Rufus King (1858 - 1953)

Born 15 Aug 1858 in Massachusetts, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Jane (Sheldon) King — married 1884 in Sheldonville, Wrentham, Norfolk, Massachusetts, United States

Descendants

Died 4 Sep 1953 at age 95 in Massachusetts, United States

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Biography

Rufus 8 (Cyrus Jr 7, Cyrus 6, Nathan5 ,Josiah 4,Jonathan 3,John 2, Philip 1)
Rufus King was born in June or July 1858 (baptized 15 Aug 1858?) to Cyrus and Caroline (Eaton) King in what was then the southern part of Wrentham at his parents house on South St. Rufus has no siblings.

He married in April 1884 Jennie (Mary Jane) Sheldon daughter of George and Mary (Brown) Sheldon of Sheldonville West Wrentham, Massachusetts. They moved into a new house at 34 School St. They had three daughters:

1. Marion King b.1885 m. Oswin Woodward 2 ch.
2. Helen King 1887 m. Ernest Blackwell 1 son.
3. Ruth King b.1886 Sept. 12, m. Lawrence Blackwell, 2 sons and a daughter.

Rufus was a jewelry designer and according to the censuses a benchworker, jeweler, and jewelry tool maker at the jewelry factory in Plainville, Mass. Named Bacon and Whiting? He worked for over thirty years at Bugbee and Niles in North Attleboro. He was a member of the Methodist church on the corner of East Bacon St. and Spring St. and did some of the woodwork in the church.

He campaigned to make Plainville a separate town from Wrentham which occurred in 1905 and was a selectman of Plainville, Mass. He also campaigned for Prohibition. After 1930 he retired he had a home woodworking shop behind his home on South St. where he made clocks, boxes, frames, and other crafts.

Rufus and Jennie are in the 1900 census of Wrentham, Mass. (which later became Plainville) on School St.. He is listed as a jewelry tool maker. They are listed as age 41 b. July 1858 and age 42 b. Feb. 1858 on the June 4th 1900 census and listed as married 16 years and have three daughters listed as

1. Marion J. age 14 b.Sept.1885,
2. Helen A. age 13 b.Feb.1887 and
3. Ruth C. age 3 b.Sept.1896.

Interestingly this 1900 census shows Enos F. Marble living next door at 40 School. This is their future son-in-law Lawrence Blackwell's grandfather. So Lawrence's mother Etta (Margaret Marble) had recently moved out and married the widow John WIlliam Blackwell as his 2nd wife and had Lawrence in 1898. Also note that Helen will marry Lawrence's older brother Ernest.

Rufus and Jennie M. are in the April 1910 census of Plainville on School St. both age 51 and married 26 years. Rufus is listed as a toolmaker in a Jewelry Shop and Helen A.age 22 listed as a piano music teacher, and Ruth C. age 13.

Rufus and Jennie (Mary Jane Sheldon) are in the 1920 census of Plainville, Mass. both age 62, living at the 34 School St. house which they own. Ruth King their daughter age 23 with the occupation of stenographer is also listed but the other two daughters have moved out.

Rufus and Mary Jane are in the 1930 Apr.2nd census of Plainville, aged 71 and 72 on South St. His father died in 1929 so they inherited and moved into his fathers house on South St. It is listed with a value of $4000 and they have a radio. He is listed as working as a tool maker in a jewelry factory at age 71!

Rufus age 81 and Mary Jane (Jennie age 82) are in the 1940 census of Plainville on South St. as retired (0 wage income) and their house which they own is listed as being worth $3000. No one else lives with them at this time.

Jennie died in 1944 and in 1948 Rufus published a genealogical booklet on his and his wife's ancestors and copies of some of the ancestor's pictures to give to their children and other relatives.

Rufus King died on 4 Sept. 1953 age 94 and is buried in Plainville, Mass cemetery with his wife Jennie (Sheldon) 1858-1944 and his parents Cyrus 1836-1929 and Susan A. (McPherson) 1835-1919 ^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/39920724

• Rufus King (Jeweller) m. Jennie M Sheldon on 2 Apr 1884 in Wrentham, Mass. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G979-96H4?i=699 "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G979-96H4?cc=2061550&wc=Q4DW-7M3%3A353350501%2C353606501%2C353607001 : 30 October 2019), Norfolk > Wrentham > Births, marriages, deaths 1668-1913 > image 700 of 748; citing Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston.

• "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9YZ-7Z6 : accessed 24 June 2018), Rufus King, Precinct 6 Weymouth town, Norfolk, Massachusetts, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 1087, sheet 5A, family 103, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,672.