William Smith King (December 16, 1828 – February 24, 1900) was a Republican

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

for Minnesota 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.

Early life

William S. King was born to Reverend Lyndon King in Malone, New York in Franklin County on December 16, 1828. At the age of 12, his mother died and he left home and became a farm hand.

Career

Early career

In 1846, he moved to Otsego County, New York and worked as a solicitor for mutual insurance companies. He began a newspaper career in

Cooperstown, New York Cooperstown is a village in and county seat of Otsego County, New York, United States. Most of the village lies within the town of Otsego, but some of the eastern part is in the town of Middlefield. Located at the foot of Otsego Lake in the C ...

in 1852 by becoming an editor of the ''Free Democrat'', a campaign paper in Cooperstown for

George Washington Julian George Washington Julian (May 5, 1817 – July 7, 1899) was a politician, lawyer, and writer from Indiana who served in the United States House of Representatives during the 19th century. A leading opponent of slavery, Julian was the Free Soi ...

and

John P. Hale John Parker Hale (March 31, 1806November 19, 1873) was an American politician and lawyer from New Hampshire. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1843 to 1845 and in the United States Senate from 1847 to 1853 and again fro ...

, Free Soil Party candidates for

U.S. President The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...

. He received the title of Colonel while serving under General Burnside in the New York Guard.

Newspaper career

King moved to Minneapolis in the summer of 1858, where he continued in journalism and raising cattle. He founded the ''State Atlas'', a weekly newspaper, in 1859. King became known for his strong editorials and columns opposing slavery. Later, he helped create the ''

Minneapolis Tribune The ''Star Tribune'' is the largest newspaper in Minnesota. It originated as the ''Minneapolis Tribune'' in 1867 and the competing ''Minneapolis Daily Star'' in 1920. During the 1930s and 1940s, Minneapolis's competing newspapers were consolida ...

'', and became a major stockholder in the '' Pioneer Press'' in neighboring

Saint Paul Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...

. There are also indications that he became a principal owner of the ''

Minneapolis Journal The ''Star Tribune'' is the largest newspaper in Minnesota. It originated as the ''Minneapolis Tribune'' in 1867 and the competing ''Minneapolis Daily Star'' in 1920. During the 1930s and 1940s, Minneapolis's competing newspapers were consolida ...

''.

Political career

King became active in politics. He became a member of the Wide Awakes. King served as postmaster of the U.S. House of Representatives from July 5, 1861 to 1865 and 1867 to 1873. In 1874, he served as surveyor general of logs and lumber in the . Following that, he served one term during the

44th congress The 44th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1875, ...

as a

from 1875 to 1877. He refused to obey a subpoena issued by a committee to investigate the proceedings of a subsidy for the Pacific Mail Steamship Company. He was asked by members of the legislature to resign, but was ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing.

Other pursuits

In Minnesota, Colonel King also became involved in railroads and related pursuits. There are indications he was among the first people to lay streetcar rails in Minneapolis, perhaps as early as 1867. Around 1870, he helped execute a contract to build the first section of the

Northern Pacific Railway The Northern Pacific Railway was a transcontinental railroad that operated across the northern tier of the western United States, from Minnesota to the Pacific Northwest. It was approved by Congress in 1864 and given nearly of land grants, whic ...

. In 1877, he built a large pavilion at Lake Calhoun in the city. A tourism boom was occurring at the time. He later sold it to Louis F. Menage, who converted it to a hotel. However, the hotel was eventually destroyed by a fire. In 1869, King with three others, including

George A. Brackett George Augustus Brackett (September 16, 1836 – May 17, 1921) was a businessman and Republican politician who served as the sixth mayor of Minneapolis. He was also involved in the development of the White Pass wagon road during the Klondike ...

and Dorilus Morrison, purchased a farm in Minneapolis after the city council refused to purchase it to make a park. During the 1870s, he helped organized the Lakewood Cemetery Association and built a estate. The estate was named Lyndale Farm, named after his father, and reached south from 34th Street to Lake Harriet, allowing ample room to gather choice breeds of cattle for breeding purposes. 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. A portion of the Lyndale Farm was given to Philo Remington and King later filed suit against Remington after Remington sold his deed to the land. 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.

Personal life

King married Mary Elizabeth Stevens of

Ilion, New York Ilion is a village in Herkimer County, New York, United States. The population was 7,790 at the 2017 census. The village is at the northern edge of the town of German Flatts, though a tiny portion is in the town of Frankfort. It is south of the ...

. King later married Caroline M. Arnold, also of Ilion. He had a son, Preston, and a daughter.

Death

King died on February 24, 1900 at his home in Minneapolis. Upon his death in Minneapolis in 1900, his body was interred at Lakewood Cemetery.

Glossary

* King's Fair: precursor to the Minnesota State Fair that was held in South Minneapolis from 1877 through 1882. Since 1979 the name has also been used for a biennial gathering in the Seward neighborhood. William S. King was a sponsor and organizer of the early fairs.King's Fair, Minneapolis
''placeography.org''. Retrieved: February 11, 2013. * King Field: neighborhood in South Minneapolis named after William S. King, whose borders extend from Lyndale Avenue in the west to Interstate 35W in the east and from 36th Street in the north to 46th street in the south.Kingfield, Minneapolis.
''placeography.org''. Retrieved: February 11, 2013. *King's Highway: section of Dupont Avenue in South Minneapolis honoring William S. King. *King's Hill: popular sledding hill at Lyndale Farmstead Park.Lyndale Farmstead Park.
''minneapolisparks.org''. Retrieved: February 11, 2013. * Lyndale Avenue: Minneapolis street taking its name from Lyndale Farm, a 1,400-acre estate owned by William S. King. *Lyndale Farmstead Park: recreational area at 39th Street and Bryant Avenue South that was part of a vast farm belonging to William S. King and named for his father, Rev. Lyndon King. * Northrup-King Seed Company: prominent Minnesota business, whose founders included William S. King and his son Preston. *Oakwood Farm in Litchfield: Owned by William S. King and leased by W. H. Gibson.David Rumsey Map Collection.
''davidrumsey.com''. Retrieved: November 4, 2013.

References

*Russel L. Olson (1976). ''The Electric Railways of Minnesota''. Minnesota Transportation Museum, Hopkins/H. M. Smyth Co., St. Paul.

WaterLaws.com. Accessed May 26, 2004.

Star Tribune The ''Star Tribune'' is the largest newspaper in Minnesota. It originated as the ''Minneapolis Tribune'' in 1867 and the competing ''Minneapolis Daily Star'' in 1920. During the 1930s and 1940s, Minneapolis's competing newspapers were consolida ...

. {{DEFAULTSORT:King, William S. 1828 births 1900 deaths People from Franklin County, New York American abolitionists American postmasters New York National Guard personnel Politicians from Minneapolis 19th-century American politicians Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Minnesota Burials at Lakewood Cemetery