4. WESLEY HENRV2 KING (KING1)5,B was born March 1804 in Watertown, Jefferson, New York, and died November 23, 1870 in Cane Hill, Washington, Arkansas7•8. He married (1) SALLY REEo9·10 December 25, 1827 in Batesville, Independence County, AR11, daughter of WILLIAM REED and MARGARET ROBERTSON. She was born August 19, 1811 in Louisville KY 12•13, and died Abt. 1834. He married (2) EVALINE HoLT November 1836, daughter of JACK HOLT and ELIZABETH POGUE. She was born December 28, 1821 in Alabama 14• 15, and died April 22, 1908 in Cane Hill, Washington, Arkansas 16• 17. Notes for WESLEY HENRY KING: " ............ undoubtedly of English origin and perhaps came from England as a lad. Older family members think there were two sisters also, but there is nothing definite enough to state with any degree of accuracy. He came to Arkasas, along with William Reed and his family when they came from Kentucky in 1825; stopped a bit at Batesville, Arkansas, and came on to Cane Hill as one of the seven original families to form the settlement of Boonesboro, later re-named Cane Hill. His first wife was Sally Reed, William Reed's oldest child, and by this union there were five chiildren. The marriage record says "Westley King and Sarah Reed." (Sally was a common nickname for Sarah) Following her death he was wed to Evaline Elizabeth Holt, in November 1836. Eveline was not quite 15 when this marriage took place. She came to be a mother of four step children, the oldest not quite five years her junior! In spite of her age, she was a young lady of considerable aplomb ........ " A History of the HOLT FAMILY in WASHINGTON COUNTY ARKANSAS by Ruth Holt Payne and Mrs. Burlene Hilton Notes for EVALINE HOLT: She and Wesley King made their home at Fly Creek, Arkansas. " .......... Eveline was not quite 15 when this marriage took place. She came to be a mother of four step children, the oldest not quite five years her junior! In spite of her age, she was a young lady of considerable aplomb. "She had already attended the Young Ladies' Female Seminary at Cane Hill, where the young ladies from Boston, who had established this institution instilled culture in the bosoms of the young women in the area. The accounts of Eveline's exploits are legion. Her stamina which was to stand her in good stead throughout her life, is reflected in such stories as the one of her swimming across the river in Alabama where she was born and lived until their removal to Tennessee and then to Arkansas. Another, of the slaughter of thirteen rattlesnakes with a brother seconding her efforts. "Having thirteen children of her own, and having reared a total of nineteen, she was oblivious to almost anything that would alarm her. During her long life she was an incessant reader. Stories are told of her granddaughters combing and dressing her hair by the hour, literally, while she read, completely oblivious to http://home.earthlink.ner/-herblst!king_family.htm 3/1/2005 King Family Page4of37 them. As a result, they always adored her. Her sternest rebuke was to say "Tut tut!" "She always loved beauty. Flowers were for her almost a necessity and even in the winter months, she would use dried things dusted with flour, to decorate her bedroom. For a fruitful life, there could be no better example. Her activities were in no wise confined to her family circle which was large enough to have occupied most women-------but she was constantly in demand as a midwife. There were almost no medical facilities and her husband, who acted as a doctor and a dentist, among other things, was also in demand. She was his assistant in much that he did. At her death, she had 70 grandchildren and many great grandchildren, also a few great great grandchildren. Hers is the only family to date, in the year 1960, to reach into the eighth generation from the original family of Jack and Elizabeth Holt---the children of Bobby Howard and Teda Jean Howard Braly. The Kings also have the largest number of descendants." from ·A History of the HOLT FAMILY in WASHINGTON COUNTY ARKANSAS by Ruth Holt Payne and Mrs. Burlene Hilton" Comment by Clara E. Kendrick: This was my Great-Grandmother. Down by the ever-running mountain spring on Fly Creek, she had a hole of water where she used to duck her children when they disobeyed her commands. Cold or hot, she went to this spring every morning for her refreshing wash, before she ate breakfast, and always brought back a fresh bucket of water to make her coffee. "Never use water that has stood over night", she