On February 4, 1924, the Middlesboro Daily News carried a remarkable tale that could have been lifted straight from the pages of a novel. It was the story of an immigrant housepainter known to the townspeople as Steve White—a man who had spent the past twenty years painting homes, spinning stories of far-off places, and keeping a secret that would astonish everyone.
For two decades, Middlesboro residents knew him simply as Steve White. He was a hardworking man, quiet yet friendly, always willing to share an intriguing tale or two. But in the fall of 1923, his life took an unexpected turn.
Mr. White became seriously ill, so much so that he believed he was on his deathbed. As his condition worsened, he found solace in faith, converting to Presbyterianism and joining the local church. It was to this congregation that he chose to reveal his long-guarded truth: his real name, Gustave Salomez, his distant family, and an inheritance that seemed almost too extraordinary to believe.
According to his confession, White had a sister in London and a brother in Canada. More importantly, he was heir to a substantial family estate in France. Whether due to modesty, estrangement, or simply a desire for a different life, he had never pursued his inheritance. Instead, he had spent two decades in Middlesboro, earning a living with a paintbrush rather than claiming the wealth that awaited him overseas.
At first, the church congregation did not seem to take much notice of his revelation. When his condition deteriorated further, he was transferred to the county poorhouse, where he received care for four months. Yet, whispers of his claim reached the right ears, and a few inquisitive Middlesboro citizens decided to investigate.
What they uncovered was astonishing—it seems he had been telling the truth all along. His family had indeed been searching for him, and he was the rightful heir to a fortune left by his mother, valued at $250,000 at the time (equivalent to over $3.4 million today). Even more shocking, one of his brothers had passed away, leaving him an additional $500,000—bringing his total inheritance to over $10 million in modern terms.
Word spread quickly, and suddenly, the once-humble housepainter found himself the center of attention. Reporters and townsfolk alike were eager to learn more about the man who had unknowingly lived in relative poverty while being a millionaire. However, rather than embracing his newfound fame, White reportedly found the entire ordeal tiresome.
After recovering from his illness, he continued living in Middlesboro for a time, but he remained “disgusted with the fuss” surrounding his windfall. After word reached his “kin,” one of them traveled to meet with Gustave. After meeting, they declared that he was not the long-lost Gustave Salomez after all, ending White’s claim to that fortune.
Steve White died two years later at the Bell County poor farm.