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MARQUIS FAYETTE KING 
 
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 BOSTON: 
 
 PRESS OF DAVID CLAPP & SON. 
 1905. 
 

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 [Reprinted from the New-England Historical and Genealogical Register, July, 1905.] 
 
 (Person) 
 
 15 N '05 
 
MAEQUIS FAYETTE KING. 
 
 Hon. Marquis Fayette Kestg, the Vice-President for Maine of 
 the New-England Historic Genealogical Society, succeeding hio 
 intimate friend Hon. Josiah Hayden Drummond in that office, died in 
 Portland, Maine, Friday, October 21, 1904, at the age of 69 years, 
 8 months, and 2 days. The funei-al services were of extreme simpli- 
 city, with an impressive committal service at the grave performed 
 by his brother, Rev. Henry Melville King, D.D., the last survivor 
 of the family. Few men are ever taken from a community for whom 
 more sincere sorrow was expressed by all classes. 
 
 Marquis F. King was born at Craigie's Mills, in the town of 
 Oxford, Maine, Feb. 18, 1835. He was the son of Col. Samuel 
 Hall and Eliza (Shaw) King, and was one of the two survivors of 
 ten children, the others dying in childhood. The brother is the 
 Rev. Henry Melville King, of the First Baptist Church of Provi- 
 dence, R. I. The father's first settlement was at Craigie's Mills, 
 about 1823, it then being in the town of Hebron, where he was 
 actively engaged in developing the valuable water power aflPorded 
 by Thompson's Pond, where Oxford Village now is. In company 
 with another, he bought a large tract of land from the heirs of 
 Andrew Craigie of Cambridge, Mass., who had built the saw mill 
 that gave the name to the settlement. The purchase included much 
 of the land now occupied by the village. Mr. Craigie had been the 
 Apothecary General of the Continental Army, and his house at 
 Cambridge was the headquarters of Gen. Washington during the 
 siege of Boston, and later became the home of the poet Longfellow. 
 It still bears the name " Craigie." The partnership was of short 
 duration, for Mr. King, reserving a sufficient amount of land for a 
 large farm, sold the balance to his partner, and proceeded to clear 
 his own land for cultivation. He had learned the trade of house- 
 wright of his father, and built his own buildings. He was also en- 
 gaged in trade and lumber operations. Col. King was a selectman 
 of Hebron, an advocate of the division of the town, and was elected 
 the chairman of the first board of selectmen of Oxford. 
 
Col. Samuel H. King was commissioned an ensign by Gov. 
 John Brooks, a lieutenant in 1820, by Gov. William King, the 
 first governor of Maine, a captain in 1822, a major in 1825, lieu- 
 tenant-colonel in 1826, by Gov. Albion K. Paris, and colonel in 
 1827, by Gov. Enoch Lincoln. He vt^as honorably discharged 
 April 22, 1833. 
 
 Col. King was the eldest child of Capt. Samuel and Sally (Hall) 
 King, and was born at Paris, Maine, Feb. 4, 1799. He married, 
 Oct. 31, 1824, Eliza, the daughter of Gilbert and Silence (Cole) 
 Shaw of Paris. She was born Sept. 2, 1801, and was eighth in 
 lineal descent from Abraham Shaw of Halifax, England, who died 
 at Dedham, Mass., in 1638. She was also eighth in descent from 
 John Shaw of Plymouth. 
 
 Col. Samuel H. King moved to Portland, Feb. 10, 1845, where 
 he engaged in the country produce and grocery business, and died 
 there, May 6, 1864, aged 65 years. He was a man of commanding 
 presence and of dignified manners. His wife was a woman of 
 strong character, of affectionate disposition, and was a model wife 
 and mother. She died, after years of suffering borne with Chris- 
 tian fortitude, Jan. 22, 1875, aged 73 years. 
 
 The grandfather, Capt, Samuel King, was the son of George and 
 Betty (Shaw) King, and was born at Raynham, Mass. His wife 
 was Sally, daughter of Jonathan and Lydia (Haven) Hall, whom 
 he married in 1798. He went to Paris, Maine, with his uncle, 
 Jarius Shaw, in 1793. Capt. Samuel King was a descendant of 
 John and Mary King who came with John Humphrey, Deputy 
 Governor of the Massachusetts Company, and were in his service in 
 England. It is thought that they were of the Dorsetshire family. 
 John King was born in 1600, and permanently settled in Wey- 
 mouth, Mass., before 1640, at a place called "King's Cove." He 
 was recorded as a " seaman," " planter," and " goodman." In 1663 
 he was one of the proprietors of Mendon. His son Philip, whose 
 wife was Judith Whitman, was the father of John King, who mar- 
 ried Alice Dean, and they were the parents of Benjamin King, wife 
 Abiah Leonard. The latter were the parents of George King, the 
 father of Capt. Samuel, the grandfather of Marquis F. King. 
 
