John White (Kentucky politician)

John White (February 14, 1802 – September 22, 1845) was a prominent US politician during the 1840s.

John White
15th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
In office May 31, 1841 – March 4, 1843
Preceded by	Robert M. T. Hunter
Succeeded by	John W. Jones
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kentucky
In office March 4, 1835 – March 3, 1845
Preceded by	James Love (9th) Willis Green (6th)
Succeeded by	Richard French (9th) John Preston Martin (6th)
Constituency	9th district (1835–43) 6th district (1843–45)
Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives
In office 1832
Personal details
Born	February 14, 1802 Middlesboro, Kentucky
Died	September 22, 1845(1845-09-22) (aged 43) Richmond, Kentucky
Resting place	Frankfort Cemetery
Political party	Whig
Profession	Lawyer

White was a native of Kentucky and practiced law there. White was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1832. He served as the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1841 to 1843, and was a member of the United States Congress from 1835 to 1845.

On April 23, 1844, White was involved in a physical confrontation on the House floor with Democratic Congressman George O. Rathbun of New York. White was delivering a speech in defense of Senator Henry Clay, the Whig nominee for President in that year's presidential election, and objected to a ruling from the Speaker denying him time to conclude his remarks. When Rathbun told White to be quiet, White confronted him and their disagreement lead to a fistfight between the two with dozens of their colleagues rushing to break up the fight. During the disturbance, an unknown visitor fired a pistol into the crowd, wounding a police officer. Both White and Rathbun subsequently apologized for their actions.[1]

White was appointed judge of the nineteenth judicial district of Kentucky and served in that capacity from February 8, 1845, until his death in Richmond, Kentucky on September 22, 1845.

White's 1st cousin, Addison White was a congressman from Kentucky at the same time representing the 6th District. Their shared nephew, John D. White, would also go on to represent Kentucky's 9th district in the late 1870s.

John White died by suicide on September 25, 1845 after it was discovered he had plagiarized one of the last speeches he gave in office from Aaron Burr.[2] White is buried in the Frankfort Cemetery in Frankfort, Kentucky.