Mahala Catherine (Webb) White (1841 - 1925)

Born 6 May 1841 in Jefferson City, Cole, Missouri, United States

Ancestors

Wife of David Avis — married 1859 in Montague, Montague County, TX

Descendants

Died 5 May 1925 at age 83 in Wichita Falls, Wichita, Texas, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Charles Avis [send private message] and Norma Webb [send private message]

Biography

Mahala was born on 5–6-1841^[1][2][3][4] in Jefferson City, Missouri.^{[5][6][2][7][1][8][9]} She was the daughter of Jacob Walter Webb and Mary Elizabeth (Wray) Webb.^[10][2]

About 1859, the family moved to Montague Co., Texas.^[10] Shortly after, she married David Avis in 1859.^{[10][7][6][1]} Together they had 4 children:

1. James David Avis
2. Mary Victoria Avis
3. Nancy Belle Avis
4. Frank Marion Avis

David had been serving in the Texas Mounted Rangers, but was discharged on 3/28/1859 "in consequence of the exposure of family on the frontier."^[11] (presumably due to his recent marriage).

David and Mahala lived in a log house that stood west of the Montague courthouse, on the corner of the west block of the square. The old homestead was turned into a fort for defense against Indians with a stockade 8 or 9 feet high.^[7]

During this turbulent time, David and Mahala had four children: James David Avis (b. 1860), Frank Marion Avis (b. 1864), Mary Victoria Avis (b. 1865), and Nancy Belle Avis (b. 1867).^{[1][12][8][9]} James was the first settler’s child born in Montague.^[6][13] George Cox said, “He was about the first baby I had seen since I was a babe.”^[12]

After David died in 1868, Mahala married C. C. White^{[10][12][7][14]} (after the 1870 census^[8] but before 1872^[15]).

The White's moved to Wichita Falls about 1884^[16] or 1887 where C. C. White ran mercantile businesses until he died in 1896.^[1]

In 1898 she put down $4500 in gold to have a home built at 901 Burnett in Wichita Falls.^[16]

She passed away on 5/5/1925 at her home in Wichita Falls.^[2][3]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4} “Burial Mrs. White, Wichita Pioneer, to be in Montague”, Wichita Daily Times, 5-6-1925, p. 3. Transcript
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} Death Certificate of Mahala Webb Avis White Transcript
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Montague Cemetery, Montague, Texas Transcript
4. ↑ Family Bible of F. M. and Sally Avis in possession of Bob Gilbreath in 2010 Transcript
5. ↑ U. S. Census 1860, Montague County, Texas. Dwelling no. 682 Transcript
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} Johnson, Frank W., Barker, Eugene, Winkler, Ernest. A History of Texas and Texans. Chicago: American Historical Society, 1914. Vol. 4, p. 1957. Excerpt
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3} Paddock, Capt. B. B.. A Twentieth Century History and Biographical Record of North and West Texas. Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Co., 1906. pp. 579-580. Excerpt
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2} U. S. Census 1870, Montague County, Texas, Prec. #4, p.14. Transcript
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} U. S. Census 1880, Montague County, Texas, Enum. Dist. 119, p. 375. Transcript
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3} Fenoglio, Melvin E.. The Story of Montague County. Texas: Montague County Historical Committee, 1989. p. 91, 92, 855. Excerpt
11. ↑ Texas Muster Roll Abstracts. Texas State Library. Transcript
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1 12.2} Cox, G. W.. Pioneer Sketches. Montague County, Texas: Montague County Historical Committee, 1911. p. 17. Cox remembers Avis family of Montague
13. ↑ "Wichitan Passes", Wichita Daily Times 9-30-1935 p. 1 Transcript
14. ↑ Billie Avis Letter to Frances Brown 4-12-1987 Transcript
15. ↑ Letter to Lillian Avis Baum from Dr. Brown about her father J. D. Avis in possession of Avis-179 Transcript
16. ↑ ^{16.0 16.1} "LANDMARK PASSES IN REJUVENATION". Unknown Wichita Falls, Texas newspaper. Unknown date. Transcript

• Davis, Ellis Arthur, Shambling, Thomas S.. The Historical Encyclopedia of Texas. Texas Historical Society, 1941?. p. 1158. Excerpt
• Items in scrapbook of Lillian Avis Baum Transcript
• Remembrances of A. W. "Jake" Avis Transcript
• Reverse Index to Deeds, Montague Co., Texas Transcript
• Vann, Virginia & Romine, Martha. Montague Memorial Memories. V. M. Vance: Montague, Texas, 1985 Transcript
• Updated Biography of James David Avis by Piner D. Avis Transcript
• Updated Biography of James David Avis by A. W. Avis Transcript
• "At Mother's Funeral, Learns His Wife Dies". Dallas Morning News, 5/9/1925 Transcript
• "Mrs. F. M. Avis, Former Wichitan, Dies at Uvalde". Wichita Daily Times (Wichita Falls, Texas) 5/8/1925 Transcript
• Wichita Daily Times, Wichita Falls, Texas, 3/7/1942, p. 5 Transcript
• Wichita Co., Texas Probate Minutes vol. 2, p. 124-135, 177-182 Transcript of husband's probate
• Wichita Co., Texas Probate Minutes vol. 14, p. 588-590 Transcript