Alfonso William King
The King family lived in Long Creek township, just north of Charlotte in Mecklenburg County, NC. The township was named for the creek that flowed south-westward into the Catawba River. Mecklenburg County is on the border with South Carolina, and midway across North Carolina, east to west. This fertile piedmont region, between the mountains and the seacoast, was mostly divided into smaller family farms, as compared to the plantations of the tidewater region. The King family were farmers.
Alfonso William King was born in December of 1861. The Civil War had begun, and his father fought for the Confederacy, being wounded at Chancellorsville in 1863. Alfonso was six years old when his sister Lillian Calidonia was born (known as Lillie, or Donia). Then two brothers (Joe, who was blind, and Frank) and another sister (Cora Jane) were born, five children in all.
The family were Methodists, attending Trinity Methodist Church. After marriage, Alfonso and his wife continued to attend Trinity Methodist. Eventually his parents were buried there.
Alfonso married Margaret Elizabeth Herron in February of 1883, and their first child Gracie was born in November of that year. By 1896 there were a total of nine children. Margaret was 33, Alfonso 36 years old. Two years later they had twins, but stillborn. Two more sons were born in 1900 and 1901, and then another child was stillborn. Margaret died giving birth to that child. She was forty years old.
Alfonso's youngest child was two years old when Margaret died; his oldest was twenty. The older boys no doubt worked as farm hands with their father, and the older daughters took charge of the house and smaller children. His children attended a private school one year. Alfonso married three more times, and had at least two more children. Second wife Sarah Isabel Jolly whom Alfonso married in 1907, and third wife Henrietta Johnson, married in 1911, were both from the Long Creek area. Henrietta King was born July 21, 1920, a daughter of third wife Henrietta Johnson. In 1921 Alfosno married his fourth wife, Jonnie Young Hudson, from Charlotte. Alfonso died in March of 1932, and is buried at Trinity Methodist cemetery, with his first three wives.
Alfonso King's farm was in Long Creek Twp., Mecklenburg Co., NC. Going north from Charlotte on Beattys Ford Road, the farm lay on the left (west) just beyond (north of) the Capps Hill Gold Mine Road, and south of Sunset Road.The farm probably didn't extend as far north as Sunset Road. The farm extended west from the Gold Mine Rd. to Peachtree Road and west beyond Peachtree. To the southeast of the point where Capps Hill Gold Mine Road dead ends at Peachtree Road lay the old Plummer farm where his mother, Sarah Jane Plummer grew up. The entrance to Alfonso King's farm lay on Beattys Ford Road. There were other houses located along Beattys Ford Road, but the King farm lay to the west behind them. A creek ran roughly north to south through the farm (between Beattys Ford Rd. and Peachtree Rd., crossing the east-west Capps Hill Gold Mine Road. Along the creek, shafts for the gold mine were located and one of these shafts was on the Alfonso King farm. During the depression, some of these shafts were reopened and worked again. Alfonso King kept up the machinery at the Capps Hill Gold Mine, and his wife fed the miners. Alfonso had several farms, including the Elliott farm, and farmed over 100 acres. Alfonso took care of his mother until her death. He also watched over his half brother, Bline Joe King, who lived in one of the houses fronting on Beattys Ford Rd.
All of the sons of Alfonso went to school, possibly in Atlanta, to learn the barbering trade. John was a barber and building contractor. Clarence was a barber, as was his son Melvin who worked from the same shop his father had owned. During the depression, Clarence would cut children's hair for free on his back porch; a man across the street, another barber, reported him. Jimmy was a barber, and left his shop to his nephew, John's son.
