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Historic Barrington
Hall - Roswell, GA
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Biographies of Barrington
King's Children
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Barrington King and his wife, Catherine Margaret were the
parents of twelve children. By the year 2004, their descendants had grown to over 1350 people. After the Civil War, the children
of Barrington and Margaret King scattered across the United States looking for opportunities outside the war-ravaged community
of Roswell. On this page we provide a brief biography of each of their twelve children. The Barrington King family
tree is in the proccess of being constructed on Ancestry.com. The tree is called: Descendants of Barrington King, and it contains photos, excerpts from family letters, and biographies.
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5. Nephew King (1830-1841) Died
of Scarlet Fever
6. Susan Jones King (1832-1841) Died of Scarlet Fever
12.
Mary Isabella King (1845-1846)
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1. Rev. Charles Barrington King (1824-1880)
Married Anna Wylly Habersham and had 10 children. Graduated
from the University of Georgia and the Seminary College at Princeton. As a Presbyterian minister, he served churches in Savannah
and Columbus Georgia for over 40 years. He served as the executor of his father's estate which took over 20 years to settle.
In 2004, his known descendants who reside primarily in the SE United States number over 470 and include the author and former
US Ambassador to Brunei, Barrington King III, the artist Mary Cooper Smith, and Sarah King Harrison, who married into the
Harrison family of Virginia, an earlier branch of which produced a signer of the US Declaration of Independence and two US
Presidents. Sarah lived at Brandon, the historic home of the Harrison family on the James River. Another 'Sarah', Sarah Joyce
King Cooper, the grand-daughter of Charles Barrington King, wrote a book entitled "King and Allied Families" which
provides history and genealogy of the King and allied families. Nephew King Clark, Jr., the great-grandson of Charles Barrington
King donated portraits of Charles and Anna to the Roswell Historical Society which are displayed in Barrington Hall
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2. Dr. William Nephew King (1825-1894)
He married Virginia Way and lived in Savannah. During the
Civil War, he attended wounded soldiers including his own brothers. He wrote a letter to his parents describing their wounds
and his own impressions of the war. This letter is preserved in the archives of the Roswell Historical Society. After the
Civil War, in 1879, he moved from Savannah to NY and when Virginia died, he married Fanny DeCamp. He was a graduate of the
NY College of Physicians and Surgeons and studied surgery for three years in Paris. He was a specialist in the diseases of
women and children and had a very large charity practice. He had three children. His eldest son was a newspaper
journalist who moved to Venezuela, married, and served on the staff of President Crespo. William's only daughter
died during her 1st pregnancy. In 2004, there were only 13 known descendants in this branch of the family.
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3. Capt. James Roswell King (1827-1897)
Married Fanny Hillhouse Prince. They lived in Holly Hill,
an antebellum homes still standing and preserved in Roswell, GA. After Fanny's death, he married his distant cousin Meta Lewis
and moved to Atlanta. During most of the Civil War, James stayed in Roswell to run the family's mills. The mills manufactured
and supplied grey woolen goods used as uniforms by the Confederate army. At his own expense, James organized a company of
Cavalry called the Roswell Battalion and joined the Confederate Army as a Captain. After Sherman's troops burned the mills
in 1864, the Roswell Battalion engaged the enemy and after a few months of fighting, Capt King was detailed to take charge
of railroad construction work. He continued his services until the South's surrender in 1865. James had 10 children. His descendants
include the sculptor, William Dickey King, and the colorful Fanny Prince King Pratt, who worked tirelessly to preserve the
King family history. She left hundreds of letters and photos, including correspondence to Henry Ford and President Franklin
Roosevelt. By 2004, the known descendants of James King numbered 148.
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4. Capt. Thomas Edward King (1829-1863)
Married Marie Clemons. They lived at Bulloch Hall in Roswell,
GA. He enlisted in the Confederate Army at the beginning of the Civil War and was seriously wounded at the first battle of
Manassas. He was a member of the staff of Brig. General Preston Smith with whom he was killed at the Battle of Chickamauga.
