William R. King - Shortest Serving Vice President of the U.s.a, Birthday and Family
William R. King's Personal Details
William Rufus King was an American politician and diplomat who is often remembered as the shortest-serving Vice President of United States
| Information | Detail |
|---|---|
| Birthday | April 7, 1786 |
| Died on | April 18, 1853 |
| Nationality | American |
| Famous | Gays, Leaders, Political Leaders, Shortest Serving Vice President of the U.s.a |
| Known as | William King, William Rufus DeVane King |
| Universities |
|
| Birth Place | Sampson County |
| Gender | Male |
| Sun Sign | Aries |
| Born in | Sampson County |
| Famous as | Shortest Serving Vice President of the U.S.A |
| Died at Age | 67 |
William R. King's photo
Who is William R. King?
William Rufus King was an American politician and diplomat who is often remembered as the shortest-serving Vice President of United States. A senator and diplomat, King remained in office only for six weeks, between March 1853 and April 1853. Born to a wealthy family of North Carolina, King, after completing elementary education from private schools, graduated from the University of North Carolina and went on to study law. Later, he was admitted to the bar and gravitated into politics, becoming a Congressman at the age of 25. Afterwards, he moved to Alabama and became the first Senator of Alabama, later reelected at the post several times in his career. As Senator, King was an advocate of the “southern” way of life, who opposed prohibiting slavery in the District of Columbia, and supported the expansion of slavery into the territories. After serving on various posts in politics over the years, he was elected Vice President of the United States in the administration of Franklin Pierce in 1853. He took his oath for the office in Cuba, where he had gone to improve his health, courtesy a privilege extended by special act of Congress. Until today, he is the only member of the U.S. executive branch to have been sworn into office on foreign soil. Shortly after, he returned to Alabama and died the next day, following a prolonged illness. He remained in office for only six weeks and is therefore dubbed as the shortest-serving Vice President of US.
// Famous Gays
Wentworth Miller
Wentworth Miller is an American actor and screenwriter who achieved recognition for his role in the TV series ‘Prison Break’.
Tennessee Williams
Tennessee Williams was one of the greatest playwrights of the 20th century. This biography of Tennessee Williams provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works and timeline.
Leo Varadkar
Cam Leo Varadkar is the current Taoiseach—the Prime Minister—of the Republic of Ireland. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family life, achievements and other facts about his life.
Childhood & Early Life
William Rufus DeVane King was born on April 7, 1786, in Sampson County, North Carolina, United States, to William King, and his wife, Margaret deVane. He belonged to a wealthy and well-connected family which owned plantation.
He received his early education from private schools and later attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he became a member of the Philanthropic Society, an important literary student association.
In 1803, he graduated and subsequently became a student of prominent attorney William Duffy, who taught him law and helped him develop political skills. In 1806, King was admitted to the bar and began practice in Clinton, in Samson County.
Career
Shortly after becoming a lawyer, William Rufus King gravitated into politics and in 1807, he was elected to the North Carolina State House of Representatives, where he served until 1809. Thereafter, he became the city solicitor of Wilmington, North Carolina.
Subsequently, he was elected to the Twelfth, Thirteenth and Fourteenth Congresses, a capacity in which he served from March 1811 to November 1816.
After resigning as a Congressman, he was appointed the Secretary of the Legation for William Pinkney and accompanied him to Russia and special diplomatic mission in Naples.
Upon returning to the United States in 1818, William Rufus King moved to Alabama, purchasing property at what would later be known as ‘King's Bend’. He established a large cotton plantation based on slave labor, calling the property ‘Chestnut Hill’. Subsequently, King along with his relatives formed one of the largest slaveholding families in the state.
In 1819, upon the admission of Alabama as the 22nd State, he was elected by the State Legislature as a Democratic-Republican to the United States Senate. Later, King was re-elected at the post again in 1822, 1828, 1834, and 1841, serving from December 1819 to April 1844, until he resigned.
From 1844 to 1846, he served as a US Ambassador to France during the reign of King Louis Phillippe. Upon his return, William Rufus King resumed his services as the Senate of Alabama in 1848. He held his seat for the next four years until resigning in December 1852 because of ill health, after having been elected Vice President.
In July 1850, two days after the death of President Zachary Taylor, King was appointed Senate President Pro Tempore. He also served as Chairman of the Senate's Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Pensions.
In the 1852 elections, the Alabama Democrats urged for his nomination as Vice President. Subsequently, he received support and the party nominated General Franklin Pierce as their presidential candidate, with King as his running mate.
Pierce and King defeated the Whig Party candidates successfully but King was ill with tuberculosis and had traveled to Cuba in an effort to regain his health. Therefore, Congress enacted a one-and-only bill which permitted King to take the oath outside the United States, and was sworn in on March 24, 1853 in Havana, Cuba.
Shortly after taking office, he sailed back to Alabama and subsequently died of his prolonged illness. He remained in office for six weeks and his position was never replaced.
Personal Life & Legacy
While William Rufus King remained a bachelor all his life, it was rumored that he was a homosexual. These rumors further increased after King developed a close and intimate bond with fellow senator, James Buchanan, of Pennsylvania. From 1834 onwards, both the men shared a Washington boarding house for ten years. The duo often attended social functions together and neither of them got married.
