Fred E. King was born August 21, 1872 in Plymouth County, Iowa to Oliver L. and Olive Ann Heaton King.

Oliver L. King was born in Mount Vernon, Ohio. He moved with his parents to Morrison, Illinois where he attended school and once worked on a farm. At the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861 he enlisted in the Illinois cavalry.

In 1870 he married Olive Ann Heaton and they migrated to Plymouth County, Iowa in the spring of 1871. He homesteaded land on the wild prairie in the western part of the county when the city of Sioux City was nonexistent. Nine children were born to them. Five of whom were pioneers of the Lucas area: Fred E., Warren, Eva Brodie, Bessie (Mrs. Louis H. Labahn) and Ruth (Mrs. T. E. Fletcher.)

Young Fred King

January 1, 1910 Fred E. King and Edith Barber were married in Elk Point, S. D. Nora Edith Barber was born December 26, 1882 in Kansas to Zaccheus Porter Barber and Celia Beechum. As a child of 8 years, she traveled with her parents from Kansas to Akron, Iowa in a covered wagon. She was a teacher for 6 years prior to her marriage.

Fred and Edith King farmed in the Adaville community until March 1925, when they moved their belongings in a boxcar to Burke. The purchased a farm adjacent to Warren King’s farmstead. Fred lost his farm during the depression but Warren purchased the land. In 1950 Fred and Edith moved to Lucas, S. D.

Fred earned a spot in Ripley’s “Believe It or Not” column as the “rolling pin king.” In the summer of 1935 he had begun his hobby of presenting a rolling pin to each new bride in the community.

Edith King was a newspaper correspondent for the local newspapers for nearly 30 years. She was an active member of the Southeast Lucas Mother’s Department until the time of her death.

In 1960 they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary.

Edith Barber King died February 23, 1962 in Burke, S. D. Fred E. King died April 11, 1965. They were the parents of 2 daughters, Nella Mae Davis and Celia Olive Smerling.

Source: “The Saga of Sully Flats” by Adeline Gnirk, pages 212-213 (photos included) History Volunteer Submitter, Joe Thurstenson

And photos of their daughters, Ollie and Nella Mae

Couple at Lucas to Mark Anniversary –
LUCAS, S. D. – Special:
Mr. and Mrs. Fred King of Lucas will observe their Golden Anniversary with an Open House from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday.  Their anniversary actually was January 1st, but they were unable to have the celebration at that time because of adverse weather conditions.
~Source:  Family Scrapbook clipping - Unidentified publication

LUCAS, S.D. Special:
Mr. and Mrs. F. E. King observed the Golden Anniversary at an Open House in the First Baptist Church, Lucas.  The guests included Thomas Barber of Yankton, S.D. , an attendant at their wedding.
They were married at Elk Point, S.D., and lived on farms near Adaville, Ia., for 12 years.  In 1925 the family moved to Gregory County S.D. and in 1950 to Lucas, S.D.  They have two daughters, Mrs. Joe Davis of Burke, S.D. and Mrs. Elmer Smerling of Haysville, Kan.
~Source: Family Scrapbook clipping - Unidentified publication

Sioux City Journal, Sunday, October 19, 1941

OUT-OF-TOWN WEDDINGS.
GREGORY, S.D.—The former Ollie King and Elmer Smerling of Lucas, S.D., have made known their September 30 marriage at the Methodist parsonage at Ainsworth.  The couple will live near Lucas.
Burke, S.D.—The marriage of the former Ollie King, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. F. E. King of Lucas, and Elmer Smerling of Lucas, was an event of September 30 in the Methodist parsonage at Ainsworth, Neb.  Mr. Smerling is a son of Mrs. Alma Jensen.  The couple will live near Lucas.