Family Tree Maker's Genealogy Site: User Home Page Genealogy Report: Descendants of John King

[ Home Page | First Page | Previous Page | Next Page | Last Page ]

Descendants of John King

Generation No. 2

2. JOHN² KING (JOHN¹) was born 1628 in England, and died December 03, 1703 in Northampton, Massachusetts. He married SARAH HOLTON November 18, 1656 in Northampton, Massachusetts, daughter of WILLIAM HOLTON and MARY WINCHE.

Notes for JOHN KING:
Son of John and Catherine, was born in 1628/29 in England. Trumbull says he came from England in 1645 when he was 16 years of age. He lived some years with a Mr. James Cole of Hartford. (Another report says he was born in Boyle, Roscommon, Ireland). We believe he was English although his family may have resided in Ireland for a time. He came to Northampton in 1655, and on November 18, 1656, in Northampton, MA., he married Sarah Holton, daughter of William Holton and Mary of Hartford, CT. William Holton is reported to be the eighth great grandfather of Princess Diana. Sarah was born about 1630. John died December 3, in Northampton. 1702/03, at 74 years of age..(JRT:1)
      John King was one of the earliest settlers of Northampton, MA. He was a representative to the colonial congress. He fought in the Battle of Turner's Falls, and he helped write the treaty with the Five Tribes. He was a real character, a man of the people, who often angered the local established power. He was granted the license in Northampton to sell wine for "medicinal purposes" and was often accused of being a drunkard. (JRT:1)
      "In Northampton, 'tithing-men' were first appointed in 1678." Their job was to search out an punish offenders at Sunday meeting, those who fell asleep or failed to pay attention. The tithing-men would rap the offenders on the head or shoulder. For a while, the job extended to seeking out wrong doers in the neighborhoods, such as persons wearing silk or long hair, or selling liquor without a license, or even for being too idle. But neighborhood espionage became unpopular and then the activities of the tithing-men were confined to the meeting house. Transgressions at times could meet with persons being "caged" or pilloried. In Northampton, the first elected tithing-men, in 1679, were Henry Woodward, John Lyman, John Stebbins, Isaac Sheldon, Sgt. King, and Jonathan Hunt (four of whom are ancestors of Knight Abbot Badger) (JRT:1)
.
      John King and Sarah Holton had twelve children, including: John, William, Thomas, Samuel, Eleazer, Joseph, Sarah, Joseph, Benjamin, Thankful, David and Jonathan: Three of their children married three children of Medad Pomeroy, good friend of John King. Sarah married Ebenezer Pomeroy. John Jr. married Mehitable Pomeroy, and Joseph King married Mindwell Pomeroy. Thankful married Samuel Clapp, son of his friend Preserve.(JRT:2)

Attempted Coup

      In 1689, threatened with the war against the French and their Indian allies, the provisional government of Massachusetts reorganized the militia, reinstating all officers in their respective commands and prepared for battle. John King, who was the only elected representative from Northampton to the provisional government at that time, brought the order back to Northampton. Major Pynchon, who at that time led the Hampshire Militia, was in favor of all of the old officers, including Capt. Aaron Cook, Lieutenant Joseph Hawley and Ensign Timothy Baker. John King and others, including Medad Pomeroy were in favor of another election. Pomeroy wrote several letters to the authorities denouncing these three men. (JRT:1:404)
After much controversy concerning the inappropriate appointment of the previous officers, a new election was held and by majority vote, new officers were elected, including Captain Preserved Clapp, Sr. Lieutenant John King, and Ensign Ebenezer Strong, by a very full vote. Medad Pomeroy wrote to the provisional government asking for confirmation of these leaders, as the French and Indians were about to pounce on the town of Northampton, 50 Indians having been spotted on the way from Albany, and the militia did not seem willing to follow the previous leaders, who were refusing to step down.(JRT:1:405) .
Captain Cook then wrote to the provisional government severely attacking King and Pomeroy for having illegally removed him in favor of a Captain who did not go to church and was a "companion of tiplers" (JRT:1:406). He accused John King of using secret plots and acts to weaken the ministerial works of Deacon Hawley and also of building bad fences and turning his cattle into the common field too early, thereby causing much harm to his neighbors. He makes a case that King was on a personal vendetta against Hawley. He charges King with intoxication and with stirring up the multitudes against Major Pynchon. Pynchon was so furious that he wrote to the prov. Gov., accusing King and Pomeroy of stirring up the town and using the fact that many in town were their own relatives (and they were), to get them to vote again Pynchon's men.
The quarrel was settled by a court order, reinstating Captain Cook and the original officers. This decision was, however, not in favor with the townspeople and the events that followed reflected that fact: However, the war was eminent, and all parties took their positions. King went down in history with this attempt to usurp power. It was obvious to all the Sergeant King aspired to the command of the company.(JRT:1:408).
      "When the 'council for Safety,' called for the election of delegates to establish a government, Sergt. King was chosen to represent Northampton, as Major Pynchon states, through the influence of Medad Pomeroy (whose daughter his son married)." Actually three of King's children married three of Pomeroy's, and they were the best of friends. Soon after this, John King sued the town of Northampton for failure to pay him for "going twice to the Bay as their Representative or deputy". The town claimed that they "sent him but once". Hawley was the town attorney at the time, and soon King decided to withdraw his suit, but was reprimanded by Hawley and ordered to pay court expenses. King was rebuffed and later decided to renew his suit. When the case came to trial in March, King lost and had to pay costs amounting to 24 shillings. (JRT:1:409)
      Captain Cook died in September of 1690, and in December an election was held in which Sergeant Preserved Clapp was elected Captain. Hawley resigned as Lieutenant, refusing to serve under Clapp who he considered no freeman and unworthy, and King was soon elected Lieutenant, with major support from Joseph Parsons, one of the towns most influential citizens. Judd states that "Clapp and King obtained the places they sought and afterward did good service against the enemy."(JRT:1:410).