Shortly afterward taking oath for vice presidency on foreign soil, King left Cuba and returned to Chestnut Hill. He died on April 18, 1853, at his estate in Alabama, following a long illness, without carrying out any duties of the office. He was interred in a vault on the plantation and later reinterred in Live Oak Cemetery, Selma, Alabama, US.
In 1852, the Oregon Territorial Legislature named King County—which later became part of the U.S. state of Washington—in his honor
// Famous Leaders
Edi Rama
Edi Rama is the current Prime Minister of Albania. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.
Tecumseh
Tecumseh was a Native American leader of the Shawnee clan. This biography profiles his childhood, life and timeline.
Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan is the current President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Check out this biography to know about his birthday, childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about him.
William R. King biography timelines
- // 7th Apr 1786William Rufus DeVane King was born on April 7, 1786, in Sampson County, North Carolina, United States, to William King, and his wife, Margaret deVane. He belonged to a wealthy and well-connected family which owned plantation.
- // 1803 To 1806In 1803, he graduated and subsequently became a student of prominent attorney William Duffy, who taught him law and helped him develop political skills. In 1806, King was admitted to the bar and began practice in Clinton, in Samson County.
- // 1807 To 1809Shortly after becoming a lawyer, William Rufus King gravitated into politics and in 1807, he was elected to the North Carolina State House of Representatives, where he served until 1809. Thereafter, he became the city solicitor of Wilmington, North Carolina.
- // Mar 1811 To Nov 1816Subsequently, he was elected to the Twelfth, Thirteenth and Fourteenth Congresses, a capacity in which he served from March 1811 to November 1816.
- // 1818Upon returning to the United States in 1818, William Rufus King moved to Alabama, purchasing property at what would later be known as ‘King's Bend’. He established a large cotton plantation based on slave labor, calling the property ‘Chestnut Hill’. Subsequently, King along with his relatives formed one of the largest slaveholding families in the state.
- // 1819In 1819, upon the admission of Alabama as the 22nd State, he was elected by the State Legislature as a Democratic-Republican to the United States Senate. Later, King was re-elected at the post again in 1822, 1828, 1834, and 1841, serving from December 1819 to April 1844, until he resigned.
- // 1834While William Rufus King remained a bachelor all his life, it was rumored that he was a homosexual. These rumors further increased after King developed a close and intimate bond with fellow senator, James Buchanan, of Pennsylvania. From 1834 onwards, both the men shared a Washington boarding house for ten years. The duo often attended social functions together and neither of them got married.
- // 1844From 1844 to 1846, he served as a US Ambassador to France during the reign of King Louis Phillippe. Upon his return, William Rufus King resumed his services as the Senate of Alabama in 1848. He held his seat for the next four years until resigning in December 1852 because of ill health, after having been elected Vice President.
- // Jul 1850In July 1850, two days after the death of President Zachary Taylor, King was appointed Senate President Pro Tempore. He also served as Chairman of the Senate's Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Pensions.
- // 1852In the 1852 elections, the Alabama Democrats urged for his nomination as Vice President. Subsequently, he received support and the party nominated General Franklin Pierce as their presidential candidate, with King as his running mate.
- // 1852In 1852, the Oregon Territorial Legislature named King County—which later became part of the U.S. state of Washington—in his honor
- // 24th Mar 1853Pierce and King defeated the Whig Party candidates successfully but King was ill with tuberculosis and had traveled to Cuba in an effort to regain his health. Therefore, Congress enacted a one-and-only bill which permitted King to take the oath outside the United States, and was sworn in on March 24, 1853 in Havana, Cuba.
- // 18th Apr 1853Shortly afterward taking oath for vice presidency on foreign soil, King left Cuba and returned to Chestnut Hill. He died on April 18, 1853, at his estate in Alabama, following a long illness, without carrying out any duties of the office. He was interred in a vault on the plantation and later reinterred in Live Oak Cemetery, Selma, Alabama, US.
// Famous Political Leaders
Edi Rama
Edi Rama is the current Prime Minister of Albania. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.
Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan is the current President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Check out this biography to know about his birthday, childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about him.
Leo Varadkar
Cam Leo Varadkar is the current Taoiseach—the Prime Minister—of the Republic of Ireland. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family life, achievements and other facts about his life.
Strom Thurmond
Strom Thurmond was an American politician, who represented the state of South Carolina in the United States senate for 48 years.
Solon
Solon was an Athenian lawmaker, poet and politician. He is considered as one of the ‘Seven Wise Men’ in Greek culture. This biography provides detailed information about his childhood, life, career, works, achievements and timeline.
Mohammed bin Salman
Mohammed bin Salman is the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia and the heir apparent to the throne. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family life, achievements and other facts about him.
William R. King's FAQ
What is William R. King birthday?
William R. King was born at 1786-04-07
When was William R. King died?
William R. King was died at 1853-04-18
Where was William R. King died?
William R. King was died in Selma
Which age was William R. King died?
William R. King was died at age 67
Where is William R. King's birth place?
William R. King was born in Sampson County
What is William R. King nationalities?
William R. King's nationalities is American
What was William R. King universities?
William R. King studied at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
What is William R. King's sun sign?
William R. King is Aries
How famous is William R. King?
William R. King is famouse as Shortest Serving Vice President of the U.S.A