United Under the Crown: The King Heritage

Our journey as a family traces back to the children of George and Josephine (Powell) King, whose legacy continues to unite us.

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George James King, Sr.

The Eldest - King Patriarch

Born: December 22, 1893

Columbus, Muscogee, Georgia

Died: May 1, 1987

Port Huron, St. Clair, Michigan

Father: George E. King

Mother: Josephine Powell

Spouse: Artemesia Hitts

Married: November 3, 1915

Marriage Location: Mobile Alabama

The Legacy of George James King Sr.

Patriarch of the King Family

The story of the King family is one rooted in faith, perseverance, hard work, and enduring love. At the center of this remarkable legacy stands our patriarch, George James King Sr., whose life journey stretched across nearly a century of American history and whose descendants continue to carry his name and values forward today.

George James King Sr. was born on December 22, 1893, in Columbus, Muscogee County, Georgia, to George King and Josephine Powell King. At the time of his birth, his father was 39 years old and his mother was 42. George entered the world during a period of tremendous change in the South, only a generation removed from Reconstruction, and his life would eventually span from the horse-and-buggy era into the modern age.

George grew up in Columbus, Georgia, alongside his siblings. Census records from 1900 show the King family living in Columbus Ward 6, where young George was listed as the son in the household. During his childhood, his younger brothers and sister were born:

Carl J. King (born November 1897)
Leroy J. King (born September 10, 1901)
Verdelle E. King (born September 3, 1903)

These early years in Georgia laid the foundation for a close-knit family rooted in resilience and community.

Marriage and Family Life

On November 3, 1915, at the age of 21, George James King married Artemesia Hitts in Mobile, Alabama. Together, George and Artemesia built a strong and loving family that would become the heart of the King family legacy.

Over the next two decades, George and Artemesia welcomed eight children into their union:

George James King Jr.
Born September 4, 1915, in Alabama
Mary Josephine King (Milton) Greene
Born January 26, 1918, in Mobile, Alabama
Theresa King (Edward) Lindsay
Born August 19, 1920, in Mobile, Alabama
Verdelle European King (Robert) McCalla
Born September 10, 1922, in Mobile, Alabama
Robert Thomas King
Born December 27, 1926, in Mobile, Alabama
Delores Margaret King (Robert) Warner
Born August 8, 1928, in Mobile, Alabama
Doris King (William) Kimborough
Born April 21, 1931, in Port Huron, Michigan
Joseph M. King
Born January 22, 1937, in Michigan

George and Artemesia’s children became the foundation for generations of Kings spread across the country today. Their home was built on dedication, sacrifice, and the determination to create better opportunities for their family.

From Georgia to Alabama to Michigan

The King family’s journey reflects the broader story of many African American families during the early 20th century. After George’s early years in Georgia, he and Artemesia established their household in Mobile, Alabama, where many of their children were born.

By 1920, George was listed as the head of his household in Mobile Ward 7. During these years, he worked hard to provide stability for his growing family while navigating the challenges of the Jim Crow South.

In 1929, George relocated his family to Port Huron, Michigan, becoming part of the Great Migration movement in which many Black families moved north seeking economic opportunities and a better future. By the 1930 census, George was documented as the head of a household in Port Huron, St. Clair County, Michigan.

Building his life in Port Huron, Michigan, George retired from Mueller Brass Company in 1960 after many years of dedicated service. He was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, a charter member of the NAACP, and a former member of the Silver Chords. In addition to his factory career, he was also a respected retired masonry contractor.

The move to Michigan marked a new chapter for the King family. Port Huron became home for decades and remains an important part of the family’s history.

A Life of Strength and Longevity

George James King Sr. lived through extraordinary moments in history. His lifetime witnessed:

The end of the Victorian era
World War I and World War II
The Great Depression
The Civil Rights Movement
The rise of automobiles, airplanes, television, and computers

Through every era, George remained the cornerstone of his family.

Tragedy and triumph both touched his life. In 1970, his beloved wife, Artemesia (Hitts) King, passed away in Port Huron at the age of 75 after many decades of marriage. The following year, he married Pearl Foster. George also endured the loss of his son, George James King Jr., in 1972, and his brother Leroy J. King later that same year.

Despite these hardships, George continued to embody strength, wisdom, and endurance.

Passing of a Patriarch

On May 1, 1987, George James King Sr. passed away in Port Huron, Michigan, at the remarkable age of 93. He was laid to rest in Mount Hope Cemetery, leaving behind generations of descendants whose lives were shaped by his courage and determination.

His legacy is not measured only in years, but in the family he nurtured, the values he passed down, and the history he helped create. Every King family reunion stands as a testimony to the life he built and the enduring bonds that continue to unite his descendants.

The Continuing King Legacy

Today, the descendants of George James King Sr. continue to honor his memory through family gatherings, shared traditions, storytelling, and love for one another. His journey from Columbus, Georgia, to Mobile, Alabama, and finally to Port Huron, Michigan, represents perseverance, migration, growth, and hope.

As we gather together as family, we celebrate not only where we come from, but also the enduring spirit of the eldest King of the generation which helped start it all.

George James King Sr.
1893 – 1987

A patriarch, provider, husband, father, grandfather, and enduring symbol of the King family legacy.

Carl J. King (1897–Unknown)

Brother of George James King, Sr.

