Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1915
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 858
ABNER KING

America owes its present position among the nations of the earth to the morale of her sturdy citizens, in whom flows the blood of dauntless pioneers, those men who blazed the way that civilization might follow. One of these sturdy pioneers is Abner KING, who is the oldest settler in the southwest part of Cincinnati township and who has seen the country develop from wild land, covered with heavy timber and choked with swamps, to the richest farming district of the county.

Born January 6, 1840, in Clayborn county, Tennessee, Mr. KING is the son of Thomas and Marguerite (HATFIELD) KING, who were native to Tennessee or probably Virginia, as they lived near the state line. The two were the parents of ten children, of whom Abner was the eighth in order of birth. His father, Thomas KING, the grandson of a native of Germany, received a very limited education, and followed farming all his life.

When Abner KING went to school, he was a student in the old-fashioned subscription schools, and was compelled to go from three to six miles to reach the school house, although he was glad of the opportunity which enabled him to obtain a limited education. In May of 1850, he came to Iowa, locating in Drakesville, Davis county, which was populated by a few settlers, the Indians averaging ten to one of every white man. In July, 1867, Mr. KING came to Harrison county, locating on a farm in section 17 of Cincinnati township, where he has made his home since.

Mr. KING now rents his farm to his grandson. He owns two hundred and forty acres of land in sections 7, 8 and 17 of Cincinnati township, which land was all in timber when he bought it. He cleared the greater part of it and has all but eighty acres under cultivation.

In April, 1863, Abner KING married America JONES, who was born in Indiana, the daughter of William and Cinderella (BESS) JONES, who were native to Indiana. Mrs. KING died March 29, 1878, leaving seven children, six of whom are still living. Of these children, Sarah married James Chapman; he is now dead and the widow makes her home with her father Abner. Martha married William Wells and has seven children, Bertha, Minnie, Clarence, Estella, Alta, Lloyd and Floyd, the last two of whom are twins; Clarence, who is married and lives on his grandfather's farm, has one child, Thomas. Wesley married Addelna WHIPOLE and the two have seven children, Laura, Nancy, George, Carrie, Pearl, Ida and Thomas. Laura married Fred WERKS and has one child, Edward. Nancy married James KING and has one child, Donald. Ella became the wife of Joseph Bohall and they have nine children, Wesley, William, Clyde, Myrtle, John, Abbie, Susan, Ivy and George; of these children Wesley is married and has one child, Harold; Myrtle is married and has one child, also named Harold. William, who is unmarried, lives in Cincinnati township. Henry lives in Limon county, South Dakota, near Murdo.

Mr. KING votes the Democratic ticket, but he is not a politician and has held only minor offices. Having lived a long and honorable life, Abner KING is indeed worthy of high esteem and all respect, and his is the happiness of the man who labors under discouraging conditions and lives to enjoy the fruits of his labors and to enjoy the love of an appreciative posterity.

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