Hartwell (blond on left), Joanna Ruland (dark hair, striped suit?), unidentified boy in diamond suit?, Elizabeth “Ibby” White Adams (S on suit), Frederick Halsey (black suit, right of Ibby), Jesse Halsey (in beach chair), Lizbeth Halsey White (patterned dress and hat), Abigail Halsey (child), Helen Halsey Sr. (white dress, black hat), Abigail Fithian Halsey (seated, white dress, hat w/ black tie), Bill Bishop (glasses, bow tie?), unidentified bald man sitting in black suit, Aunt Edna Halsey Ruland (dark hair, gray dress, standing), Aunt Augusta “Gussie” Terry Halsey (black hat and black dress), Nan Herrick (glasses), Alma Jaggar Bishop (standing, in white), Jane and Alma Bishop (small children), Aunt “Gussie” Halsey (in black) and Aunt Edna Ruland (dark hair, gray dress, standing), Bill Bishop (glasses, cap), Edward Post White and Lizbeth Halsey White, Abigail “Babbie” Fithian Halsey (white dress, w/pole), Bill Bishop and Edward White horsing around, Bill Bishop pulls Babbie into sand, Jesse Halsey (in black suit), Bill Bishop (on ground), Babbie (with rake), Edna Ruland and Joanna Ruland? (in background), Gussie Halsey (in chair), Abigail Halsey, Alma Bishop, Jane Bishop (in surf), Sam Herrick, Edward Pierson White, Billy Halsey (in boat), Aunt Nan Herrick (folding blanket), Uncle Bill Bishop (glasses, hat, left), Uncle Jack Herrick (right)

7) (08:53) Southampton, 49 No. Main c1926 Charles Halsey (mowing), Jesse Halsey (white shirt), Helen Halsey (crossing street with cake), Jesse (mowing), Charles (driving), Abbie (on top of wagon), (Bug House) Jane Bishop, Helen Bishop, Alma Bishop, Abbie, Billy, Charles carrying Abbie and Billy piggyback

8) (10:18) Whalebone c1926 Uncle Jack Herrick (splitting wood), Abbie Halsey (surfing), Billy Halsey, Helen Bishop, Abbie, Sam Herrick, Helen Halsey, (small children), Frederick and Jesse (?) getting into clamming boat, Nancy Herrick, Aunt Nan Herrick, Aunt Alma Bishop? (pumping water); Abbie, Billy, Sam, Jane (sliding); (21:50) Dr. and Mrs. Craven? Lizbeth Halsey White?, Helen Halsey, Uncle Bill Bishop, Jane Bishop, Abbie, Billy, Herrick family, Helen Halsey Jr. (girl in white, bottom left, by stairs), Aunt Nan, Uncle Jack, Nancy, Sam, Uncle Bill Bishop (far right), Helen Halsey (bottom of slide), Jane Bishop, Abbie

© Anne Halsey. All rights reserved. 

Halsey Films | Frame by Frame Index | Southampton 1947, Shinnecock 1945, Shinnecock 1949

Film Still | Jesse Halsey with Grandchildren | Shinnecock 1949

1) 49 No. Main South Side (color) 1947 Aunt Helen Halsey Haroutunian holding Joe Haroutunian Jr., Sophie Haroutunian, Uncle Jim Van Allen (white t-shirt), Uncle Joe Haroutunian Sr. (with pipe), Grandmother Helen Isham Halsey and Grandfather Jesse Halsey (in front of tiger lilies), Uncle Joe and Joe Jr. (in front of bug house), Jesse holding Sophie, Helen Halsey (right), (front of 49 No. Main) Aunt Abigail Halsey Van Allen, Sophie, Jesse, Helen, Joe, Joe Jr., Aunt Abbie, Aunt Abbie and Uncle Joe (wrestling), (back of 49 No. Main) Joe Jr., (baby) on Uncle Joe’s lap being fed by Aunt Helen, Aunt Abigail “Babbie” Fithian Halsey (in blue in background), Jesse, Uncle Jim (w/ pail in front of bungalow), Aunt Abbie (on swing), Aunt Abbie and Aunt Babbie

