Sampson County, NC - King Family Biography Norwich to Piney Grove (The Trail to Charles Shaw King) The purpose of this article is to show the connection between Michael King of Norwich, England and Charles Shaw King of the Piney Grove Township of Sampson County, North Carolina. Michael King of Norwich (ca.1630-ca.1700) was the first King ancestor of Charles Shaw King to come to America. He is thought to have arrived in the Colony of Virginia with the assistance of a headright (John Wright) about 1646. Once Michael King of Norwich repaid the debt he owed to the headright he ventured forth on his own right and did so very successfully. It so happened that he maintained a friendship with John Wright that lasted until Wright’s death in 1698. One of Michael King of Norwich’s sons, John King, was called on to assist the family at John Wright’s death. According to the family Bible of Solomon King (1720-1794) a great grandson of Michael King of Norwich, his great grandfather came out of the city of Norwich, England. He crossed the Atlantic Ocean and settled in Nansemond County, Virginia. The area in which this Michael King lived is just west of the present city limits of Suffolk, Virginia. After Michael King of Norwich worked off his indenture to John Wright, he married Elizabeth Hare (could be Hiry or Hairy as the last name is indistinct in the writings of Solomon King) also of the Nansemond County area. By the year 1675 Michael King had received three land patents which totaled 1800 acres in Nansemond County and he and wife, Elizabeth, had produced a family consisting of five sons. A sixth child was added a year or two later and this was their only daughter. The order of birth of these six children is taken from the Bible records mentioned earlier as this is the best source now available for this information. The children of Michael and Elizabeth (Hare) King were; Nathan (ca.1668-?), William (ca.1670-ca.1725), Michael (#2). (ca.1672-1735), Henry (#1) (ca.1674-ca.1716), John (ca.1675- 1735) and Elizabeth (ca.1677-?). As mentioned earlier most of the information we have about this Michael King, who is the progenitor of most of the Kings of Sampson County, comes from a great grandson Solomon King who for most of his life lived in what is now Gates County, North Carolina. Most official records of Nansemond County, Virginia were destroyed by fires and actions which took place during the Revolutionary War and Civil War. There is a reference made to a will of Michael King, Senior, of Nansemond County, Virginia in the Colonial Records of North Carolina. It was proven in a North Carolina General Court in 1700 on behalf of John King, one of his sons. However, no copy of the actual will is believed to remain in existence. John King claimed that his father had left a legacy for two of his sons in his will and he wanted to make sure his sons received their due. Several of Michael King of Norwich’s sons lived at one time or another in what is now Gates County, North Carolina. These include; Nathan, John, William, and Henry. The main one for the purpose of this article is the fourth son, Henry (#1). He is the first connecting link between Michael King of Norwich and Charles Shaw King of the Piney Grove area of Sampson County, North Carolina. Henry King (#1) (ca.1674-ca.1716) was born in Nansemond County, Virginia and he continued to own property there until his death. He patented land in North Carolina on Bennett’s Creek in 1701. Today this property would be found within the boundaries of Gates County. Some King family researchers believe this Henry King (#1) had married twice prior to his move into North Carolina. However, it appears this Henry King was probably confused with another Henry King who lived in Surry County, Virginia in the late 1600’s. Henry King (#1), one of the direct ancestors of Charles Shaw King, married only once which appears to be supported by existing records. He married a Catherine (or Katherine), last name unknown, about 1695 and the following children were born from this union; Michael King (#3) (ca.1698-1741), Elizabeth (ca.1700- ?), Henry (#2) (ca.1702-ca.1750), Charles (ca.1704-?), Catherine (ca. 1706- ?), Ann (ca.1708-?), and Mary (ca.1710-?). The names of these children and the approximate order of their births were derived from the will of Henry King (#1) which was written in the Chowan Precinct of Albemarle County, North Carolina on 25 February 1714. There was some contention over the will Henry (#1) left and some information about this can be found in the colonial records of North Carolina. Henry King (#1)’s widow remarried soon after his death to a Gerrard Lynch. Her name can be found in Bertie County court records where she assisted her son, Henry (#2), purchase his first