during the war of 1812, white enlisted in the united states army as a soldier and was promoted to the military rank of ensign. in 1815, white was qualified as clerk of court for both the county and circuit courts of hampshire county, virginia (now west virginia) and he continued to hold these offices through successive appointments and elections for 46 years between 1815 and 1861. to date, white remains the longest-serving clerk of court for hampshire county since the office's creation in 1757. as a prominent lawyer and court clerk, white taught jurisprudence. many of white's law students later became eminent lawyers and public officials in their own right, including henry bedinger, united states house representative and united states ambassador to denmark.