Our Missouri Kings

I received the following from the Missouri United Methodist Archives in Fayette, Missouri. These five obituaries, all written by our great great grandfather William King, occupied a full column in the Saint Louis Christian Advocate, a publication of the Methodist Episcopal Church-South. These passages are remarkable on many levels, not the least of which is the demonstration of the fragile nature of our very existence. -- Greg

St. Louis Christian Advocate, Thursday, September 21, 1854

Died -- Of cholera, at his residence, near Harrisonville, Cass county, Mo., July 9, 1854, Rev. Nathan King, in the fifty-sixth year of his age.

The subject of this memoir was the son of Rev. Robert and Henrietta King, and was born June 26th, 1799, in Ashe County, N. C. Of his early life I have but little information. He embraced religion, I think, about his eighteenth year, and joined the M. E. Church. On the 20th of April, 1820, he was united in matrimony to Miss Mary Bowers. About his twenty-fifth year he was licensed to preach, and in 1838 or 1839 he was ordained deacon, if I am correct, by Bishop Waugh, in Knoxville, Tenn. In the winter of 1832 he removed from North Carolina to Tennessee, and settled in Campbell county, where he remained till 1843, when he emigrated to Cass county, Mo., where he closed his earthly pilgrimage.

Early inured to the hardships of life, and taught to earn his living by the sweat of his face, he did not forget the "one thing needful," and although comparatively poor in this world, he was rich in love, and had laid up treasure in heaven, "where neither moth nor rust do corrupt, and where thieves do not brake through, nor steal." He lived a strictly honest, upright and pious life, beloved and esteemed by all who knew him. He was a devoted minister of the gospel; and to the extent of his ability warned sinners to repent, and "flee from the wrath to come." He was an excellent neighbor, a kind husband, and an indulgent father; has left six orphan children to mourn their loss; but thank God we mourn not as those who have no hope, our loss is his infinite gain, and though he cannot return to us, we can go to him. He died in the full triumphs of faith with a blissful hope of life and immortality beyond the grave; his last words were, "I have long since made my peace with God; death has no terror to me, though I am sorry to leave my poor motherless children." May the God of the orphan protect us, and bring us safe to heaven, where we may again unite and compose a family in glory, to spend an eternity in ascribing glory, honor, majesty and dominion to Him that loved us and gave himself for us. -- William King, Cass county, Mo., 1854

Also - July 6, 1854, of the same disease, Mary King, wife of Rev. N. King, in the fifty-fifth year of her age. She was the daughter of Peter and Matilda Bowers, and was born in Grayson county, Va., Jan. 29, 1801. While she was quite young, her father moved to Ashe county, N. C., where she was married to N. King, and shortly after embraced religion and joined the M. E. Church, at Helton camp ground, North Carolina. To give her history would be to repeat that of her husband; but suffice it to say, she was an affectionate wife, a kind mother, and above all a true Christian. We have lost in her a mother, whose place can never be filled on earth. She preceded her husband only three days; in her last moments she left a bright example of the power of religion, in enabling her to
triumph over the monster. She shouted victory even in the arms of death, and calmly fell asleep in Jesus.

Thus lived and died a much loved, and now deeply lamented parent; those only who have lost a mother can properly reciprocate my feelings while writing this. May the orphans' God bless us, and enable us to meet our dear parents in heaven.--W.[illiam] K.[ing]

Also - July 6th, 1854, of the same disease, Isaac E. King, second son of Nathan and Mary King, in the 32nd year of his age. He embraced religion in 1841, in Campbell county, Tenn.; removed with his parents to Missouri, and in 1848, was married to Miss Nancy Corlew; on the 24th of December, 1853, he lost his wife, and on the 18th of March, 1854, his youngest child.

After the death of his wife he returned to his father's with two little children, where he died in a few hours after his mother.

He was a child of affliction and sorrow, but has gone from the evil to come. He died calm and peaceful; he met death without a murmur, and is now no doubt safely housed in heaven. -- W. K.

Also - Same day, and of the same disease, Wm. F. M. King, oldest child of Isaac E. King, in the fifth year of his age. Little William was a lovely child, and a child of promise, but death has nipped him in the bud, as fades the lovely blooming flower. - W. K.