said, "because it has lost its savor." Grandmother King is the only person I have ever heard tell about the Falling Stars. She said: "I saw it rain stars from above on November 13, 1833, from about 4 in the morning until daylight. Some folks were frightened, thinking the world was coming to an end." Grandmother King said her mother was sick and had called her out of her sleep. When she saw the stars coming down, she called other members of her family, to see the ground covered with stars. "You could not pick them up," she said; "They were just like air bubbles, bright in color, spots which lasted until daybreak." When a child, I thought she was just telling us fairytales. Later in life I found an account of the falling of the stars in a history book, date and time just like Grandmother had told us. ========== 1850 Census of Northwest Arkansas: Washington Counties - Bobbie Jones McLane and Desmond Walls Allen Cane Hill Township KING, l. W. 54, Rhoda 4B, Sarah 14, Mary 12, Alonzo 11. David 5, ANDERSON, Martha E. 1 SC/KY dwg 1 8, Cane Hill twp ==========additional ai research ---- Wesley Henry King, 1804-1870 I found the man described in your question. Wesley Henry King was an early settler of the Cane Hill area of Washington County, Arkansas, and is probably the Wesley King traditionally identified as a brother of Solomon King of Missouri. That sibling relationship is plausible, but the parents attributed to them in online family trees remain unproved. Vital information Name: Wesley Henry King, also recorded as Wesley King and “Westley” King Birth: probably 23 March 1804, at or near Watertown, New York Death: 23 November 1870, Washington County, Arkansas Burial: Cox Cemetery, near Morrow/Clyde, Washington County, Arkansas Gravestone inscription: age 66 years, 8 months, which calculates to approximately 23 March 1804. The birthplace requires a jurisdictional correction. Watertown is now in Jefferson County, but Jefferson County was not created until 1805. If Wesley was born there in March 1804, the location was then legally part of Oneida County, New York. This probably explains why one FamilySearch entry says “Watertown, Oneida, New York,” while later family records say Jefferson County. Migration to Arkansas A history preserved by descendants says that Wesley came to Arkansas with William Reed and his family, who migrated from Kentucky about 1825. The party reportedly stopped at Batesville before continuing west to Cane Hill. Wesley was described as one of the settlers connected with the early community first called Boonsboro or Boonesboro, later known as Cane Hill. This migration tradition is consistent with Wesley’s 1827 marriage in Independence County and the Arkansas birthplaces of his children. First marriage Wesley married: Sarah “Sally” Reed on 25 December 1827, at Batesville or elsewhere in Independence County, Arkansas. The marriage record reportedly names them as “Westley King and Sarah Reed.” Sally was a common nickname for Sarah. She was identified as a daughter of William Reed and Margaret Robertson. Sarah was reportedly born 19 August 1811 in Louisville, Kentucky, and died about 1834. Those dates come from family histories and require confirmation from original records. Children attributed to Wesley and Sarah Reed The Luginbuel family compilation lists: William King, born about 1827-1828 Jane King, born and died about 1830 Joseph King, born about 1830; died 1906 Samuel King, born about 1831 Margaret King, born about 1834 The 1850 census confirms several older children in Wesley’s household, although the family compilations disagree somewhat over their names and ages. Second marriage Wesley married secondly: Evaline Elizabeth Holt in approximately November 1836 or November 1838. The Luginbuel compilation gives November 1836, while FamilySearch gives November 1838. The earlier date is more consistent with the birth of their son John about 1838. Evaline was reportedly born 28 December 1821 in Alabama. She was a daughter of Jack Holt and Elizabeth Pogue, although some online trees incorrectly identify her surname as Rich. She died in 1908 and was buried beside or near Wesley in Cox Cemetery. A Washington County family history states that Wesley and Evaline lived on Fly Creek. Wesley reportedly practiced informally as a doctor and dentist, while Evaline assisted neighbors as a midwife. 