[p. 760] a leading business citizen of Ellwood City, a member of the firm of Milliken & King, dealers in furniture and pianos, and also undertakers, was born in Bethel Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Isaiah D. and Anna (Phillips) King.
The Kings were very early settlers in Western Pennsylvania, coming directly from Philadelphia and remotely from Scotland and Ireland. It is probable that the Phillips family originated in Wales, but this branch was early established in New England, and came to Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, from Massachusetts. The paternal grandparents, Isaac and Mary (Higby) King, were farming people. They had five children, namely: Joseph S., who died shortly after graduating from Washington and Jefferson College; Narcissa, residing in Allegheny County, married John Wilson; Elizabeth, who is the widow of William Weir, resides in Washington, Pa., and Mary and Isaiah D., the former of whom died young and the latter in 1882, aged forty-four years. He followed farming in Allegheny County for some years and while his children were being educated he resided four years at Granville, Licking County, Ohio. He married Anna Phillips, who was born in Allegheny County, where she lived until the time of her death, in 1906, when aged sixty-one years. She was a daughter of Joseph Phillips, who was a cabinetmaker and undertaker. The children of Joseph and Mary Phillips were, Matilda, who married Peter K. Boyer, resides in Allegheny County; Belle S., who is the widow of Peter B. Boyer, resides in Allegheny County; Hattie, who is the widow of Samuel Boyer, resides also in Allegheny County; Emmeline, who was the wife of Rev. Douglas, died with him in Burmah, India; Anna, who was the mother of James R. King; Jesse, who formerly resided at Sharkleyville, is survived by his widow; Judson, who resides at Northfield, Mass., where he is an instructor in the George L. Moody School, and Walter, who died aged twenty-three years.
There were five children born to the parents of James R. King, Sr., as follows: Viola M., who graduated from the Mt. Pleasant Normal School, married Samuel Freeman Boyer and they reside in the old homestead in Allegheny County; Frank, who spent seven years as a student in Dennison University, at Granville, Ohio, has been a missionary to Indians in Oklahoma for the past ten years, married Amy Pierce; Joseph S., who is engaged in a furniture business at Hinton Okla., spent three years at Dennison University; James R., and Mabel E., who graduated from a seminary at Granville, married Rev. Carl Frederick Schneider, of the Baptist Church of Alexandria, Ohio.
James R. King enjoyed equal educational advantages while the family resided at Granville, Ohio, with his brothers and sisters, and after leaving school he embarked in a grocery business and continued in the same at Finleyville, Washington County, and during this time he took a course in embalming. On September 5, 1900, he came to Ellwood City and here entered into his present business partnership. Furniture and undertaking were first engaged in and the addition of pianos to the firm's stock has been an excellent business move. A large amount of patronage is controlled by this firm, which is fully equipped in every department.
On July 3, 1903, Mr. King was married to Miss Leonora H. Milliken, who is a daughter of Frank and Joanna Milliken, and they have two children: Lois Evaline and Dorothy Eugenia. Mr. and Mrs. King have a beautiful home at No. 609 Wayne Avenue, Ellwood City.
In politics he is a Prohibitionist. He has been identified with the order of Odd Fellows for many years and belongs to Refuge Lodge, No. 142. He is a member of the Baptist Church at Ellwood City, in which he fills the office of deacon.
20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens Hon. Aaron L. Hazen Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, Chicago, Ill., 1908
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