The Portrait of William Rufus King hangs in the Alabama Archives

The audio of Mr. Howard came from the series "Our Alabama" Produced by Huntsville ETV, in 1979.

If you click on the instructions to hear the excerpt from the audio by Milo Howard and then click on the instructions to see the items he is describing, you can do both things at the same time.

Click here to hear Milo Howard, Former Director of the Archives Department (deceased) describe the contributions of William Rufus King.

Click here to see the items from the William Rufus King Collection at the Alabama Archives.

From: History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography

By: Thomas McAdory Owen

Volume 3, page 983

1978 Reprint by The Reprint Company, Spartanburg, SC

William Rufus King, Lawyer, diplomat, and vice-president of the United States,

was born April 7, 1786, in Sampson County, N.C., died April 18, 1853, at Cahaba, Dallas County, and is buried in Selma: son of William and Margaret (Devane) King, the former of Sampson County, N.C. who rendered important service to his country during the Revolutionary War, was a member of the convention which was called to adopt the federal constitution, and was often a delegate from his county to the general assembly; grandson of Thomas Devano, of Huguenot stock, and of William and Mary (Woodson) King of North Carolina; great-grandson of Drury and Lucy (Christian) Woodson. His early King ancestors came from the north of Ireland, and settled on the James River, in the colony of Virginia. He was educated in private schools and graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1803. Afterwards he studied law in the office of William Duffy, of Fayetteville, N.C., and was admitted to the bar in 1805. Locating at Lincoln, in his native county, he opened an office and in 1808 was elected a member of the state legislature; was re-elected but resigned after his election as solicitor of the Wilmington district. At the age of twenty-four, in 1810, he was chosen to the United States congress, continuing as a member and supporting the measures of the Madison administration until 1816 when he was offered the position of secretary of legation to the American embassy at Petersburg. He remained abroad for two years, traveling a great deal, and being closely associated with William Pinckney, the envoy-extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to Russia. When he returned from abroad the territory of Alabama was being organized and he soon determined to locate in this section of the country. He secured a residence and plantation near Cahaba, in Dallas County, and in 1819 was elected from this county as a delegate to the convention which framed the first constitution of the State. He was a member of the sub-committee which drafted that instrument. When the first general assembly met in 1819 he was almost unanimously chosen to one of the seats in congress to which the State was entitled, was twice re-elected, and served from December 14, 1819, until April 15, 1844. During the latter year, the relation of the United States with the foreign powers had become very sensitive in consequence of the proposed annexation of Texas and he was prevailed upon to accept the mission as Minister of France where he rendered extraordinary service to his country and where he remained until 1846 where he resigned and returned home. In the summer of 1848 he was appointed by Governor Chapman to the seat in the United States senate left vacant by the resignation of Arthur P. Bagby. He was reelected, serving from July 1, 1848, to January 18, 1853, when he resigned and was elected president pro tempore of the senate, May 6, and July 11, 1850, resigning as president pro tempore, December 11, 1850. He was nominated for the vice presidency on the ticket with General Pierce in 1852 and was elected to this office by a large majority. While serving in the senate he contracted tuberculosis and in 1853 was forced to spend the winter in Cuba. By a privilege extended by special act of congress, he took the oath of office, in Havana, Cuba on March 4, 1853. As there was no improvement in his health he returned to Alabama, arriving in Cahaba the day before his death. He was un-married. Last residence: Cahaba.

The following e-mail message will serve to up-date the information on W.R. King.

From: "C. Richard Chartrand" To: "'rjones@wsnet.com'" Subject: William R. KingDate: Thu, 9 May 1996 21:11:13 -0400MIME-Version: 1.0Status: Hello Mr. Raymond Jones,

I am writing to you to give you some more information on the inauguration of Mr. King in Cuba. As reported in your write up, you say that he was inaugurated in Havana Cuba. I would like to clarify that point. He was inaugurated on my great-great grandfathers plantation in Matanzas Cuba. I have investigated this and found an article in the archives of the New York Herald dated March 12, 1853, and again on March 19,1853. He was sworn in at the 'Ariadne' Plantation of Col. John Chartrand. If you desire, I can send you more information in the future. Thank you. C. Richard Chartrand