Also - July 11th, 1854, of the same disease, Mary E. King, daughter of Nathan and Mary King, aged fourteen years. Mary was a promising child, just ripening into womanhood; but she is gone, and we trust is now singing the praise of God-on high.

How true are the words, "In the midst of life we are in death," and at such an hour as we think not the son of man cometh.

On the fourth day of July, we were all in perfect health. On the 11th, just one week, five were numbered with the dead. What a warning to those who are out of the ark of safety and trifling away the precious moments. - W. K. September 4, 1854.

Fortunately, William King survived this terrible time, for his daughter, our great grandmother Minerva Elizabeth King, was born in 1857. William passed away in 1870, and his obituary, also published in the St. Louis Christian Advocate, follows:

St. Louis Christian Advocate, Wednesday, May 11, 1870

KING - Bro. Wm. King was born in Knox [sic] county, North Carolina, May 6th, 1821, and died in Agency City, Mo., January 27th, 1870.

Bro. K was a son of Rev. Nathan King, who "trained him in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." As a natural consequence he embraced religion in early life. He joined the M. E. Church, and at the division adhered to the M. E. Church, South. In 1843 he was married to Miss Martha Richardson, but in 1845 the Lord was pleased to call her away. In 1848 he removed with his father to Missouri, and settled in Cass county. In 1850 he was married to Miss Perlina Harless, who, with their seven children, lives to mourn his loss.

In Cass county he served as class-leader for several years till his class was broken up by the enemies of our Church, and its members driven to seek refuge wherever they could be safe from their foes. Bro. King sought refuge in Illinois. When the war closed he returned to Missouri and settled in Agency, Buchanan county. His peace with God flowed as a river, increasing in volume till he was called away. On the morning of his death he was asked if he still felt reconciled to God. "Yes! Yes! he replied, "I am ready to go. I shall rest on a new bed to-night. We are going fast now. Oh, sweet Jesus, remain with me!" Scarcely had he ceased to speak ere he ceased to breathe. May the Lord who loves us all comfort the bereaved family and friend. - J. M. Stokes

Below is an outline of our King line, with those who's deaths are mentioned in the above obituaries in bold red font. 1853-1854 was not a good year for Nathan King's family in Missouri.

    Rev. Robert KING, b. circa 1769
    +Henrietta (--?--)
    ----- Rev. Nathan KING, b. 1799, d. 9 July 1854
    -----+Mary BOWERS, b. 1801, d. 6 July 1854
    ---------- William KING, b. 1821, d. 11 May 1870
    ----------+Martha RICHARDSON, d. 1845
    ----------+Perlina HARLESS, b. 1832, d. 1893
    --------------- Robert P. KING, b. 1851
    --------------- Jonathan M. KING, b. 1853
    --------------- Aaron? W. KING, b. 1855
    --------------- Minerva Elizabeth KING, b. 1857, d. 1937 (our great grandmother)
    --------------- Samuel KING, b. 1860
    --------------- Serling P. KING, b. 1867
    ---------- Isaac E. KING, b. 1824, d. 6 July 1854
    ----------+Nancy CORLEW, b. 1833, d. 24 December 1853
    --------------- William F. M. KING, b. 1849, d. 6 July 1854
    --------------- (--?--) KING, b. after 1849, d. 18 March 1854
    ---------- Nancy KING, b. 1828
    ----------+Orand SUMER
    ---------- Joseph B. KING, b. 1832
    ---------- Samuel P. KING, b. 1834
    ---------- Katharine N. KING, b. 1836
    ---------- Mary E. KING, b. 1839, d. 11 July 1854
    ---------- Louisa W. KING, b. 1842
    -----    +Fleming T. OWENS
    ----- David KING, b. 1806
    -----+Seneth (--?--), b. 1814
    ---------- William M. KING, b. 1833
    ---------- Emily J. KING, b. 1834
    ---------- James M. KING, b. 1836
    ---------- Robert E. KING, b. 1839
    ---------- Ann E. KING, b. 1843
    ---------- Mary E. KING, b. 1846
    ---------- George E. KING, b. 1848
    ----- John KING, b. circa 1809
    ----- Nancy KING, b. 1811
   -----+John ARNOLD

Our Missouri Kings...Cholera Outbreak of 1854