〉 Biographical Notes
Biographical Notes
Ellen Gould (Harmon) White, cofounder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, writer, lecturer, and counselor, and one upon whom Seventh-day Adventists believe the gift of prophecy was bestowed, was born in Gorham, Maine, November 26, 1827, one of eight children of Robert and Eunice Harmon. (UL 7.1)
During her seventy years of active service to the church, she found time to write voluminously. She is credited with having written 100,000 manuscript pages. This remarkable legacy to the church could alone have occupied Ellen White’s entire life, had she dedicated her time to little else but writing. (UL 7.2)
However, her service for the church embraces much more than writing. Her diaries tell of her public work, her travels, her personal labor, hostessing, contacts with neighbors, as well as of her being a mother and housewife. God blessed her abundantly in these activities. Her ambitions and concerns, her satisfactions and joys, her sorrows—her whole life—were for the advancement of the cause she loved. (UL 7.3)
Ellen G. White is reputed to be the most translated woman author and the most translated author in American history. For example, her little book Steps to Christ is available in more than 100 languages. (UL 7.4)
After a full life dedicated to the service of God and others, she died on July 16, 1915, confidently trusting in Him whom she had believed. (UL 7.5)
Born on a late fall day in a farmhouse near Gorham, Maine, Ellen Harmon spent her childhood and youth in nearby Portland. She married James White in 1846, and the struggling young couple lived in a variety of New England locations as they sought to encourage and instruct fellow Advent believers by their preaching, visiting, and publishing. After eleven irregular issues of The Present Truth, they launched the Second Advent Review and Sabbath Herald in Paris, Maine, in 1850. Thereafter they followed a steadily westward course—to Saratoga Springs, New York, and then Rochester, New York, in the early 1850s, and finally, in 1855, to Battle Creek, Michigan, where they resided for the next twenty years. (UL 8.1)
1827, November26 Born at Gorham, Maine.
1836 (c.)Broken nose and concussion at Portland, Maine.
1840, MarchFirst heard William Miller present the Advent message.
1842, June 26Baptized and accepted into Methodist Church.
1844, October 22Disappointed when Christ did not come.
1844, DecemberFirst vision.
1845, SpringTrip to eastern Maine to visit believers; met James White.
1846, August 30Married James White.
1846, AutumnAccepted seventh-day Sabbath.
1847-1848Set up housekeeping at Topsham, Maine.
1847, August 26Birth of first son, Henry Nichols.
1848, April 20-24Attended first conference of Sabbathkeeping Adventists at Rocky Hill, Connecticut.
1848, November 18Vision to begin publishing work—“Streams of Light.”
1849, JulyFirst of eleven numbers of The Present Truth, published as a result of the vision of November, 1848.
1849, July 28Birth of James Edson, second son.
1849-1852Moved from place to place with her publisher-husband.
(UL 8)
1851. JulyFirst book published, A Sketch of Experience and Views.
1852-1855In Rochester, New York, where husband published Review and Herald and Youths Instructor.
1854. August 29Third son, William Clarence, born.
1855. November Moved with the publishing plant to Battle Creek, Michigan.
1855. December “Testimony for the Church,” number I, a sixteen-page pamphlet, published.
1856, SpringMoved into their own cottage on Wood Street.
1858. March 14“Great Controversy” vision at Lovett’s Grove, Ohio.
1860, September 20Fourth son, John Herbert, born.
1860, December 14Death of John Herbert at three months.
(UL 9)
The 1860s saw Ellen White and her husband in the forefront of the struggle to organize the Seventh-day Adventist Church into a stable institution. The decade was also crucial in that it encompassed the beginnings of Adventist health emphasis. Responding to Mrs. White’s appeal, the church as a body began to see the importance of healthful living in the Christian life. In response to her “Christmas Vision” of 1865, our first health institution, the Western Health Reform Institute, was opened in 1866. The institute later grew into the Battle Creek Sanitarium. (UL 9.1)
1860, September 29Name Seventh-day Adventist chosen.
