William Smith King | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Kingc. 1865–1880 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMinnesota's3rd district | |
| In office March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1877 | |
| Preceded by | John T. Averill |
| Succeeded by | Jacob H. Stewart |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William Smith King (1828-12-16)December 16, 1828 |
| Died | February 24, 1900(1900-02-24) (aged 71) Minneapolis,Minnesota, U.S. |
| Resting place | Lakewood Cemetery Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Elizabeth Stevens Caroline M. Arnold |
| Children | 2 |
| Profession |
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William Smith King (December 16, 1828 – February 24, 1900) was aRepublicanU.S. Representative forMinnesota from March 4, 1875, to March 3, 1877. He was a journalist and businessman. He is best known for allegations of political corruption during this congressional term. The House of Representatives did not specify his offense, but decided it was constitutionally unable to punish him for actions that took place before he entered Congress. He did not run for reelection.[1]
William S. King was born to Reverend Lyndon King inMalone, New York, inFranklin County on December 16, 1828.[2][3][4] At the age of 12, his mother died and he left home and became a farm hand.[2]
In 1846, he moved toOtsego County, New York, and worked as a solicitor formutual insurance companies.[2] He began a newspaper career inCooperstown, New York, in 1852 by becoming an editor of theFree Democrat, a campaign paper in Cooperstown forGeorge Washington Julian andJohn P. Hale,Free Soil Party candidates forU.S. President.[2][3] He received the title of Colonel while serving under General Burnside in theNew York Guard.[3]
King moved to Minneapolis in the summer of 1858, where he continued in journalism and raising cattle. He founded theState Atlas, a weekly newspaper, in 1859. King became known for his strong editorials and columnsopposing slavery.[2] Later, he helped create theMinneapolis Tribune, and became a major stockholder in thePioneer Press in neighboringSaint Paul.[2] There are also indications that he became a principal owner of theMinneapolis Journal.
King became active in politics. He became a member of theWide Awakes.[2] King served aspostmaster of the U.S. House of Representatives from July 5, 1861, to 1865 and 1867 to 1873.[2][3][5] In 1874, he served as surveyor general of logs and lumber in theSecond Congressional District of Minnesota.[2][3]
Following that, he served one term during the44th congress as aU.S. Representative from 1875 to 1877.[5] He refused to obey a subpoena issued by a committee to investigate the proceedings of a subsidy for thePacific Mail Steamship Company. He was asked by members of the legislature to resign, but was ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing.[3]
In Minnesota, Colonel King also became involved inrailroads and related pursuits. There are indications he was among the first people to laystreetcar rails in Minneapolis, perhaps as early as 1867.[citation needed] Around 1870, he helped execute a contract to build the first section of theNorthern Pacific Railway.[2] In 1877, he built a large pavilion atLake Calhoun in the city. Atourism boom was occurring at the time. He later sold it toLouis F. Menage, who converted it to ahotel. However, the hotel was eventually destroyed by a fire.
In 1869, King with three others, includingGeorge A. Brackett andDorilus Morrison, purchased a 40 acres (0.16 km2) farm in Minneapolis after the city council refused to purchase it to make a park.[6] During the 1870s, he helped organized theLakewood Cemetery Association and built a 1,400 acres (5.7 km2) estate.[3][6][7] The estate was named Lyndale Farm, named after his father,[4] and reached south from 34th Street to Lake Harriet, allowing ample room to gather choice breeds of cattle for breeding purposes.[3] His herd, including Shorthorn, Ayrshire, and Jersey, evolved into the best in the nation—to some, the world's finest. King's land, originally located in Richfield, was annexed to Minneapolis in 1867 by the state legislature.[8] A portion of the Lyndale Farm was given toPhilo Remington and King later filed suit against Remington after Remington sold his deed to the land.[2]
In 1883, King resurrected Minneapolis's Board of Trade and they established the Minneapolis Board of Park Commissioners. He served as a member of the board in Minneapolis from April 25, 1885, to April 1887.[6][9]
King married Mary Elizabeth Stevens ofIlion, New York. King later married Caroline M. Arnold, also of Ilion. He had a son, Preston, and a daughter.[2][6][10]
King died on February 24, 1900, at his home in Minneapolis.[11] Upon his death in Minneapolis in 1900, his body was interred atLakewood Cemetery.
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromMinnesota's 3rd congressional district 1875–1877 | Succeeded by |
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Minnesota Historical Society
Hennepin County Library
Placeography
Articles
Louis F. Menage
