Alexander Campbell King

Born on December 7, 1856, in Charleston, South Carolina,[1] to J. Gadsden King and Carolina Clifford (Postell) King,[2] King read law in 1875, at 19 years of age.[1] He entered private practice in Atlanta, Georgia from 1875 to 1918,[1] serving as general legal counsel to various railroad companies.[2] For the Atlanta & West Point Railroad he took the position of assistant general counsel from 1887 to 1893, simultaneously serving as general counsel for the East & West Railroad of Alabama from 1887 to 1889, and again as assistant general counsel to the Richmond and Danville Railroad and Richmond & West Point Terminal Co., from 1890 to 1892.[2] Lastly, King represented the Chattanooga, Rome and Columbus Railroad from 1894 to 1901.[2] In 1912, King was appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, as a committee member to report on revision in equity in United States courts.[2] He also served on the board of directors, and as one term Chairman, of the State Bar Examiners for the State of Georgia from 1913 to 1918.[2] In 1916, King received a civil law degree from Sewanee: The University of the South, in Sewanee, Tennessee.[2]

King's former residence in Adams Morgan, Washington, D.C.

King was the 16th Solicitor General of the United States from November 21, 1918 to May 24, 1920.[2] With his breadth of knowledge in railroad legislation he was a valuable asset to the administration, contributing his expertise when faced with cases involving the Southern Pacific Railroad throughout 1919.[2] During this time he also served as a counselor for the American Red Cross.[2]

King was nominated by President Woodrow Wilson on April 29, 1920, to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit vacated by Judge Don Albert Pardee.[1] He was confirmed by the United States Senate on May 24, 1920, and received his commission the same day.[1] His service terminated on December 31, 1924, due to his resignation.[1]

Following his resignation from the federal bench, King returned to private practice in Atlanta from 1925 to 1926,[1] returning as a founding partner of the law firm of King, Spalding, MacDougal & Sibley (now King & Spalding).[2][3] He died on July 25, 1926,[Death 1] in Flat Rock, Henderson County, North Carolina.[1] He was interred in Atlanta, where he resided.[2] He was survived by his wife of 45 years, Alice May Fowler and his two sons.[2]

• Alexander Campbell King Law Library

• Alexander Campbell King at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
•  This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Office of the Solicitor General.

• Alexander Campbell King Law Library at the University of Georgia School of Law.
• Alexander Campbell King at Find a Grave