David Anderson King was a son of the Reverend Harmon Daniel King, Jr. (1805-1906) and his first wife Mary V. Starnes (1814-1865) of Union County, NC. His paternal grandparents were Harmon King, a Soldier of the Revolution, and Elizabeth "Betsy" Flye, of Kershaw County, SC. His maternal grandparents are not definitly know, but I believe they were probably Valentine Starnes and his wife Elizabeth Richardson, of Mecklenburg (now Union) Co., NC.

David married Mary Matilda "Mollie" Dulin (1860-1948) on 7 Feb. 1877. Mary was a daughter of Milton Dulin (d. 1862), a Confederate soldier killed in the War, and his wife Hannah Sophia Weddington, both of Union County. Mary's sister, Nancy Jane Dulin (1862-1918) married David's nephew, Emsley Valentine Stearns (1859-1920).

David and Mary were living in Mecklenburg Co., NC in 1880, but soon moved to a farm called "Four Oaks" in the Tabernacle Community of Lancaster County, SC, that was supposed to have been passed down through the family. (Harmon King's maternal grandfather Jesse Flye, was granted land in Camden District, Lancaster County, SC in 1784, but I am not sure if this is the same place.) Sometime around 1895, David sold the Four Oaks homeplace and moved to another farm at Camp Creek, on Camp Creek Road, in the New Cut section of Lancaster County.

David and Mary Matilda Dulin King had eight children:

A. Leola "Lily" Estelle King (29 Dec. 1877-26 Oct. 1961), m. Henry Stanford Rowell, 7 children.

B. Minnie (Minerva?) B. King (17 May 1884-31 July 1907), m. Benjamin Franklin Stogner, died young, one daughter.

C. Hattie Sapphire King (16 June 1887-14 March 1983) m. John Ervin Walters, (2 children), 2. m. Robert Frank Knight

D. Ezzie (Esmerelda?) F. King (24 Dec. 1891-29 May 1951) m. Clarence Alexander Threatt, 8 children.

E. Ariail Calvington King (1 Oct. 1893-4 Dec. 1950) m. Miss LeRoy Gaddy, 4 children.

F. Ola E. King (4 March 1895-12 Jan. 1978) m. Claud Alexander Sullivan, no children.

G. Eula Ellie (Eleanor?) King (20 Nov. 1897-Jan. 1971) m. Crayton Meynardie Threatt (20 Sept. 1895-14 April 1991), two children.

H. Harmon Joe King (26 Aug. 1900-10 Oct. 1993) m. Ethel White, 6 children.

Here are some excerpts and summaries from an article about David written by his grandson, James Frederick "Jim" King. (Much of the information was provided to Jim by David's daughter, Hattie King Walters Knight.):

"David was a master of the Bible and his home was a place of religious teachings.... The children read Bible verses while sitting next to the fireplace each night after supper. David would sit across the room and when anyone couldn't pronounce a particular word, David would pronounce the word for them without ever seeing the word.... Adults would test David's memory skill by reading a verse from the Bible. David would identify the reading by chapter and verse."

"David was a farmer. (He) taught his offspring the farming skills his father had passed to him." The year 1886 became known as "the year of constant rain," and David wasn't able to plant a crop. He had to take a job as a mail carrier for a year to care for his family. He carried the mail in a horse and buggy.. but the pay wasn't enough to make ends meet, and he was forced to sell off two acres.

In general, however, the picture Hattie gave Jim was one of a wonderful, happy life... a life of hard work, but a life that reaped a rich harvest, not only of corn and cabbages, livestock and homemade clothes, but a harvest of love. David King and his family loved God, they loved each other, and they loved their family and neighbors and were always willing to lend a hand to others, even as others were willing to help them.

In 1906, a few months after his father's death, David wrote a fascinating letter to a niece who was living far away out in Arkansas. In the letter, he wrote "I often view the spot, so lonely, where we bid the last farewell but Oh! The cheering thought of meeting in that home where Jesus dwells. There we'll meet with our dear Mothers and with all that's gone before. There we'll meet our Blessed Savior where sad partings come no more." Later in the letter, in writing of his father's death, David wrote "God called for his son who had been such a faithful servant for so many long years, relieving him from all afflictions and pain and gave him a happy admittance in to that delightful Immortality that awaits all the final faithful, there to meet with our mother and all of our friends and relatives to part no more forever." While he may not have been a highly educated man, there was a beautiful music and poetry in David's writing.

Now, David, too has gone Home, and has since been joined by his wife and children, "to part no more forever." What joyous reunions there must have been!