John Darling White was the second son of William White and Mary Darling White. He was born on November 18, 1812 probably on his grandfather, Grafton White's farm near Maidsville, Virginia, across the Monongahela River from Morgantown, Virginia. He moved with his wife and several other brothers to western Monongalia County, Virginia around 1820. He married Elizabeth Sanders, daughter of John and Esther (Griffin) Sanders, on September 18, 1834, in Monongalia County, Virginia. John was said to be one of the oldest and best known members of the Methodist Episcopal Church in his part of the state. He was converted in the first prayer meeting held on the head of Dunkard Creek. The meeting was held in his father's home and his mother led the meeting. John and Elizabeth spent the first few years of their married life in Jollytown, Greene County, Pennsylvania, just a few miles north of his parents’ home across the Mason-Dixon line. Later, around 1845, John and Elizabeth built a home and moved to a farm near St. Cloud, Virginia where John owned and operated a blacksmith shop. They had nine children. The first four were born near Jollytown. The last five were born near St. Cloud. They were all born before West Virginia seceded from Virginia and became an independent state in 1863. The Oak Forest Methodist Church was built on a part of his farm in 1882. Elizabeth died March 5, 1868. John died December 9, 1894. They are buried at the cemetery adjoining the Oak Forest Church.