Thomas B. & Lakey King Family

By Bobby Anderson. The Leader-News. April 7 - 21, 1993.

Part 1

Thomas B. and Lakey (Leaky) King are the progenitors of many of the Kings today in southern Muhlenberg and northern Logan and Todd counties.

Many of their ancestors are easy to trace - but many questions, two in particular, remain in the task of unraveling the genealogy of the pair.

  1. From where did they come, when they settled in northeastern Todd County prior to 1840?, and;
  2. Where were they married and what was Lakey's maiden name?

Todd County vital statistic, showing Thomas' death of consumption in 1859, lists his place of birth as South Carolina. This contradicts the statement in the 1850 census that both he and Lakey were born in Kentucky. In fact, in the 1870 census when she was in Todd County, Lakey indicated, via the census, that she was born in Virginia.

Per chance, some reader may have these answers and will share them with the writer and the King family, which continues to search for these roots.

Thomas B. King

Thomas B. King, according to the inscription of his tombstone in the King Cemetery in Todd County, was born on Sept. 18, 1814, and it is believed he could have been born in Kentucky, though a search of records in all surrounding counties and in Tennessee does not reveal his nativity, nor the license through which Thomas and Lakey were married. The only clue is the lone census in which he appears, 1850, when such facts were recorded, is that he and Lakey both claim Kentucky as their birthplaces.

Lakey, also found to be Laky, Leek and Leaky, was born Dec. 13, 1815. It is speculated through sheer deduction, that they married in the era of 1830-32, for their first child was born in 1833.

The first record found of Thomas King was in the 1840 census of Todd County, when he was enumerated as a male about 25 years of age with a wife approximately the same age. They had five children at this time and later records, which will brought forward in future paragraphs generally bear this out, though only four children were named in later census records. A fifth may have died, or may have been the one born in the era of 1840.

The farm on which it is believed they lived then, is now commonly known as the Whitescarver farm on Jason Ridge Road in Todd County, very near to the Logan County line, and only a short distance from Shady Cliff Restaurant. The King cemetery is on this farm, and is now fenced in to keep cattle from the surrounding pasture, from damaging the graves.

Both Thomas and Lakey and some of their children are buried there. It was on this farm that Thomas King is supposed to have died in 1859, and from then, Lakey is found in various locations with other members of her family, until her death in 1881. In 1870, she was in Todd County (listed as Flakie), with her sons, Silas, Thomas and Zilman. In 1880, she lived in a house located between her son, Silas and her daughter, Polly, in Muhlenberg County. Her son, Zilman, was still at home with her then.

The 1850 census of Todd County lists Thomas B. and Leek (sic), with nine of their 13 children, the nine born prior to the census. The remaining four were born in the first half of the next decade. All but three of these children have been accounted for in later years, through marriage and descendants.

Thomas B. King died of consumption (Todd Vital Statistics) in Todd County on July 5, 1859, and is buried on his old farm in a cemetery there. Lakey is believed to have died in Muhlenberg County, near Dunmor. Her death was on Aug. 24, 1881. She is buried beside her husband.

Their Children

  1. George L.?, born circa 1833 in Kentucky. Married Nancy McPherson in 1856.
  2. William, born circa 1836 (1850 census). Believed to have married Sarah Rachel Johnson, but died prior to 1870.
  3. Louisa Jane, born Oct. 22, 1837. Married Jesse E. McPherson.
  4. Nancy Elizabeth, born Feb. 14, 1839. Married Isaac C. Nofsigner.
  5. Jemima, born circa 1840-41. No other information found.
  6. Lucinda, born 1843. Married Jesse W. McPherson in 1859.
  7. James, born circa 1846 (1850 census). No marriage record found but census lists wife as Mary.
  8. Mary Ann, called Polly, born June 13, 1847. Married three times:
    1. William J. Strader
    2. Elijah Whitney
    3. Joseph Audas
  9. John W., born May 16, 1848. Married Annie A. Shelton.
  10. Silas N., born Feb. 6, 1851. Married Carmelia Jane Whitaker.
  11. Susan Mahala, born April 19, 1853. Married Rev. W.B. Fitzhugh.
  12. Thomas B. Jr., born 1855. Married Mariah S. Blake.
  13. Zilman W. born Nov. 25, 1856. Married Amanda Audas.

