St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1881-12-17
The Late Judge John T.. King.

lousas, June 10th, 1920. His: grand
father, George King, was for thirty
five years, Judge of the Parish cour
of st. Landry, under the constitution o.
1919. His father, Valentine King, was
appointed by President Monroe regis
ter and commissioner of the land Office
for the Western District Of Louisiana
and served with great efficiency in thai
capacity until his death, a period OF
fifteen or twenty years. An uncle OF
his, George.R. King, was for many years
distinguished member OF the Supreme
Court of Louisiana. After a few years
spent at the best schools in our parish
Judge King was sent to New England
with a view of preparing him to enter one
of the great universities of that section.
The death of his father prevented the
carrying ont of this design. He how
ever entered Centenary College, Lou
isiana, whence he graduated with dis
tinction about 1910. He soon after
began studying law, and was admitted to
the bar in Opelousas. He then removed
to Clinton, La, and began practicing
bis profession with Judge Lafayette
Saunders, distinguished lawyer and
conspicuous leader Of the Whiglparty in
the Florida Observation-Disclosures he
subsequently married.
He first came into public notice by
drawing up the charges and specifica-
tions Of the bar Of Clinton against Judge
Boyle, who was impeached. Returning
to Opelousas in about 1874, he soon
rose to the head of the bar, and became
in few years one Of the most distin-
guished lawyers in Louisiana.
Until his elevation to the District
bench, in 1870, his practice was
large and lucrative. He was retained
in almost every important case, civil
or criminal in his district. His thorough
knowledge of the law, his easy and
fluent style of oratory, combined with
his urbanity and suavity, made him a
most dangerous adversary, especially
in jury cases, in which he was almost
uniformly successful. Descended from
the leading Wing family Of st. Landry,
surrounded by his early associations,
and receiving bis first impressions from
such teachers as Marshall, Story and
Kent, and taught from his early youth
to venerate such political leaders as
Daniel Webster and Henry Clay, it was
but natural that Judge King from his
earliest manhood, should have been an
ardent and enthusiastic Wing himself,
and should in after years become one Of
the standard bearers Of the party, in
many of its hardest fought campaigns in
this State. In 1e48 he edited the st.
Landry Wing, and at the close Of the
presidential canvass, which resulted
in the election Of Taylor and Fillmore,
was appointed messenger to carry the
electoral vote to Washington city.
From 1850 to 1854 he was prominent
member Of the legislature and was the
Wing speaker of the house of represen-
tatives in 1859, when the most distin-
guished men in Louisiana deliberated
in her legislative halls. His quickness
of perception, his thorough knowledge of
parliamentary law, combined with great
urbanity and suavity of manner
caused him ito be unanimously reeos-
nized as one of the most accomplished
speakers that has ever sat in the chair
of presiding officer Of the legislature in
this State.
In 1852, he was elected a delegate to
the convention, which assembled at
Baton Rouge to frame a new organic
law for the State. The convention was
Of the most illustrious body
of men that has ever assembled in Lou
isiana. 1t comprised, amongst. others
Of lesser note, such men as Benjamin,
Bradford, Campbell, Eustis, Hunt, Her
ron, Hebert, Hayes, Nichols, Pugh,
Parham, Roselius, Roman. Many of
these men had already at the bar and
On the bench or in the field Of politics
the highest distinction, and
possessed national regulations. When
The convention met Judge King took a
very high position. Though compare
lively young, he was regarded as one Of
he ablest and readiest debators aud best
oarliamentarians in the convention, and
vas appointed chairman of one of it's
most important committees. The con-
7ention was in session only three weeks,
,ut gave us the best constitution that
he State has had since that Of 1912 was
.bragated. In 1854 he was nominated /,
y the Wing party for Auditor Of Public
accounts, but as a matter of course was
efeated as the grand old party of
7hich he was SO justly proud, had run &