The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1884-09-03
non. o. G. KING.

Now that our distinguished fellow
citizen whose name heads this arti-
Gle, has been selected by the De-
mOcracy of the First Congressional
district of Tennesseeas its Standard
bearer, it seems appropriate to pub
lish a short historical sketch of the
man. Especially is this so, in view
of the fact that Col. King has never
before been before the people of the
district or any part Of them as an
effiee-seeker. .....
o. c. King was born just across
the Tennessee line, in Washington
county, Va, in 1912. In 1874 his
father removed across the line into
Sullivan county, Tenn, in which
county our candidate was raised.
At the opening of the late war
Col. King was a member of the ju-
Nor class at Tusculum college.
His Southern proclivities led him
70 abandon college life before the
end of his junior year for the Cons
federate army. He entered the
cavalry service rs a high private, in
which capacity, except for an inter
val of six months, he served
through the war. At one time he
was promoted to lieutenancy in an
infantry regiment, but prefering
the cavalry service he resigned his
commission ut the end ofsiX months
and returned to his old post in the
ranks of the cavalry. On June /,
1884, at the battle of New Hope in
the valley of Virginia he received a
wound which at the time and for
months after was supposed to be ia
tai, four inches of his thigh bone
being shot away.
The close of the war found his ia
Their, like it found SO many other
Southern citizens, broken in for
tune. and the subject of this sketch
fat of his back suffering still from
his wonnd.
As soon "a he was able he began
| teaching school, laying on a pallet
in his school house for the purpose,
and studying law at the same time.
In 1867 he was admitted to the
bar at Blountville, and entered the
practice as a partner Of }. b.
McLin.
In the fall of 1865 he removed to
Messy Creek, in Jefferson county;
remained there practIcing his pro-
fession until 1876, when he came to
Morristown. Since then this has
been his home.
1t is thought by the friends of
Col. King that he is possessed Of
considerable wealth. This he has
not inherited, but has accumulated
by his own industry and energy.
"A above intimated Col King is
now before the people of this dis
trict as the Democratic candidate
for Congress.
1t is proper to say, that long
enough before the present (un)
happy split in the Republican party
of the district, and when to run in
the district in a Presidential year
was only to lead a forlorn hope
with a certainty of defeat, Col. King
had made known his purpose to run
the race. 1t was not therefore his
present hattering prospect of sue
cess that brought him to the front,
but a determination on his part to
bear the Democratic standard even
tho defeat was certain.
He was nominated on the 2Sth of
August at Grseneville by a convens
ton consisting of the best men of
the district. No convention ever
held in the district possessed more
brain power, or was conducted in q
more dignifed manner.
Col. King was the choice of a de-
cided majority from the start, and
received practically the entire vote
of the convention on the sixth
ballot.
Already he is on the war path in
the eastern end of the district. We
predict that a more vigorous cams
paign than he will make has never
been made in the district.