Here is what is presently known of each of these children and their descendants.

George King

George (L.?) King is shown by the 1850 census to be the first child of Thomas and Lakey King. He was 17 years old at the time, indicating his birth near the year 1833. On Sept. 11, 1856, George King married Nancy E. McPherson. She was probably a daughter of John McPherson and Rebecca Cox. In 1860, G.L. and N.E. (George and Nancy?) Kind were in Todd County with three children, Silas, Susan and an unnamed infant, seven months old. At this point, records end for George King.

It is brought out by Barbara Davis of Madisonville, that Nancy perhaps married Edward Tooley shortly after this. The 1870 census shows Edward and Nancy living in Todd County, with their children, Rebecca J., 10, Ollie B., 4, and May E., 2. Rebecca would be the unnamed child born in 1860, and would have had the surname of King, though it was not noted in the census. Also living with the Tooley family was John McPherson, 75, probably Nancy's father, and a young Elijah McPherson, 12. In the Jason Ridge McPherson cemetery, the grave for Nancy is marked “Nancy E., wife of E.E. Tooley, Feb. 27, 1837 - Dec. 3, 1872” indicating she died shortly after the 1870 census.

Although there are several Nancy McPhersons, this, despite the difference in middle initials (E or J) seems to be the daughter of John and Rebecca Cox McPherson, since the birth dates correspond almost identically.

William King

William King was listed in the 1850 census as being the second child of Thomas and Lakey, born circa 1826 in Kentucky. Little has been found of the life of William King. Information given by Gertrude Bivin of Tiffin, Ohio on the Bivin family, opened doors which leads to possible information on William King. William W. King, on Jan. 25, 1856, married Sarah Rachel Johnson in Logan County. They had a daughter, Lucinda Lakey King, which married Amos Franklin Bivin on Dec. 21, 1882. Gertrude Bivin believes, and it seems very probable, that this is the William King, son of Thomas and Lakey, since the name of the first child derived its name from William's sister Lucinda (McPherson), and the grandmother, Lakey King. Gertrude recalls family conversations which indicate this is true.

Sarah Rachel Johnson was born circa 1834-35, making her a year older than her husband. Sarah Rachel was the daughter of James and Martha E. Massey Johnson of Logan County. The first child of William and Sarah Rachel was Lucinda Lakey, born Dec. 27, 1859. A second child was born to the couple in 1863, he being named Thomas. There is no record of the deaths of William and Sarah Rachel King, though it may be surmised that William died between the birth of his son, Thomas in 1863, and 1870, when the census was taken. In 1870, he was not listed. Sarah Rachel is listed as head of household in Logan County, she being 36. With her, Lucinda, 12, and Thomas, 7. Also in the home are apparent relatives of Sarah Rachel, namely Elizabeth Johnson, 22, Isabella Johnson, 19 and Benjamin Johnson, 17. It is not known if they are younger brothers and sisters, nieces, nephews, or what relationship, if any, they have with Sarah Rachel. This family was only two houses removed from James King, believed to be the brother of William King.

The 1860 Logan census shows William, Sarah Rachel and Lucinda Lakey residing there.

On Dec. 21, 1882, according to information supplied by Gertrude Bivin, Lucinda Lakey King married Amos Franklin Bivin, this being his second marriage. He was born March 21, 1849, the son of Henry and Elizabeth Jenkins Bivin. Their first child, Leslie Bivin was born in Todd County in 1883, and died in 1884. According to Gertrude Bivin, and Bivin history supplied by a granddaughter of Amos and Lucinda, Amos and Lucinda, with infant child, and three of his children by a previous marriage, left Todd County by covered wagon, while Leslie was an infant. They resettled in the Ragland Community of McCracken County. Many of the family, including Amos and Lucinda are buried in New Liberty Cemetery near Paducah. Amos died Aug. 16, 1916.