 2) (03:05) 4th of July Shinnecock 1945 Abbie Van Allen (red cap), Jimmy and Ena Bishop (in car), Jesse Halsey (in hammock), Ena and Jimmy, Abbie, Charles Halsey Sr. (blue shirt), Sophie (on Helen Haroutunian’s lap), baby chicks, Joe Jr., (baby on blanket petting chick), Sophie (in overalls) with Bill Halsey (on bench), Toby Talmadge (dark hair, between Sophie and Bill), Joe Jr. (baby on right of bench), Susan White (blond child), Aunt Nan and Uncle Jack Herrick, Jane Bishop (w/glasses) and her husband (w/coffee cup), Tom White? (man in foreground?), Aunt Nan, Aunt Louise White, Helen Bishop (blue stripes drinking coffee) Jane Bishop (behind Helen), Uncle "Boo" White (in background), Aunt “Ibby” Elizabeth White Adams (white shirt), Jeannie Adams (young girl) (04:34) Bishop's Tower in background, Joanna Ruland Honnett (in red shirt), William “Bill” Bishop (with white cap), Susan White (blond girl) and Toby, Aunt Ibbie, Jeannie Adams, Tommy White?, Bill Bishop, Jerry Adams (boy), Susan White (with dog), Toby (striped shirt), Jim Bishop (red white stripes), Charles Halsey, Jim Van Allen (with pipe), Joseph Haroutunian, Jesse Halsey (in background), Nan Herrick (in background), dark-haired woman smoking in lower left?, Aunt Ibby holding Sallie Adams, Jane Bishop (lower right), Bill Halsey (holding leather case), Mr. ? Talmadge (carrying table), Toby (child on lap), Uncle Roy Ruland (sitting), Aunt Nan Ruland (sitting), Amanda Ruland Talmadge (dark striped shirt, white shorts), Tommy Honnett (boy in white shirt), Joanna Honnett (red stripes), Sophie (overalls), Frances Raynor Halsey (sitting left), Bill Halsey (sailor suit), Charles Halsey Sr., Helen Halsey, Charles Halsey Jr. (boy in middle), Jesse Halsey, Meme and Pop Raynor (in white hat), Helen and Sophie, Joseph Sr., holidng Joe, Jr., Aunt Abigail “Babbie” Fithian Halsey (back, right), Abbie Van Allen (red cap), (Meme puts Pop Raynor’s hat on Helen Halsey, Abbie tickles Charles Jr., Charles Sr. holding Bill, Jim Van Allen, Charles Halsey Jr., (on shoulders); (05:55) Jimmy, Jim Jr., Ena Bishop, Aunt Alma Bishop, Helen Bishop White (sitting), Uncle Bill Bishop (blue button down), Alma “Bobbie” Bishop holding Susan Bishop White, Jane Bishop (holding dog); Elizabeth “Ibby” White Adams, Jeannie, Jerry, and Sally Adams (06:13) Uncle “Boo” Harry and Aunt Louise White (in glasses and gray shirt, blue button down), Harry “Boojie” and Merritt “Bobbin” White, Nan and Jack Herrick, friends of Van Allens (couple in white), Tom White Sr.? (blond man), James Van Allen (red cap), two young women in white and blue (Herricks?), Uncle Jack and Aunt Nan Herrick, Toby (child), Charles Halsey (sitting), Jesse Halsey (sitting), Pop Raynor (white hat, sitting), Uncle Boo White (doing sit ups?), Helen Halsey, Roy Ruland, Nan Ruland, Babbie Halsey, Sophie (child on ground), Helen Haroutunian, Frances Halsey, Meme Raynor (on hammock), Bill Bishop, Louise White, Nan Herrick, Alma Bishop, Helen Bishop White, Susan White (child), Alma “Bobbie” Bishop, Tom White Sr. (on ground), (06:52) Van Allen friends from Annapolis on boat with Jim Van Allen, Jim and friend (walking on beach), Abbie (in car), Abbie and Jim at Halsey Neck Lane

