My Genealogy Hound

VERNON KING. If to one class of people more than another the United States owes a debt of gratitude, it is to the hard-working, persevering farmers, on whom our prosperity as a nation so largely depends. Among those who for a long time followed agricultural pursuits in Berrien County may be mentioned the name of Mr. King, who now, in the twilight of his useful existence, lives retired from active business cares, occupying a neat and comfortable residence on Lake Avenue, Benton Harbor.

On his father’s side our subject traces his ancestry to France and Ireland, while his maternal forefathers came from England. Grandfather Job King was a native of Massachusetts, which State was also the birthplace of Henry King, father of our subject, who died in Ohio during the year 1862. Cynthia Nichols, as the mother of our subject was known in maidenhood, was born in Massachusetts, and was the daughter of David Nichols, a native of England. Vernon King spent his childhood years in Jefferson County, N. Y., where he was born on the 9th of July, 1818. His education was gained in the common schools of the district, and he alternated attendance at school with work on his father’s farm.

There is little of special note to record concerning the life of Mr. King until 1854, when he sought the El Dorado of thousands of Argonauts, and traveling Westward to California, engaged in mining there for three years. During that time he suffered the hardships incident to life in a new country, where civilization had not yet reached a high development, and where people of every nationality were striving with frenzied eagerness to gain some of the coveted gold. When ready to return home, Mr. King took passage on the “Yankee Blade,” which struck on the reefs off the coast of California, near Port Arquilla. The passengers were rescued by another boat and conveyed to land.

Returning to Michigan in 1857, Mr. King settled in Benton Township, Berrien County. Upon land purchased here, he cut down the timber and the dense forest growth, and through the exercise of sound judgment and perseverance improved the place so that it took rank among the best farms of the county. For more than twenty years Mr. King resided upon that place, devoting his attention to general farming and stock-raising, but in 1880 he retired from farming pursuits, and, coming to Benton Harbor, has since made his home in this village. He owns and occupies a comfortable house on Lake Avenue.

In 1843 Mr. King married Miss Polly A. Bradley, a native of Onondaga County, N. Y., who became the mother of two children: Homer, a resident of Berrien County; and Elmer, deceased. The present wife of our subject, whom he married in 1882, was Mrs. Rosina J. Powers. She was born in Ohio, and is the daughter of George and Anney Conkey. While Mr. King is not a strong partisan, and has never desired official position, yet he is firm in his allegiance to the Republican party, and takes an intelligent interest in public affairs.