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THOMAS FARRINGTON KING 1798-1839

  • MM ?
  • Grand Chaplain 1838, 1839

BIOGRAPHY

From Proceedings, Page 1873-333:

THOMAS FARRINGTON KING, CHARLESTOWN, Universalist, 1838, 1839.

The letter of Hon. Richard Frothingham, of Charlestown, here presented, will be read with much interest by those who remember Mr. King, and cherish his memory.

CHARLESTOWN, December, 1873.
COL. JOHN T. HEARD : —

DEAR SIR, — I cheerfully comply with the request to give you a few facts about Mr. King. I saw much of him during the last years of his life.

THOMAS FARRINGTON KING was born in the city of New York, February 1, 1798. I have met with no account of his boyhood. His earliest religious sympathies were with the Methodists. He became intimate with the family of Thomas Starr, who attended the ministry of Rev. Edward Mitchell, a Universalist divine of great fame. At this time he embraced the cause of Universalism and studied for the ministry.

On the 13th of February, 1823, Mr. King married Susan M., a daughter of Mr. Starr, and on the succeeding 17th of September was ordained a preacher of the Gospel by the General Convention of Universalists held in Clinton, New York. He went to live in Norwalk, Conn., preaching in a circuit of the neighboring towns. When his wife was on a visit to her family in New York, there was born to them (December 17, 1824) their illustrious son, Thomas Starr King.

In 1825, Mr. King became the pastor of the Universalist Society in Hudson, New York. After a residence here of three years, he accepted (October, 1828,) a call from the Universalist Society in Portsmouth, N. H. He was now in the prime of life. He was eloquent in the desk. For seven years he was a power in Portsmouth. One of his successors, Mr. Patterson, says, "Taken all in all the parish never had perhaps a more happy or prosperous pastorate than that of Mr. King."

He accepted, Oct. 30, 1835, a call from the Universalist Society in Charlestown. Here he devoted himself with characteristic zeal and success to his labors. The society prospered. But the disease that proved fatal was upon him. "My father's constitution," Thomas Starr King wrote, "snapped at about thirty-six. He was a very strong man until then." A journey to the West proved of no avail. The society released him from all labor, and he visited his Portsmouth friends; but he continued to decline and died on the 13th of September, 1839. His remains were followed to the grave by a very large procession, and with every mark of respect.

Mr. King was rather above the medium height. He was of a sympathetic nature, had rare social gifts, and was full of humor. He was a fine reader and a fervent speaker. It was his highest ambition to preach the Gospel, and to serve the cause of the Divine Master. His whole soul was in this work. His fidelity and genial spirit endeared him to wide circles ot friends in the fields in which he labored.

Very truly yours,
RICHARD FROTHINGHAM.


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