 At the age of nineteen, Marquis F. King engaged in photo- 
 graphy, and was one of the first and one of the most proficient in 
 that occupation. He served in the militia, and was a Republican 
 in politics, voting for the first nominee of that party for the Presi- 
 dency in 1856. He served in Portland's City Council in 1868, was 
 an Alderman in 1871, 1872, and 1882, and was elected Mayor of 
 the City, in 1884, by a larger vote than had ever been given a can- 
 didate. He was a member of Gov. Edwin C. Bui-leigh's Council 
 in 1891, and of Gov. Henry B. Cleaves's in 1893, for terms of two 
 years each. He was also a Trustee of the Portland Public Library 
 and of the State School for Boys. 
 
Mr. King had four ancestors who took an active part in the War 
 of the Revolution, viz : Benjamin King, a delegate to the Provin- 
 cial Congress, Sergeant George King, Lieutenant Eleazer Cole, and 
 Corporal Abner Shaw. He was one of the first members of the 
 Maine Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, and served 
 as a Councilor several years. He rendered valuable service in 
 aiding applicants to become members. 
 
 When the Union Safe Deposit and Trust Company was estab- 
 lished in Portland, in 1893, he became the manager of the Safety 
 Vaults, which position he held with the same fidelity that charac- 
 terized his life. A committee of the directors submitted the fol- 
 lowing to the Board : — 
 
 " In the death of Hon. Marquis F. King the Union Safe Deposit and 
 Trust Company loses an official whose connection with it from its inception 
 was marked by those qualities which justify confidence and inspire esteem ; 
 this community loses a citizen who had served it with faithful abihty ia 
 varied stations, inchiding the highest within its gift ; and a wide circle of 
 friends have lost a genial associate whose sterling character commanded 
 respect." 
 
 Mr. King was greatly interested in Masonry, and had its highest 
 honors. He was made a Mason in 1859, in Ancient Land Mark 
 Lodge in Portland. In 1863 he received the degrees of the Scot- 
 tish Rite, and May 18, 1865, received the thirty-third degree and 
 became an Honorary Member of the Northern Supreme Council, 
 and Sept. 17, 1885, was made an Active Member. He held offices 
 in the Lodge, Chapter, Council, and Commandery. He was for 
 two years Grand INIaster of Masons in Maine, and was the Grand 
 Treasurer from 1894 until his death. He was Deputy of the Su- 
 preme Council of Maine from 1886. He assisted to form the 
 Knights of Constantino, and was the Grand Treasurer. He re- 
 ceived the degree of Grand Cross, and was the Treasurer until two 
 years before his death. He also was editor of the Masonic Journal 
 for fourteen years, which ceased issue with the next number after 
 his death. 
 
 For twenty-three years Mr. King was a director of the Union 
 Mutual Life Insurance Company. But two survive who were 
 members when he was elected to the board. One, president Fred 
 E. Richards, announced Mr. King's death at a special meeting 
 of the directors in the following words, which were ordered to be 
 copied into the records : — 
 
 " The quorum of the old board stands on the other shore to welcome 
 him whose chair is vacant and whose loss we mourn to-day. Marquis F. 
 King was the personification of conscientious independence. He was slow 
 to make acquaintances, and slower yet to accept acquaintances as friends. 
 The opinion of others he received as collateral evidence only in support of 
 conclusions arrived at by his own personal investigation. When a friend- 
 ship was once formed by him its strength was such that time or circum- 
 stances could seldom sever the chain of his confidence. His name was the 
 
6 
 
 synonym of honesty and integrity. As he stood guardian of the millions 
 deposited in the strong boxes of the Union Safe Deposit and Trust Com- 
 pany, its patrons knew their property was absolutely safe in his keeping. 
 By his death the State loses one who had been efficient and faithful in 
 its service ; the city loses one of the best of its leading citizens ; this com- 
 pany loses a wise and conservative councelor, and the loss to his family is 
 irreparable." 
 
 Marquis F. King married, March 8, 1856, Frances Olivia Plais- 
 ted, a daughter of Samuel Pomery and Sabrina (Perkins) Plaisted 
 of Portland. She w^as the eighth in descent from Lieut. Roger 
 Plaisted who was killed in the attack on Berwick, Maine, in 1675, 
 They had five children : Walter, who died in infancy, Luetta, Dr. 
 Alfred, the distinguished surgeon of Portland, Warren C, and 
 Francis P., who are now living. 
 