1861, October 8Michigan Conference organized.
1863, MayOrganization of General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.
1863, June 6Health reform vision at Otsego, Michigan.
1863, December 8Death of eldest son, Henry Nichols, at Topsham, Maine.
1864, SummerPublication of Spiritual Gifts, volume 4, with thirty-page article on health.
1864, AugustVisit to James C. Jackson’s medical institution,
1864, SeptemberOur Home on the Hillside, Dansville, New York, en route to Boston, Massachusetts.
1865,Publication of six pamphlets, Health: or How to Live.
1865, August 16James White stricken with paralysis.
1865, December 25Vision calling for a medical institution.
(UL 9)
1865, DecemberMrs. White takes James White to northern Michigan as an aid to his recovery.
1866, September 5Opening of Western Health Reform Institute, forerunner of Battle Creek Sanitarium.
1867Purchased a farm at Greenville, Michigan, and built a home and engaged in farming and writing.
(UL 10)
Residing at Greenville and Battle Creek, Michigan, respectively, until late 1872, and then dividing her time between Michigan and California, Ellen White spent her winters writing and publishing. During the summer she attended camp meetings, some years as many as twenty-eight! Testimonies, numbers 14-30, now found in Testimonies, volumes 2-4, were published during these years. (UL 10.1)
1868, SeptemberAttended first SDA camp meeting, held in 1-7 Brother Root’s maple grove at Wright, Michigan.
1870, July 28Second son, James Edson, married on his 21st birthday.
1870The Spirit of Prophecy, volume 1, published; forerunner of Patriarchs and Prophets.
1872, JulyIn Rocky Mountains resting and writing en route September to California.
1873-1874Divided time between Battle Creek and California, attended camp meetings, and spent some months in 1873 in Colorado resting and writing.
1874, April 1Comprehensive vision of the advance of the cause in California, Oregon, and overseas.
1874, JuneWith James White in Oakland, California, as he founded the Pacific Press Publishing Association and the Signs of the Times.
1875, January 3At Battle Creek for dedication of Battle Creek College. Vision of publishing houses in other countries.
1876, February 11William Clarence, third son and manager of the Pacific Press, married at the age of 21.
1876,August Spoke to 20,000 at Groveland, Massachusetts, camp meeting.
1877The Spirit of Prophecy, volume 2, published; forerunner of The Desire of Ages.
1877, July 1Spoke to 5,000 at Battle Creek on temperance.
1878The Spirit of Prophecy, volume 3, published; forerunner of last part of The Desire of Ages, and The Acts of the Apostles.
(UL 10)
1878, NovemberSpent the winter in Texas.
1879, AprilLeft Texas to engage in the summer camp meeting work.
1881, August 1With husband in Battle Creek when he was taken ill.
1881, August 6Death of James White.
1881, August 13Spoke for ten minutes at James White’s funeral at Battle Creek.
(UL 11)
Following James White’s death in August, 1881, Ellen White resided in California, at times in Healdsburg and at times in Oakland. She labored there, writing and speaking, until she left for Europe in August, 1885, in response to the call of the General Conference. During the two years in Europe she resided in Basel, Switzerland, except for three extended visits to the Scandinavian countries, England, and Italy. Returning to the United States in August, 1887, she soon made her way west to her Healdsburg home. She attended the 1888 General Conference session at Minneapolis in October and November; following the conference, while residing in Battle Creek, she worked among the churches in the Midwest and the East. After a year in the East she returned to California, but was called back to attend the General Conference session at Battle Creek in October, 1889. She remained in the vicinity of Battle Creek until she left for Australia in September, 1891. (UL 11.1)
1881, NovemberAttended the California camp meeting at Sacramento and participated in planning for a college in the West, which opened in 1882 at Healdsburg.
