Robert White (February 7, 1833 – December 12, 1915) was an American military officer, lawyer, and politician in the U.S. state of West Virginia.

He was educated at the Romney Classical Institute, worked in his father's clerking office for six years, and studied jurisprudence under John White Brockenbrough at his Lexington Law School.

Prior to the outbreak of the American Civil War, White was commissioned a captain of the Frontier Riflemen, which later became Company I of the 13th Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment, commanded by Colonel A. P. Hill in 1861.

In 1864, he was commissioned as a colonel in command of the 23rd Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment and served in that capacity until the unit disbanded in April 1865.

He devoted his efforts to bringing economic development to the South Branch Potomac River Valley, which had been desolated during the war.

White subsequently served two terms as the city solicitor of Wheeling, and was later counsel for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company.

[2][6] White obtained his primary education in local common schools, including the Romney Classical Institute, which was presided over by Dr. William Henry Foote.

[1][4][7] Following the completion of his legal studies, White was admitted to the bar on March 30, 1854, and immediately began practicing law in Romney.

[9] In 1860, following John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry in October 1859, a Virginia uniformed volunteer military company known as the Frontier Riflemen was formed with White as commanding officer in the rank of captain.

[2][4][10] Following the outbreak of the Civil War, Governor John Letcher ordered the Frontier Riflemen to report to Lieutenant General Stonewall Jackson at Harpers Ferry.

[10][11] The company marched from Harpers Ferry to Winchester and returned to Romney in June 1861, at which time they occupied the town for several days.

[10] During the Winter of 1861–62, White was reassigned to the ordnance department and served in that capacity until 1863, when he was authorized to raise and command a battalion of cavalry.

[17] White devoted his efforts to bringing economic development to the South Branch Potomac River Valley, which had been devastated during the course of the American Civil War and remained undeveloped during the Reconstruction Era.

[19] Following this meeting, an inspired group of Hampshire County women assembled and adopted a constitution for the Confederate Memorial Association, of which White's wife served as a president.

The discipline, the progress of the pupils in their studies and their general improvement, deserve the highest commendation and entitle our deaf and dumb and blind institution to the unstinted patronage of the state.

[11] White also created a railway line linking Romney with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad mainline at Green Spring.

[14] During his tenure as attorney general, White was in charge of several important lawsuits, among the most prominent being the state's pursuit of tax liabilities from railroad companies.

The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Company obtained an injunction against the levying of the taxes, leading to a judicial test case.

[30] White traveled to the Green County Courthouse where he was met by an infuriated mob of Gregg's friends and supporters who had been awaiting him.

[30] White was associated with another high profile case, Kitzmiller v. Williams, which involved the belligerent rights of former Confederate soldiers.

In the performance of these duties you have been so zealous, industrious, painstaking and conservative as to attract the attention and win the respect and confidence of the entire legislature and to deserve thanks and gratitude not only of your fellow members but of the people of the state at large.

[11][17][29] White was a member of the arbitration convention of the Sons of the American Revolution which was held in Washington, D.C., in May 1896, and also served as the president of the West Virginia Society of that organization.

[42] From his early adulthood until his death, White was a Freemason and served as Grand Master of the state of West Virginia in 1875.

[45] A reproduction of Washington's funeral services were held at Mount Vernon, and White served as a commander of the occasion, where he stood beside President William McKinley during his address to those in attendance.

For example, White was to have been the guest of James Taylor Ellyson, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia during the United Confederate Veterans Reunion Week in Richmond, but cancelled his visit on May 30, 1915, on account of his ill health.

[48] He was also slated to give the address at the commencement exercises of the Richmond Academy on June 4, 1915, but was unable to attend due to his declining health.

[49] White died of "old age" on December 12, 1915, in his residence on Bae Mar Place in Wheeling, after having been ill for six months prior.

[17][31][32] Through her mother, Ellen Vass was related to Chief Justice of the United States John Marshall and Robert E. Lee, and her paternal grandfather was a wealthy merchant in Fredericksburg.

"[3] In his 1915 obituary published in both the Charleston Daily Mail and The Wheeling Intelligencer, White was described as "always kind, courteous, but at the same time strictly exact.

"[1] In May 1915 Virginia Lieutenant Governor Ellyson said that Richmond owed more to White than any other man for his efforts in securing the location of the Confederate Memorial Institute.