property in Bertie in 1725. All of the King children were minors when their father died either in the latter part of 1715 or early part of 1716. His will called for all of his children to receive land, but did not provide any for his wife. Catherine contested this with the assistance of her new husband and won. Older sons, Michael (#3) and Henry (#2) were to receive land in the Chowan Precinct of North Carolina and in Nansemond County, Virginia. The rest of the children were to receive land only in the Chowan Precinct. Henry (#1)’s brother, John, served as the guardian to Michael (#3), whom I believe to have been the eldest son. John was probably living in the Chowan Precinct of the Province of North Carolina, now Gates County, at this time and records indicate that he assisted Henry (#1) quite often with his business transactions. No mention is made of guardians for the other children of Henry (#1) so they must have remained with their mother and her new husband until they came of age. Henry (#1)’s will was proved in Chowan Precinct Court in April of 1716. This Henry King (#1)’s direct link to Charles Shaw King is through his oldest son, Michael King (#3) (ca. 1698-1741). Michael King (#3) was born in Nansemond County, Virginia to Henry (#1) and Catherine King about 1698. This Michael King lived most of his life in the Bertie Precinct of North Carolina. A more modern and exact location would put his residence near the town of Windsor, North Carolina. Michael King (#3) married Isabel Ferguson Bell (ca.1706- ca. 1780) about 1720. Isabel was the step daughter of Robert Bell and the daughter of Anne Woodnot Ferguson. She was probably born in Essex County in the Colony of Virginia. The marriage of Isabel Ferguson Bell to Michael King (#3) was to begin a long and productive relationship between the King and Bell families that would continue to and beyond the Piney Grove area of Sampson County, North Carolina. Michael and Isabel (Ferguson Bell) King had seven children and all of these were minors at the time of their father’s death. Michael King (#3) left a will which was proved in Bertie County Court on 29 October 1741. During court proceedings following her husband’s death, Isabel asked the court to assign guardians for each of her children. After much deliberation which involved the changing of the assigned guardians on several occasions, the court assigned guardianship of both the King children and their inherited estate to Colonel Robert West who, evidently, was a close friend of the King family. Colonel West had been named as one of three executors in the last will and testament of Michael King (#3) along with his son Robert West, Jr. and the widow, Isabel (Ferguson) King. Michael King (#3) listed his children in his will in the following order; Michael King (#4) (ca. 1722-ca.1784), Henry (#3) (ca.1725- ca. 1762), John (ca.1730-1807), Catherine (ca.1726-?), Isabel (ca.1727-?), Penelope (ca.1728-?), and Mary (ca.1732-?). The years of birth are approximations based on the way the children were listed in the will and other references found in the records of the Bertie County Court. It is definitely known that Michael King (#4) was the oldest of the children and that all were minors as late as 29 October 1741. All three of Michael King (#3)’s sons made their way to Duplin County about 1750 (it would have been New Hanover County if they arrived in 1749). Also, some sources say that John arrived later perhaps after a stay in Onslow County, North Carolina. It is definite that all three of these King brothers were in, what was then, Duplin County by 1757 and there is certainty that Michael (#4) and Henry (#3) were there by 1753 when Michael (#4) received his first patent for land. This patent was for land which was located on Six Runs Swamp in, what was then, Duplin County, North Carolina. It is believed that at least two of these King brothers, Michael (#4) and Henry (#3) left Bertie County with the Roger Snell family since they both married daughters of Roger Snell (1698-1759). Most likely John King came to Duplin County with his brothers and the Snell family. Also, sisters Catherine and Mary came to the area with their husbands John Byrd and Edward Byrd, respectively (note; Catherine later married Moses Smith after the death of John Byrd). The area where the three King brothers settled bordered on Six Runs Swamp and eventually became part of Sampson County when it was formed in 1784. Michael King (#4), the oldest of the sons of Michael King (#3) and Isabel (Ferguson) King, is the direct link on the trail from Michael King of Norwich to Charles Shaw King of the Piney Grove area of Sampson County, North Carolina. The third King brother, John, moved to South Carolina about 1774 and remained