Zenas Leonard White
Zenas Leonard White, president and manager of The Z. L. White Company, which conducts one of the must successful department stores of Columbus, Ohio, was for many years a resident and well known business man of Delaware, Ohio.
Mr. White was born in Brown Township, Delaware County, Ohio, and is a son of George and Elizabeth (Leonard) White. His grandfather, Fisher White, whose given name was derived from his mother's maiden name, was born near Baltimore, Maryland, and was a farmer throughout life. In 1802 he removed to Washington County, Pennsylvania, and there lived until his death. George White was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania, in 1802, and lived there until after his marriage, then about the year 1825 moved with his family to Delaware County, Ohio. He located upon a farm in Brown Township and lived there until 1855, then sold out and moved to Centerburg, Knox County, Ohio. The last two years of his life were passed in Mt. Vernon, Ohio, where he died in February, 1860. He was a member of Hiram Lodge. No. 18, F. & A. M., of Delaware. He and his wife were members of the Methodisl Episcopal Church, and he assisted in building the church at Eden. He married Elizabeth Leonard, a daughter of Joseph Leonard, who came from Green County, Pennsylvania, at an early date and located in Brown Township. Seven children were born of this union, of whom our subject is the only one now living. Four grew to maturity, as follows: Eliza, deceased wife of Andrew Fry of Brown Township; Leah, now deceased, formerly wife of James Sackett; Fisher, deceased; and Z. L. Franklin died when 13 years old.
Zenas L. White lived upon the farm until he was fourteen years of age. He attended the common schools of his home district and Centerburg High School two years, after which he attended Ohio Wesleyan University. He then went to Mt. Vernon and clerked in a dry goods store for two years, after which he returned to Delaware County, and in partnership with his brother, Fisher, opened a general store at East Liberty, Porter Township, under the firm name of F. & Z. L. White. They began in the fall of 1860 and after a time our subject purchased the interest of his brother, continuing there five years. He was then located in Cardington five years, and in 1870 moved his business to Delaware, where he continued alone, except for three or four years during which time he had a partner, until 1884. The success with which he had met prompted him to seek a larger field for operations, and in that year he removed to Columbus, locating at No. 102 High Street, where he still continues. There he first had as partners W. B. Denman and J. W. Stevenson, business being conducted under the firm name of White. Denman & Co. At the end of the first year he purchased the interests of his partners, and took into partnership his son. Homer E. White, and Mr. J. R. Lane, the firm name becoming Z. L. White & Company. The firm continued unchanged until the death of Mr. Homer F. White in 1892, Mr. Lane continuing in the business until 1897, at which time Z. L. White again become sole proprietor. In 1903 The Z. L. White Company was incorporated, with Mr. White as president and manager, and has since continued the business with uninterrupted success. Mr. White is also identified with other business interests, being president of the Buffalo Fertilizer Company; president of the Pennsylvania Fertilizer Company of Scranton, Pennsylvania; president ot the Columbian Building, Loan and Investment Company of Columbus; and vice-president of the City National Bank. He founded the Homer E. White chair of economics at Ohio Wesleyan University shortly after the death of his son, with an endowment of $30,000, and in addition he contributes annually to its support. He has ever evinced a deep interest in educational matters, contributing liberally of time and money to the cause. He has been a trustee of Ohio Wesleyan University for a period of fourteen years, and served two years on the School Board for the city of Columbus, one year of that time presiding over that body. He also is a trustee of the Chautauqua Institution at Chautauqua, New York; and is trustee and treasurer of the Protestant Hospital at Columbus.
Mr. White was joined in marriage with Helen Blayney, a daughter of George Blayney, of Porter Township, Delaware County, Ohio, and she died in 1878, leaving two children: Homer E., who died in 1892; and Anna W., a graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University, who is wile of Edward D. Jones, professor of economics at the University of Michigan. Mrs. White was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He formed a second marital union with Miss Eliza Frey, who was born in Porter Township, Delaware County, where her father, Rev. James Frey, a Baptist minister, had a charge for many years. One child was born to them and died in infancy. Religiously, they are members of the Broad Street M. E. Church at Columbus, in which Mr. White has filled all the offices save that of president of the board of trustees. He is at present serving as secretary and treasurer. He has been a Christian for more than 50 years. At East Liberty he was a member of the Presbyterian Church, was elder three years, and was superintendent of the Sabbath School all the time he resided there except for a part of the first year. Politically, he has always been a Republican.
From 20th Century History of Delaware County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, Edited and compiled by James R. Lytle, Delaware, Ohio, Biographical Publishing Co., Chicago, 1908