John Marshall White was born on June 18, 1947 in St. Joseph at the Sisters Hospital, within site of his grandparents home on Lincoln Street. He was named after his uncle, Sergeant John Marshall who died in the Philippines during WW2 as a prisoner of war.
As a young student at Edison School, Marshall discovered a passion for history. Around that same time he remembers being inspired by his grandparents antiques.
Marshall graduated from Central High School in the 100th graduating class. While attending junior college his application for VISTA was accepted. He was assigned to the Carroll Service Council in Georgia where he worked on a variety of youth, housing, jobs and community projects. One day in the spring he was asked to deliver food to a Head Start Program. He walked in that afternoon carrying a case of food commodities and in the far corner there was a light bulb hanging from a wire and underneath was the teacher, Melanie Bedenbaugh. He was thunderstruck. Ten months into the VISTA Program he was given draft notice and returned to St. Joseph to enlist in the Navy. He married his sweetheart and was assigned to Guam for 14 months. Melanie was able to join him there and taught school. Marshall was reassigned and served on ships and did 3 tours in Vietnam. Completing service in the Navy he returned to Georgia to his wife and daughter and earned a degree in history from the University of West Georgia.
The family moved to Kentucky where Marshall worked with the State archives and the courts. While in Kentucky he studied paper making, letter press printing and book binding. He studied to understand, grasp and experience the history of the book. Twenty years after he left St. Joseph he returned. Marshall worked at several businesses in St. Joseph and while doing so he began his publishing career. At age 50 he discovered what he really wanted to do when he received an invitation to write for the St. Joseph News Press. Marshall has contributed to and authored over a dozen books. Subject matter ranging from The American Revolution in Georgia, a Tribute to John Jacob Niles, Thomas Clark, Robert Pennwarren, a couple of miniature books and numerous works on St. Joseph history. He is a noted St. Joseph historian. Marshall also enjoys stamps and coins as a hobby.
He is a master at weaving together obscure information to create a picture of place in time. Marshall’s contribution to the history of St. Joseph will be of benefit to the people of the St. Joseph area for many generations to come.
