Preston County, West Virginia Biography of P. F. KING This file was submitted by Elizabeth Burns, E-mail address: The submitter does not have a connection to the subject of this sketch. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. All other rights reserved. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the WVGenWeb Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.usgwarchives.net/wv/wvfiles.htm The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc. Chicago and New York, Volume II, pg. 219-220 P. F. King, present county clerk of Preston County has an interesting career that in the main has been one of essential public service, first as a teacher and latterly as a public official. Not from liberal advantages bestowed upon him when a youth or by any specially favoring fortune, but out of his quiet determination and persistence Mr. King has demonstrated his worth and usefulness. He represents one of the old families of West Virginia and was born near Aurora in Preston County, March 16, 1884. His remote ancestor came to America from England several generations ago. It is said that he belonged to a family of wealth in England and had fortune in his own right. It was for religious reasons that he left the old country, abandoning his fortune and his American heirs have never made a determined effort to secure their share of legacies that might properly be theirs. The old ancestor located in Frederick County Maryland. It was in Frederick County Maryland, that Mr. King's grandfather, Nathan J. King was born and he married there Miss Hale. He was a blacksmith by trade, also owned a farm and lived for some years near Fellowsville in West Virginia and also at Stemple Ridge. He died at the home of his son, John W. King and is buried in Carmel Cemetery at Aurora. He died at the age of seventy-five. His son, Francis was a soldier in a West Virginia regiment and was killed in the battle of Antietam. Nathan J. King had the following children besides Francis: Christiann who married P.S. Fike of Eglon West Virginia; Daniel J. who was a blacksmith at Eglon; Joshua M. who lived for many years and died at Ogden Center Michigan; Lydia A who became the wife of J.N.H. Woodring, a farmer near Aurora; Alice, who married Phenis Miller and died in Preston County; Luther who has lived for several years in Michigan and is connected with an automobile factory and John W. John W. King, father of the county clerk is still living on the King farm near Aurora where he has had his home for nearly forty years. He was born in Preston County in November 1861, grew up on a farm, learned the blacksmith's trade under his father and worked at the trade until almost forty years of age, since which time he has concentrated his efforts upon the farm. He belongs to a republican family and has always acted with that party, though he had no ambition for public service. Page Franklin King lived during boyhood and early youth on the farm at Aurora. During that period of his life the chief encouragement held out to him was to make use of his physical strength and beyond the common schools there was no thought of a higher education. His labors seemed necessary as a means of sustaining himself and the most available employment was in the lumber woods and about the sawmills. While the years were adding strength to his body, his mind had little nourishment from the knowledge sealed up in text books and his days were being spent in strong arm and strong back work at a small wage. He continued this routine until he attained his majority. It was then that he returned to school in the fifth grade, determined to make up for lost time. He had the native qualities of intelligence which when spurred and supplemented by his great determination enabled him to finish the term with record grades and with this encouragement he pressed on to greater achievements. He attended the summer normal school at Terra Alta and later completed a correspondence course. After successfully passing an examination for a teacher's license he began teaching in rural districts and altogether was a factor in educational affairs for twelve years, part of the time in grade schools and finished as principal of the Corinth schools. Mr. King left the schoolroom when appointed deputy sheriff under Sheriff J.D. Browning. He served with him through his term of office and then became a candidate for clerk of the County Court. There were three candidates aspiring for the nomination but Mr. King secured the right of way at the primaries and at the following general election it seemed that the people of the county were almost unanimous with regard to his special qualifications and fitness. He defeated his competitor by a ratio of three to one, and a majority of almost 5,000 securing more votes than the normal vote of the entire county. Mr. King entered the office in January 1921 as the successor of E.C. Everly. One improvement he is installing is the Russell system of indexing, known as the L.M.N.R.T. system which will make the deed records one of the most complete found in any county clerk's office in the state. On December 25, 1913, Mr. King married Miss Lesta Fries. She was born near Terra Alta, August 29, 1895, daughter of John and May Cramer Fries, farmers near Terra Alta. Her father grew up at his father's mill, was a millwright by trade but in later years has devoted his time to the farm. Mrs. King has a sister, Mabel Fries and a brother Jesse Fries. Mr. and Mrs. King have a daughter, Bernice, born December 7, 1916. Mr. King is affiliated with Preston Lodge No. 90, A.F. and A.M., the Scottish Rite and the Shrine and is also a member of Brown Lodge No. 32, Knights of Pythias and Kingwood Lodge No. 1515 of the Loyal Order of Moose. He and Mrs. King are members of the Methodist Church and Mrs. King is active in all church causes, including the Ladies' Aid Society. ==== WV-FOOTSTEPS Mailing List ==== ********************************************************************** WV-FOOTSTEPS/USGENWEB NOTICE: These messages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. 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