He was the second child of Benjamin Franklin White and Thurza Melvina Golightly, whose other children were William Decatur, Robert H., Mary Caroline, Nancy Ogburn, Thurza Melvina, Benjamin Franklin, Junior., James Landrum, and Martha America. David Patillo White was born in October, 1828, in South Carolina, and moved with his family to Harris County, Georgia in 1842.
In 1844, B. F. White and Elisha J. King published The Sacred Harp, using the four-shape shape note system of notation. David Patillo White married Celeste V. Brown, the daughter of Reuben East. and Elizabeth Brown, in Barbour County, Alabama on December 16, 1852. They had ten children, including John T., Omer, Alice, Ella, James, Lena, Lula, Thomas L. and Minnie).
The family lived in Henry County, Alabama (1860 Census), before moving to Polk County, Texas (1870 Census), and later to Cherokee County, Texas (1880 Census).
David Patillo White composed five songs that appeared in the 1850 edition of the Sacred Harp, including Columbiana and Norwich. Song to the Lamb was added in 1869.
The 1869 Sacred Harp was the fourth edition on the book B. F. White released the 1869 edition with a committee selected by the Southern Musical Convention.
A year later, this same book was released bearing a copyright by B. F. White and Doctorate. P. White, perhaps clarifying ownership by the White family rather than the Convention.
Doctorate. P. White died October 23, 1903, and is buried in an unknown location, probably in Cherokee County. Celeste died in 1904.
David and Celeste White were members of Mountain. Selman Baptist Church (organisation 1890) in Cherokee County at their times of death.
