Rebel Roots - King

We know that John King was born before 1755 and was probably of English descent. He was first found in Wayne County, North Carolina around Goldsboro. John’s son, Allen, married Nancy Hooks also from Wayne County. Allen’s family and other families such as the Mackey, Davis, Mobley, Cauthen, and others began a westward movement searching for a place they could call home.

They were lured by an abundance of land and other natural resources. Most of the settlers of this region were cotton farmers. Farmers rushed first into western Georgia and then into Alabama and Mississippi after the Federal government took over Indian lands in those states. Some of the King family members were involved in the Creek Indian Removal between 1835 and 1837.

Allen’s family seems to have come to Lowndes County, Alabama in 1818/1819 from NE Alabama Cherokee Territory. Allen’s sons, Axim, Bardin, Calvin, Cullen, Gary, Hardy, Harris, John, Rufus, William and Thomas began to purchase land in Lowndes and Butler counties. In 1866 an act was passed permitting parts of Butler, Pike, Coffee, Lowndes and Covington counties to be taken and used in the formation of Crenshaw County. Some of the land already acquired by the King family then rested in Crenshaw County as well.

Calvin, our great grandfather, was born about 1804 in Kershaw County, South Carolina. He married Lydia Gregg on January 21, 1836, in Lowndes County, Alabama. Calvin and Lydia had the following children: Nancy, John Quincy, Emily, Mary, Missouri, Sarah, Francis and Rebecca.

John Quincy King born about 1836 married Elizabeth Mackey, the daughter of Abner and Jemima Mackey. Samuel Cauthen and John Quincy King signed the marriage bond. John and Elizabeth had the following children: William Travis, John Calvin and Laura Mildred. It is believed that Elizabeth died and John went to his father-in-law and asked for the hand of his younger daughter, Rebecca. John Quincy and Rebecca had the following children: Hiram Delaney, Quincy Franklin, Samuel and Foster Barrett.

Hiram Delaney King born in 1872 married Laura Bozeman and they had three children. Laura died and Hiram married Callie Ann Davis, the daughter of William Eugene Davis and Robbie Ann Skinner. Callie, born February 14, 1892, was the second great granddaughter of Sampson and Ruth Bryant Davis. Callie cared for Laura’s children as her own and Hiram and Callie had nine more children.

Hiram was a farmer and died in the field at work of an apparent stroke or heart attach. He left Callie to raise their large family on her own. Callie worked for the WPA during the war to help support herself and her family.

Callie Ann

1892 - 1982

Last revised: November 4, 2002