Rufus King

     Rufus King was born on 26 January 1814 in New York City, New York.^1,2 He was the son of Charles King and Eliza Gracie.¹ He married first Ellen Eliot.¹ He married second Susan Eliot.¹ He died on 13 October 1876 in New York City, New York, at age 62.^1,2
     
     Rufus King was graduated from the U.S, Military academy and appointed brevet 2d lieutenant of engineers, July 1, 1833, and served as assistant engineer in the construction of Fort Monroe, Va., 1833-34; on the survey of a boundary line between Ohio and Michigan, 1834-86, and on the improvement of the navigation of the Hudson river, New York, in 1834. He resigned from the army, Sept. 30, 1836, to accept the position of assistant engineer of the New York and Erie railway. In 1839 he resigned to accept the appointment of adjutant-general of the state of New York, in which capacity he served, 1889-43. He was associate editor of the Albany Evening Journal and editor of the Albany Advertiser from 1841 until his removal to Milwaukee, Wis., in 1845, where he was editor of the Milwaukee Sentinel and Gazette, 1845-61, and a member of the convention that framed the state constitution, 1847-48. He was a regent of the University of Wisconsin, 1848-61; a member of the board of visitors to the U.S. Military academy in 1849; a colonel of Wisconsin militia, 1857-61, and superintendent of public schools in Milwaukee, Wis., 1849-61. He was appointed U.S. minister to the Pontifical States, Italy, in 1861, and held the appointment from March 22 to Aug. 5, 1861, but did not enter upon the duties, baring volunteered his services to the governor of Wisconsin in the civil war. He was commissioned brigadier-general of Wisconsin volunteers. May 7, and of U.S. volunteers, May 17, 1861. He served in the defense of Washington, D.C., May, 1861, to March, 1862; commanded the 1st division, 3d army corps, in the Department of the Rappahannock, March to August, 1862; was engaged in the advance on Fredericksburg, Va., April 19, 1862; was in command of Falmouth, Va., May, 1862; in the campaign of Northern Virginia, August to September, 1862; at the battles of Groveton, August 28, and Manassas, Aug. 29-30, 1862; and in the Maryland campaign, September, 1862. He was on sick leave of absence, Sept. 19 to Oct. 19, 1862, and served in the defenses of Washington, Oct. 19 to Nov. 25, 1862. He was a member of the court-martial for the trial of Maj.-Gen. Fitz John Porter, Nov. 25, 1862, to January, 1863; on waiting orders at Norfolk, Va., February to March, 1863; in command of Yorktown, Va., March to July, 1863, and in command of a division at Fairfax Courthouse, Va., covering the approaches to Washington, D.C., from July 15 to Oct. 20, 1863, when failing health compelled him to resign from the service. He was U.S. minister resident at Rome from October, 1863, to July, 1867; deputy collector of customs at the port of New York, 1867-69; and in 1869 retired from public life.²