Judge John King 1803-1871

KING, EMERSON, KENNEDY, SMITH, SCOTT

Posted By: cheryl moonen (email)
Date: 3/20/2018 at 18:57:10

The Herald, Sunday, Feb. 12, 1871
DEATH OF HON. JOHN KING
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The First Journalist in Iowa, Gone
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SKETCH OF HIS LIFE
AND PUBLIC SERVICES
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Judge King died at his residence in this city, Monday, the 13th inst., at ten minutes before 10 o’clock a.m.

Judge King was born in Virginia, at Shepardstown, in 1803-the year in which the territory west of the Mississippi became part of the public domain of the United States. He was, therefore, in his sixty-eight year at the time of his death. His father, Samuel King died in Dubuque over ten years ago, at a very advanced age, from an accident, while on a visit to his relatives here.

Among his surviving relatives here in Dubuque are, Mrs. J. M. Emerson, Mrs. Geo. W. Scott and Mrs. T. K. Kennedy, the latter a widow. His own bereaved family consists of a wife and two children, one daughter of thirteen, and the other a son of five years.

Judge King had in his long eventful life suffered much affliction. His first wife died some twenty years ago. His second wife, Mrs. Smith of Cleveland, Ohio. He lost two interesting boys at one time, from scarlet fever, about six years ago.

Even a slight sketch of the life and public services of any of the prominent early settlors of our city would necessarily contain illusion to the leading facts in our local history. Judge King has been seen almost daily upon our streets, except for the last few weeks, during the past thirty-five years. His cordial greeting of numerous friends, and occasional inquires and remarks on matters of public interest have been as familiar to our citizens as his genial manner, and the appearance of his kindly face. His inquiry, as to the welfare of his personal friends, was as common as his ready reply in relation to any subject on which his opinion was asked.

He was much more than an ordinary man, having been the first editor and newspaper proprietor in our state, and had filled a number of public offices with honor and trust with fidelity, and to the satisfaction to his fellow citizens. As an early journalist and enterprising citizen he was identified with the movements which detached a part of territory of Michigan and former Wisconsin territory, the including Iowa.