DeSoto Parish, Louisiana; Biography: Joseph King - k520

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Submitted by Gaytha Carver Thompson
Typed by Trudy Marlow
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Submitted to the LAGenWeb Archives



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         Joseph King has long been devoted to the
         farming interests of De So to Parish, La., and as
         be has ever applied himself steadily and indus-
         triously to the work in hand, he has been more
         than ordinarily successful and is now the owner of
         950 acres of land, with 350 acres under cultivation,
         on which is raised from 100 to 150 bales of cotton
         per annum.  On this farm, which is situated on
         Red Bayou, he has resided for thirty years, and
         during this time be has done much to improve the
         farming interests hereabouts.  He was born in
         Crawford County, Ma., in 1824, and is a son of
         Henry and Esther (Janes) King, they being born
         in the Old North State.  At an early day they were
         taken by their parents to Alabama, and there they
         were married and spent the rest of their lives, Mr.
         King dying in 1850, at the age of forty-nine, and
         his widow in 1872, they having been members of
         the Methodist Church.  Mr. King was a merchant,
         was clerk of Crawford County a great many years,
         and was a soldier in one of the early Indian wars.
         His father was born in Ireland, and served in the
         Continential army during the Revolutionary War,
         being at that time a resident of North Carolina, in
         which State he spent his life.  Joseph King was
         the second of eleven children, five now living, and
         he is the only one of his family now residing in
         Louisiana, he having moved here in 1859.  He was
         reared and educated in Columbus, Ga., after which
         he engaged with his father in merchandising, con-
         tinuing until the death of the latter, since which
         time he has farmed.  His marriage, which took 
         place in Georgia in 1852, was to Miss Eliza, daugh-
         ter of Ahaz and Priscilla Jones, who lived and died
         in Georgia, in which State Mrs. King was born.
         She died in March, 1889, having borne Mr. King
         ten children, the following of whom are living,
         Joseph H. (of Texas), Minnie (wife of D. E. Evans),
         Elizabeth (wife of D. L. Kemper, of New Mexico),
         and Charles.  But little improvement had been
         made on Mr. King's farm, when he located here,
         but it can with truth be said that he now has one
         of the best plantations on the bayou, the result of
         his own industry.  During the latter part of the
         war he served about one year in the Crescent Reg-
         iment of Louisiana Infantry, and was in several
         skirmishes in Louisiana.  In 1846 he joined Com-
         pany D, First Georgia Infantry, with Gen. Taylor,
         for the Mexican War, and served with him until
         shortly before the battle of Vera Crux, when he
         was under Gen. Scott, and with him participated
         in that battle, being slightly wounded by a gun-
         shot, which disabled him for some time.  While
         on  their way toward Mexico City, Mr. King's
         term of enlistment expired, and he was mustered
         out as orderly sergeant and returned home.  He
         is a demitted member of Mansfield Lodge of the
         A. F. & A. M., and his wife was a member of the
         Methodist Church.