| Date | Location | Notes | Sources | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth | 15 Dec 1861 | Mecklenburg County, NC | [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] | |
| 1st Marriage | 8 Feb 1883 | To Margaret Elizabeth Herron | [3][9][10][11] | |
| 2nd Marriage | 3 Apr 1907 | To Sarah Isabel Jolly (b. 14 Nov 1858- d. 12 Nov 1910) |
[4][11] | |
| 3rd Marriage | 28 Dec 1911 | To Henrietta Johnson | [5][11] | |
| 4th Marriage | 8 Nov 1921 | To Jonnie Young [Hudson] | [6][11] | |
| Death | 29 Mar 1932 | in the Charlotte Sanitarium, Mecklenburg County, NC | [7][8] | |
| Burial | 31 Mar 1932 | Trinity Methodist Church Cemetery, Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, NC | [7][8] |
Ancestry chart segment
Generation 3 Generation 4 Generation 5
+-- William John A. King
| (1840-1897)
+-- Alfonso William King --+
| (1861-1932) |
Mack Herron King --+ +-- Sarah Jane Plummer
(1891-1973) | (1844-1912)
+-- Margaret Elizabeth Herron
(1865-1903)
Sources: [1][2][7][11]
Children
(children with Margaret Elizabeth Herron)
| Name | Gender | Date of Birth | Birthplace | Spouse | Notes | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gracie Leola "Grace" King | F | 14 Nov 1883 | Long Creek Twp., Mecklenburg Co., NC | 1) John Wallace Hipp 2) Wm. H. Windle |
[3][11] | |
| "John" Irwin King | M | 14 Jan 1885 | Long Creek Twp., Mecklenburg Co., NC | Deanie Diane Courtney | [3][11] | |
| "Daisy" May King | F | 10 Feb 1886 | Long Creek Twp., Mecklenburg Co., NC | John M. Feimster | [3][11] | |
| "Beulah" Young King | F | 7 Oct 1887 | Long Creek Twp., Mecklenburg Co., NC | [3][11] | ||
| William "Clarence" King | M | 15 Jan 1889 | Long Creek Twp., Mecklenburg Co., NC | Belle V. Clanton | [3][11] | |
| "Lundy" Jane King | F | 28 Apr 1890 | Long Creek Twp., Mecklenburg Co., NC | John Henry Galloway | [3][11] | |
| "Mack" Herron King | M | 28 Jul 1891 | Long Creek Twp., Mecklenburg Co., NC | Nancy Grace Thomas | Direct line | [3][4][11] |
| Annie "Lois" King | F | 2 Jun 1893 | Long Creek Twp., Mecklenburg Co., NC | Edward L. Hyland | [3][4][11] | |
| "Fonnie" Elizabeth King | F | 27 Oct 1896 | Long Creek Twp., Mecklenburg Co., NC | George Clayton Neal | [3][4][11] | |
| unnamed | ? | 2 Jun 1898 | Long Creek Twp., Mecklenburg Co., NC | -never married- | stillborn, twin | [11] |
| unnamed | ? | 2 Jun 1898 | Long Creek Twp., Mecklenburg Co., NC | -never married- | stillborn, twin | [11] |
| Arley "Wilkes" King | M | 19 Sep 1900 | Long Creek Twp., Mecklenburg Co., NC | Ruth M. Hall | [4][11] | |
| James Cecil King | M | 30 Sep 1901 | Long Creek Twp., Mecklenburg Co., NC | Margaret Alley | [4][11] | |
| unnamed | ? | 9 Dec 1903 | Long Creek Twp., Mecklenburg Co., NC | -never married- | stillborn; the mother, Margaret Elizabeth Herron, died during childbirth | [11] |
(children with Henrietta Johnson )
| Name | Gender | Date of Birth | Birthplace | Spouse | Notes | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stillborn son | M | 1 June 1913 | Long Creek Twp., Mecklenburg Co., NC | [11] | ||
| Nellie Cathleen King | F | 29 Oct 1916 | Long Creek Twp., Mecklenburg Co., NC | E. C. Wingate | died 1 June 1995 | [5][6][11] |
| Henrietta King | F | 21 Jul 1920 | Long Creek Twp., Mecklenburg Co., NC | m.25 Dec 1943 Leonard L. DeVries | [6][11] |
Places of Residence
| Location | Dates | Notes | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long Creek Twp, Mecklenburg County, NC | probably entire life | [1][2][3][4][5][6] |
Photo Gallery
The young man to left of the center post may be Alfonso King. The resemblance to later pictures of Mack Herron King is striking, but the picture seems to be from an earlier era. It is not certain which generation of the King family this photo represents. It appears to be an assembly of siblings and cousins, rather than parents & children.
Sources
| Ref. Num. | Description | Image of original |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1870 United States Federal Census, Long Creek Twp., Mecklenburgh Co., NC, Page 35, lines 16-19 lists Sarah J. King, 26, living with three children: son Alphonza King, 7; daughter Calindo King, 5; and son Josephus King, 1. Everyone was born in NC. This census is dated 30 Aug 1870. |  |
| 2 | 1880 United States Federal Census, Long Creek Twp., Mecklenburgh Co., NC, Enumeration District 122, Page 20, lines 40-45 lists widow Sarah J. King, 35, living with five children: son Alfonso W. King, 17; daughter Lily C. King, 13; son Joseph King, 8; son Franklin King, 6; and daughter Cora King, 4. Everyone and their parents were born in NC. This census is dated 15 Jun 1880. |  |
| 3 | 1900 United States Federal Census, Long Creek Twp., Mecklenburgh Co., NC, Enumeration District 196, Page 3, lines 67-77 lists William A. King, 38, born Dec 1861, married to Elizabeth King, 37, born Apr 1863. They live with nine children: daughter Gracie L. King, 16, born Nov 1883; son John I. King, 15, born Jan 1885; daughter Daisy M. King, 14, born Feb 1886; daughter Beulah Y. King, 13, born Oct 1887; son William C. King, 11, born Jan 1889; daughter Lundy J. King, 10, born Apr 1890; son Mack H. King, 8, born Jul 1891; daughter Annie L. King, 6, born Sep 1893; and daughter Fonnie E. King, 3, born Oct 1896. William A. King and Elizabeth King are listed as having been married for 17 years. Elizabeth gave birth to 11 children, but 9 are currently living. Everyone and their parents are listed as having been born in NC. William A. King's occupation is listed as "Farmer." All of the children except for Annie and Fonnie are listed as attending school. Everyone except Mack H., Annie, and Fonnie can read, write, and speak English. This census is dated 4-5 Jun 1900. |  |
