During the month of December, Rosenberg Library will exhibit a collection of historic Christmas cards donated by Mr. and Mrs. Z.L. White, Jr. in 1946. The oldest cards in the collection belonged to Mr. White’s parents and date from the 1870s. The later cards, which date from the 1920s, were addressed to the donors and to their extended family members.
About the White Family
Z.L. White, Jr. of Galveston was the son of Zebulon Lewis White, a distinguished American journalist during the 19th century. Born in Massachusetts in 1842, White graduated from Tufts College in 1866. He became a reporter for the New York Tribune, quickly advancing to day editor. In 1870, he was named chief Washington correspondent and covered several political conventions. After the death of his first wife, Z.L. White married Ida Morton Drummond in 1882, and together the couple raised two daughters and two sons, including Zebulon Lewis, Jr.
Born in 1875, Zebulon Lewis, Jr. settled in Galveston in 1894 and began his career in real estate insurance. His wife, Louise Robertson Lewis (d. 1973), was an accomplished organist. The Whites were generous supporters of Rosenberg Library, donating countless rare books and artifacts to the collection. The couple had two children and lived at 2602 Avenue N (Ursuline) for many years.