Children by this marriage include

  1. Leslie (see above)
  2. Gracie Etta, 1885-1964, married to Lloyd Wyatt
  3. Georgia Gertrude, 1886-1894
  4. Acie Malachi, 1888-1968, married to Bernice Harlison
  5. Rubin Farlie, born 1890, married to Blanck [sic] Tankersly
  6. Carl Herbert, 1892-1962, married to Cora Elliott
  7. a baby, b. & d. 1894
  8. Ovie Esther, b. 1896, married to Julian Elliott
  9. Queenie Elizabeth, 1898-1899
  10. Mary Angeline, born 1899, married Bulie E. Conway.

Much of this information was originally compiled in 1937 by Mary Bivin Conway, the youngest daughter of Lucinda Lakey King Bivin.

Part 2

Louisa J. King

Louisa was born to Thomas and Lakey King on July 27, 1839 (according to tombstone records, but possibly 1837 by census records). On December 19, 1858, in Todd County, she married Jesse E. McPherson, son of Alney M. and Elizabeth Whitlow McPherson, and a grandson of pioneer Jesse McPherson. He was born July 27, 1839. They were the parents of six children, prior to Louisa's death in 1872. They were Elizabeth, Corilla O., Wallace B., Colby (Cobe), Zilman and Wyatt, who died young.

Louisa J. King McPherson died November 8, 1872, and is buried in the King Cemetery near her father and mother.

After her death, Jesse McPherson married Louisa J. Wood in Muhlenberg County on April 7, 1874. They were the parents of one child, Lula, born February 15, 1875. Louisa Jane was the daughter of Thomas Wood, and was born February 12, 1836.

The second wife, Louisa J. Wood McPherson, died August 6, 1888 and is buried in Hughes Cemetery. Jesse E. McPherson died May 26, 1918 and is buried beside his first wife in King Cemetery.

The children of J.E. McPherson and Louisa J. King McPherson:

  1. Wyatt T., born December 22, 1859, died August 3, 1860. He is buried in King Cemetery.
  2. Elizabeth, born circa 1860. She is believed to be the same Elizabeth McPherson who married C.M. Shewmaker February 18, 1880.
  3. Corilla O., born circa 1862.
  4. Wallace B., born January 30, 1868, married Mary Elizabeth Latham on October 29, 1891, and died February 12, 1934. Mary Elizabeth died April 22, 1950. They are buried in Hughes Cemetery near Dunmor. Children include:
    1. Walter (1895-1977) who married Edna (Jennie) Hunt (1897-1976). They are buried in Hughes Cemetery.
    2. Rachel (1894-1979) who married Oliver Knight.
    3. Annie Lorene (Green).
  5. Colby T., called Cobe, born September 9, 1869, married Mary E. (Betty) Gardner. He died September 25, 1938. They are buried at New Hebron. Their children were Albert, Homer, Hallie and Archie.
  6. Zilman, born circa 1872, married Clara Hardison (1878-1963), and died August 15, 1940. Their son was Alner Guy McPherson, who married Ermine Jenkins, and had children Alma, Edgar, and Glenn.

The child of Jesse McPherson and Louisa J. Wood McPherson:

  1. Lula, born February 15, 1875, and married Henry Latham in Muhlenberg County. She died March 29, 1913 and is buried in Hughes Cemetery. Henry and Lula were the parents of one child, Claude Latham, who married Nettie Hunt. After Lula's death, Henry married Doxie Hope, who became the mother of George (Lula Arnold), Kyle (Margie Porter), Larry, Mary Elizabeth (Raymond Arnold), Annie Lou (Edison Slacks) and Nannie Mae (Frances A. Gardner).

Nancy Elizabeth King

Nancy Elizabeth was born February 14, 1839, the fourth child of Thomas B. and Lakey King. (This is from a tombstone record in the same cemetery which also shows her sister, Louisa, also born in 1839. However, census records indicate Nancy was born in 1840 or 1841.)

