King, William Henry

Passed: 1915-08-09

Age: 75

Source:

Death Notice:

Obituary Date: 1915-08-14

Information: William Henry King, the son of Elijah and Susana King, was born July 30, 1840, near the town of Ripley, Jackson county.  The Kings were among the first settlers of the Mill creek valley and were among the promoters of the public interests of the county of Jackson.  They were among the foremost of the citizens in establishing churches and schools. Elijah King's home was made the home of the Methodist preachers, hence it was a home of prayer.  Young William was impressed in early life with the power and the influence of christianity; while in his boyhood life he was converted and joined the church. Having finished his education in the common schools of the community, he taught school for some time.  The great war of the early sixties was spreading over the country.  Young King had his views and convictions as to the issues of the day.  During the summer of 1863 he went south and joined Jackson's command which was Co. D. 46 Battallion of Virginia Volunteers.  At the close of the war he returned home and was married to Emma F. Greenlea, and they established a home on the Kanawha river, near Thirteen Mile creek.  This union was blessed with three sons and two daughters.  Their mother died September 8, 1882. In 1884 he married Catherine T. Warden of Ravenswood, who became a mother to his children and proved to be a helpmate in rearing and educating his children.  God blessed his home in the person of this christian woman.  Time and money were spent in rearing and educating these children, but that was not enough, they must be connected with some church.  He left his home for four years and moved to Barboursville that his children might have the benefits of Barboursville College.  I was his pastor and found him a willing helper in church work and he was interested in the success of the college.  He represented the church as a layman in the conferences of the church. Having been connected with him for a number of years, I ever found him true to God and his church.  He was strangely afflicted for a number of years--strong and healthy, but he was paralyzed, by degrees in his limbs.  In this affliction which lasted for two years he was cheerful and submissive. When he returned to his farm from Barboursville, he built a church house on his land which he gave in a deed to the church.  It was a happy day in his life when he dedicated the little church to the worship of God. In the early morning of August 9, 1915, the soul of William Henry King passed to the beyond, 75 years and 30 days of age.  In connection this, his pastor Brother Auvil, and a large gathering of the farmers along the Kanawha Valley, in the church house which he had built for the worship of God, we conducted a service and laid his body to rest on the hill overlooking the Great Kanawha Valley--J Martin    (from a photo copy in the Ada Ruth Sayre collection-difficult to read)