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Traditions; Webster Definition


the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc.,
from generation to generation, esp. by word of mouth or
by practice: a story that has come down to us by popular tradition.


in honor of a tradition 1185 to 1956


PERRY WHITE Straight Grain Horn RPS smoking pipe
PERRY WHITE Straight Grain Horn grade RPS/Rare

In 1850, Thomas Smibert, in his book, Clans of the Highlands of Scotland writes, "All men admit the Clan MacGregor to be the purest branch of the ancient Gael of Scotland now in existence; true descendants, in short, of native Celtic stock of the country, and unmixed by blood with immigrants either of their own or any other race... those predatory habits, which appear to have been but too natural to the untutored Gael of early days, found a peculiarly free vent by their vicinity to the Lowlands, well cultivated as these were... the same circumstances exposed them doubly to the vengeance of the settled authorities of the south. The temptations of their situation led them into mischief and at the same time rendered them objects of retribution and punishment to an extent unknown in the annals of any other Highland Tribe. During the rein of Mary Queen of Scots, two acts of the Privy Council in 1563, gave authority to pursue the MacGregors with "fire and sword". By "Privy Council Act" of 1603, the very name of MacGregor was abolished, a proceeding which has no parallel in the annals of the country. All those who bore that name were commanded on pain of death to adopt other surnames". Two of the names believed assumed by Clan MacGregor members were WHITE or WHYTE Anglicized from Gaelic M'Illebhain. This ancestry can be traced back to 850 A.D... White to MacGregor to Alpine, Alpine being the oldest and most purely Celtic Clan of the Highlands, of royal descent from the Dynasty of Kenneth MacAlpine who united the Picts and Scots into one Kingdom. All this, by "word of mouth" was primarily the result of feuding over the distilling of ...Scotch. Tradition.


The White and McLachlins were close knit families and friends in Scotland with ties strengthened through marriage. In 1834 John White married Mary McLachlin and probably about the same time period, John's sister Isabella married John McLachlin. About 1840, both families "immigrated" to Canada. Now what is "handed down" by "word of mouth" from "generation to generation", is that John and Mary immigrated for fear of their lives. You see word has it they were actually run out of Scotland virtually at gun point, because John was a first rate bootlegger of some of the finest Scotch found in those days of competition, feuds, and literally, wars over who had the rights to distill and claim the best. Further it is "word of mouth" all the men, Whites and McLachlins, smoked their pipes as they enjoyed their scotch. John White was Perry White's grandfather. Tradition.


In 1863 John Martin White was born in London, Ontario, Canada. Same "word of mouth" has it that John Martin was continuing to learn the "family tradition" of bootlegging and found it prudent, around 1883 to "immigrate" to the United States, where he settled in Evart, Osceola County, Michigan. He married on Christmas Day 1884, and on September 30, 1885, Perry John White was born.


It was with Perry White the tradition of bootlegging ended. Well, the bootlegging ended, not the tradition of scotch. I, as a favorite grandchild, never knew he touched a drop, until I was grandfather age myself. Perry White in the early 1900's became employed by the Wisconsin Central railroad, which would be acquired by the Soo Line Railroad. He was first a Brakeman and then a Conductor. He was a Conductor until his retirement after 50 years of service. One of the reasons I mention his length of service is so I can tell you, he walked the trains so long, even his steps on real earth were controlled by the rock and roll of the rails. When he would come for a visit, I would run to meet him at the car, and he would offer his finger for me to hold onto as he walked, slowly, side to side like a sailor, always careful of his precious pipe. He walked so slow and carefully by nature, he would light his PIPE sometimes 3 times before we made the 30 yards to the house. It was mostly Sundays I could look forward to seeing him and the smells coming from his wonderful pipe all through the house, mingled with the chicken my mother was frying for Sunday dinner. I can remember, and almost smell, the tobacco, the many times I rode with my Grandmother in the big old Packard, to the train station to meet him. We would stand and wait for his train and she would ask if I had learned to tell time yet by asking what time was on the clock in the station. When he arrived, I would see him come off the train, in full uniform hat and all, shuffle down to greet us. As he was bending down to hug me, he was pulling his gold chained watch out of its pocket; and his pipe was out of his mouth and in my Grandmothers hands for care. After the hug he would always have me check his watch then look at the station clock, then tell me, he was "on time". The pipe went back in the mouth and I looked forward to the smells and aroma all the way home in the car.


Pa we called him... he was my introduction to pipes and tobacco...

It was because of him I started to smoke my pipes, currently, an over 45 year tradition in my family...

and it is because of him, I make them...


...in Honor of Tradition



Bob Swanson is the Pipemaker and the Grandson of Perry White

 
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Perry White ....  A Tradition in Smoking Pipes
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