New York Times Obituary

 

William S. White

Photo from a scrapbook of Edna Myrl Redden Stewart clipped from The De Leonian

William S. White and his wife June McConnell in Frankfort, Kentucky.


     William S. White, winner of the 1955 Pulitizer Prize for Biography or Autobiography for The Taft Story was a 1923 graduate of De Leon High School.  He was the son John Van Dyke White (1868-1935) and Lucia Alberta Smith White (1881-1968) and was probably born in Toccapola, Mississippi in 1905.  The family moved to De Leon in 1906.  His brothers were John Arch White and Goen White.  He had at least one sister Doris White Roe.

   He played bass drum in the school orchestra. The Class of 1923’s class will stated “We will William White’s place as a chronic critic, also a few hints on ignorance to Ronald Meyers.” He participated in the Sophomore play and on February 23, 1923 he played the college student in the Senior play.

    After graduation from the University of Texas, he went to work for the Austin American Statesman and then the Associated Press and continued with that organization for the next twenty years.

   From 1945 until 1958 he was the Washington reporter for the New York Times.   In 1958 he became a nationally syndicated columnist and continued in that position until 1973.

    He also authored Citadel: The Story of the U.S. Senate in 1956, Majesty and Mischief: A mixed Tribute to F.D.R., and The Professional: Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964.

    He and his wife June were living in Frankfort, Kentucky in 1981 when contacted for the De Leon Centennial.  He died in 1994.