Urban Valentine Williams Darlington

Who was Urban Valentine Williams Darlington?

Urban Valentine Williams Darlington 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 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, Millersburg, and Scott Street Church, Covington. Rev. Darlington then transferred to the West Virginia Annual Conference, serving these appointments: St. Paul's Church, Parkersburg and Johnson Memorial Church, Huntington. In 1913 he was appointed Presiding Elder of the Ashland District. He was made Financial Agent of Morris Harvey College, Barboursville, West Virginia, 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. He also served as the President of Kentucky Wesleyan College at Winchester, 1924-25.