there until about 1806 when he and many of his family relocated to Montgomery County, Tennessee. Michael King (#4) was born in the Bertie Precinct of the Province of North Carolina about 1722. He married Mary Catherine Snell (ca.1727-ca.1765), daughter of Roger Snell about 1743. His brother, Henry (#3), married Ann Snell (ca.1736-1787) sister to Mary Catherine probably several years after they settled in Duplin County. It is likely that the Snells and Kings moved with other families who lived in close proximity to them in Bertie County. This may have included such families as the Bells, the Byrds, and the Vanns. Nevertheless, these families found their way to the “greener pastures” of Duplin County and later Sampson County, where they continued their association with the Kings. Michael King (#4) and his first wife, Mary (Snell) King, had four children two of whom were born prior to their arrival in Duplin County. Michael King (#5) was born about 1745 and his brother, William, was born about 1748. Another son, Nathan, was born in 1750 and a daughter, Keziah, was born about 1752. Michael King (#5) (ca. 1745-1811) and his brother, William (ca. 1748-1816), became successful planters in Sampson County and both owned quite a bit of land. Sampson County records indicate that both of these brothers were productive citizens and that both lived there until their deaths. Nathan (1750-1833) and Keziah (ca. 1752-?) moved on to Cumberland County, North Carolina and settled on the banks of the Cape Fear River with their father and his new wife, Mary (Boone) King. Nathan eventually married Flora McDuffie and became a wealthy planter. Many of their family remained in Cumberland County while others moved on to areas that became the States of Alabama, Mississippi and Texas. Keziah married Jacob Matthews and lived in Cumberland County. She had a son, Michael Matthews, who is mentioned in his grandfather’s will. Michael King (#4) purchased land in Cumberland County in 1770 and must have moved there shortly thereafter. His first wife, Mary (Snell) King, must have died several years prior to this move and this could have been part of the motivation for Michael King (#4) to make a new start. Within a few years of their arrival in Cumberland County, Michael (#4) and Mary (Boone) King had accumulated a substantial amount of land and had become the parents of seven children. It is believed that the eighth child, John, was about a year old when his father died in January of 1785. Several of Michael (#4)’s and Mary’s children remained in Cumberland County to live and raise their families, but others moved south to Georgia. What happened to Mary (Boone) King after the death of her husband remains to be researched. Michael King (#4) is recognized in DAR publications for his patriotic service during the Revolutionary War. Three of his sons; Michael (#5), William, and Nathan are documented for giving service to their new country during the War for Independence and sources substantiate that all three participated in the Battle of Moore’s Creek Bridge on 27 February 1776. Nathan King eventually became a Captain in the Continental Line and Michael King (#5) served as a Captain of the Calvary in the Duplin County Militia. William, who served as a Private in the Duplin County Militia, became the father of William Rufus King (1786-1853) who became a noted politician and was eventually elected to the Office of Vice President of the United States of America in 1852. William Rufus was given special permission by the United States Congress to take the oath of office while recuperating from an illness in Matanzas, Cuba in March of 1853. He returned to his home in Selma, Alabama about a month later but died suddenly before making the trip to Washington D. C. to assume his office. The original will of Michael King (#4) can be viewed at the North Carolina Department of Archives and History, located in Raleigh. It was written 27 November 1783, and was proved on 26 January 1785 in Cumberland County Court. The oldest son of Michael King (#4) was Michael King (#5) and he is another link in the pathway between Michael King of Norwich, England and Charles Shaw King of Sampson County, North Carolina. Michael King (#5) was born in Bertie County, North Carolina about 1745 in an area between the Cashie and Roanoke Rivers near Cashoke Creek. He married Sarah “Sallie” Rhodes (ca. 1755-1827) of Duplin County about 1770. This couple lived most of their lives in an area that was part of Duplin County until 1784 when the land they owned fell within the boundaries of the new county of Sampson. Michael King (#5), helped greatly by his father, became a prominent landowner (2,177 acres) in an area of Sampson County known then as Hood Swamp. Michael King (#5) was a very conscientious citizen. He was very active in the affairs of the court and served as a Captain in the Duplin County Militia at a critical time in the history of the United States of America. He and his wife, Sallie (Rhodes) King had eleven children that are known. These children are; Michael King (#6) (ca. 1775-bf. 1811), Kizzy (ca. 1777-?), Dicy (ca.1779-?), Nancy (ca.1780-?), William (ca. 1782-1811), Polly (ca. 1784-?), Sallie (ca. 1786-1859), Nathan (ca.1788-1828), Bryant (ca. 1793-1835), Edmond (1795-1863), and Susanna (1797-1882). What happened to Michael King (#6) is unknown, but he must have been deceased prior to his father’s death in 1811 because he is not mentioned in the division of his father’s property. From Sampson County court records it appears he may have been married to a Martha Byrd and was possibly the father of a son named Gabriel. However, this is just speculation as Gabriel King could have been another son of Michael King (#5), or perhaps this was just an error in the court records of Sampson County. The remaining children of Michael King (#5) stayed in Sampson County or the adjoining counties of Johnston and Wayne to live their lives and raise their families. Michael King (#5) and son, William, (sometimes referred to as William King Jr. so as not to be confused with William King, the father of the renowned William Rufus King) both died in the early months of 1811, perhaps of some viral infection. Neither Michael King (#5) nor his son, William, left a will and the task of dividing their properties fell to the Sampson County Court. Information on the court ordered estate settlements for this Michael King and his son, William, can be found in Sampson County court records which are stored in the State Archives of North Carolina located in Raleigh. Several of Michael King (#5)’s daughters; Dicy (King) Ingram, Nancy (King) Ingram, and Kizzy (King) Whitley sold the property they inherited and moved with their families to Johnston County about 1813. Sons, Bryant and Edmond, remained in Sampson County and both increased their landholdings from what they received from their father. Sallie (King) Stevens and her husband, Whitley (ca. 1782- 1827), remained in Sampson County to live. Daughter, Susanna, married Bryant Barfield (ca. 1790- 1825) of Wayne County and she eventually sold all her land in Sampson County. Her mother, Sallie (Rhodes) King, went to live with her sometime after the death of Michael King #5 and died in Wayne County in 1827. The direct link between Michael King of Norwich and Charles Shaw King among the children of Michael King (#5) is Bryant King. Bryant King (ca. 1793-1835) was born in the Hood Swamp (sometimes referred to as Hoe Swamp) area of Sampson County, North Carolina to Michael King (#5) and Sarah “Sallie” (Rhodes) King. He was about eighteen when his father died and it is uncertain as to whether he remained with his mother until he became of age to assume control over his inheritance. Sampson County records indicate he received 192 acres in the estate settlement out of the 2,177 acres his father owned at the time of his death. This was not a lot of land, but Bryant held on to it and added several hundred acres during his lifetime. Bryant King is said by some researchers of this King family to have married, first, Mary “Polly” Slocumb, supposedly the daughter of Stephen Slocumb (1760-1829) and Isabel (King) Slocumb (ca. 1774-1827), about 1820. Isabel Slocumb was born in Cumberland County to Michael King (#4) and his second wife, Mary (Boone) King. Bryant King and his first wife had four children; Clarisey (ca. 1820-?), Sally (ca. 1822-?), Barnabas S. (1824-1865), and Henry S. (1828-1891). This researcher has found nothing concrete to substantiate the name of Bryant King's first wife. Bryant King married, second, Mary “Polly” Wolf (1788-1882) of Wayne County. There is no record of children for Bryant and Polly (Wolf) King. Polly (Wolf) King eventually returned to Wayne County to live the rest of her life after Bryant’s death in 1835. Polly never remarried, but Wayne County records indicate that she remained very close to members of the King family who lived nearby. Her will, dated 1 May 1877, was probated in Wayne County Court on 10 June 1882. Bryant’s will was proven in Sampson County Court in May of 1835. He left all his land to his sons with Barnabas getting 50 acres more than Henry S. because Henry S. was to receive the house lot. From the wording of his will, one can tell that Bryant King was a good man who loved his family and just took life as it came. He indicated that he knew he was dying but he had faith that everything would be alright in the end. He didn’t appear to be afraid of death. Henry S. King, Bryant King’s youngest