 Mr, King was a man of large physique, being upwards of six 
 feet in height, and was well proportioned. He enjoyed vigorous 
 health, which enabled him to perform the vast amount of work that 
 fell to him to do. He discharged his duties faithfully, and what- 
 ever he undertook he did well. He had a strong will, unwearied 
 perseverance, and possessed good executive ability. He was always 
 self-controlled, and was a true friend. His rule seemed to be to do 
 right because it was right. By his courtesy and kindly manner he 
 won people to him who learned the value of his friendship. He 
 was a useful citizen who left the best of himself with the world. 
 
 Marquis Fayette King was a valued genealogist and historian. 
 His store of information was always at the service of the inquirer, 
 and many in the land mourn his taking off. He was elected a 
 member of the Maine Historical Society in 1889, and was an in- 
 terested and useful acvjuisition, being constantly contributing books 
 to their library. He was an honorary member of the Old Colony 
 Historical Society, in a locality of much interest to him. 
 
 It was in the Maine Genealogical Society, of which he was the 
 president for fifteen years, that he found lais greatest usefulness. 
 Much of the success of that Society is due to his efforts. During 
 that time, he edited the Notes and Queries columns in the Port- 
 land Evening Express for several years, through which much, 
 genealogical and historical knowledge was diffused. 
 
 Mr. King's tribute to his native town was his " Annals of Ox- 
 ford," 1903, a handsome volume of 298 pages, that will be his 
 monument in that town. It was dedicated to his parents as fol- 
 lows : — 
 
 "To the sacred memory of My Beloved Father and Mother, whose 
 patient toil and sacrifice guarded my ciiildhood ; whose wisdom and expe- 
 rience guided my youth and whose excellent precepts and examples are an 
 ever present admonition to a better manhood ; also to my dear brothers 
 and sisters — one oidy surviving (the tiny forms of the others resting in 
 nnmarked graves on the sunny sliore of the mill-pond, opposite the ancient 
 homestead of Esquiie Keith ; a spot once set apart as " God's Acre," but 
 later reclaimed for tillage) this volume is affectionately dedicated." 
 
His last publication, " Some of the Descendants of Roger Plais- 
 ted," was his tribute to his esteemed wife and her family. The 
 dedication in this book was as follows : — 
 
 '< To Frances Olivia Plaisted, who on the eighth day of March, eighteen 
 hundred and fifty-six, in the City of Porthmd, at the residence of Rev. 
 George W. Bosworth, D.D., in the presence of Mr. Samuel Sylvester 
 Starhird and Miss Susan Elizabeth Plaisted, voluntarily resigned an hon- 
 ored family name, that she might honorably perpetuate another, by be- 
 coming the loving and beloved wife of the compiler, who hopes this work 
 may ever be a lasting monument to thee. 
 
 Portland, Me., July 15, 1904." 
 
 Mr. King set the type and printed these books with his own 
 hands. They are rare literary efforts, and were the product of his 
 heart, his head and his hands. 
 
 The compilation of the names changed by the Legislatures of 
 Maine, from 1820 to 1895, was his work, and through his influ- 
 ence the State published the names of nearly one thousand soldiers 
 of the Revolution preserved in the Land Office papers. The vol- 
 umes 12 and 13 of the York Deeds were published under his direc- 
 tion. He compiled the town vital records of Gorham, Maine, to 
 1800, and also the records of the First Parish Society of Portland. 
 He made several valuable scrapbooks for the Maine Genealogical 
 Society's library, that exhibit much patient and unselfish labor and 
 interest. But for him they would probably have never been made. 
 He had in preparation the history of his own and that of the Shaw 
 family. 
 
 Marquis F. King carried through to completion the erection of a 
 monument at the grave of his life-long friend, Hon. Josiah H. 
 Drummond. It was a notable undertaking done by small contri- 
 tions from the many friends, and was a great tribute to a kindly and 
 honored life. His eulogy at the dedication of the monument was 
 one of his best efforts. 
 
 This was not all that Mr. King did, but it was a great work for 
 one to do in addition to the necessary responsibilities of life. None 
 knew the value better than himself, and that was his compensation. 
 He knew it from personal experience. Such work is above all 
 meanness and is an inspiration to others. It will be his most last- 
 ing monument. When stone monuments have crumbled, his books 
 will be read by those seeking such knowledge. 
 
 Marquis Fayette King was a representative man ; a substantial 
 citizen without pretence, who was interested in all organizations 
 that were for the benefit of his fellow man. The value of his life 
 has not been over-estimated. It was a success, and the world is 
 better for his living. 
 
 " We mourn no blighted hope nor broken plan 
 With him whose life stands rounded and approved 
 In the full growth and stature of a man." 
 
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