      There had been a period of peace and tranquillity after King Philip's War, during which new houses had been built. Now there was an impending emergency and new fortifications had to be built all around the town. The people banded together under this threat, and all supported the new officers. A committee consisting of John King, Medad Pomeroy and Sr. John Parson were appointed to lay out the fortifications.

      King, Clapp and Baker participated in many expeditions of fighting against the French and Indians, and the three of them are especially noted for contesting the distribution of the spoils of war, being annoyed that men who were not as brave as themselves were to share equally in the spoils. (JRT:1: 438).

      In 1698/9, a committee was formed to redistribute the lands of the town more appropriately, as many complained that their lots were too small or scattered around. This committee consisted of Joseph Hawley, Joseph Parsons, Preserved Clapp, John King, Medad Pomeroy, Ebenezer Strong, James Wright, Jr., Judah Wright, Enos Kingsley, Thomas Lyman and John Clark.(JRT:1:549)


Children of JOHN KING and SARAH HOLTON are:

3.	i.		JOSEPH³ KING, b. May 08, 1673, Northampton, Massachusetts; d. December 03, 1734, Northampton, Massachusetts.
	ii.		WILLIAM KING, b. March 28, 1660, Northampton, Massachusetts; d. September 20, 1728; m. ELIZABETH DENSLOW, 1686, Northampton, Massachusetts.

Notes for WILLIAM KING:
-CHILDREN:
William King, Daniel King, Josiah King, John King, Eleazer King, Elizabeth King

4.	iii.		THOMAS KING, b. July 14, 1662, Northampton, Massachusetts; d. December 26, 1711, Hartford, Connecticut.
	iv.		SAMUEL KING, b. January 06, 1664/65, Northampton, Massachusetts; m. JOHANNA TAYLOR, 1690.

Notes for SAMUEL KING:
-CHILDREN: Eliakim King, Samuel King, Jemima King

	v.		ELEAZER KING, b. March 26, 1667, Northampton, Massachusetts.
	vi.		JOSEPH KING, b. March 23, 1668/69, Northampton, Massachusetts; d. July 01, 1670.
	vii.		SARAH KING, b. May 03, 1671, Northampton, Massachusetts; d. November 05, 1747, Northampton, Massachusetts; m. MAJ. EBENEZER POMEROY, December 22, 1692, Northampton, Massachusetts.

Notes for MAJ. EBENEZER POMEROY:
-CHILDREN: John Pomeroy Lt., Ebenezer Pomeroy, Sarah Pomeroy, Simeon Pomeroy, Josiah Pomeroy, Seth Pomeroy, Daniel Pomeroy, Thankful Pomeroy

viii.

BENJAMIN KING, b. March 01, 1674/75, Northampton, Massachusetts; d. January 20, 1717/18, Northampton, Massachusetts; m. MARY JAMES, May 16, 1700.

Notes for BENJAMIN KING:
-CHILDREN: Elisha King

ix.

THANKFUL KING, b. September 1679, Northampton, Massachusetts; m. SAMUEL CLAPP, September 15, 1704.

Notes for SAMUEL CLAPP:
-CHILDREN: Sarah Clapp

	x.	DAVID KING, b. 1681, Northampton, Massachusetts; m. ABIGAIL SACKETT, 1701.
5.	xi.	JONATHAN KING, b. April 25, 1683, Northampton, Massachusetts; d. May 1727, Bolton, Connecticut.
	xii.	LIEUTENANT JOHN KING, b. July 05, 1657, Northampton, Massachusetts; d. March 20, 1719/20, Northampton, Massachusetts; m. MEHITABLE POMEROY, November 04, 1686, Northampton, Massachusetts.

Notes for LIEUTENANT JOHN KING:
-Children:
Mehetabel King
Experience King
Medad King
Catherine King
John King
Thankful King

[ Home Page | First Page | Previous Page | Next Page | Last Page ]