William S. King

William Smith King (December 16, 1828 – February 24, 1900) was a Republican U.S. Representative for Minnesota from March 4, 1875, to March 3, 1877. He was a journalist and businessman. He is best known for allegations of political corruption during this congressional term. The House of Representatives did not specify his offense, but decided it was constitutionally unable to punish him for actions that took place before he entered Congress. He did not run for reelection.<ref>Mark Grossman, Political Corruption in America: In encyclopedia of scandals, power, and greed (2003) p. 207.</ref>

Early life

William S. King was born to Reverend Lyndon King in Malone, New York, in Franklin County on December 16, 1828.<ref name="star">Template:Cite news Template:Open access</ref><ref name="loc">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="father">Template:Cite web</ref> At the age of 12, his mother died and he left home and became a farm hand.<ref name="star"/>

Career

Early career

In 1846, he moved to Otsego County, New York, and worked as a solicitor for mutual insurance companies.<ref name="star"/> He began a newspaper career in Cooperstown, New York, in 1852 by becoming an editor of the Free Democrat, a campaign paper in Cooperstown for George Washington Julian and John P. Hale, Free Soil Party candidates for U.S. President.<ref name="star"/><ref name="loc"/> He received the title of Colonel while serving under General Burnside in the New York Guard.<ref name="loc"/>

Newspaper career

King moved to Minneapolis in the summer of 1858, where he continued in journalism and raising cattle. He founded the State Atlas, a weekly newspaper, in 1859. King became known for his strong editorials and columns opposing slavery.<ref name="star"/> Later, he helped create the Minneapolis Tribune, and became a major stockholder in the Pioneer Press in neighboring Saint Paul.<ref name="star"/> There are also indications that he became a principal owner of the Minneapolis Journal.

Political career

King became active in politics. He became a member of the Wide Awakes.<ref name="star"/> King served as postmaster of the U.S. House of Representatives from July 5, 1861, to 1865 and 1867 to 1873.<ref name="star"/><ref name="loc"/><ref name="house-history">Template:Cite web</ref> In 1874, he served as surveyor general of logs and lumber in the Template:Ushr.<ref name="star"/><ref name="loc"/>

Following that, he served one term during the 44th congress as a U.S. Representative from 1875 to 1877.<ref name="house-history"/> He refused to obey a subpoena issued by a committee to investigate the proceedings of a subsidy for the Pacific Mail Steamship Company. He was asked by members of the legislature to resign, but was ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing.<ref name="loc"/>

Other pursuits

In Minnesota, Colonel King also became involved in railroads and related pursuits. There are indications he was among the first people to lay streetcar rails in Minneapolis, perhaps as early as 1867.Template:Citation needed Around 1870, he helped execute a contract to build the first section of the Northern Pacific Railway.<ref name="star"/> In 1877, he built a large pavilion at Lake Calhoun in the city. A tourism boom was occurring at the time. He later sold it to Louis F. Menage, who converted it to a hotel. However, the hotel was eventually destroyed by a fire.

In 1869, King with three others, including George A. Brackett and Dorilus Morrison, purchased a Template:Convert farm in Minneapolis after the city council refused to purchase it to make a park.<ref name="parks">Template:Cite web</ref> During the 1870s, he helped organized the Lakewood Cemetery Association and built a Template:Convert estate.<ref name="loc"/><ref name="parks"/><ref name="lakewood">Template:Cite web</ref> The estate was named Lyndale Farm, named after his father,<ref name="father"/> and reached south from 34th Street to Lake Harriet, allowing ample room to gather choice breeds of cattle for breeding purposes.<ref name="loc"/> His herd, including Shorthorn, Ayrshire, and Jersey, evolved into the best in the nation—to some, the world's finest. King's land, originally located in Richfield, was annexed to Minneapolis in 1867 by the state legislature.<ref>Johnson, Fred (2008) Richfield: Minnesota's Oldest Suburb, Richfield Historical Society</ref> A portion of the Lyndale Farm was given to Philo Remington and King later filed suit against Remington after Remington sold his deed to the land.<ref name="star"/>

In 1883, King resurrected Minneapolis's Board of Trade and they established the Minneapolis Board of Park Commissioners. He served as a member of the board in Minneapolis from April 25, 1885, to April 1887.<ref name="parks"/><ref name="park">Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life

King married Mary Elizabeth Stevens of Ilion, New York. King later married Caroline M. Arnold, also of Ilion. He had a son, Preston, and a daughter.<ref name="star"/><ref name="parks"/><ref name="funeral">Template:Cite web Template:Open access</ref>

Death

King died on February 24, 1900, at his home in Minneapolis.<ref name="nytimes">Template:Cite news</ref> Upon his death in Minneapolis in 1900, his body was interred at Lakewood Cemetery.

Glossary

• King's Fair: precursor to the Minnesota State Fair that was held in South Minneapolis from 1877 through 1882. Since 1979 the name has also been used for a biennial gathering in the Seward neighborhood. William S. King was a sponsor and organizer of the early fairs.<ref name="King's Fair">King's Fair, Minneapolis Template:Webarchive placeography.org. Retrieved: February 11, 2013.</ref>
• King Field: neighborhood in South Minneapolis named after William S. King, whose borders extend from Lyndale Avenue in the west to Interstate 35W in the east and from 36th Street in the north to 46th street in the south.<ref name="Kingfield">Kingfield, Minneapolis. Template:Webarchive placeography.org. Retrieved: February 11, 2013.</ref>
• King's Highway: section of Dupont Avenue in South Minneapolis honoring William S. King.<ref>Minneapolis Street Names. Template:Webarchive tholt.com. Retrieved: February 11, 2013.</ref>
• King's Hill: popular sledding hill at Lyndale Farmstead Park.<ref name="Farmstead">Lyndale Farmstead Park. Template:Webarchive minneapolisparks.org. Retrieved: February 11, 2013.</ref>
• Lyndale Avenue: Minneapolis street taking its name from Lyndale Farm, a 1,400-acre estate owned by William S. King.<ref>Neighborhood Names. johnweeks.com. Retrieved: February 11, 2013.</ref>
• Lyndale Farmstead Park: recreational area at 39th Street and Bryant Avenue South that was part of a vast farm belonging to William S. King and named for his father, Rev. Lyndon King.<ref name="Kingfield"/><ref name="Farmstead"/><ref name="parks"/>
• Northrup-King Seed Company: prominent Minnesota business, whose founders included William S. King and his son Preston.<ref>Northrup, King and Company. mnopedia.org. Retrieved: February 11, 2013.</ref>
• Oakwood Farm in Litchfield: Owned by William S. King and leased by W. H. Gibson.<ref>David Rumsey Map Collection. davidrumsey.com. Retrieved: November 4, 2013.</ref>

References

• Russel L. Olson (1976). The Electric Railways of Minnesota. Minnesota Transportation Museum, Hopkins/H. M. Smyth Co., St. Paul.
• Lake Calhoun. Template:Webarchive WaterLaws.com. Accessed May 26, 2004.

External links

File:William S. King farm (Pf024244).jpg

Old King farm

Minnesota Historical Society

• King's Highway
• William S. King

Hennepin County Library

• King's PavilionTemplate:Dead link

Placeography

• Loring-King house
• Preston King house
• Kingfield neighborhood Template:Webarchive

Articles

• Northrup-King Seed Company at MNopedia.
• William S. King at Southwest Minneapolis Patch.
• Lyndale Farmstead Park at the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board.

Template:CongBio Louis F. Menage

• Erased from memory at the Twin Cities Daily Planet.
• The men behind the Metropolitan Building in the Star Tribune.