Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1916-11-28
H0rafl0 King.

| Horatio King.
! The name of King has been associated
with Oxford County since shortly after
the Revolution Of TITO. George King 40.
cepted an allotment of lands from the
Government on the long hill near Stony
Brook, three miles equidistant from
Paris Hill and South Paris. George
King was Clerk and Sergeant 1t would
be Orderly Sergeant now of the Rsyn-
ham Massachusetts, Company. he and
three brothers were In the war for liber-
ty. One was q privateer and died In the
service.
Samuel King, the son Of George, In
herited the large farm and there on the
18th day Of June, 1911, Horatio King
was born. he had also six brothers and
two sisters. All were hale and hearty
save Horatio, who being unequal to farm
work, secured the best education practi-
cable in the state and when about TWEEN.
ty-one gathered together his not extern
sive belongings and went to Paris Hill
to learn the trade of printer. Inside OF
year, he and former Vice President
Hamlin bought the establishment, In.
Guiding the weekly paper called The
Jeffersonian. The files of the journa !
which he preserved show the marked
ability of both writers. A poem by Mr..
King created great amusement and was
widely copied. It was based upon the
act of his landlady, pious woman who
regarded the violin az representative OF
the lower regions. Mr.. King played 1t
In the church choir, and also In frivolous
melodies at home. In bis absence, the
old lady hunted 1t out and fguratively
"kicked it to the ceiling" to its utter de-
struction. The rhyme described the
scene in mirth-provoking measures.
Upon the election of General Jackson
to the presidency, the unusual feat was
effected of carrying the entire office
property in large wagon to Portland
where the usual weekly number was Is
sued without interruption. In this city,
Mr.. King married Anne Collins and two
children were born there. The tempta.
tons of Office allured Mr.. King and In
1888 he accepted an appointment In the
Post Office Department. His advance
ment there was steady, his ability and
high character placing him In respon.
sible positions including the care OF the
foreign mails system, then quite imma-
ture and unsatisfactory. His work
there resulted in general improvement
and in establishing the system now In
vogue and the low rates of postage. This
led to his appointment as First Assistant
Postmaster General.
In the troublous times of 1850 he was
frequently acting as head OF the depart
ment until his appointment as Post
master General in the Loyal Cabinet.
He was the first to rebuke the South by
the removal of route agent on the Bal.
tlmore and Ohio Railroad who persisted
in wearing secession cockade.
President Lincoln upon his accession
offered him his former position Of First
Assistant Postmaster General which Mr..
King did not accept. His loyalty was
further recognized by Mr.. Lincoln's ap-
pointment as one of the commissioners
under the act of Congress abolishing
slavery in the District of Columbia and
the purchase of all the slaves owned
there. Mr.. King entered upon the prac-
fore the departments.
He was prominent in social affairs and
his literary receptions every Saturday
night during the seasons are still remem-
bered as delightful innovation upon
the usual festive parties for which Wash
ington was famous. he died In that
city on the Goth day Of May 1897. he
would have reached eighty.seven years
OF age in June.
OF his seven children, three only, two
sons and daughter, survived him. Ho-
ratio G. King, the eldest, moved to New
York early in 1851 and was admitted to
the bar. In 1852 he was appointed by
the Secretary of War captain on the
general staff, was promoted to major and
In 1884 and 1885 served under General
Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley. Still
under that command he was present IN
the closing engagements Of the war and
was at the surrender at Appomattox.
He was brevetted major, lieutenant
colonel and colonel, and was awarded
the congressional medal of honor for
special and conspicuous gallantry at the
battle of Five Forks. He married In
1855 and has since resided In Brooklyn,
New York. The other surviving child is
Henry F. King, who married and settled
in Boston, where he has bad for many
years an important position with Brad
streets Agency.
The farm of Samuel King came into
the possession of the youngest son, Will
liam o. King, and at his death 1t fell to
his son, j. Ferdinand King, the present
owner. Horatio's sons, In memory OF
their father, have presented handsome
bronze tablet bearing the inscription
Birthplace of Horatio King, 1S11.1s97,
Postm aster General" which has been
appropriately attached to boulder near
the homestead by Ferdinand King. It
will keep In mind a man Of unusually
brilliant attainments whose friends EN-.
braced every section of the nation. 1t
may be truly said of him that
"None knew him but to love him,
None named him but to praise"