OUR KING FAMILY LINE: The family name "King" is a common one in Europe where most early American's came from. The King name is spelled and written differently in each language area of Europe. It generally came into use when peasants and commoners were first required to adopt a family name. That occurred sometime between 1000 and 1800 A.D., depending on where in Europe our ancestors lived. Some authors claim that the name "King" was often adopted as a family name by persons that played the role of a "King" in touring entertainment groups. Such touring groups were common in all medieval European countries and their members usually had exceptionally good memories. Such could well be true in our King line, since I have known several individuals in our King line that have, or have had, phenomenal memories. When immigrants first arrived in America, their non-english names were often Anglicized. In the process, names that were the equivalent of "King" in other European languages, were call-ed King in the U.S.A. They included such names as Ching, Kyng, Kunge, Rex, Reyes, Regius, Mac-Conroy, Corona, Karl, Kroll, Kiraly, O'Kinga, Koenig, Roi, LeRoy, Rey, Kyser, etc., To-date, I have traced our King family ancestors back about five generations. So lets start with the author's great-great grandfather, Ephraim King of Lincoln County, Tennessee. Ephraim King (1785-1845): Ephraim King was born around 1785 in Virginia or in what today is North Carolina. Research indicates that several generations of earlier King's in America used the name "Ephraim" as a given name. However, I have not been able to sort out just which branch of the King line our Ephraim came from. But I have researched several Ephraim Kings's from Virginia and both of the Carolinas and I hope to find the answer soon. Records indicate that our Ephraim King married Jane Harkins around 1809, most likely in North Carolina; since my grandfather King stated in the 1900 U.S Census that his father was born in North Carolina. Yet, I have been unable to find a copy of their marriage record. It appears that Ephraim may have served in the War of 1812. I requested a copy of the service records for the two Ephraim King's of North Carolina that served in the War of 1812; but I received two sets of data, both for the same Ephraim. ANCESTRY CHART FOR THOMAS JACKSON KING Born 1920 in Huntsville, Alabama |Ephraim (Jr.?) KING *Farmer | |Margaret KING ? *Homemaker |Andrew Jackson KING *Farmer | |Jane HARKINS *Homemaker |Thomas Shadrach KING *Warehouse Mgr. | | |Elijah (Eli) MITCHELL *Farmer | |Isabella Emaline I MITCHELL *Homemaker | | |Robert GLIDEWELL | | |Nash GLIDEWELL, Sr. *Rev.War Veteran | | | |Eliza Elizabeth GLIDEWELL ? *Homemaker | | |John G. GLIDEWELL | | | |Martha GLIDEWELL ? *Homemaker | |Permelia GLIDEWELL *Homemaker | |Nancy Ann WHITLOW *Homemaker |Ephraim Jackson (Jack) KING *Roofing Contractor | | |Andrew CHAPMAN *Farmer | | |John CHAPMAN *Farmer | | | |Julia CHAPMAN ? *Homemaker | |Mary Lina (Alina) CHAPMAN *Homemaker | |Ann E. ROBINSON *Homemaker Thomas Jackson (Tom) KING *EDP Manager/Consultant | |Robert CLOUD *Early England | | |Isabel (Bred) COLLINS *England | |William CLOUD *Farmer (USA) | | |Joan (Jane) NORYS *Homemaker | |Jeremiah CLOUD *Cordwainer | | | |Richard JAMES, Jr. | | |Susan JAMES *Homemaker | |William CLOUD *Yeoman | | |Elizabeth Ann BAILEY *Homemaker | |William Jr. CLOUD *Farmer | | | |Henry HAYES | | |Elizabeth HAYES *Homemaker | | |Rachel HAYES ? *Homemaker | |Daniel CLOUD | | | |Mark HARDIN, Sr. | | | |Mark HARDIN, Jr. | | |Alice (Alis) HARDIN *Homemaker | |William CLOUD *Farmer/Merchant | | |Unknown CLOUD ? | |John E. CLOUD *Farmer (Died in Civil War) | | |Sarah CLOUD ? *Homemaker | |John Ruben Lee (Beadle) CLOUD *Farmer/Merchant | | |Sarah J. CLOUD ? *Homemaker |Leatrice (Beatrice) CLOUD *Homemaker | |Thaddeus Alfred WALL *Farmer |Fannie Lacy WALL *Homemaker |Rebecca HIGDON *Homemaker Note: A question mark following a female name on the preceding chart indicates that her pre-marital family name is unknown at the time this book went to press. Please note the Appendices for more genealogical data.