William Sterling King

William Sterling King (October 6, 1818 – June 29, 1882) was an American officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War, twice elected to the Massachusetts legislature, and was the first Chief Constable of the then-Massachusetts State Constabulary (the contemporary name of the modern Massachusetts State Police).

Early life, education and career King was born in Manhattan in 1818 to Elisha William King (1781-1836), a New York City lawyer and politician, and Margaret Van der Voort (1783-1863).

He studied in Pelham, New York, before becoming a student at Yale College and later graduating from Union College as the youngest member of the Class of 1837.

King practiced law in New York City from 1839 to 1843 before moving to Woodland Farm in North Providence, Rhode Island. In 1852, he moved to Roxbury, Massachusetts. He was co-editor of the Journal of Agriculture from 1852 to 1862 and from 1855 to 1862 he served in the Massachusetts legislature as a representative of the Know Nothing Movement.

Personal life

King married Miss Ellen Grinnell of Providence, Rhode Island, on May 6, 1844. They had four children, all of whom died between the ages of sixteen and twenty-one.

King was an Episcopalian.