1821 - 1881
White was co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist
Church along with his wife Ellen and Joseph Bates.
He was the fifth of nine children, and in early
years had such poor eyesight that he could not
attend school. At age 19, with his eyes improved,
he went to school, studying 18 hours a day, and
in 12 weeks had a certificate to teach. He later
attended school another 17 weeks, making his total
school time, 29 weeks.
After a second year of teaching, James learned
of the Millerite message from his mother, and
committed himself to preaching the advent doctrine.
In the winter of 1843, 1,000 persons were won
through his preaching. He was ordained as a minister
in the Christian Church in 1843. James remembered
meeting Ellen Harmon before the 1844 disappointment,
but their association did not begin until early
1845. James and Ellen were married by a justice
of the peace on August 30, 1846.
For the first six years of their marriage the
Whites did not have a home of their own, living
at times with her parents or with friends. In
November 1848, Ellen White was shown in vision
that James should begin to print a paper, and
that it would grow until its light would shine
around the world. Beginning in 1849 James published
The Present Truth. It became The Review and Herald
in 1850. Publishing was done through public printers
for three years, in several locations. The Whites
finally had their own home in Rochester, New York,
in 1852. With borrowed and inexpensive furniture
they set up housekeeping, sharing the home with
several who helped in the printing. In 1855 the
publishing work moved into more permanent quarters
in Battle Creek, Michigan.
James and Ellen White participated together in
many enterprises. In 1848 they attended all six
Sabbath Conferences in the Northeast United States,
where a line of truth was established through
diligent Bible study, in groups from 15 to 50.
Ellen White's visions did not take the place of
Bible study, but served to confirm their study,
and kept the group from wandering into fanciful
or fanatical beliefs. More such meetings were
held in 1849 and 1850, and the Whites attended
most of them.
Visions given to Mrs. White often required her
husband to take some action. In the 1850s it was
organization. James was asked to be the first
president of the General Conference when it was
organized in 1863, but he declined in favor of
John Byington. James then served as the second
president, and for several other terms as well.
Ellen's visions led to the establishment of the
first Adventist college in Battle Creek in 1874.
Again, James White was the chief promoter of this
After suffering a severe stroke in 1865, James
was taken by his wife to Dansville, New York,
to a hydropathic (water therapy) institution.
Though he received some help, there were several
practices that did not agree with the concepts
Mrs. White had been shown in vision. After three
months, they went to Rochester, New York, where,
on Christmas day, she had a vision that led her
husband to establish the Western Health Reform
Institute in Battle Creek the following year.
This was the beginning of what was to become the
Battle Creek Sanitarium.
Thus, a college, a medical institution, publishing
work, and organization--all were begun by James
White, in response to visions given to his wife.
Together, they gave strong leadership to the church
for 35 years. He died at age 60 in 1881, leaving
Ellen White to continue her work alone for another