Lowndes County GaArchives Biographies.....King,   Willis H. 1823 - living in 1913
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 19, 2004, 4:34 pm

Author: William Harden
p. 797-799

   WILLIS H. KING AND JOHN H. KING. Well-known and highly respected citizens, as
well as prominent and progressive agriculturists of the Grooverville district,
Willis H. King and John H. King are of pioneer stock, being sons of the late
James King, who spent the major part of his life in this part of Georgia, and
grandsons of Willis King, one of the very early settlers of that part of Lowndes
county that was set off as Brooks county.

   Willis King was born, reared, and married in Edgefield district, South
Carolina. In 1830 he came with his family to what is now Hickory Head district,
Brooks county, Georgia, crossing the intervening country with teams, and
bringing all of his worldly possessions. Southwestern Georgia seemed then one
vast forest, the clearing of the few settlers being few and far between. Wild
animals and game of all kinds roamed at will, while the Indians proved at times
so troublesome and treacherous that it was necessary to build a fort as a place
of refuge for the women and children when danger was nigh, while all of the men
of the locality banded together to resist the attacks of the savages. The people
of those days: lived in a primitive manner, subsisting on the products of their
land, game from the forest, or fish from the streams. There were then no
railroads or near-by markets, all trading being done at the gulf ports in
Florida. The land at that time was nearly all owned by the state, and for sale
at prices low enough to attract much immigration. Acquiring large tracts of
timbered land, Willis King cleared a good farm, and here spent the remainder of
his life. His wife, whose maiden name was Nancy Williams, was born in Edgefield
district, South Carolina, and died in Brooks county, Georgia, at the age of
eighty years, outliving him. She reared nine children, as follows: Fanny, Mary,
Barbara, Mahala, Elizabeth, David, James, Wilson, and Willis A.

   Born in 1823, James King was a lad of seven years when he came with his
parents to Lowndes county, Georgia. As soon as old enough to wield an axe or a
hoe, he began to assist his father in the clearing and improving of a homestead.
On attaining his majority, he bought of his father land in the Grooverville
district, of what is now Brooks county, erected a small log cabin, splitting
puncheon to cover one half of the earth floor, and for a while there kept
bachelor's hall. When ready to marry, he built a two-story, double log house,
and continued the arduous task of clearing and improving a farm". .For 'several
years he had to team all of his surplus produce to either Tallahassee or
Newport, Florida, the round trip consuming much valuable time. Successful in his
undertakings, he bought land at different times, becoming owner of two thousand
acres in one body, besides owning outlying tracts. He was held in high respect
as a man and a citizen, and his death, which occurred November 16, 1876, was a
loss to the community. He married Catherine Brown, who was born in what is now
Brooks county, Georgia, a daughter of Hezekiah and Eliza (Dixon) Brown, natives
of Alabama. She passed to the higher life in 1881, having survived him nearly
five years. She reared three children, namely: Willis H., John H., and Nancy.
Nancy, now living at Saint James, Louisiana, is the widow of Thomas Carter, who
at his death left her with four children, namely: Thomas Carter, of Ocala,
Florida; Julia; Katherine Mae, and Mack. During the Civil war James King was
detailed to care for the families of absent soldiers, but was not called out
until sent to the defense of Atlanta.

   Willis H. King was born in the Grooverville district, Brooks county, October
6, 1852, and as a boy and youth received a practical education in the common
branches of study. He resided on the old homestead with his parents as long as
they lived, and at the death of the mother, in 1881, succeeded to its ownership.
He now owns six hundred and fifty acres of land, located in lots sixty-six,
sixty-seven, seventy-two and twenty-six, and as a general farmer and
stock-raiser is carrying on a successful and profitable business. He has never
married, but after living by himself for many years is now a welcome member of
his brother's household.

   John H. King was born on the parental homestead, December 5, 1854, and like
his brother was educated in the district schools, and taught to work on the home
farm. At the time of his marriage he settled on his present farm of five hundred
and forty acres, his land being located in lots number sixty-six, sixty-seven,
seventy-two, and seventy-three. Here he is carrying on general farming with
satisfactory pecuniary results, making a specialty of raising cattle and hogs.

   Mr. J. H. King married, in 1876, Bethiah Elizabeth Williams, who was born in
Fayette county, Georgia, a daughter of Joseph and Sarah (Rodgers) Williams. Her
grandparents, John and Melinda (Welburn) Williams, were born in Virginia, of
Welsh parents. Coming to Georgia, they located first in Henry county, but
subsequently removed to Spauld-ing county, where the grandmother died, the death
of the grandfather occurring later in Brooks county. Joseph Williams, Mrs.
King's father, enlisted, in 1863, in the Confederate army, and served as a
soldier until the close of the war. A few years later lie removed to Texas,
settling in Ellis county, where the death of his wife occurred. He afterwards
came back to Georgia to visit, and while here was taken ill and died. His wife,
whose maiden name was Sarah Rodgers, was born in Fayette county, Georgia, where
her parents, Abner and Bethiah (Smith) Rodgers, settled on removing from Warren
county, their birthplace. Bethiah Smith belonged to a family prominent in the
history of Georgia, her mother before marriage having been a Miss Alexander, of
Virginia.

   Mr. and Mrs. King are the parents of ten children, namely: James, Willie,
John, Joseph, May, Raymond, Turner, Ralph, Katherine, and Jessie. Mr. and Mrs.
King are trustworthy members of the Missionary Baptist church, and have reared
their children in the same religious faith.


Additional Comments:
From:

A HISTORY OF SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA
BY
WILLIAM HARDEN

VOLUME II
ILLUSTRATED
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
CHICAGO AND NEW YORK
1913

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