William R. King

William R. King (October 3, 1864 – June 2, 1934) was an American politician and judge in the state of Oregon. He was the 37th associate justice of the Oregon Supreme Court. A native of Washington, he also served in Oregon's legislature and promoted the initiative and referendum legislation system.

Early life William King was born near Walla Walla, Washington Territory on October 3, 1864, to David Rufus King and Elizabeth King (née Estes). Ten years later in 1874 William and his parents moved to Malheur County, Oregon, where he received his basic education. He was then elected in 1894 to the state senate as a Democrat Populist. While in the legislature he was a proponent of the initiative and referendum that Oregon would later adopt. He left the state's high court at the end of the term on January 1, 1911. He also lived in Honolulu, Hawaii and Los Angeles, California. William R. King died in Washington, DC, in his hotel room on June 2, 1934. He had been a member of the Masons, the Woodmen of the World, the B.P.O.E., and the Knights of Pythias.