1850 census Wesley King was enumerated in Cane Hill Township, Washington County, Arkansas, in 1850. The household has been transcribed as: Person Age Birthplace Wesley King 47 New York Eveline King 27 Alabama William King 22 Arkansas Joseph King 20 Arkansas Samuel King 18 Arkansas Margaret King 16 Arkansas John King 12 Arkansas Willis King 11 Arkansas Martha King 9 Arkansas Earl King 7 Arkansas Hiram King 4 Arkansas Allen King 2 Arkansas This census is strong evidence that Wesley was born in New York, rather than Kentucky, Canada, or England. It also confirms that he was in Arkansas by at least 1827-1828, based on the birthplace and age of his oldest child. The family-history statement that he “perhaps came from England as a lad” conflicts with the 1850 census and should not be accepted without additional evidence. Later children Children generally attributed to Wesley and Evaline include: John J. King, born about 1838 Willis Jasper King, 1839-1908 Martha Ann King, 1841-1865 David Earl “Tobe” King, 1843-1919 Hiram Henry King, 1846-1918 Allen Sea King, about 1848-1917 Sarah E. King, about 1850-1921 Mary Emmaline King, 1852-1930 James Hiram or James Henry King, 1854-1923 Benjamin Francis King, born about 1857 Laura Emily King, 1859-1945 Silas Bunyan King, 1865-1933 Leonidas King, 1867-1958 The reported thirteen children correspond with family tradition that Evaline gave birth to thirteen children and raised several stepchildren. Death and burial Wesley died on 23 November 1870, probably at his Fly Creek home in or near Cane Hill Township. He was buried at: Cox Cemetery near Morrow or Clyde, Washington County, Arkansas reported plot: Row 14 His memorial records his age as sixty-six years and eight months. A death date of 23 November 1870 means Wesley should have been alive when the 1870 federal census was taken. However, FamilySearch has attached both an Anderson County, Texas census entry and a Cane Hill Township record to his profile. The Texas record is almost certainly a mistaken attachment or another man named King. It should not be used as evidence that Wesley moved to Texas. Was he Solomon King’s brother? The Luginbuel family compilation groups Wesley with: Solomon King, born about 1801-1802 Rachel King, born about 1809 Hiram King, born about 1815 Isaac King, birth date unknown Their father is shown only as “Father King,” meaning that the compiler did not know his identity. FamilySearch has assigned the following parents: Silas King, reportedly born about 1775 Cynthia Titus, reportedly born about 1776 It also lists Wesley, Rachel, Hiram, and Solomon as their children. Assessment of the Silas King claim The attribution to Silas King and Cynthia Titus is not yet proved. I did not find: a birth or baptismal record for Wesley; a will or probate naming Wesley and Solomon together; a New York deed connecting Wesley to Silas King; a census household that clearly contains all the proposed children; or an original family record naming Cynthia Titus as their mother. The FamilySearch relationship appears to be a collaborative-tree conclusion rather than a conclusion supported by displayed original records. Evidence supporting a relationship between Wesley and Solomon The proposed brotherhood has several circumstantial points in its favor: Wesley was born about 1804 and Solomon about 1801-1802. Both have New York or Canadian-border associations. Family compilations consistently place them in the same sibling group. The names Hiram, Silas, and Solomon recur among Wesley’s descendants. Wesley had a son named Hiram and another named Silas, potentially preserving names from his birth family. However, naming patterns alone do not prove parentage. Present conclusion Wesley Henry King was almost certainly: born about 23 March 1804 near Watertown, then Oneida County, New York; in Arkansas by the mid-1820s; married to Sarah “Sally” Reed in 1827; an early Cane Hill-area settler; married secondly to Evaline Elizabeth Holt; father of a large family; and buried in Cox Cemetery after his death on 23 November 1870. He is probably the Wesley King traditionally identified as Solomon King’s brother, but that relationship remains based on family compilation rather than direct documentary proof. The claim that their father was Silas King and their mother Cynthia Titus should be classified as an unproved hypothesis, not an established fact. The next decisive records would be the 1800 and 1810 census households around Watertown, Jefferson County deeds and tax lists, northern New York church baptisms, and probate records for every Silas King who lived along the New York-Canadian border between 1800 and 1830.