Samuel White Pearlstine (1847-1922) was born in Poland to Tanchum “Thomas” Pearlstine (c.1817-1877) and Janetta “Janie Esther” Karesh Pearlstine (1819-1897). In 1856, the Pearlstine family immigrated to the United States, and initially settled in Due West, South Carolina. By 1870, however, they had moved to Midway, South Carolina, where Tanchum worked as a merchant and Samuel worked as a clerk, likely for his father. About four years after Samuel married Sallie Livingston (1852-1898). By 1880, they had three children, Jacob Pearlstine (1874-1961), Rachel (born c.1875), and Thomas Pearlstine (born c.1878), and had moved to Branchville, South Carolina, where Samuel worked as a dry goods merchant. In 1900, Samuel was living in Bamberg, South Carolina, where he continued to work as a merchant, likely for his son, Jacob, who owned grocery, dry goods, and clothing store J. W. Pearlstine.