Alexander King was born in North Carolina [1] on 21 November 1787. [2] Alexander's family moved to Tennessee, where he met and married Nancy Gordon, whose family had migrated to Tennessee from Virginia. [3] Nancy was born in Virginia c. 1786. [4] They probably married about 1813-14, as their two eldest children, Samuel and John, were born c. 1815 while they were still in Tennessee. [5] Soon after they relocated to Indiana, where sons James and Alexander were born, James c. 1816 and Alexander on 13 January 1820. [6] The 1820 census shows Alexander King residing in Crawford County, Indiana, working in agriculture. [7]
In 1821 Alexander brought his family to Greene Co. IL, and settled in what became Linder township. [8] On 10 April 1824 he made the first of many purchases of land under the 1820 Public Lands Act, the first of many such purchases in Greene County, acquiring 80 acres of land. The deed lists his place of residence as Greene County. [9] The 1830 census showed Alexander living in Greene Co. [10] He continued to add to his land holdings, acquiring two parcels of land of 80 acres each in 1834, another two parcels of 40 acres each in 1839, and still another two parcels of 40 acres each in 1840, all in Greene County. [11] Alexander was also a leader in the growing community, being elected a county commissioner in 1824, 1828, 1836, and 1838. He and Nancy were also members of the Baptist church. [12]
Despite his political activity, his life was devoted to agricultural pursuits. In the 1840 census his residence was identified as Carrollton, the county seat, and he was assisted in his agricultural employment by two of his sons, still living at home. [13] In 1850 he was living between Macoupin and Apple Creeks in Greene County, a farmer with a very substantial $3,840 in real estate. His two youngest sons were living with him, assisting him with his farm labors. [14] The agricultural census showed his major crops to be rye, corn, potatoes, and fruit. He owned 7 horses, 20 head of cattle, 20 sheep, and twenty pigs, providing him with a substantial amount of meat,butter, and wool. [15] In 1860 his household had been joined by adopted daughter Ellen Jackson, born in Illinois c. 1847, and granddaughter Betsey, born in Illinois c. 1856. It is not clear to whom the granddaughter belonged, as all of Alexander's known children were still living, and she does not appear in any of the census records found for them. Alexander's real estate was now worth a prodigious $9000, and his personal property $2000. [16] His farm products included pigs, rye,corn, fruit, and butter. [17] By 1870 adopted daughter Ellen was no longer in the household, but Alexander and Nancy continued to raise granddaughter Betsey. [18] The agricultural census indicated that Alexander's farming activities had diminished as he had grown old, keeping many few animals and producing much smaller crops. [19]
Alexander in Greene Co. Illinois on 12 July 1872. [20] He is buried in Providence Cemetery in Carrollton. [21] In his will he provided generously for his widow, left substantial parcels of land to each of his sons, and $1600 to each of his daughters. [22] His wife Nancy died the following year. [23] She too is buried in the Providence Cemetery. [24]
Alexander King and Nancy Gordon had the following children:
| + | i. | Samuel King was born in Tennessee c. 1815. On 7 December 1832 he married Nancy Reno in Greene County. [25] Nancy was born in Tennessee c. 1815, and could not read or write. The couple remained in Illinois for over a decade, where their first six children were born, and then c 1843, after the birth of daughter Nancy c. 1842 and before the birth of their next child, Mary, c. 1844, they moved to Platte township, Andrew Co. MO, where Samuel was a farmer with $800 in real estate. They may have moved with some of Nancy's family, as the preceding family in the census enumeration is that of John Reno, also born in Tennessee. Interestingly, Samuel's birthplace is given as Indiana, although all other census records list his birthplace as Tennessee. [26] By 1860 The family had relocated permanently to Whitehead in Burr Oak township, Doniphan Co. KS, where Samuel was farming with $2200 in real estate. [27]It was not a far move, as Doniphan County is just across the state line from Andrew County, MO. In 1870 they were still there, in Wathena, holding $2500 in real estate and $800 in personal property. [28] Samuel was living in April of 1872, when his father made out his will, [29] leaving Samuel 60 acres of land, but had died by August 1874, when his surviving children, listed in the probate record as "the heirs of S. King dec." [30] | |
| + | ii. | John King was born in Tennessee c. 1815. [31] He married Charlotte Jackson on 26 April 1839 in Greene Co. [32] Lottie was born in Illinois c. 1822. In 1850 they were living between Macoupin and Apple Creeks, where John was farming, with real estate valued at $1600. [33] John clearly prospered in his affairs. In 1860, still in the same location, under the Carrollton post office, he had come to be possessed of $6000 in real estate and $1000 in personal property, and his business included milling as well as farming. [34] 1870 found him there as well, now working exclusively as a miller, assisted by son Alexander, and holding $10,000 in real estate and $410 in personal property. [35] He was still living in April 1872, when his father drafted his last will and testament bequeathing John 60 acres. [36] He passed away before August 1874 when the accounting for the estate listed three of his adult children as heirs. The October accounting identified Thomas H. Boyd as administrator for John King's estate. [37] | |
| + | iii. | James G. King was born in Indiana c. 1816. [38] On 23 February 1837 he married Elizabeth Johnson in Greene County. [39] Their family was living between Macoupin and Apple Creeks in 1850. James was a farmer, probably working his father's land, as no real estate was attributed to him. [40] Elizabeth gave him six children while they were living in Greene County, the last c. 1853. She had died by the time the family appeared in Burr Oak, Doniphan County, Kansas territory in 1860, where they had presumably gone to join James' older brother Samuel. James was a farmer, with personal property of $500, but again did not own real estate. [41] James was bequeathed 40 acres of land in his father's will. [42] He was still alive in September 1877, when he was listed as an heir in the final accounting. [43] | |
| + | iv. | Alexander King, Jr. was born 13 January 1820 in Indiana. He married Mary Waggoner on 30 October 1845 in Greene County. Mary was born in Kentucky c. 1826. | |
| + | v. | William R. King was born in Illinois [5] on 28 October 1825. [6] He died on 28 June 1914. [7] | |
| + | vi. | Thomas G. King was born c. 1826 in Illinois. [8] | |
| + | vii. | Catherine Jane King | |
| + | viii. | Esther Ann King | |
| + | (placement uncertain) | ___ King, died young. Born before 1820, as the 1820 census shows Alexander King with five males under the age of 10. [y] He had died by 1830, when the 1830 census showed Alexander with only four boys in that age group. [z] |