son, is the direct link between Michael King of Norwich, England and Charles Shaw King of the Piney Grove area of Sampson County, North Carolina. Henry S. King (1829-1891) was born in the Piney Grove area of Sampson County. He was a farmer and owned a plantation home in an area once called “Kingstown” which was located in the Piney Grove Township of Sampson County. He married Mary Catherine Britt (1829-1901) in the late 1840’s. This couple had the following children; William Rufus (1849-1940), Joseph Bryant (1851- 1925), Oates Steven (1855-1900), Charles Shaw (1864-1920), Robert Mosley “Bob” (1866-1954), and Mary Emma (1869-?). Henry S. King served the southern cause during the Civil War as did his brother, Barnabas “Barney” King. Henry S. was a private in Calvary Co. C of the 63rd Regiment NC-CSA also known as the 5th Calvary. This Calvary unit was organized 10 May 1862 by Dr. Elias F. Shaw who served as its Captain. Evidently, Captain Shaw made a good impression on Henry S. in the short time he served under him. Henry S. named his next son, who was born on 4 June 1864, Charles Shaw King in honor of his former Captain. Henry S. King only served several months in the Confederate Calvary before he was discharged due to a disability. In the 1880 Federal Census for Sampson County, Henry S. King is listed as having an infirmity called “dispepoill”. It is possible this same infirmity resulted in his discharge from the 5th Calvary unit. Henry S. King’s brother, Barnabas, did not fare as well in the war. He participated in the final Battle of Fort Fisher in January of 1865 and was taken prisoner by the Yankees. He was transported to a prison camp in Elmira, New York where he died on 26 February 1865 due to chronic dysentery. There is some question as to what the “S” stands for in Henry S. King’s name. Some King researchers say it is an abbreviation for Steven. However, several descendants of a grandson who was the namesake of Henry S. King say the “S” stands for Stevens. This seems logical since there were some Stevens families living in the same area as the Kings in the timeframe of Henry’s birth and some of his father’s family had married into a Stevens family. Also, some researchers give Henry’s year of birth as 1829, but the date on his tombstone located in the “Bob” King Cemetery (off the eastern end of Preacher Henry Road) is 1828. The Federal Census of 1870 for Sampson County supports the 1829 date as Henry’s year of birth. The birth of Charles Shaw King, the second youngest son of Henry S. and Mary (Britt) King, brings us near to the end of this part the saga of the King family. As we approach the end of this journey, it is important to note that there are those who came before the most ancient of those to which this article refers and there are those who have followed the most recent. This trail will hopefully continue for many generations to come. Perhaps those who choose to read this article will want to know more about those who paved the way for them and made their lives possible. This story about some of the descendants of Michael King of Norwich had its origin on this side of the Atlantic about 1646 when a sixteen year old boy landed on the shore of the Colony of Virginia. From this beginning the trail eventually led to the rural area of Sampson County, North Carolina, once home to a multitude of small farmers. One such farmer was named Charles Shaw King. This part of the King trail will be concluded with the presentation of some information about the family of Charles Shaw and Etta (Darden) King. Charles Shaw King was born in the Piney Grove Township of Sampson County, North Carolina in 1864. He spent his entire life there as a farmer. He married a young lady from the same community named Jaris Etta Darden about 1885. Charles Shaw and Etta King were a hardworking team as they managed their farm and raised a large family. This couple had thirteen children twelve of whom survived until adulthood. These children were; Grover Cleveland (1888-1963), Mary Etta (1891-?), Henry S., II (1891-1962), Marion B. (1893-1949), Bessie (1894-1950), Robert Marvin (1896-1981), Charles Shaw, Jr. (1897-1978), Clarissa Winifred “Winnie” (1899-1963), Annie Lou (1902- 1990), Rosa Vivie “Vivian” (1903-1991), Neta Mae (1906-1970), Jessie Bryant (1908-1977), and Lessie (1908-1908). Charles Shaw King died at a relatively young age from a blood disorder. His will was probated in Sampson County Court on 3 January 1921. His widow remarried on 2 February 1921 to William Rufus King, the eldest of the brothers of Charles Shaw. William Rufus and Etta (King) King made their home in Clinton, North Carolina for the rest of their lives. Etta (King) King died on 13 July 1941 and now rests with her beloved Charles Shaw