White, Joseph, 1713-1777

Joseph White was a Quaker minister from Bucks County, Pennsylvania. He was born at Fallsington, Pennsylvania to William White and Sarah Bye White on the 8th of 2nd Month 1713 (28th of 11th month 1712, Old Style). White began to preach in the twentieth year of his age. Being an orphan, he was brought up by relatives who so well performed the task that Samuel Foulke said of him, "though he had only a mechanic education, he was admirably raised, and endowed with gifts natural and divine". White traveled in the ministry in Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina, and in 1758 went to England, Ireland, and parts of Wales on a similar mission, where he remained three years. Upon his return to North America he moved to Makefield, Pennsyvlania.

White married twice. His first marriage was in 1740 to Martha Lippincott, daughter of Samuel Lippincott and Hope Wills Lippincott. The couple had three children before Martha's death. In 1749 White remarried to Hannah Taylor, daughter of Benjamin Taylor, with whom he had five more children.

From a young age White had occasional chest pains and suffered from periods of bad health that could last anywhere from days to several years. As he got older these began to last longer and his overall health deteriorated. By the end of his life, White was barely able to sleep. He was taken with a paralytic fit after speaking at Falls Meeting and died 10 March 1777 at the age of 64. White was buried at Falls, Pennsylvania. He had served as a minister for about 44 years.

Adapted from the Dictionary of Quaker Biography, Haverford College Quaker & Special Collection.