WILLIAM RUFUS KING FAMILY PAPERS, 1782-1964
Finding aid
Call number: LPR146
Extent: 2.2 cubic ft. (5 archives boxes and 1 book box)
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Alabama Dept. of Archives and History, 624 Washington Ave., Montgomery, AL 36130 www.archives.alabama.gov WILLIAM R. KING FAMILY PAPERS SERIES DESCRIPTION AND CONTAINER LIST Collection number: LPR146
A. FAMILY HISTORY RECORDS, 1886-1958, no date This series is composed of letters, notes, charts, and clippings regarding King family history. Box 1, Folders 1-2
B. CORRESPONDENCE, 1840-1964, no date This series consists of three subseries further subdivided below: 1. William R. King correspondence, 1826-1853 ; 2. Family correspondence, 1840-1938, no date; 3. Correspondence regarding William R. King memorials, 1930-1964.
1. William R. King correspondence, 1826-1853 This series consists of photocopies and typescripts of original letters held at the Alabama Dept. of Archives and History (ADAH) and some that are in other repositories. Much of King’s correspondence is addressed to his niece Catherine Ellis, and is concerned with personal matters. However, there are some letters written to his brother Thomas that reveal his opinions about the politics of the time, especially his views of Yancey and other advocates of secession. Typescripts of letters to Governor Gayle of Alabama from the 1830s also mention some of the political issues of the day. Typescripts of a personal letter to John McKee, a letter to Governor A. P. Bagby, and his resignation to Governor Benjamin Fitzpatrick can also be found in this series. In addition, there is a photocopy of the document certifying that he had taken the oath of office as vice president. Box 1, Folders 3-4
2. Family correspondence, 1840-1938, no date This subseries includes letters that William T. King wrote while in Europe with his uncle William R. King and cousin Catherine Ellis. There are also letters written to Catherine Ellis; a couple of Hogan family letters; a few Tait family letters; and a letter written to Henry W. Collier (the father of Evelyn H. King). Much of the correspondence in this series is composed of letters from Alice M. deVane King, the daughter of William T. and Evelyn Collier King. Most of the correspondence is concerned with family and personal matters, although some of the William T. King letters tell of his experiences in Europe. A couple of letters in the William T. King correspondence tell of Frank Ellis who was expelled from the University of Alabama. There are a couple of folders containing transcripts of King letters that are not held by the ADAH.
Box/Folder 1 5 William T. King correspondence, 1844-1853 1 6 Correspondence to Catherine Ellis, 1844-1865 1 7 Hogan family correspondence, 1854-1855 1 8 Tait family correspondence, 1851-1862 1 9 Edward Collier letter to Henry W. Collier, 1840 William Rufus King family papers Collection number: LPR146
B. CORRESPONDENCE, 1840-1964, no date (continued) 2. Family correspondence, 1840-1938, no date (continued)
Box/Folder 1 10 Evelyn H. King correspondence, 1859-1862, 1884 1 11 Evelyn H. King correspondence (transcripts), 1884 1 12 Mary Evelyn King, n.d. 1 13 Alice M. deVane King, 1924-1931 1 14 Alice M. deVane King, 1932-1934 1 15 Alice M. deVane King, 1935-1936 1 16 Alice M. deVane King, 1937-1938 1 17 Family correspondence, transcripts (ADAH does not have the originals) 1 18 Family correspondence, transcripts (ADAH does not have the originals)
3. Correspondence regarding William R. King memorials, 1930-1964 This subseries consists of correspondence regarding William R. King’s legacy and efforts to memorialize him. Most of it is concerned with the King monument in Cuba. Box/Folder 2 1 Correspondence re: King memorial highway, 1930 2 2 Correspondence re: King monument in Cuba, 1951-1952 2 3 Correspondence re: King monument in Cuba, 1953 2 4 Correspondence re: King monument in Cuba, 1953 2 5 Correspondence re: King monument in Cuba, 1953 2 6 Notebook on King monument in Cuba, 1953 2 7 Correspondence re: King monument in Cuba, 1951-1953 2 8 Correspondence re: King monument in Cuba, 1964 2 9 Correspondence re: King property in Louisiana, 1938
C. JOURNAL, 1816 This journal was written during a journey abroad made in the company of William Pinkney, U. S. Minister to the Court of St. Petersburg, Russia (Original is restricted.) Box 2, Folders 10-11