On February 3, 1859, she married Isaac D. Nofsinger in Logan County. Mr. Nofsinger was born September 3, 1826 in Kentucky, and at one time lived with a brother, Upton Nofsinger, in the Paradise area of Muhlenberg County (1850 census). In 1860, Isaac and Nancy were in Logan County, but because of a transcriber's error, the name is listed as McFinger instead of Nofsinger. They had one daughter, Mary E., born in 1864. Nancy Elizabeth died on March 31, 1870 and is buried in the King Cemetery.

In 1870, after his wife's death, Isaac was in Logan County, living next door to his sister-in-law, Polly and Elijah Whitney. Once again, the transcriber had problems with the name and listed him as Isaac Northsinger. His and Nancy's daughter, listed as Mary Northsinger, 5, resided in Polly's home.

In 1880, Isaac was found to have remarried. His new wife was (another) Nancy, 40 years of age, and with them was his daughter, Mary E., 15, and his mother-in-law, Mary J. Douglas, 75. A Muhlenberg County marriage license, issued October 26, 1870, shows Isaac was married to Nancy A. Whitaker (August 8, 1839 to July 31, 1897).

Isaac died November 25, 1891, and he and his second wife are buried in the Audas Cemetery, in Logan County, near Dunmor.

The only child of Isaac and Nancy Elizabeth King Nofsinger, Mary Nofsinger (born 1864) married Thomas Frank Audus of Dunmor on January 1, 1884. Mary Audas died on October 27, 1927 and Frank Audas on June 15, 1935. They are also buried in Audas Cemetery. Their children include

Isaac (Ike) Audas was a long-time resident of Dunmor, and lists among his children, Knoxel Audas, who still resides on Audas property in Logan County, in the Dunmor area.

Jemima King

Other than finding Jemima in the 1850 census as a child of Thomas B. and Lakey King, indicating she was born circa 1841, there is no other record on this child.

Lucinda J. King

Lucinda J. King was born to Thomas and Lakey King in 1843. On May 5, 1859, in Todd County, she married Jesse W. McPherson. They are known to have had a child, George A. McPherson, whose birth record was established by Clara Silvey as August 16, 1861. Another child, Evaline, was born in 1860. The family is listed as living with John McPherson, 67, in Logan County in the 1860 census.

Question 1 - There is a Jesse W. McPherson, son of John and Rebecca McPherson, July 10, 1840 to May 10, 1862, buried at Jason Ridge. Is this the same Jesse W. McPherson who married Lucinda J. King?

Question 2 - If in Question 1, this is the same Jesse W. McPherson, what happened to Lucinda? In the 1870 Todd County census, a Lucinda Newman, the same age as Lucinda above, lives next door to Lakey King and family. She is now married to Isaac Newman, and had children, Lucinda A., 6, Thomas, 4, Mary R., 3, Ollie J., 2, and James T., two-months old. All have names from the King family. Is this Jesse W. McPherson's widow, now re-married? If so, where are George and Evaline, children by the first marriage?

James King

James King was born in 1846. There has been found no marriage record for him, but the 1870 Logan County census shows James, 24, married to Mary, 20, with children Eliza, 6, Phinney, 1, and Havilla, nine months old. Havilla is known to be of the Thomas and Lakey King family, thus this James is probably their son, since they had a son named James born in 1846. He is shown in the 1850 census as four years old. However, searches of records in Logan, Todd, and Muhlenberg Counties show no further trace of James and Mary, except for the 1870 census. As yet, no marriage record has been found, but records available would place their marriage as about 1863. James was known to friends and family as “Owl” because of his resemblance to that bird. His daughter, Havilla, married J.W. Jessup in Todd County on December 24, 1885. They became the parents of many of the Jessups in the Depoy area, and were forebearers of some of the Scotts of Depoy.

