from The Book of Kings
Capt. William King, the first son of Col. James and Sarah Goodson King, was born November 4, 1785, likely in that part of Montgomery County, Virginia that finally became Floyd County. When a child he was brought to Sullivan County, Tennessee. Later the family lived at Strawberry Plains and Knoxville, Tennessee, but then returned to the Holly Bend plantation on Beaver Creek in Sullivan County, near what became Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia. He grew up to be a tall, lean and handsome young man. His education was more than substantial for that period having been received under the tutorship of Professor Cyrus Hempton, who long lived on the King plantation.
As with his brother, James, William was a rather precocous lad and was early entrusted with various important reponsibilities in the operation of his father's plantation and ironworks. In 1802, Col. James King bought property in what came to be known as old Kingsport (Christianville or Boat Yard), Tennessee, which was deeded to young William, who was then barely seventeen years old. Over the next several years this oldest King son bcame the owner of much valuable land in Sullivan and Carter (later Johnson) counties in East Tennessee. It appears that he also owned a plantation near Huntsville, Alabama. Before his youthful years were ended he had become a wealthy man.
William was commissioned as a captain in the Second Regiment, Volunteer Rifles Company, on January 8, 1811, and made a gallant officer in the Creek War. He commanded a company at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, and it is said that his gun was the first over the breastworks the Indians had erected. That gun was kept and treasured by relatives....
After the war, Captain King returned to Sullivan County, Tennessee.
