White Era 1866 - 1904

How Charlotte Henry White and Sophronia Bronson became friends is not known. However, they were both abolitionists from New York and cared a great deal for the welfare of formerly enslaved people after the Civil War. Whatever the reason, Charlotte made her way down to Palatka and set up a school for freed slaves sponsored by the New York Chapter of the Freedmen's Union Commission in 1866.

We know from accounts that the school was always held at the then-vacant Sunny Point, and that Sophronia Bronson had agreed to lease the home to the Commission for that specific use. The school was successful, but financial troubles within the Commission led it to close in 1868. Charlotte must have enjoyed living in Palatka, because she decided to remain there after the school's closing, and offered to buy Sunny Point from Mrs. Bronson.

Charlotte married Nathaniel White, originally from Michigan, in 1874. Palatka church donation records show that the couple began to use Sunny Point as a winter home, and traveled during the summer. It was most likely during these travels that they met nursing student Mary Mulholland. The Whites and Mary became close, and Mary probably spent her vacations traveling with them.

Nathaniel's health began to fail in the 1890s, and it is believed that the Whites hired Mary on as a full time nurse. He died in 1895, but Mary stayed on with Mrs. White at Sunny Point as her companion and nurse. In 1904, a few days before Mrs. White herself passed away, she conveyed the house and estate over to Mary to thank her for her years of companionship and service.