Charles
W. KING – His ascendants emigrated to Chesterfield, NH probably from Petersham,
Mass. He is the fifth in descent from Dr. Samuel King who died in Chesterfield
before 1800. Charles was born in Lunenburg, November 9, 1832 the fifth
born of 8 children of Capt. Willard and Laura Ladd King. This family was
trained to labor and being some distance from the village had slight temptations
to idleness. Charles had a few weeks of three different terms at the select
school in the village. Studying between harvests, he walked the seven miles
to school and continued his farm chores.
The
deprivations and hardship only whetted his desire for an education and
all leisure moments were spent in study. At age seventeen he was voted
in as teacher of the new school. By age twenty-two he had taught several
winters in Lunenburg and had never been out of the town to pass a night.
He was chosen superintendent of the town school, an office he held for
many years. Additionally he assisted various county institutions in the
examinations of teachers. Republican in his politics he represented Lunenburg
in the legislature in 1874. In concert with the Hon. J. L. Martin the two
labored to overthrow the state board of education and securing the passage
of the law creating the office of state superintendent. Charles married
Jennie E. Chandler on December 25, 1860 and they have two children. Under
his affability and courtesy there is a substratum of energy and decision,
which, combined with a strong religious nature and great conscientiousness,
holds him true to the advocacy of the principles best calculated to promoted
moral and intellectual advancement of the community.
[Engraving
by E.B. Hall’s Sons, New York]
Source:Gazetteer
of Caledonia and Essex Counties, VT;
1764-1887,
by Hamilton Child, May, 1887, page 463.
Additional
information available from Tom Dunn
who provided this photo and biographical sketch.
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