BIOGRAPHY: Lasuvious H.King; Port Byron, Cayuga co., New York transcribed and submitted by: Ann Anderson (ann.g.anderson at gmail.com) ========================================================= Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ny/nyfiles.htm ========================================================= BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW THIS VOLUME CONTAINS BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF THE LEADING CITIZENS OF CAYUGA COUNTY NEW YORK BOSTON BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW PUBLISHING COMPANY 1894 LASUVIOUS H. KING, Postmaster at Port Byron and proprietor and editor of a flourishing newspaper of that town, the Port Byron Chronicle, is a man who, by his untiring efforts and indomitable energy, has done much toward the improvement and advancement of that town, and has always availed himself of the advantages of his position as a public man to influence the people to act for the best interests of the general public. He was born in Batavia, Genesee County, December 9, 1852, son of Richard and Maria J. (Wells) King. Philip King, his paternal great-grandfather, was a native of Massachusetts and of old Colonial ancestry, being a descendant of Rufus King, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. He served a faithful term in the Revolutionary War, in the First New York Regiment, from which he received his discharge in June, 1783, signed by George Washington, which is now in possession of his great-grandson. Coming to Cayuga County, where he had a military grant of six hundred and forty acres of land in the western part of the old town of Mentz, he built a log house on what is now known as King Street, it being almost the only house in that part of the country. Philip King married a niece of General Warren, and lived to see nearly all of his land cultivated. He was a representative man of his time, being a firm supporter of the Whig party, and as a member of the Baptist church was very influential in the building of the new church edifices in Mentz and also in the village which is now the town of Throop. Dying in 1851, he left a family of children, all of whom had farms in Port Byron. They were Jeremiah, Richard, Ezekiel, and Daniel. Richard King, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born in Massachusetts, and removed with his parents to Saratoga County, not far from Albany. His early life was spent on the farm; but, when the War of 1812 broke out, he shouldered his musket and entered service, where he participated in the battle of Fort Erie. He was an active member of the Baptist church, and was proprietor of the former Centre House on the old turnpike, continuing in this business until the canal was built and travel moved in the other direction. The old house is still standing on his farm in the western part of Port Byron, a relic of the earlv days and a landmark to the passers-by. Richard King married Miss Lany Scott, of Saratoga County; and they had six children, as follows: Amos, Hannah, Philip, Richard, Lasuvious, and Sarah, the latter dying after reaching womanhood. Richard King died in 1876, much respected and beloved by all. His son, Richard King, Jr., the father of Lasuvious H., was educated at the Jordan Academy, and then fitted himself for a surveyor, going to Wisconsin, where he was employed by the State to survey government roads and lands, and making his home at Sheboygan, in which place he built the first frame house. When but twenty-two years of age he married Miss Maria J. Wells, who was then in her sixteenth year; and, after two years of Western life, they removed to Port Byron, where Mr. King taught school for a few years, at the expiration of which time he purchased the patent rights in the chain pump business, then in its infancy. Here he operated a factory, and later started another in Batavia, after which his business rapidly increased, not only at home, but throughout Central and Western New York. Returning to Port Byron in 1860, he constructed what is now O. B. Turner's dry dock and boat-yard, located on the Erie Canal, operating this until his retirement to his farm in 1873, where he afterward died. In politics he was a Republican, and always voted with his party, although he never held any government position. He was a member of the School Board, having been interested in education since early childhood, and also attended the Baptist church. Maria J. Wells, the wife of Richard King, Jr., was a daughter of Count de Lansing Wells, of French Huguenot descent, whose father was an early settler in this country, taking part in the Indian wars. The father of Maria Wells was one of the leading attorneys of the Cayuga County bar, and died in 1857; and her mother was a native of Port Byron, being born here in 1830, and is still living. Eight children were born to Richard and Maria Wells King, namely: Luella, the wife of C. H. Castner, who is now dead; Fanny, who was the wife of Fred Horton, and died in 1888; Lasuvious H.; C. de Wells King, of Port Byron; Richard, of Syracuse; Julia, wife of G. H. Horton, of Syracuse; Grace, wife of Daniel Keefer, of Dresden, N.Y.; and Lany, wife of Frank Borgandus, of Syracuse. Lasuvious H. King received his education at the academy at Port Byron, after which he learned the trade of boat-building and ship-carpentering, later devoting his time to the study of telegraphy. In 1883 he entered the printing-office of the Port Byron Chronicle, and at the end of twenty months purchased the interests of the proprietor, continuing in connection with that paper since that time, increasing both its size and circulation and making it one of the leading newspapers of the county. A strong Republican himself, he has used the columns of his paper as a medium for setting forth and upholding the principles of that party, and by his patience, fortitude, and rare business ability, has made this sheet one acknowledged by all to contain the latest news of all affairs, set forth in the best possible manner, and has given to it a large circulation throughout the country in the vicinity of Port Byron. It is now a paper of seven columns, folio form, having been built up almost entirely from the editorial page, and now holds a place with the best newspapers of the county. The office contains a fine Babcock press, which is operated by means of steam-power, being the first power press in the town. Mr. King has been Justice of the Peace for the last five years, now serving in his second term of four years, to which position he was elected by the Republicans. He also holds the office of Police Justice for the village of Port Byron, which he has held for five years. He has been connected with the Village Board in the capacity of Clerk, and has been a member of the Board of Education for three years. He was appointed Postmaster in 1890 by President Harrison, and occupied that position in August, the post-office at Port Byron being numbered among the third-class offices of the United States. Mr. King is a member of the Rock Spring Lodge, I. O. O. F.; Port Byron Lodge, A. F. & A. M., No. 130; and Phintias Lodge, No. 246, of Knights of Pythias. January 22, 1886, he married Miss Carrie A. Thomas, daughter of Gamaliel Thomas, of Port Byron, and they have five children — Lasuvious, Jr., Fanny M., Nellie Bell, Richard, and Lois V. Mrs. King was born and educated in Port Byron, and is the granddaughter of George W. Milliner, an old pioneer settler of the town. Mr. and Mrs. King, with their family, occupy a pleasant home in the village, where they are highly respected and hold a prominent place in the hearts of their many friends and neighbors, whom they are ever ready to help, and for whose interests they are constantly laboring.