In 1875 great-grandfather George W. Eldridge published the first Eldridge Tide and Pilot Book. This classic has been published annually by the same family for over 125 years. In 1918, grandfather Wilfrid O. White, who had married George's daughter, Ruth, founded the Kelvin & Wilfrid O. White Company, anufacturers for two generations of the highest quality navigation instruments. Around 1950, the company became Wilfrid O. White & Sons, Inc., manufacturing compasses, binnacles, auto-pilots, and depth sounders; as well as, wind and weather instruments.

In 1961, the company was sold. Robert Eldridge White, son of Wilfrid O. White, established Robert E. White Instruments, Inc. as a distributor and dealer of better-quality navigation and weather instruments, as well as distributor of Eldridge.

Two of his sons, Robert E. White,Jr.("Ridge") and Bruce B. White, headed the company beginning in 1990. After the passing of Bruce White in 2002, Ridge's daughter, Alissa White Kissel, joined the company. She is helping to continue the long tradition of offering a level of service and quality of product which keep customers satisfied years after purchase.