| 4 | 1910 United States Federal Census, Long Creek Twp., Mecklenburgh Co., NC, Enumeration District 131, Page 18, lines 45-51 lists Alphonso King, 49, married to Sarrah King, 39. They live with five children: daughter Annie King, 17; daughter Fannie E. King, 14; son Mack H. King, 12; son Wilks King, 10; and son James King, 8. Alphonso King and Sarrah King are listed as having been married for 3 years. Everyone and their parents are listed as having been born in NC. Alphonso King's occupation is listed as "Farmer." All of the children except James are listed as attending school. Everyone except James can read, write, and speak English. This census page is undated, as is the following page. However, the previous page is dated 4 May, 1910, and the next page is dated 8 May 1910. |   |
| 5 | 1920 United States Federal Census, Long Creek Twp., Mecklenburgh Co., NC, Enumeration District 174, Page 1B, lines 53-55 lists Alphonso W. King, 58, married to Etta King, 35. They live with one child: daughter Nellie King, 3. Nellie cannot yet read, write, or speak English. Everyone and their parents were born in NC. Alphonso is a farmer. This census page is dated 5-7 Jan 1920. |  |
| 6 | 1930 United States Federal Census, Long Creek Twp., Mecklenburgh Co., NC, Enumeration District 64, Page 1A, lines 1-5 lists A. W. King, 68, married to Johnie King, 52. They live with two children and a "brother in law": daughter Nellie King, 13; daughter Henrietta King, 10; and "brother in law" Sam Howel[?], 40. The family lives on a farm. A.W. King was 21 at the time of his first marriage. Johnie King was 44 at the time of her first marriage. The two daughters attended school during the census year. Johnie was born in SC; everyone else (and everyone's parents) was born in NC. A.W. King is a farmer and Sam is a laborer on the farm. A.W. King is not a veteran. This census page is dated 2 Apr 1930. |  |
| 7 | Death Certificate from the North Carolina State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, for Alphonso W. King. It lists his residence as Mecklenburg Co., NC. He is a white married farmer. He was born on 15 Dec 1861 in Mecklenburg Co., NC. He died at 6:00pm on 29 Mar 1932 at the Charlotte Sanitorium, Charlotte, NC. His father's name was William King and was born in NC. His mother's maiden name was Sarah Plummer and was born in NC. He was buried at Trinity Church on 31 Mar 1932. |  |
| 8 | North Carolina Deaths, 1908-1967, lists Alphonso W. King as having died on 29 Mar 1932 at the age of 70 in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. His birthday is listed as 1862. |  |
| 9 | Marriage certificate certifying that A. W. King and Elizabeth Herron were married in Mecklenburg Co., NC, on 8 Feb 1883. A. W. King is age 21; Elizabeth Herron is age 19. |  |
| 10 | Will of Julius A. King form Will Book K, p 140-141 Mecklenburg Co., NC.
Names Margaret E. King & children by her husband Alphonso W. King; Gracy L. King eldest dau. of Alphonso W. & Margaret E. King; 26 acres of land in Paw Creek township known as the old George King Place; burial to be at Moore's Chapel in Paw Creek Township. |
  Will transcription |
| 11 | Personal correspondence from Murphy Whistnant , second husband of Robbie King , granddaughter of Alfonso William King. He provided a list the brothers and sisters of Mack Herron King including full names, birthdays, and dates of death when appropriate. The list was given to him by Annie Lois King and was ammended with additional dates of death by Murphy at a later time. Murphy & Robbie also had much information directly from Mack Herron King. That Alphonso had twins was family knowledge; his son Mack Herron King also had twins. | N/A
|
| 12 | Personal correspondence from Edmond Brady Williams, Jr., grandson of Mack Herron King. | N/A
|
| 13 | Marriage License & Certificate for Mecklenburg Co., NC, dated 7 Feb 1883. A. W. King applied for a marriage license of A?????(illegible) of Mecklenburg, aged 21 years, son of William King (dead) and Sarah J. King (living), to Elizabeth Herron of A??? Co., aged 19 years, daughter of J??? Herron (dead) and S. J. Herron (living), resident of Mecklenburg. The certificate beneath the license indicates that Justice of the Peace Nicholas Gibbon married A. W. King and Elizabeth Herris (sic) on 8 Feb 1883 at Gibbon's house in Mallard Creek Twp., Mecklenburg Co., NC. |  |
Source notes
- From the 1900 census to the 1910 census, Mack Herron King seems to only have aged 4 years while all of the other ages match up reasonably well.
- The 1900 census indicates that Alfonso and Elizabeth had 11 children born, 9 living. The stillbirth of 1898 is presumed to have been twins, to account for the 11 children. It was family knowledge that Alfonso had twins (and his son Mack Herron King later had twins.) The child born in 1900, Arle Wilkes King, was born after the census date, so he is not included in the 11 child total.