Joseph W. and Havilla [Jessup] were in Muhlenberg County for the 1900 and 1910 censuses. Among their children were:

Joseph W. Jessup was born March 19, 1865 in Todd County, and died November 15, 1938. Havilla King Jessup was born in Logan County on January 26, 1870 and died December 7, 1939. They are buried at Vernal Grove.

Mary Ann (Polly) King

Mary Ann King, called Polly, was born, according to her tombstone, on June 13, 1847, but more than likely her birth occurred two years earlier, in 1845, according to other public records. Polly was to have a very checkered and colorful life, not all of her own making, but as a victim of the circumstances which surrounded her. She lost two husbands very early in life, one in a tragic murder, which left her with several small children.

In 1865, she married William J. Strader, who gave her one child prior to his death in 1866. That child was William Thomas Obediah Strader, born September 13, 1866. He married Ida Martin on January 16, 1890. W.T.O. Strader died September 18, 1929 and he and his wife are buried in the McPherson Cemetery on Jason Ridge. Polly's first husband, William J. Strader, died September 9, 1866 and is also buried in that cemetery.

William Thomas Obediah Strader, Polly's first child, and his wife Ida Martin Strader had a daughter, Ermine Strader, who married Tommie Winn. They were the parents of Brenda Jewell Winn (Mrs. Murel) Cobb of Greenville, Route 2. This is but one line of many that descends from W.T.O. Strader and Ida Martin.

Polly's second marriage was on December 24, 1867, when she married Elijah Whitney, who lived near Dunmor. To them were born seven known children, including Alexander, who was called Zannie; Jessie Mikford, called Mike; Zilman, sometimes known as Jasper; Georgeann, Elizabeth, John W. and Isaac.

Georgeann was born in 1877, Elizabeth in 1878 and Little John in 1879. John married Nora Hayes in 1899.

On the morning of March 19, 1880, while Elijah Whitney was working in the log woods between Dunmor and Mt. Moriah Church, near Hope School, he was waylaid by William Bartlett Baugh and an accomplice, identified only as “Tooley”, and killed. His head was severed from the body and thrown into a nearby brush pile. He is buried in Hughes Cemetery not far from his place of death. The most bizarre murder of the area set off a widespread manhunt for Baugh and Tooley, and began a series of conflicting stories about the murder and their escape and capture. The complete details of the murder, as told by Elijah's grandson, Howard Whitney, and the genealogy of the Elijah Whitney family may be found in an earlier published history of the Whitney family.

Again a widow, and with eight small children, Polly King Strader Whitney once again married. Her last marriage was to Joseph Audas, who was born in 1831. They had one child, Callie (Poe). Joseph Audas died in 1898 and he and the daughter are buried in the DeArmond Cemetery on the Goodie Fagg farm near Dunmor. Polly died at near the age of 70 on January 28, 1915. She is buried in the McPherson Cemetery on Jason Ridge, near her first husband.

Part 3

John W. King

John W. King was the ninth child of Thomas and Lakey King. He was born May 16, 1848. In 1868, in Todd county, John married Annie A. (sometimes known as Angeline) Shelton. By 1900, the census listed the family as having 14 children, 12 of which were alive at that time. These included

One, an infant, died in 1892.

Of these children, Isaac married Louella (Lou) Wagoner, died in 1946 and is buried in Audas Cemetery. Their children included

J.W. [b January 1, 1870] died at the age of two months, and is buried in Audas Cemetery.

Isam married Sarah H. Latham (born 1875) on February 1, 1894 in Muhlenberg County. Among their children were

Another daughter, Mary, married Elbert France of Bremen in 1932. He was the son of George and Sarah Hopkins France.

Aquilla married John B. DeArmond, died in 1959, and is buried in Audas Cemetery.

Edna married Arvil A. DeArmond. Their children were

Opal married Brooks Goode, lived for many years at Gus, and now lives in Evansville. She has two children, Betty (White) and Arvel Lee Goode. Connie married Viola Abbot of Butler County. Viola lives in Lewisburg, near her only daughter Dorothy (Mrs. Joe) Anderson.

