Monte & Rena King of Birdsview

"When are you folk going to get up this way?"

In 1906 Monte J. King came from Fruitport, Michigan to Washington State to work as a steam engineer at the Hightower mill near Birdsview. His brother in law, Hal Howell was a bookkeeper there. In 1907 his wife Rena followed with 6 children: Carl, Ethelyn, Howard, Maurice, Miriam and Kathryn. She was accompanied by her parents Jason and Ellen Bennett.

King family in 1916, south side of the river. Benny is the baby.

The Kings lived in a house on the mill property and on a ranch across the Skagit river until they got their own house built in Birdsview. On the corner of their property was built a small building that housed a grocery store, post office and gas pump. This was run by Monte and Rena. Monte also started driving the Hamilton high school bus.
They had enough acreage to have a couple cows, chickens and a large garden. They also had a large orchard. There were four more children born after coming to the area: Kenneth, Charlotte, Billy and Benny.
Monte and Rena were very active in the local Sunday school and Grange. And Rena in women's clubs. Monte was on the school board and later a PUD Commissioner. He was very interested in politics.
When the Second World War started the post office, store and service station was closed. Monte became an Air Raid warden. Then they sold their property and moved to Bremerton where he went to work in the ship yard.
Eventually they moved back to Birdsview and bought the Carl Russell place. Monte passed away there 2 May 1950. Rena sold the property and moved to Sedro Woolley. She passed away 15 June 1960.
Glenrose Bust
more on the way!

MYSTERY SOLVED?
Contributer Glenrose Bust, granddaughter of Monte and Rena King relates in her profile that when the King Family came to Birdsview..."they lived on a ranch across the river until they got their own house built in Birdsview." Glenrose shared this photo (on right) of that ranch across the river with her family on the porch around 1907. She has never known whose ranch it was. Compare it to an earlier photo on the left of the Savage Family Homestead (from Barb Thompson, Savage descendant). You can see there are additions to the house on the right, it's a pretty good bet the mystery is solved? If anyone disagrees, please let us know.
..."I hope no one disagrees with the story of whose house they lived across the river. It took me long enough to figure it out for myself. Then I found out from Barbara (Thompson) that they had bought the house along with some property and that Grandmother King's father, Jason Bennett, had some property next door, hence the "KB" ranch I kept seeing on the back of those pictures meant "King Bennett" ranch and not anything to do with the Kemmerick's as I had thought through all these years." Glenrose -Monday, September 27, 2004 7:49 AM

VARIOUS SOURCE MATERIAL & KING FAMILY TIMELINE
Any corrections, family stories, photos, genealogy for the Kings and extended family would be welcomed. Thank you to Glenrose and Larry Spurling for their contributions on the Monte King family. Thank you especially to Glenrose for the use of family photos.

Monte & Rena King Celebrate 50th Anniversary

Back Row: Kathryn Waynick, Maurice King, Howard King, Miriam Spurling, Bill King, Carl King, Kenneth King, Benny King. Front Row: Charlotte Bust, Rena & Monte King, Ethelyn Ryan.

The Monte King family first shows up in the Birdsview School #22 District Clerks report 1907. Ethlyn -female age 10, Howard male age8 Maurice -male age 6.
The 1909 report shows. Carl born Nov. 25, 1895, Ethelyn born Nov. 24,1896, Howard born Dec. 17, 1898, Maurice born Nov. 27, 1900, Miriam born Oct. 16, 1903; Residence Lot 10 sec. 14 35-7.
The 1911 report shows another girl Kathlyn born July 31, 1905 (Katherine later) year 1906 later also. Kenneth King born Jan. 24, 1908 in the 1913 report. Charlotte King born July 3, 1912 in the 1918 report. Billy Lew [William Lewis] born July 3, 1914 in the 1922 report. Bennett born Dec. 4, 1916 in the 1922 report. The 1924 report shows Miriams last grade attended 12 and attending school this 1923-1924; year 6 4/5 wks., also shows her employed as Stinog. for Dr. S.B.F. (I'm assuming a stenographer for a doctor?)
As you can see from the 1918 Special Census report for the Birdsview School District Monte King age 44 born in Muskegon Co., Mich. Occupation is Post Master and Rancher...Elrena King is age 41 born Erie Co., N. Y., and a housewife.

This item on Kenneth King in the Hamilton 100 Years book [Carol Bates of Hamilton], which originally came from the Concrete Herald & Courier Times.

