logo

An American Family History

William King

East Tennessee is part of Appalachia. At the end of the French and Indian War, colonists began drifting into the area. In 1769, they first settled along the Watauga River. During the Revolution, the Overmountain Men defeated British loyalists at the Battle of Kings Mountain. The State of Franklin was formed in the 1780s, but never admitted to the Union.

William King was born August 1, 1752, in Chester County, Pennsylvania. He was the son of Edward King and Elizabeth Nichols.

He married Elizabeth Sharp.

Elizabeth and William's children included:

Elizabeth King McConnell (1775, married William McConnell),
Isaac Newton King (1777, married Sarah Jane Laughlin),
William King (1779 , married Sarah Garner),
Mary King Vance (1779, married John Vance),
Lavinia King Laughlin (1783, married Alexander Laughlin), and
Benjamin Harvey King (1784 - 1860, married Sarah Dinsmore).

In October, 1774, he moved from Lancaster County, to the western part of North Carolina (now Tennessee).

He entered the service on July 1, 1776, and served under Captain James Shelby and Colonel Christy in a North Carolina regiment. He was in a battle with the Cherokee. He was discharged November 1, 1776.

In 1776 he enlisted as a spy under General Russell in pursuit of the Cherokees. October 10, 1780, he again enlisted in an expedition under Captain Andrew Cowan, and Colonel Taylor in a North Carolina regiment. He was discharged January, 1781.

He was mentioned in John Sevier's diary in 1802

Wed., Oct. 13: Went up to William King's in company with Mrs. Nancy Keewood and returned in evening.

William died in 1840 in Sullivan County, Tennessee

 

The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783) was between the Kingdom of Great Britain and the 13 colonies which became the newly formed United States.

 
 
     
 
Watauga Pioneer Neighbors
map
 
 

divider

 
The Holston River flows from Kingsport to Knoxville.
map
map by Kmusser

Carter County, Tennessee Deeds
13 Sept. 1796,
John Hale of Carter Co. sells to
Wm. King of Sullivan Co. TN
$100, in trust in behalf of Jonathan King a minor nephew.
Beg. on bank of Watauga River at Bogarts corner, etc.,
160 acres
... to hold Wm. King his heirs, assigns, adms. etc. on account for said Jonathan until he reaches age 21.

 
 
 
 

King, William
15 Sep 1797
800 acres
south side of North Fork of the Holston River
adj: Benjamin Alesworth , said Alesworth’s late survey, valley road, Scott, James Cauron, Berry Keywood, Job Crabtree, Edward McNew, Michael Halfacre’s survey,
crossing said Halfacres Mill Creek [now called Stonemill Creek], Bazel Talbert’s land bought of Halfacre, corner to said Talbert’s late survey, Neal McNeal’s survey, Rich Valley road, Daniel Ryly’s survey, on the south bank of the river

 
 
 
 

King, William
17 Nov 1797
326 acres
Chestnut Ridge and south branches North Fork of the Holston River
adj: James Young, Simeon Frost’s survey, McHenry’s old survey now in possession of Job Crabtree, a line of Crabtree’s new survey,

 
 
 
 

King, William
10 May 1798
100 acres waters of the North Fork of the Holston River
adj: white walnut by a road

 
 
 
 

King, Wm.
30 Jul 1798
760 acres
79. lying on waters of Spring Creek [a north branch of the South Fork of the Holston River]& on both sides of same in the Great Knobs including part of a coal-mine on Hunts creek
adj: Matthew Willoughby, Samuel Vance

 
 
 
 

King, William
27 Nov 1798
200 acres Warrant No. 17873 dated 21 Jul 1783
lying on the dividing ridge between the waters of the North Fork of the Holston River & Ready [Reedy] Creek on Blockhouse Road adj: crossing said road twice

 
 
 
 

1801
Petition of William King of Washington County, Virginia,
Asking the David Ross dam across Holston River be replaced by locks.

 
 
 
 

August 4, 1804,
Wm. King, Sullivan Co. Tennessee
to John Lay of Carter Co.,
£110,
160 acres,
near Watauga River, at Bogarts corner.

 
 
 
 

July 21, 1809
Washington County, Virginia Deed Book 4:23
Neil McNeil sells to exrs. of Wm. King, dec., & "State" of Virginia,
land where he now lives,
adj. Michael Huffaker
1 ½ miles from Saltville in Rich Valley.

 
 
 
 

William King
Date: 1832
Source: Will book No. 1, pg. 246
Legatees and Executors - Martha King, Thomas King, George G. King
Witnesses - Richard Carr, Alfred Carr, James M. Carr

 
Colonial Maryland
Colonial New England
Colonial Virginia & West Virginia
Quakers & Mennonites
New Jersey Baptists
 
German Lutherans
Watauga Settlement
Pennsylvania Pioneers
Midwest Pioneers
Californians
Jewish Immigrants

©Roberta Tuller 2020
tuller.roberta@gmail.com
An American Family History is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program,
an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.