Henry W. King was a Free Soil

Free Soil Party

The Free Soil Party was a short-lived political party in the United States active in the 1848 and 1852 presidential elections, and in some state elections. It was a third party and a single-issue party that largely appealed to and drew its greatest strength from New York State. The party leadership...

 politician in the U. S. State of Ohio

Ohio

Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...

 who served as Ohio Secretary of State

Ohio Secretary of State

The Secretary of State is responsible for overseeing elections in the State of Ohio. The Secretary of State also is responsible for registering business entities and granting them the authority to do business within the state, registering secured transactions, and granting access to public...

 1850-1852.

Biography

Henry W. King was born in 1815 in Westfield, Massachusetts

Westfield, Massachusetts

Westfield is a city in Hampden County, in the Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 41,094 at the 2010 census. The ZIP Code is 01085 for homes and businesses, 01086 for Westfield State...

, the eldest son of Judge Leicester King. He moved with his parents to Warren

Warren, Ohio

As of the census of 2000, there were 46,832 people, 19,288 households and 12,035 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,912.4 people per square mile . There were 21,279 housing units at an average density of 1,322.9 per square mile...

, Trumbull County, Ohio

Trumbull County, Ohio

As of the census of 2000, there were 225,116 people, 89,020 households, and 61,690 families residing in the county. The population density was 365 people per square mile . There were 95,117 housing units at an average density of 154 per square mile...

 in 1817. King graduated from Washington (later Trinity) College in Hartford, Connecticut

Hartford, Connecticut

Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...

 in 1836, and from Cincinnati Law School in 1839.

Henry W. King opened a law office in Akron, Ohio

Akron, Ohio

Akron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan...

 in 1839 with Milton Sutliff

Milton Sutliff

Milton Sutliff was a Republican politician in the U.S. State of Ohio who was a member of the Ohio Senate for one year and an Ohio Supreme Court Judge from 1858 to 1863.- Biography :...

, and later with James D. Taylor, and in 1849 with his brother David L. King as King & King. He was married October 20, 1842 to Mary Crosby, daughter of Dr. Elaikim Crosby. Son Harry Crosby King died during the American Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

, August 11, 1864, while in the 164th Ohio Infantry

164th Ohio Infantry

The 164th Ohio Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Service:The 164th Ohio Infantry was organized at Camp Cleveland in Cleveland, Ohio and mustered in May 11, 1864 for 100 days service under the command of Colonel John C...

. Daughter Julia Huntington married and moved to Chicago

Chicago

Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...

.

King was active in promoting Akron's Union School System. In 1850 he was elected by the Ohio General Assembly

Ohio General Assembly

The Ohio General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio. It consists of the 99-member Ohio House of Representatives and the 33-member Ohio Senate...

 as Ohio Secretary of State

Ohio Secretary of State

The Secretary of State is responsible for overseeing elections in the State of Ohio. The Secretary of State also is responsible for registering business entities and granting them the authority to do business within the state, registering secured transactions, and granting access to public...

 to a three year term. A new constitution, adopted in summer of 1851, made the office elective, and an election was scheduled for autumn, 1851, shortening King's term to January 1852.

In the 1851 election, King came in third to Democrat William Trevitt

William Trevitt

William Trevitt was a doctor, politician, diplomat, and newspaper publisher in 19th century Ohio. He served two times as Ohio Secretary of State, three years in the Ohio House of Representatives, was a surgeon in the Mexican-American War, and was a diplomat in South America.-Biography:William...

 and Whig Earl Bill. He returned to Akron after his term, and died there November 20, 1857.