3) (07:33) Shinnecock Summer 1949 Cynthia Van Allen, Bill Halsey (in sailor suit), unidentified baby? (in chair), Abigail Van Allen (holding Cynthia), Jesse Halsey, Joe Haroutunian Jr., Bill Halsey (on hammock), Abbie and Cynthia, Jesse, Joe Jr., Bill, Helen Halsey (in doorway), Sophie Haroutunian (w/ girl in doorway and swimming in pink suit w/ swim hat), Toby Talmadge (dark-haired girl in water), Amanda Ruland Talmadge (woman in surf in hat with blond boy?), unidentified girl? (in blue suit in water), Jerry and Jeannie Adams (in water), Joe Jr. (dark shorts on beach), Aunt Ibby (sitting in sunhat on left), Abbie (black suit), Helen Haroutunian (standing), two women on right (friends of Herricks?), Amanda and Toby, Joe Jr., and Aunt Edna Ruland (back to camera), Amanda Talmadge (with blond baby?), Edna Ruland (lower right corner), Helen Haroutunain (waving on beach), Frances Halsey (white suit), unidentified woman (in sunglasses and bikini?), Amanda Talmadge (with blond baby?), unidentified woman (in dark suit) and child (in red suit) in surf?, Sophie and Joe Jr. (in surf), Jerry Adams (young boy standing on beach), Helen and Sophie (coming out of water), Bobbin White? (first boy running toward camera), Tommy Honnet (mother is Joanna Ruland), Charles Halsey, Jr. (sticking out tongue), Jerry Adams, (all running out of water toward camera), girl in robe?, Jeannie Adams (girl in bathing cap), Helen and Sophie, unidentified woman? (dark suit, ponytail), girl in sunglasses?, Jane Bishop (white suit on right), (09:27) Jesse Halsey (cutting watermelon), Joe Jr., (on left), Boojie White (right of Jesse), Joe Jr., (on Jesse’s lap eating watermelon), Toby (to Joe Jr.’s right in overalls), Bill Halsey (in sailor suit), unidentified child (Bishop child? to right of Bill Halsey), Cynthia (baby on left), Tom White Jr. (baby on right)

© Anne Halsey. All rights reserved. -->

Dr. John Mason Little

Dr. John Mason Little | Biography

by Ronald Rompkey

LITTLE, JOHN MASON, surgeon and hospital administrator; b. 9 June 1875 in Boston, son of John Mason Little and Helen Beal; m. 24 Sept. 1911 Ruth Esther Keese in St Anthony, Nfld, and they had five sons and one daughter; d. 23 March 1926 in Brookline, Mass.

......

      Little’s early career seems to have been marked by self-indulgence. In 1907 he attempted to “cure” himself by volunteering to serve with the medical mission founded by Dr Wilfred Thomason Grenfell at St Anthony, Nfld. Grenfell required a sound hospital administrator and a surgeon to carry out a full range of procedures, especially those associated with tuberculosis, the most devastating affliction in the colony. A keen outdoorsman as well as a bon viveur, Little revelled in the physical demands of the job, patrolling the Northern Peninsula by dog team in winter and sailing along the Labrador coast in summer. In short order, he gained recognition as one of the most competent surgeons in Newfoundland and transformed a pioneer hospital into a centre for advanced work. He wrote his mother with some self-satisfaction in June 1908, “I have not a doubt whatsoever that should I want to stay here I could have the whole surgical practice of Newfoundland in a not very long time.” Later that year, fearing that he would be lured to a more lucrative practice, Grenfell broke his fundamental rules of voluntary involvement and primary commitment to mission work and offered Little (a Unitarian) an annual salary of $1,000, which he accepted on the understanding that he would not have to participate in the mission’s religious activities.

......

      By 1917 Little was ready to re-enter the medical community in Boston, where his father was prepared to back him. In addition to his differences with Grenfell, he had not been well for two years. The physical demands of his work had become increasingly difficult, and he had a growing family to consider. He tendered his resignation in June 1917 and left in October with his wife, an American who had taught at St Anthony, and their four children. He was subsequently appointed surgeon to outpatients at Massachusetts General, visiting surgeon to the Long Island Hospital, and instructor in surgical technique at the Harvard Medical School. He later became medical examiner of the New England Mutual Life Insurance Company and chief surgeon of the Boston and Albany Railroad.

Dr. John Mason Little | Obituary | March 25, 1926

Published: March 25, 1926
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