James Edson White

James Edson White was an American author, publisher, and missionary, born on July 28, 1849, in Rocky Hill, Connecticut. Often known as Edson White, he was the second son of James and Ellen G. White, two leading pioneers of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Early in life he learned the printing trade and later became known for energetic, independent work in publishing and ministry. Sources about his life consistently highlight his role in developing Adventist mission work in the postwar South, especially among African Americans, as well as his work with religious publishing.

He died in 1928. Today, he is remembered less simply as the son of famous parents and more as a determined worker who used practical skills, organization, and a strong sense of mission to reach communities that his church had largely overlooked.