The magazine, Southern Bivouac (1887) mentions his death: "Thomas was true, noble, and unselfish - when wounded and dying,
he insisted that the friends who were moving him out of the way of shells and balls, should not go farther, but lay him under
a tree nearby and then return to the fight. He knew that he had done his duty and that God was with him - the testimony of
a friend of him and his." Thomas had three children. 150 years later, he had over 154 known descendants. On August 23,
2008, The Sons on Confederate Veterans held a ceremony at the grave site of Thomas E. King and erected a 9 ft memorial to
him.
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7. Col. Barrington Simeral King (1833-1865)
Married Bessie Macleod. Barrington was a colonel in the Cobb
County Georgia Legion; he died in the last days of the Civil War while leading the charge on Kilpatrick's Camp at Aversboro,
NC. Before he died, he said, "Say to my wife that I die willingly defending my country". After his death, his Negro
servant, Jesse Alexander brought Barrington's three swords and a horse's bit back to the family. These historical items were
donated to the Historical Society along with Barrington's gold crest ring and pocket watch. One of the swords Barrington used
in fighting. Another is one he took off a Yankee soldier. The third one is one he was awarded for Valiancy. The book, "dear
old Roswell", contains the Civil War letters written between Barrington, his wife, Bessie, and other King family members.
Barrington has over 60 descendants many of whom live on the USA west coast.
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8. Ralph Browne King (1835 -1920)
Married Florrie Stilwell. Ralph joined the Confederate army
under General W.J. Hardee and was a member of the Chatham County Artillery. He was seriously injured during the war and never
completely recovered. After the war, he moved to NY where he worked for Tiffany's and lived at 204 5th Avenue. He was much
distressed and opposed to his brother Clifford taking his wife and little ones out to "that wild mining camp". There
are no known living descendants.
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9. Catherine Evelyn King Baker (1837-1923)
Always known as 'Eva', Catherine King fell in love with William
Elliott Baker. Her parents persuaded her and William not to marry until William had become "established". William
graduated 2nd in his class from Princeton (then known as the College of New Jersey) in 1850. He spent one year at Columbia
Seminary in Columbia, SC. and returned to Princeton to complete his seminary training. In 1854, he sailed an 89 day trip via
Panama to Sacramento, CA where, on April 27, 1956, he founded the First Presbyterian Church of CA (now the Westminster Presbyterian
Church). That same year, he returned to Roswell to marry Eva in the parlor of Barrington Hall on July 17th. Then, ignoring
the strong opposition of Eva's parents, Eva and William traveled back to Sacramento to continue William's missionary work.
There they became friends with Leland and Jane Stanford who would later, in 1885, establish Stanford University.
In the spring of 1857, William and Eva returned to Barrington Hall, where
Eva gave birth to their first child. William accepted a pastoral position at 1st Presbyterian Church in Staunton, VA, where
he succeeded Dr. Wilson, the father of the US President Woodrow Wilson. While in Staunton, the Baker family lived in a home
(provided by the Presbyterian Church) called "the Manse". Today, this house is open to the public as the "Birthplace
of US President, Woodrow Wilson".
The Bakers lived and
worked in Staunton for many years (1857-1883) including the turbulent Civil War period of 1861-1865. They raised their seven
children there. The Baker's were instrumental in persuading Miss Mary Baldwin to take charge of the Augusta Female Seminary,
which was directly across the street from their church. Miss Baldwin was such a beloved educator, that the school was eventually
named after her, and today is known as Mary Baldwin College.
In
1883, at the age of 53, William gave up the pastorate and he, Eva, their 4 daughters, and youngest son, Roswell (who was only
13), moved to Barrington Hall to live with Eva's widowed mother, Mrs. Barrington King. The Bakers two oldest sons had already
left their Virginia home and were living in Minneapolis where they would eventually create a successful coffee company which
would pioneer 'soluble' (instant) coffee. Their high-end coffee products were called "Barrington Hall" and featured
a photo of Barrington Hall on advertisements and labels. Their youngest brother, Roswell, would eventually move to Minneapolis
to assist his brothers with their coffee empire. "Baker & Co, Importers and Roaster of Coffee" remained in business
until WWII, at which time the US Government took over the company and converted production to K-rations for the Allied troops.
