Town of Sherburne, Chenango County, New York
Sketch of Devillo White, M.D.
The original of this sketch, Devillo White, of Sherburne,
Chenango county, N. Y., was born Feb. 11, 1801, and was married to
Caroline Pratt, oldest daughter of Joshua Pratt, Esq., (one of the
respected pioneers of the town,) in 1824. Devillo White's early life was
passed in a hotel kept by his father, and was not of a character that
generally precedes a record so full of interest and usefulness as his
proved to be. At the age of 23 years, after having sowed his share of the
wild oats of his day, he found himself educated and qualified to assume
the arduous and responsible duties of a physician, but without means to
purchase his saddle-bags to begin with; but his indomitable will and
determination overcame all obstacles in his pathway and he finally settled
down to his life-work, resolved to succeed professionally and financially.
After over fifty years of active practice, we find he has fully succeeded
in his purpose, standing high as he does in his profession, and having
amassed a fortune second to none in this section. In politics he was
always a fearless and zealous advocate of the principles of the old Whig
party, and afterwards was warmly attached to the Republican party, ready
and eager at all times to do battle for the cause whenever opportunity
presented itself. During the late war, when the country was trembling for
its very existence, he gathered together all the means he could and
invested the same in government securities, and even borrowed money of his
more timid neighbors, who had no faith in the success of our arms, and
invested as above, thus proving his loyalty to his country in her
distress.
No more forbearing or lenient creditor was ever known, and there is,
to-day, many a happy and prosperous family, made so by his pecuniary
assistance, and now at his advanced age, being in his eightieth year, he
transacts all his own business without the aid of a book-keeper, and even
finds time to attend professionally to the wants of some of his old
customers.
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Source: Taken in part from Smith, James H., History of Chenango and Madison Counties, New York. D. Mason & Co. Syracuse, NY 1880.