"Kenneth was born in Birdsview in 1908. Attending grade school in Birdsview and the Hamilton High School, he graduated in 1926, after four years there. He drove the high school bus in 1925 and 1926. It was an old GMC-12-20 miles per hour was a pretty good clip, in other words, top speed. At that time, Hamilton was quite a busy little town, tow grocery stores, Slippers General Store, Russell Brothers Grocery, a bank, a garage, a drug store, a pool hall, a theater, a barber shop, hardware; and, of course, the Great Northern Depot.
He married a Sedro Woolley girl in 1931, and lost her in 1980. They had a daughter and two sons, ten grandchildren, and he remarried in 1985. The children who were in his class were: Kenneth King, Kathryn King, Hilda Synder, Floyd Cooper, Rita Savage, Bert Wilson, Lorna Stickney, John Steen and Harry Lundy. He has a 1925 yearbook and is available as soon as it can be located."

June 30, 1919 Jason H. Bennett passes in Birdsview, a widow and resident of Sedro Woolley. Interment in Sedro Woolley.

Nov. 5, 1936 Mrs. Kenneth King returned home last week to recover form undergoing surgery about three weeks ago."

Also from Hamilton 100 Years unless noted otherwise

Dec. 30, 1937 "Ben King takes Beulah Finske as his bride on Christmas day."

Sept. 22, 1938 "William L. King marries Nora Stephens"

July 11, 1940 "Katherine King weds Lynn Waynick"

August 29, 1946 " Mr. & Mrs. Monte King visit Mt. Vernon yesterday."

May 4, 1950"Monte King of Birdsview dies suddenly."

June 23, 1954

"Rena King celebrates her 80th birthday. On Saturday, June 23 a large family group gathered at the home of Mrs. Reba King of Sedro Woolley to help her celebrate her 80th birthday. A lovely buffet luncheon was served to the following guests; Mr. & Mrs.Carl King, Mr. & Mrs. Howard King and Mrs. Kenneth King and Larry, Eddie and Patty, all of Sedro Woolley, Mr. & Mrs. Maurice King of North Bend, Mrs. Katheryn Waynick of Burton, Mr. & Mrs. Bill King and daughters, Sandra and Sharon of Concrete, Benny King of Burlington, Mrs. Miriam Spurling, Mrs. Charlotte Bust and Donna, Mrs. GlenRose McDonald and sons, Glen and Gordon, all of Birdsview, Mr. & Mrs. Stan Brown and son of Van Horn, Mrs. Ardis Vier and sons Pete and Mike of Lyman and Mrs. Tommy Hooper and son, Tommy, of Hamilton. All of the family was present except for one daughter, Ethelyn Ryan of El Monte, CA. Present were nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren."

Jan. 17, 1957 "Mrs. Carl King passes away at Burlington Hospital."

April 17, 1958 "Jury panel this week are William King, James Cook, Wilford Bridge and Jack Mast of Hamilton and Helen Crinklaw and Fred Bailey of Concrete."

Sept. 17, 1959 "Benny King passes away."

June 23, 1960 "Mrs. Rena King, pioneer of Birdsview, services are held Monday."

Sept. 21, 1961 "Carl King weds Mrs. Bella Robb."

April 29, 1962 "Carl King, former Hamilton and Birdsview resident is taken by death." Marian Mullen King died in 1980, wife of Kenneth King.

June 10, 1982 "William Lewis King, 67, a resident of Florence, Ore., died 21 May 1982. Born in Hamilton, 3 July 1914 he attended grade school at Birdsview and graduated from Hamilton High School in 1932. He worked as a logger, truck driver and engineer in the lumber industry before retirement in 1973. Survivors include wife Marion and two daughters." excerpt Obituary Skagit Valley Herald

Febuary 15, 1999 "Kenneth K. King passed away 13 Febuary 1999 at Skagit Valley Hospital in Mount Vernon at 91 years of age. He was born 24, January 1908 in Birdsview were he attended grade school and graduated from Hamilton High School in 1926. He married Marian Mullen in 1931. She preceded him in death in 1980. In 1985 he married Violet Sumner in and she preceded him in death in 1994. Ken is survived by two sons." excerpt Obituary Skagit Valley Herald Kenneth is the last sibling of the Monte and Elrena King family to pass. Full obiurary available.
Notes: Howard Royal, remembers playing basketball with Benny King and Monte King bringing them mail at the stump ranch. According to the 1935 Metzger Map, it looks like the Kings lived right next to the current Birdsview Burgers on Russell Rd., the family living on that propertycurrently put up a great deal of lights at Christmas time. The 1950 Metzger Map does not show MJ King owning the property any longer.

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