After Mrs. King's death in 1887, William and Eva purchased Barrington
Hall from the estate. The Bakers lived in Barrington Hall until 1924, when Eva died. After Eva Baker's death, her children
and 1 grandchild inherited Barrington Hall. During the depression, the heirs sold Barrington Hall to the Simpsons (the family
of Eva's eldest child). Eva's grand-daughters, Evelyn & Katherine Simpson lived in Barrington Hall from 1930 until Katharine's
death in 1995. Their efforts are primarily responsible for the preservation of Barrington Hall and the King family history.
In 2004, Eva had over 340 known descendants.
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10. Joseph Henry King (1839-1917)
Married Nellie Palmer Stubbs. Joseph went to Ft. Pulaski
before Georgia succeeded from the Union. He joined the Confederate Army in Virginia as a private under the command of General
Bartow and fought under Joseph E. Johnston. In 1861, He was seriously wounded at 1st Battle of Manassas in the hip, leg, and
hand. Joseph never fully recovered from his injuries. After the war, he founded "Eldorado" a popular rest site on
FLA intra-costal (New Smyrna, FL). Years later, in a single night, almost all his descendants were drowned in Lake Okeechobee
during the great hurricane of 1928 which ranks among the United States' worst natural disasters. This category 4 storm produced
an unexpected large tidal surge, 18 inches of rain, and winds of over 150 mph. Headlines around the nation summarized the
calamity: "Florida Destroyed!". A vivid account of this tragedy is chronicled in Lawrence E. Will's book, "Okeechobee
Hurricane and the Hoover Dike". Joseph's grandson, Edwin moved to Ft. Lauderdale and Edwin's wife was believed
to be the first white woman to settle in the community. Edwin built a home in Ft. Lauderdale which his descendants lived
in until 1968 . The home was then restored and opened to the public as a house museum - King-Cromartie House. In 2009, there were believed to be at least 36 descendants of Joseph King. We believe there are living descendants
in south Florida and in Missouri, but we have been unable to "find" them. Any help with locating Joseph King descendants
would be appreciated!
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11. Capt. Clifford Alonzo King (1842-1911)
His first wife was Eliza Hardee who he married during the
Civil War. They had 7 children, and when Eliza died at the age of 52, Clifford married again, a woman named Virginia.
Clifford was a Captain in the Confederate Army. He served under General W. J. Hardee, his father-in-law (www.civilwarhome.com/Hardeebio.htm).
After the Civil War, Clifford struggled with finances. His father, Barrington had died soon after the war ended, and the family
estate was tied up and remained unsettled for over 20 years. In an attempt to gain some immediate cash, he renounced all claims
to his share of his father's estate in exchange for $1700. A few years later, he filed bankruptcy, and all his property was
sold. In 1887, Clifford was living in Waco, Texas, and planning to go to Austin to pursue the cotton business. In January
1896, Clifford wrote to his brother from Colorado Springs, "it will only be in keeping with my general line of misfortune,
which it seems has never deserted me from the time of my dear father's death to the present moment". In the letter he
said he was forced to sell his home in Smithville, TX, and needed money or his family would be living on the streets (the
letterhead reads - Great Western Gold Mining and Leasing Company). He wrote of how much he and his family liked Colorado Springs
(they were living at the foot of Pikes Peak) and how in Colorado his wife was no longer bothered by Texas saloons, gambling
and disorderly characters. Clifford wrote he was going to work in the insurance business, and also had a part share in a mining
business. He was killed while exploring a mine. He was being lowered into a mine shaft when the rope broke, and he plunged
to his death. Clifford is buried in Idaho Springs, CO.
He has over 155 known descendants. In the early 1900s, his
son, John Hardee King performed in Vaudeville. His two grand-daughters, Mamie and Jane performed in Vaudeville and on Broadway.
Mamie was in the original Broadway production of "Irene" in 1924. In 2004, most of Clifford's descendants live in
the western United States.
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