D. FINANCIAL RECORDS, 1836-1885, no date This series includes bills of lading (especially for cotton); account pages with different businesses; receipts for taxes paid; and receipts for goods. The bulk of the records are from Evelyn H. King, although there are some from Catherine Ellis, William T. King, Thomas D. King, and Alice M. King. This series includes some financial records regarding the estates of William T. and Thomas D. King and a book showing payments made by Evelyn King to different businesses and people. Box/Folder 3 1 Financial records, 1836-1869 (includes records on the estates of William T. King and Thomas D. King) William Rufus King family papers Collection number: LPR146
D. FINANCIAL RECORDS, 1836-1885, no date (continued)
Box/Folder 3 2 Financial records: Catherine Ellis, accounts and receipts, 1855-1857 3 3 Financial records, 1836-1869 3 4 Financial records, 1870 3 5 Financial records, 1871 3 6 Financial records, 1872 3 7 Financial records, 1873 3 8 Financial records, 1874 3 9 Financial records, 1875 3 10 Financial records, 1875 3 11 Financial records, 1876 3 12 Financial records, 1877 3 13 Financial records, 1878 3 14 Financial records, 1878 3 15 Financial records, 1878 3 16 Account book, 1860-1879 4 1 Financial records, 1879 4 2 Financial records, 1879 4 3 Financial records, 1879 4 4 Financial records, 1880 4 5 Financial records, 1880 4 6 Financial records, 1881 4 7 Financial records, 1882 4 8 Financial records, 1883-1885 4 9 Financial records, no date
E. PLANTATION RECORDS, 1851-1862 This series includes William T. King’s contract with his plantation overseer, J. N. Yates, as well as receipts for payments made to Yates. Also in this series is a record book that belonged to Thomas D. King, showing the property inventory used for taxes. In addition to property, the book lists the slaves on his plantation and records various remarks about their health, where they were purchased, or action taken regarding them. The book also lists annual slave births and deaths. Box/Folder 4 10 William T. King contract and receipts with overseer, 1861-1862 6 1 Property inventory and slave lists, 1851-1860
F. LEGAL RECORDS, 1782-1939 This series includes a book kept by William T. King while settling the estate of Thomas D. King and some papers regarding the Henry W. Colllier estate. There are also photocopies and transcripts of wills of different King family members. William Rufus King family papers Collection number: LPR146
F. LEGAL RECORDS, 1782-1939 (continued)
Box/Folder 4 11 Record book on Thomas D. King estate, 1854-1860 4 12 Papers regarding Henry W. Collier estate, 1855-1859 4 13 Wills (transcripts and photocopies), 1783-1939 4 14 Wills (transcripts), 1782-1918
G. SCHOOL COMPOSITIONS AND OTHER WRITINGS, 1877-1878, no date This series includes a small notebook and a school composition book that belonged to Alice King and a school composition book that belonged to Mary King. A Gould’s Universal Index that was used to record food recipes and remedies for health problems is also in this series.
Box/Folder 5 1 Mary E. King composition book 5 2 Alice M. King composition book and notebooks 6 2 Recipes and remedies notebook, no date
H. PUBLISHED MATERIALS AND CLIPPINGS, 1853-1953 This series contains published materials and newspaper clippings regarding the life and death of William Rufus King, as well as the monument commemorating King’s time in Cuba.
Box/Folder 53Obituary Addresses on the Occasion of the Death of the Hon. William R. King, of Alabama, Vice President of the United States Delivered in the Senate and in the House of Representatives of the United States, 8th of December, 1853. Washington D. C.: Beverly Tucker, 1854. (also includes a hand-written transcription of this pamphlet) 5 4 Jackson, Walter M. Alabama’s First United States Vice-President William Rufus King. Decatur, Ala.: Decatur Printing Co., 1952. 55Congressional Record and postcard regarding William R. King monument in Cuba, 1952-1953 5 6 Cuban publicity on William R. King commemoration, 1953 5 7 Newspaper clippings, 1853, 1952-1953
I. PHOTOS, 1941, no date This series includes photos of portraits of William Rufus King and a picture of his plantation. There are also photos of Evelyn H. King, Mary Evelyn King, Maria Schmitter, and Alice Devane King. Photos of William Rufus King’s mausoleum and the grave of Alice Devane King are also in this series. Box 5, Folder 8 William Rufus King family papers Collection number: LPR146
J. MISCELLANEOUS, 1846, 1952, no date This series includes a small plat map of property owned by Thomas D. King and William T. King ; some poems; pages from a Bible; two pencil sketches; a brochure for the Alabama Historical Association; and a couple of envelopes. Box/Folder 5 9 Plat map, no date 5 10 Miscellaneous items, 1846, 1852, no date