John King died on February 29, 1908 and is buried in Audas Cemetery with his wife.

Silas King

Silas King was born April 19, 1853, and on December 19, 1871, married Carmelia Jane Whitaker in Muhlenberg County. They are known to have had eight children, including:

Charles and Rena had at least three children,

Rena was postmaster at Dunmor from 1922 to 1925. She was born Arena McPherson, the daughter of Zilman Levi McPherson and Sarah Margaret Crafton. Zilman's father was Alexander, the son of Jesse, according to information supplied by McPherson descendant Clara Silvey.

Will and Stella married in Butler County in 1903, lived in Dunmor, in Texas and later in Nashville where they died and are buried. They had no children, but an adopted daughter, Avanell married in Texas and may still live there.

Silas dies January 17, 1901 and Carmelia on February 15, 1927. They are also buried in Audas Cemetery.

Susan Mahala King

Susan Mahala King was born April 19, 1853, and on January 25, 1868, she married W.B. (Billy) Fitzhugh, who was later to be a minister. A second marriage record shows them marrying in Logan County on October 16, 1870. He was born January 1, 1849, and died March 2, 1923. Mahala died November 14, 1921. They are buried in Thompson Cemetery in Logan County, just south of Lake Malone.

A census report of 1870 in Logan County shows Susan Amanda listed as a Fitzhugh and living in the John King home in that county. Couple this [with] the discrepancy in dates of marriage, and it leaves an area unclear on the dates of their marriage. Also in the home were her brothers, Thomas and Zilman, and as recorded earlier, their mother, Lakey was living in Todd County that year.

Billy and Mahala were the parents of 11 children, and there are still descendants of this family in the area, including a great granddaughter, Martha Nell Fitzhugh (Mrs. B.J.) Winn of Rosewood.

The children were:

Of those children, the first Thomas W., married Rosa A. King in 1895.

The second, Franklin W., married Carrie Ola Welborn in 1897. Their son, Linnie Fitzhugh married Frances Mildred Smith from the pioneer family of Peter William Washington Smith, and from this wedding came the above mentioned

Other children of Frank Fitzhugh were

Others of the Bill and Susan Mahala Fitzhugh family were Lorus J., Mary Cordelia, who married Walter Welborn, William A., Nannie L., who married James T. Day, Joanna, who married Henry Oscar Baugh, Bertie, wife of Elbert Lee Grant, Pearlie Gertrude, who married John Wesley Joines, Bessie (Audas-Baugh), and Cora Ethel Fitzhugh, who married Dee Joins, the late parents of Thelma Joines Tipton now living at Beechmont.

The marriage of Joanna (born 1882) to Henry Baugh (1884-1964), known as Bud, produced twelve offspring, many of whom are still prominent in the area. The children were:

When Joanna died in 1922, Mr. Baugh remarried the widow, Mrs. Ada Shemwell Reeves. Among his stepchildren were Benton Reeves of Central City, Wilmer and Vernon Reeves. Bud Baugh's third wife was Bessie Fitzhugh Audas, widow of James William (Bill) Audas, and a sister of his first wife, Joanna.

Thomas B. King, Jr.

Thomas B. King, Jr., the 12th child of Thomas and Lakey, was born around 1853, and in 1873, married Mariah S. Blake in Todd County. They were the parents of at least 11 children prior to his death, which occurred after 1900. Later, Mariah remarried Abe McElwain.

The children as recorded in census records were:

Zilman W. King

Zilman W. King was the 13th and last child of Thomas B. and Lakey King, born November 25, 1856. He stayed with his widowed mother for many years, and only married shortly before her death in 1881. On March 20, 1881, Zilman married Amanda Audas, daughter of Henry Audas who came to the Dunmor area from North Carolina. She was born in Kentucky on December 11, 1860. Zilman died April 25, 1924 and Amanda on May 16, 1925. They are buried in the DeArmond cemetery on the Goodie Fagg farm in Logan County near Dunmor.

Their children were Claude, Aaron (Joe), Alice and Della.