JOHN KING first appeared in the records of Albemarle County in the Colony of North Carolina in 1697. He was issued three patents for land on Bennetts Creek which is in present day Gates County. The grants totaled 630 acres which he obtained for the importation of 12 persons. Among these were JOHN KING, SARAH KING, ELIZABETH KING, MICHAEL KING and JOHN KING again. These are likely the JOHN KING who obtained the patents and his wife and children. Later records show that John did indeed have sons named JOHN and MICHAEL. It cannot be determined which of the two women, if either, was his wife.

It cannot be determined where JOHN lived between 1700 and 1715 when he is shown to be in Elizabeth City County. He retained ownership of his land in Chowan Precinct of Albemarle County North Carolina and appears to have obtained additional land. In 1716 he was granted a patent for 443 acres in Nansemond County at the head of Somerton Creek and on the Southern Branch adjoining his father, MICHAEL KING. Since MICHAEL KING(1) was dead by 1700 the MICHAEL KING referred to as his father must be MICHAEL(12). In 1716 he also obtained 100 acres in Chowan Precinct on Bennetts Creek.

JOHN was living in Elizabeth City County in 1715 by which time he appeared to be well situated as evidenced by his being both undertaker and one of his Majesties Justices. It was after his removal to Elizabeth City County that JOHN KING married Mary Taylor, widow of Captain Daniel Taylor. Prior to her marriage to Daniel she was Mary Merritt. Her father appears to be the William Merritt who died in 1695 and in which Daniel Taylor was Administrator of the estate. Court records which concern the disposition of slaves, formerly owned by Mary but now retained by JOHN KING, state that there were no children born to the marriage of Mary(Merritt)Taylor and JOHN KING. This means that all the children of JOHN KING prior to his last marriage to Rebecca Armistead were with his first wife.

After the death of his wife Mary, JOHN KING married Rebecca Armistead, also a widow. Records of Elizabeth City County show that the marriage was in 1719-1720, but does not show an exact date. To this third marriage was born two other sons, ARMISTEAD and CHARLES.

JOHN KING died in 1735, possessed of a large amount of land and a large number of negroes. The land was in Elizabeth City County and Nansemond County in Virginia and Albemarle County in North Carolina. In 1731 JOHN had sold part of his land on Bennett Creek. After his death additional land on Bennett Creek was sold by his son JOHN. Land in Nansemond County included 443 acres on the Southern Branch and other land that he had purchased. The location of this 443 acres and the size fits perfectly with the 1716 grant to JOHN KING and strongly suggests that JOHN KING of Elizabeth City County was the patentee.

Children of JOHN KING and his first wife -

JOHN KING
MICHAEL KING
WILLIAM KING
ELIZABETH KING ?
SARAH KING ?

Children of JOHN KING and wife REBECCA ARMISTEAD

ARMISTEAD KING
CHARLES KING

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