Preston County, West Virginia Biography of JEHU KING This biography was submitted by Valerie Crook, 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 III, pg. 582 JEHU KING. A native son of Preston County, born here more than three score and ten years ago, Jehu King has been faithful and loyal to the locality where he grew up and to its substantial interests. During his active career he followed farming, and ia now enjoying the comforts of a retired home at Bruceton Mills. He is one of the numerous descendants in this section of West Virginia of the pioneer James King, who with sev- eral brothers settled on Laurel Run more than a century ago. Thomas King, a son of James, the pioneer, was the grandfather of Jehu King. He was one of the very suc- cessful farmers on the Big Sandy, and he married Jane Brandon, a member of the well-known Brandon family of Brandonville. Albert King, a son of Thomas, and father of Jehu, was born at Laurel Run, and left his family to enter the service of the Union Army. After more than three years he was captured, and with his brother William sent to Andersonville Prison, where as a result of hard- ships and starvation both died. Albert King married Hes- ter Ann Jenkins, daughter of Evan Jenkins, Jehu was one of the several sons born to that union and who re- mained behind with their mother when the father went to war and did their part in helping cultivate the homestead. Jehu King, who was born December 19, 1851, was about ten years of age when his father went to war, and his edu- cation was acquired in local schools. He had no liking for school routine or the studies of books, and he left school as soon as the opportunity presented itself. He proved a duti- ful son to his widowed mother, and left the farm only after his marriage, but remained in the same locality. For forty-two years Mr. King conducted a farm now owned by the Metheny brothers. He was primarily a grain grower, keeping only sufficient stock for use and for food, and out of his efforts he accumulated the competency which en- abled him to spend his declining years in comfort. Mr. King left the farm and the old home locality in May, 1919, after disposing of his personal property by public sale, and since then he and his small family have lived in Bruceton Mills. His home is the old John Spin- dler property, a place built for Mrs. Hyde, a sister of Spindler. While Mr. King came to town as a retired farmer, he has sought some means of employing his ener- gies, and as a matter of fact puts in many working days, though not so strenuously as on the farm. Mr. King has been a man of conviction in politics and religion. He is a republican, and has supported the party ticket since voting for General Grant for president in 1872. He was reared by a mother who wag an earnest Christian, and he himself joined the Baptist Church in 1876, just be- fore his marriage, and helped build the Union Church at Laurel Run and the church at Hopewell. January 1, 1877, Mr. King married at Smithfleld, Penn- sylvania, Miss Mary Collins, daughter of Andrew Collins and sister of Walter Collins, one of the leading farmers and stockmen in the vicinity of Bruceton Mills. Mrs. King was born at the old Collins farm near Bruceton Mills July 25, 1855, and was educated in the district schools. Mr. and Mrs. King have three children: Laura is the wife of George Steward, a carpenter living at Point Marion, Penn- sylvania, and they have a daughter, Virginia. Charles King is a farmer near Bruceton Mills, and by his marriage to Eva Worman has a son, Harold. Miss Pearl King lives at home with her parents. The Kings have willingly assumed a share of community burdens, making their contribution to church and other causes, and were active with all their means and influence in behalf of the various campaigns during the war period.