My Genealogy Hound

KING, LUCIAN CAPT., who takes a leading position among the agriculturists of Greene County, is a native of the State of New York; born in the year 1817; the seventh of a family of nine children. The earlier years of life were spent upon the old farm homestead, where he attained a hardy vigor that contributed very materially toward his present prosperous condition in life. In 1842 he made his way to Cleveland, O., where he became employed as a clerk for an older brother; one year later finding the clerk’s position too irksome, and the life of a boatman more congenial to his tastes, he took charge of a boat owned by his brother, and used for the transportation of passengers, freight and merchandise; continuing in this capacity one year, he now wended his way to Southern Illinois, locating in Greene County, where he first secured employment as a farm hand; his total possessions then footing up to the sum of thirty-five dollars; during this time he united his fortunes to Miss Almira Lemon, a daughter of Elder Moses Lemon, a pioneer minister of Greene County. James Lemon, who was the father of the Rev. gentleman above mentioned, was one of the first few white settlers in the State, having settled in Monroe County prior to 1800, a period of time when the North American Indians were as leaves of the forest; when old Fort Dearborn marked the site of the present flourishing city of Chicago, and the entire commerce of the then trading point of St. Louis reached the hopeful sum of some $20,000. Pursuing the thread of our discourse, for many years Captain King roughed it, so to speak, until such time as emigration poured into State and county. Owing to limited space in our volume, we cannot follow him step by step in his western career on an Illinois prairie. When the war broke out, then in his forty-sixth year, he became a zealous advocate of the Union cause, organizing Co. C. 122d Ill. Vol., John J. Rinnaker commander of the regiment. With the rank of a captain, Mr. King proceeded to the front, where he became a participant in many important battles noted in history, among them Parker’s Cross Roads, Town Creek, Paducah, Tupolo, Nashville, etc. Honorably discharged on the 8th of May, 1865; he returned to Greene County, where he has since devoted his time to farming. In 1876, by the unanimous wish of the people, Captain King allowed his name to be put forward as a candidate for the State Legislature, and received the election from this 39th district by an overwhelming majority. Of the marriage above referred to, seven children were born, of whom five are living: Hattie E., who married J. J. Armstrong, and on his death married Henry L. Parker, of Kane; Matie L., who married T. Jones, resident of Tp. 9, R. 11; Martha E., who married Charles E. Neeley, station agent of Kane; Adele and Sadie B., who reside on the farm homestead; this property consists of 260 acres of land brought to a high state of cultivation.