Person:John King (229)

For a short biography of John Rhodes King, see Texas Handbook

From an article published 29 Oct 1937: "the write up in the Stockdale papers of May, 1898 ... is given below:"

The deceased was born March 24, 1816 in Stewart County, Tenn., imm[i]grated to Texas in the year of 1837 and settled in Gonzales County. The next year he moved to Seguin where he resided for a number of years.

In those days things were quite different to what they are today, and when Capt. Caldwell organized his company of Rangers, deceased was made Sargeant of the company. He also joined in the Revolution of Mexico under General Carnales and returned to his home in 1840. Was with the men in San Antonino at the time of the fight with the Indian Chiefs, in which not one of the latter escaped. He was first Lieutenant in Capt. French Smith's Company in 1842 when San Antonio was evacuated and General Vasquez took possession. Deceased with the assistance of W. G. King [his brother] brought off a six pounder, the same being the only piece of Artillery saved by the Americans.

He was Sargeant of Capt. Bird's Co. and participated in the Salado fight which took place four miles below San Antonio. In 1845 he joined Capt. Ben McCulloch's Company and was under General Taylor in Mexico. Subsequently he joined Capt. H. E. McCulloch's company and served on the frontier during the years 1846-47. While in this service he and two of his companions, Mr. Riggins and Foley, were charged upon by a band of Indians and were forced to seek the aid of a friendly thicket on the Gabriel Creek; here they remained from 2 p.m. until the shades of night lent her assistance to aid their escape, not however until two of the red men had made their exit to the happy hunting ground.

In the spring of 1848, while the cholera was raging in San Antonio, he was serving as Quartermaster, was taken sick and returned home.

In 1850 he again joined a company organized by H. E. McCulloch to serve six months. At the expiration of this service, he in November 1850 became united in marriage to Miss Eliza Wheeler, who has been through all the succeeding years his true companion, sharing alike his joys and sorrows, but left to mourn his loss.

In 1853 deceased was elected Mayor of Seguin and in 1855 moved to Elm Creek. In 1855 he was the nominee of the democratic party and defeated John Ireland for representative.

In 1859 he moved to Wilson County, then Bexar, and settled upon the Cibolo below Sutherland Springs and near Stockdale. There he resided until he came to Stockdale in 1875, where he has since resided.

He went to Austin and succeeded in having the bill framed and passed which created Wilson County. When the war between the states was declared he again responded to his country's call and enlisted in Col. H. E. McCulloch's regiment of Texas Mounted Rifles. He received the appointment of commissary of the subsistent [sic] department with rank of captain. He was promoted to Major, his health failing, he returned home and served as enrolling officer until the close of the war.

He was a member of the Eighteenth Legislature and defeated three opposing candidates for the position in the Nineteenth Legislature.

In 1848 he became a member of the Masonic fraternity, Austin Lodge No. 12, became a charter member at Prairie Lea, taking all degrees. He served several years as Master in the Braham Lodge in Guadalupe County, also as Master in the Stockdale Lodge. He was high priest of Keystone Chapter in Seguin Chapter No. 56.

Such was John R. King whose lamp of life became extinguished on Tuesday morning, May 18, 1898.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Meyr, Irma M. Cemeteries of Wilson County, Texas: over 130 cemeteries and burial plots. (I.M. Meyr)
   Stockdale Cemetery, Stockdale, Wilson, Texas, United States.

   John R. King, Born Mar. 21, 1816, Died May 17, 1898.

2. ↑ In a letter to his children written later in life, 25 Oct 1873, he wrote: "I was born in Stewart County, Tennessee, on the 24th of March A.D. 1816. My Father William King was a native of N. Carolina. My Mother Rachel Petty was a native of S. Carolina."