in the Charles Shaw King Cemetery. This cemetery is located on the eastern side of the southern end of Giddensville Road in a field where Charles Shaw and Etta probably once worked together, behind where their old homeplace stood. The descendants of the children of Charles Shaw King and Jaris Etta (Darden) King hold a reunion in their honor on the third Sunday of September each year and have been doing so for many years. It’s a nice time to take a few hours and get reacquainted with relatives you haven’t seen for awhile and trace your roots. A Partial List of Sources Includes: (Books): A Portrait of Eighteenth Century Sampson County As Revealed By Court Minutes, 1784-1800, compiled and edited by Oscar M. Bizzell and Virginia L. Bizzell, 1993; A King Genealogy, Some Descendants of Michael King of Nansemond County, Virginia, 1667-1987, Henry Lee King, 1988; Abstracts Of Minutes Of The Court Of Pleas and Quarter Sessions Of Cumberland County April 1779 – January 1791, Volume II, William C. Fields, Editor; Abstracts of Sampson-Duplin Deeds, Books 1-3 (ca.1750- ca1774), Max Peterson, Jr., 1983; Abstracts of Sampson-Duplin Deeds, Books 4- 6 (ca1762-ca1779), Max Petersen, Jr., 1984; Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants Volume II 1666-1695, abstracted by Nell Nugent and indexed by Claudia Grundman, 1977; Bertie County Court Minutes, Book I (1724-1739) and Book II (1740-1743); Colonial Bertie County, North Carolina Deed Books A- H (1720-1757), Volume I, Bell; DAR Patriot Index, National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, 1967; Martin and Allied Families, Lillie Martin Grubbs, ca.1946; NC Revolutionary Army Accounts, Secretary of State Treasure’s and Comptroller’s Papers, Journal “A” (Public Accounts), 1775-1776; Our King Family, Their Ancestors, In-laws and Descendants, Oscar Benjamin King, 1970; Roots, Seeds And Other Things, Volume II (King, Sutton, Oates), John Martin Oates, Jr., 1993; The Colonial Records of North Carolina, “North Carolina Higher-Court Records 1697-1701,” Edward Parker, editor, State Department of Archives and History, Raleigh, NC, 1974; The Colonial Records of North Carolina Volume VIII, “Records of the Executive Council 1735-1754,” Cain (editor), 1988; The Lees and Kings of Virginia and North Carolina 1636- 1976, Wilson and Glover, 1975; and William R. King and His Kin, Henry Poellnitz Johnston, Sr., 1975. (Deeds), copies of originals: Archibald McNeill to Michael King, microfiche copy of land purchase in Cumberland County, North Carolina dated 25 January 1770; Michael King to Henry Hollingsworth and Felix Kenan, wardens of St. Gabriel’s Church Parish, land transaction dated 25 January 1762, copy of microfiche from Sampson-Duplin records, Sampson County, North Carolina; Michael King to Nathan King, deed of gift dated April 26th, in the eighth year of our Independence, microfiche copy of Cumberland County deed, from Cumberland County, North Carolina records. (Wills), copies of originals: Henry King, Chowan County, North Carolina, proven 18 April 1716; Michael King, Bertie County, North Carolina, proven 29 October 1741; Michael King, Cumberland County, North Carolina, written 27 November 1783, proven in Cumberland County Court on 26 January 1785; Bryant “Bryan” King, Sampson County, North Carolina, will proven in May Term of Sampson County Court, 1835; William King, Sampson County, North Carolina, proven 18 February 1817: (Estate Settlements), copies of original documents: Michael King, died 1811 in Sampson County, North Carolina, records from the State Archives in Raleigh; William King (Jr.), died 1811 in Sampson County, North Carolina, records from the State Archives in Raleigh. (Notes): Mrs. J. B. Parker, Windsor, North Carolina, June 1954, courtesy Family History Center, Mormon Church of Goldsboro, North Carolina; Diane Harvell Turnage, Mt. Olive, North Carolina; Randolph M. King collection, Kenly, North Carolina. (updated July 2009) The author of this article is Randolph McPhail King, great grandson of Charles Shaw and Etta (Darden) King, grandson of Robert Marvin and Hazel (Smith) King and son of Eddice Randolph and Martha McPhail King. Robert and Hazel lived in Faison, NC for many years and are buried in the Faison Town Cemetery. Eddice Randolph King died in 1980 and is buried in Maplewood Cemetery in Mt. Olive, NC. His wife, Martha, still lives in the family home in Mt. Olive. Randolph McPhail King resides in Wayne County, NC, near the Johnston County town of Kenly. He is married to the former Helen Jacquelyn Pullin and they have two children; Perri Jacquelyn King of Greenville, NC and Parker McPhail King of the home. ______________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Randolph McPhail King - BUD5082@earthlink.net