King, William R. (William Rufus), 1786-1853

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William Rufus DeVane King (April 7, 1786 – April 18, 1853) was an American politician and diplomat. He was the 13th vice president of the United States for six weeks in 1853 before his death. Earlier he had been elected as a U.S. representative from North Carolina and a senator from Alabama. He also served as minister to France during the reign of King Louis Philippe I.

A Democrat, he was a Unionist and his contemporaries considered him to be a moderate on the issues of sectionalism, slavery and westward expansion, which contributed to the American Civil War. He helped draft the Compromise of 1850. He is the only United States executive official to take the oath of office on foreign soil; he was inaugurated in Havana, Cuba, due to poor health. King died of tuberculosis after 45 days in office. With the exceptions of John Tyler and Andrew Johnson—both of whom succeeded to the presidency—he is the shortest-serving vice president.

King was the only U.S. vice president from the state of Alabama and held the highest political office of any Alabamian in American history. He was the third vice president to die in office.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Lewis Eller Asher autograph collection, 1757-1925. Library of Congress
creatorOf King, William Rufus Devane, 1786-1853. Autograph letter signed : Paris, to Henry Wheaton, 1845 Mar. 23. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf King, William R. (William Rufus), 1786-1853. William R. King letters, 1825; 1849 [manuscript]. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
creatorOf Alabama. Secretary of State. Correspondence of Secretary Thomas A. Rogers, 1820-1821. Alabama Department of Archives and History
creatorOf Alabama. Governor (1831-1835 : Gayle). Administrative files, 1831-1835. Alabama Department of Archives and History
creatorOf King, William R. (William Rufus), 1786-1853. Papers, 1827-1852. Duke University Libraries, Duke University Library; Perkins Library
referencedIn United States President, Cabinet, and House of Representatives, 34th Congress, autograph book MSS. 0356., 1855-1903 W.S. Hoole Special Collections Library, The University of Alabama
referencedIn Frederick M. Dearborn collection of military and political Americana, Part I: The Revolution and the Administration, 1669-1958. Houghton Library
referencedIn Walker family. Papers, 1798-1833. Alabama Department of Archives and History
referencedIn General Records of the Department of State, 1763 - 2002. Letters to Foreign Sovereigns and Heads of State, 1829 - 1877 National Archives Library, National Archives Records Administration
creatorOf King, William R. (William Rufus), 1786-1853. Letter of William R. King, 1837. Library of Congress
creatorOf Alabama. Governor (1821-1825 : Pickens). Administrative files, 1817-1825. Alabama Department of Archives and History
creatorOf Albert J. Pickett papers, 1779-1904 Alabama Department of Archives and History
referencedIn Glick, Nathan H. (Nathan Harold), 1912-. Pen and ink drawings, [199--]-[1993]. Alabama Department of Archives and History
referencedIn Selma Land Company (1819-18 ). Account book, 1819-1873. Alabama Department of Archives and History
referencedIn Records of the Task Force on National Health Care (Clinton Administration), 1993 - 1994. Steven Edelstein's Files, 1993 - 1994 William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
creatorOf General Records of the Department of State. 1763 - 2002. Oaths of Office of Federal Appointees. 1799 - 1976. 1799 thru 1860, I THRU K. 1799 - 1860. Oath of Office of Vice President William R. King National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Buchanan, James, 1791-1868. Papers, 1775-1868. Historical Society of Pennsylvania
referencedIn Alabama. Governor (1835-1837 : Clay). Appointments correspondence, 1835-1837. Alabama Department of Archives and History
creatorOf Alabama. Governor (1819-1820 : W.W. Bibb). Administrative files, 1819-1820. Alabama Department of Archives and History
creatorOf William R. King Letters, ., 1825; 1849 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection
referencedIn National Archives And Records Administration. Rg 46: United States Senate.
creatorOf King, William R. (William Rufus), 1786-1853. William R. King letter, 1832 Dec. 12. Louisiana State University, LSU Libraries
creatorOf Coffee, John, 1772-1833. Papers, 1796-1887. Alabama Department of Archives and History
creatorOf Alabama. Governor (1837-1841 : Bagby). Administrative files, 1829-1841. Alabama Department of Archives and History
referencedIn Alabama. Governor (1849-1853 : Collier). Administrative files, 1848-1853. Alabama Department of Archives and History
