Thomas J. King was born at East Hampton, Suffolk So., Long Island, June 4, 1825.  He was the only son of Samuel T. and Martha (Leek) King, the former of whom was of English and the latter of Welsh descent.  His ancestors removed to East Hampton as early as 1680, and for generations have been characterized by respectability and honesty.   At an early age young King was sent to the public schools, and afterwards to the Clinton Academy, of which at a subsequent period of his life, he became the honored principal.  He subsequently attended William College, from which he was honorably graduated in 1848.  He then chose medicine as a profession, and for its study entered the Albany Medical College in 1852, and after attending two regular courses of lectures, received his diploma and degree of M.D. in 1854.  Prior to his attendance at Albany he read medicine with Abraham Van Scoy, M. D., at East Hampton, and also at intervals between his   graduation.  He first commenced the practice of his profession at Machias, in the spring of 1856, and has since continued to reside there.  By his scholarly attainments and extensive knowledge of medicine and surgery he is considered by his brother practitioners and by the people at large an ornament to the profession and generally useful citizen.   He has been a member of the Cattaraugus County Medical Society from its reorganization until the present time.  In politics he has always been a consistent Republican, and though not seeking political honors, rather preferring to devote his time and attention to his profession, yet the people, recognizing his ability and personal worth, have twice elected him their representative in the Assembly, first in 1876, and again the year following.  In the House his talents were recognized, and he was made chairman of the Committee of Public Health and member of the Committee of Apportionment.   He made an able and (what is of far greater merit) an honest legislator; and did his inclination and aspirations teud to political preferment, the people would intrust to his care the management of their affairs in almost ay position within their gift.
On the 4^th of October, 1860, Dr. King was united in marriage with Mary Elizabeth, daughter of W. M. Farrar, Esq., of Machias.   There were two children born to them, namely, Clarence, born June 6, 1861; Harold, born April 27, 1863.  On the 31^st of May the doctor sustained the loss of his wife, which was naturally a sore bereavement to him, particularly as the care of his young children devolved almost entirely on him.  But he is not a man to shirk responsibilities, and we doubt not but that his sons will be properly and judiciously reared, and in youth and manhood will reflect credit and honor upon their worthy parent.

     Upon Dr. King’s general character and reputation we base the following assertions:  that he occupies a prominent position in the medical profession of Cattaraugus County, as is shown by the fact that he enjoys an extensive practice, and is often called in honest; that his political record is irreproachable; and that he admirably sustain consultation; and he possesses more than ordinary executive and business ability; that he is scrupulously the relations of the Christian gentleman and the worthy and upright citizen.  In fine, his life and character have been such that we fear no honest contradiction to the above, which, though seemingly containing much of eulogy, is in reality but a plain, uncolored statement of facts.

The above information was obtained from the History of Cattaraugus County, New York by L. H. EVERTS, 1879.