THOMAS J. KING
Thomas J. King
was born at East Hampton, Suffolk So., Long Island, June 4, 1825. He was the
only son of Samuel T. and Martha (Leek) King, the former of whom was of English
and the latter of Welsh descent. His ancestors removed to East Hampton as early
as 1680, and for generations have been characterized by respectability and
honesty. At an early age young King was sent to the public schools, and
afterwards to the Clinton Academy, of which at a subsequent period of his life,
he became the honored principal. He subsequently attended William College, from
which he was honorably graduated in 1848. He then chose medicine as a
profession, and for its study entered the Albany Medical College in 1852, and
after attending two regular courses of lectures, received his diploma and degree
of M.D. in 1854. Prior to his attendance at Albany he read medicine with
Abraham Van Scoy, M. D., at East Hampton, and also at intervals between his
graduation. He first commenced the practice of his profession at Machias, in
the spring of 1856, and has since continued to reside there. By his scholarly
attainments and extensive knowledge of medicine and surgery he is considered by
his brother practitioners and by the people at large an ornament to the
profession and generally useful citizen. He has been a member of the
Cattaraugus County Medical Society from its reorganization until the present
time. In politics he has always been a consistent Republican, and though not
seeking political honors, rather preferring to devote his time and attention to
his profession, yet the people, recognizing his ability and personal worth, have
twice elected him their representative in the Assembly, first in 1876, and again
the year following. In the House his talents were recognized, and he was made
chairman of the Committee of Public Health and member of the Committee of
Apportionment. He made an able and (what is of far greater merit) an honest
legislator; and did his inclination and aspirations teud to political
preferment, the people would intrust to his care the management of their affairs
in almost ay position within their gift.
On the 4th
of October, 1860, Dr. King was united in marriage with Mary Elizabeth, daughter
of W. M. Farrar, Esq., of Machias. There were two children born to them,
namely, Clarence, born June 6, 1861; Harold, born April 27, 1863. On the 31st
of May the doctor sustained the loss of his wife, which was naturally a sore
bereavement to him, particularly as the care of his young children devolved
almost entirely on him. But he is not a man to shirk responsibilities, and we
doubt not but that his sons will be properly and judiciously reared, and in
youth and manhood will reflect credit and honor upon their worthy parent.
Upon Dr. King’s general
character and reputation we base the following assertions: that he occupies a
prominent position in the medical profession of Cattaraugus County, as is shown
by the fact that he enjoys an extensive practice, and is often called in honest;
that his political record is irreproachable; and that he admirably sustain
consultation; and he possesses more than ordinary executive and business
ability; that he is scrupulously the relations of the Christian gentleman and
the worthy and upright citizen. In fine, his life and character have been such
that we fear no honest contradiction to the above, which, though seemingly
containing much of eulogy, is in reality but a plain, uncolored statement of
facts.
*The above information
was obtained from the History of Cattaraugus County, New York by L. H. EVERTS,
1879.