Carl J. King was born in November 1897 in Georgia to George King and Josephine Powell King. He was born into a growing family rooted in faith, resilience, and strong family ties that would become the foundation of the King family legacy.

As the son of George and Josephine, Carl shared his childhood with his siblings, including his older brother, George James King, Sr., who would later become the patriarch of many of the King descendants gathering at the 2027 King Family Reunion. In 1900, Carl was living with his family in Columbus, Georgia, where the King family established their home and nurtured the next generation.

Carl witnessed the arrival of his younger siblings, including his brother Leroy J. King, born in 1901, and his sister Verdelle E. King, born in 1903. Together, the King children grew up during a time of great change in the American South, relying on family unity and perseverance.

Though little is currently known about Carl’s later life and no children have been documented, his place within the King family story remains important. As one of the children of George and Josephine King, Carl represents an enduring branch of the family tree and a connection to the early generations whose lives helped shape the legacy we honor at this reunion.

Today, we remember Carl J. King as part of the strong foundation upon which the King family history was built, a history of kinship, heritage, and lasting family bonds that continue across generations.

Leroy J. King Sr.

The Civic Leader

(1901-1972)

Leroy J. King, Sr. was born on September 10, 1901, in Columbus, Georgia, to George King and Josephine Powell King. As one of the younger children in the King family, Leroy grew up during a time of transition and opportunity, carrying forward the values of faith, perseverance, leadership, and community service that became hallmarks of the King family legacy.

Leroy shared close family ties with his siblings, including his older brother, George James King, Sr., whose descendants, along with his, continue to honor the family heritage today. He also welcomed the birth of his younger sister, Verdelle E. King, in 1903.

As a young man, Leroy established roots in Mobile, Alabama, where he and his first wife Rosa S. Warren had three sons: Leroy J. King, Jr., Carl James King, Sr., and Isadore Julius King. His family line would continue to grow and flourish across future generations.

In 1929, Leroy had relocated to Port Huron, Michigan, where he became a respected member of the community. On December 3, 1940, he married Christina Diggs in Lucas, Ohio, beginning a partnership grounded in family and shared purpose. Leroy worked as an assistant manager of the local Michigan Liquor Control Commission Store, where he retired in 1967 after 31 years with the Commission.

Leroy J. King, Sr. was known not only as a family man, but also as a dedicated advocate for equality, housing, and civil rights in Port Huron. He was a charter member of the Community Relations Board, a charter member of the Inter-Faith Housing Commission, and served as president and charter member in the reorganization of the local N.A.A.C.P. chapter. Through these efforts, he helped strengthen opportunities and representation for African Americans and contributed to the progress of the Port Huron community.

In 1967, Leroy received an award from Selective Service Director General Louis B. Hershey in recognition of his dedicated service. Two years later, in 1969, he was honored by President Richard M. Nixon for his outstanding service and in appreciation of his contributions as a member of the Board of the United States Selective Service System.

His life reflected a deep commitment to service, justice, and uplifting others, values that continue to inspire generations of the King family today.

Leroy J. King, Sr. passed away on December 19, 1972, in Port Huron, Michigan, at the age of 71. He was laid to rest in Lakeside Cemetery, leaving behind a legacy of leadership, community involvement, and enduring family pride.

Today, we honor Leroy J. King, Sr. as an important branch of the King family tree, a man whose dedication to family and community helped shape a lasting legacy for generations to come.

Verdelle E. King (Jones)

King Matriarch

(1903-1994)

Verdelle E. King was born on September 3, 1903, in Columbus, Georgia, into the King family during the closing years of the post-Reconstruction South. She was the daughter of George King (age 49) and Josephine Powell (age 52), and grew up in a large family that included her brothers George James King, Sr. (born 1893) and Leroy J. King (born 1901). Her early life unfolded in the context of a Black Southern family navigating the challenges and transitions of the early 20th century.

By 1920, as a young woman of about 17, Verdelle was recorded living in Mobile, Alabama. At this stage of her life, she was still single and likely part of an extended household network, which was common for families migrating within the South for work and stability.

In adulthood, Verdelle eventually relocated northward, joining the broader pattern of Black migration toward industrial cities in the Midwest. On April 13, 1935, at the age of 31, she married Edward Jones in Port Huron, Michigan. Their marriage marked a permanent settlement in St. Clair County, where she would spend the remainder of her life.

Verdelle and Edward Jones had one child together, a daughter named Patricia Valentine, born on June 27, 1945, in Port Huron. Motherhood came to Verdelle later in life, and she raised her daughter during the post–World War II era, a time of growth and change in southeastern Michigan.

Her husband Edward Jones died in 1961, after 26 years of marriage. Widowed at age 58, Verdelle remained in Port Huron and continued her life as a matriarch within her immediate family. She also experienced the loss of her brothers during her later years, Leroy J. King in 1972 and her eldest brother, George James King, Sr., in May 1987.

Despite these losses, Verdelle remained rooted in Port Huron throughout her long life. She was known within her family as a link between generations of the King family, carrying forward the legacy of her parents George King and Josephine Powell.

Verdelle E. King died on June 30, 1994, in Port Huron, Michigan, at the age of 90. She was laid to rest in Lakeside Cemetery, alongside the community and family she had built her life around for nearly six decades.