A farmer of Milford Township, Crawford County, Iowa, was born in Morgan County, Illinois, July 17, 1835. His father, William King, was a native of Yorkshire, England, came to America when a young man, settling near Jacksonville, Illinois, in 1823, among the pioneers of that place. In 1825, he was united in marriage to Mary Ann Cadwell, daughter of Dr. George and Pamelia (Lyon) Cadwell. Matthew King had 3 brothers (George, Richard, James B.) and a sister, Mary E. Matthew King received his education in Jacksonville, Illinois. In 1853, he came to Iowa and located in Clayton County. In 1869, he returned to Illinois and lived in Morgan County. He sold out there in 1881, came back to Iowa and bought a farm of 280 acres in Section 11, Milford Township. His farm was mostly in blue grass, clover, and timothy. He had a fine herd of shorthorn cattle. When Matthew was 23 years of age, he married Margaret King (a distant relative of his) who was born in Greene County, Illinois. Their son, Arthur, was a successful farmer of Crawford County, Iowa. They had one daughter, Grace. In 1865, after the death of his wife, Matthew King married his first wife's sister, Orpha Joy. They had two daughters: Margaret and Agnes. Both daughters were skillful musicians.