Urban Valentine Williams Darlington
Encyclopedia
Urban Valentine Williams Darlington (3 August 1870 – 1954) was an American
Bishop
of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South
, elected in 1918.
Darlington was born in Shelby County, Kentucky
, the son of James H. and Kitty (Pemberton) Darlington. Urban married Miss Lyda Clark of Millersburg, Kentucky
30 October 1901. Urban was educated in the common schools of his county. He then became a 1893 graduate of Kentucky Wesleyan College
.
Rev. Darlington was Licensed to Preach in the M.E. Church, South 16 August 1890. He was admitted on trial to the Kentucky
Annual Conference
in 1896. He served the following appointments in Kentucky: Washington
(four years), Millersburg (one year), and Scott Street Church, Covington
(four years). Rev. Darlington then transferred to the West Virginia
Annual Conference, serving these appointments: St. Paul's Church, Parkersburg (1905-09) and Johnson Memorial Church, Huntington
(1909-1913). In 1913 he was appointed Presiding Elder of the Ashland District (until 1914). He was made Financial Agent of Morris Harvey College, Barboursville, West Virginia
(1914-15), being elected President
of the college in 1915, where he served until his election to the Episcopacy.
As a Bishop he served in Kentucky, West Virginia, Mississippi
and in Europe
(Belgium
, Poland
, and Czechoslovakia
). He also served as the President of Kentucky Wesleyan College
at Winchester
, 1924-25.
He was inducted into the Kentucky Wesleyan College Alumni Hall of Fame
in 2005.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South
Methodist Episcopal Church, South
The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, or Methodist Episcopal Church South, was the so-called "Southern Methodist Church" resulting from the split over the issue of slavery in the Methodist Episcopal Church which had been brewing over several years until it came out into the open at a conference...
, elected in 1918.
Darlington was born in Shelby County, Kentucky
Shelby County, Kentucky
Shelby County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2010, the population was 42,074. Its name is in honor of Isaac Shelby, the first Governor of Kentucky. Its county seat is Shelbyville...
, the son of James H. and Kitty (Pemberton) Darlington. Urban married Miss Lyda Clark of Millersburg, Kentucky
Millersburg, Kentucky
Millersburg is a city in Bourbon County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 842 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Lexington–Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Millersburg is located at ....
30 October 1901. Urban was educated in the common schools of his county. He then became a 1893 graduate of Kentucky Wesleyan College
Kentucky Wesleyan College
Kentucky Wesleyan College is a private Methodist college in Owensboro, Kentucky, a city on the Ohio River. KWC is just 40 minutes east of Evansville, Indiana, 2 hours north of Nashville, Tennessee, 2 hours west of Louisville, Kentucky, and 4 hours east of St. Louis, Missouri...
.
Rev. Darlington was Licensed to Preach in the M.E. Church, South 16 August 1890. He was admitted on trial to the Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
Annual Conference
Annual Conference
An Annual Conference in the United Methodist Church is a regional body that governs much of the life of the "Connectional Church." Annual conferences are composed primarily of the clergy members and a lay member or members from each charge . Each conference is a geographical division...
in 1896. He served the following appointments in Kentucky: Washington
Washington, Kentucky
Washington is a village near the Ohio River in Mason County in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It is one of the earliest settlements in Kentucky and also one of the earliest American settlements west of the Appalachian Mountains...
(four years), Millersburg (one year), and Scott Street Church, Covington
Covington, Kentucky
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 43,370 people, 18,257 households, and 10,132 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,301.3 people per square mile . There were 20,448 housing units at an average density of 1,556.5 per square mile...
(four years). Rev. Darlington then transferred to the West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
Annual Conference, serving these appointments: St. Paul's Church, Parkersburg (1905-09) and Johnson Memorial Church, Huntington
Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at...
(1909-1913). In 1913 he was appointed Presiding Elder of the Ashland District (until 1914). He was made Financial Agent of Morris Harvey College, Barboursville, West Virginia
Barboursville, West Virginia
Barboursville is a village in Cabell County, West Virginia, United States. It is located near the second largest city in the state, Huntington. The population was 3,183 at the 2000 census....
(1914-15), being elected President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the college in 1915, where he served until his election to the Episcopacy.
As a Bishop he served in Kentucky, West Virginia, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
and in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
(Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, and Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
). He also served as the President of Kentucky Wesleyan College
Kentucky Wesleyan College
Kentucky Wesleyan College is a private Methodist college in Owensboro, Kentucky, a city on the Ohio River. KWC is just 40 minutes east of Evansville, Indiana, 2 hours north of Nashville, Tennessee, 2 hours west of Louisville, Kentucky, and 4 hours east of St. Louis, Missouri...
at Winchester
Winchester, Kentucky
Winchester is a city in and the county seat of Clark County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 16,724 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Lexington-Fayette, KY Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, 1924-25.
He was inducted into the Kentucky Wesleyan College Alumni Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame
A hall of fame, wall of fame, walk of fame, walk of stars or avenue of stars is a type of attraction established for any field of endeavor to honor individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field...
in 2005.