"An Illustrated history of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties : with a
brief outline of the early history of the state of Oregon." Chicago?: Western
Historical Pub. Co., 1902.  Page 308.  Baker County.

JACOB B. WHITE, M.D.

     Upon no class of men are the issues of life and death so dependent as upon
the physicians and thus it is that popular sentiment calls that they be men of
great ability and stanch integrity and thorough training, that they may the more
successfully cope with the dread enemies, disease and suffering.  Baker county
may well be proud of her quota of medical residents and well toward the head of
this distinguished number must be placed the name of the prominent and skillful
young doctor whose name initiates this paragraph and to whom we are pleased to
accord a representation in this volume.
     Doctor White is the son of Calvin G.and Emily (Thompson) White, being born
on July 12, 1871, at Fremont, Nebraska.  His father was a chaplain in the Civil
war and after the close continued in the ministry in the Methodist Episcopal
church and for a term of years was presiding elder of the Omaha and Lincoln
districts.  During his time in that state he was captain of company C. of the
Nebraska Home Guards and did some hard fighting in the Sioux Indian outbreak.
After a long life of faithful and distinguished service in the cause of his
Divine Master, he fell asleep on November 23, 1883.  His widow also departed
this life on June 30, 1900, in Kansas City.  The  immediate subject of this
sketch was taken by his parents to Lincoln, in his native state and there
attended the public schools until fifteen years of age and then entered the
State University, from which he took with honor the degree of B.S. in 1892.
Immediately following this, he matriculated at the University of Michigan and
graduated from that institution in 1895 with the degree of Doctor of Medicine
and Surgery.  In 1896 he came to Huntington in Baker county, and located and
since that date he has given himself to the practice of medicine with a
manifestation of skill and depth of erudition that have speedily and permanently
won for him not only a large and lucrative practice but have also given him a
high place in the esteem and affection of the people.  Among his confreres he is
held in high repute, having gained the distinction and encomiums that his real
worth merits.  The Doctor has displayed marked financial ability and keen
foresight in his business life, and the meed of this worthy action is shown in
that he is one of the heavy mine owners of his town.  He owns and controls the
Amyl group of mines in the southeastern part of the county, also the Eldorado
group of placer mines near Malheur city; he is also largely interested in the
Eldorado Oil company in Malheur county and is a heavy shareholder in the
Huntington Light and Artesian Water Company.
     Among the first to detect the indications of oil in the recently discovered
oil-belt of Idaho and Oregon, he gave all of his leisure hours for months to a
thorough and exhaustive study of the geological formation there existing; from
April to August in the year just past, the work proceeded quietly, with frequent
pauses during the press of professional duties.  During the month of August, the
work of other investigators drew public attention to the task in hand and then
in a few weeks was inaugurated the first stage of either the greatest oil-boom
or one of the most laughable location crazes in modern times.  The calm serenity
of the Doctor's researches in geological lore soon changed to a hasty effort to
secure for himself and friends the fruits of his labor.  The whole country was
overrun with locators of all descriptions from every walk of life.  The hills
and valleys  fairly bristled with posts topped with location notices, many of
the latter being fearfully and wonderfully made.  Returning surveyors became
more or less gratuitous instruments for the spread of the infection, and
generally succeeded in augmenting the excitement.  From the general chaos
resulting, the Doctor succeeded in locating several thousand acres of the
choicest portions of the oil lands in the interest of a company of western
capitalists who later incorporated under the name of the "Inter-State Petroleum
Oil Company."  This company, of which the Doctor was elected secretary, is now
proceeding with the thorough exploiting of their property in the field, having
in view the permanent growth and rational development of the same.  Though too
early to predict with certainty the outcome of the present undertaking of this
and other companies, it is safe to say that no stone will be left unturned to
tap nature's reservoir of crude petroleum, and secure for this portion of the
state, if possible, an era of prosperity unprecedented in size and permanence.
     The marriage of Doctor White and Miss Jessie M., daughter of Joseph M. and
Ella M. (Smith) Duffy, was solemnized on June 21, 1899.  Mr. Duffy was one of
the most prominent men of the county in his time and his death occurred in the
spring of 1896, while his widow is still living in Huntington.  Doctor White is
fraternally affiliated with the I.O.O.F. Burnt River Lodge, No. 86, and at the
present time holds the position of noble grand in that lodge, also is a member
of the Rebekahs, Eastern Gate, No. 40, and of the Modern Woodmen and the Woodmen
of the World.

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in September 2005 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.