1882Early Writings published, incorporating three of her early books.
1884Last recorded public vision, at Portland, Oregon, camp meeting.
1884The Spirit of Prophecy, volume 4, published; forerunner of The Great Controversy.
1885, SummerLeft California for trip to Europe.
1887, SummerThe Great Controversy published.
1888, OctoberAttended Minneapolis General Conference.
1889, NovemberTestimonies, volume 5, published, embodying Testimonies, numbers 31-33—746 pages.
1890Patriarchs and Prophets published.
1891, September 12Sailed to Australia via Honolulu.
(UL 11)
Responding to the call of the General Conference to visit Australia to aid in establishing an educational work, Ellen White arrived in Sydney, December 8, 1891. She accepted the invitation somewhat reluctantly, for she had wanted to get on with her writing of a larger book on the life of Christ. Soon after her arrival she was stricken with inflammatory rheumatism, which confined her to her bed for some eight months. Although suffering intensely, she persisted in writing. In early 1893 she went to New Zealand, where she worked until the end of the year. Returning to Australia in late December, she attended the first Australian camp meeting. At this camp meeting, plans for a rural school were developed that resulted in the establishment of what became Avondale College at Cooranbong, 90 miles north of Sydney. Ellen White purchased land nearby and built her Sunnyside home late in 1895. Here she resided, giving her attention to her writing and traveling among the churches until she returned to the United States in August, 1900. (UL 12.1)
1892, JuneSpoke at opening of Australian Bible School in two rented buildings in Melbourne.
1892Steps to Christ and Gospel Workers published.
1894, JanuaryJoined in planning for a permanent school in Australia.
1894, May 23Visited the Cooranbong site.
1895, DecemberMoved to her Sunnyside home at Cooranbong, where much of The Desire of Ages was written.
1896Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing published.
1898The Desire of Ages published.
1899-1900Encouraged the establishment of Sydney Sanitarium.
1900Christ’s Object Lessons published.
1900, AugustLeft Australia and returned to United States.
(UL 12)
When Ellen White settled at Elmshaven, her new home near St. Helena in northern California, she hoped to give most of her time to writing her books. She was 72 and still had a number of volumes that she wished to complete. She little realized how much traveling, counseling, and speaking she would also be called upon to do. The crisis created by the controversies in Battle Creek would also make heavy demands on her time and strength. Even so, by writing early in the morning, she was able to produce nine books during her Elmshaven years. (UL 12.2)
1900, OctoberSettled at Elmshaven.
(UL 12)
1901, AprilAttended the General Conference session at Battle Creek.
1902, February 18Battle Creek Sanitarium fire.
1902, December 30Review and Herald fire.
1903, OctoberMet the pantheism crisis.
1904, April-SeptemberJourneyed east to assist in the beginning of the work in Washington, D.C., to visit her son Edson in Nashville, and to attend important meetings.
1904, November-DecemberInvolved in securing and establishing Paradise Valley Sanitarium.
1905, MayAttended General Conference session in Washington, D.C.
1905The Ministry of Healing published.
1905, June-DecemberInvolved in securing and starting Loma Linda Sanitarium.
1906-1908Busy at Elmshaven with literary work.
1909, April-SeptemberAt the age of 81 traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend the General Conference session. This was her last trip east.
1910, JanuaryTook a prominent part in the establishment of the College of Medical Evangelists at Loma Linda.
1910Gave attention to finishing The Acts of the Apostles and the reissuance of The Great Controversy, a work extending into 1911.
1911-1915With advancing age, made only a few trips to southern California. At Elmshaven engaged in her book work, finishing Prophets and Kings and Counsels to Parents and Teachers.
1915, February 13Fell in her Elmshaven home and broke her hip.
1915, July 16Closed her fruitful life at the age of 87. Her last words were “I know in whom I have believed.” Testimonies, volumes 6-9, were also published in the Elmshaven years.
(UL 13)