referencedIn King, Cyrus, 1772-1817. Papers, 1796-1846. Maine Historical Society Library
referencedIn John Cuthbert letter MSS. 0389., 1848 June 29 University Libraries Division of Special Collections, The University of Alabama
referencedIn Records of the Office of Speechwriting (Clinton Administration), 1993 - 2001. Michael Waldman's Files, 1995 - 2000 William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
referencedIn Carmichael, Emmett B. Pamphlets vertical file--persons, [ca.1835]-[ca.1835]- Alabama Department of Archives and History
referencedIn Pitts, Philip Henry, 1814-1884. Philip Henry Pitts papers, 1814-1884 [manuscript]. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
referencedIn University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Image Collection, 1799-1999 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. North Carolina Collection Photographic Archives.
referencedIn P. Phillips Family Papers, 1832-1914 Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf King, William R. (William Rufus), 1786-1853. Family papers, 1714-1964. Alabama Department of Archives and History
creatorOf King, William R. (William Rufus), 1786-1853. Letter : Paris, to L.H.A. Fengel, Basle, Switzerland, 1844 July 28. University of Chicago Library
creatorOf King, William R. (William Rufus), 1786-1853. Letter : Paris, to L.H.A. Fengel, Basle, Switzerland, 1844 July 28. Texas Christian University
referencedIn General Records of the Department of State, 1763 - 2002. Oaths of Office of Federal Appointees, 1799 - 1976 National Archives Library, National Archives Records Administration
creatorOf Hubbard, David, 1792-1874. David Hubbard papers, 1807-1871. Tennessee State Library & Archives, TSLA
referencedIn Bagby, Arthur P. (Arthur Pendleton), 1794-1858. Letters, 1842-1849. Alabama Department of Archives and History
referencedIn Thomas Addis Emmet collection, 1483-1876 (bulk:1700-1800) New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
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associatedWith Alabama. Governor (1819-1820 : W.W. Bibb). corporateBody
associatedWith Alabama. Governor (1821-1825 : Pickens). corporateBody
associatedWith Alabama. Governor (1831-1835 : Gayle). corporateBody
associatedWith Alabama. Governor (1835-1837 : Clay). corporateBody
associatedWith Alabama. Governor (1837-1841 : Bagby) corporateBody
associatedWith Alabama. Governor (1841-1845 : Fitzpatrick) corporateBody
associatedWith Alabama. Governor (1849-1853 : Collier). corporateBody
associatedWith Alabama. Secretary of State. corporateBody
associatedWith Asher, Louis Eller, 1877-1948. person
associatedWith Bagby, Arthur P. (Arthur Pendleton), 1794-1858. person
associatedWith Brown, Bertram Erwin, b.1871. person
associatedWith Buchanan, James, 1791-1868. person
associatedWith Coffee, John, 1772-1833. person
associatedWith Cuthbert, John, 1788-1881 person
associatedWith Dearborn, Frederick M. (Frederick Myers), b. 1876 person
associatedWith Ellis, Catherine Kornegay. person
associatedWith Ellis, Harvey W., dd.1842. person
associatedWith Emmet, Thomas Addis person
associatedWith Fengel, L. H. A. person
associatedWith Fitzpatrick, Benjamin, 1802-1869. person
associatedWith Force, Peter person
associatedWith Gayle, John, 1792-1859. person
associatedWith Glick, Nathan H. (Nathan Harold), 1912- person
correspondedWith Henry, Joseph, 1797-1878 person
associatedWith Hubbard, David, 1792-1874. person
associatedWith King, Alice M. Devane. person
correspondedWith King, Cyrus, 1772-1817. person
associatedWith King, Evelyn H. person
associatedWith King, Thomas D. person
associatedWith King, William T. person
associatedWith Kister, Gerard. person
associatedWith London Industrial Exhibition corporateBody
memberOf North Carolina. General Assembly. House of Representatives corporateBody
associatedWith Phillips, P. (Philip), 1807-1884. person
associatedWith Pitts, Philip Henry, 1814-1884. person
associatedWith Selma Land Company (1819-18 ). corporateBody
memberOf United States. Congress. House of Representatives corporateBody
memberOf United States. Congress. Senate corporateBody
employeeOf United States. Department of State corporateBody
alumnusOrAlumnaOf University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill corporateBody
associatedWith Walker family. family
associatedWith Wheaton, Henry, 1785-1848, person
associatedWith Womack, John W., fl. 1831-1860. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Wilmington NC US
Raleigh NC US
Sampson County NC US
Paris A8 FR
Matanzas 03 CU
Dallas County AL US
District of Columbia DC US
Fayetteville AR US
Clinton NC US
Subject
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Birth 1786-04-07

Death 1853-04-18

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Americans

English

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