From the Wilmington News Journal, February 20, 1968.
As we near the end of 2019, the Strangest Names In American Political History makes a rare stop in Delaware, a state last featured here in July 2011, the first month of this site's existence on the web. As a state with only a minuscule amount of oddly named political representation, the following biography on state representative and town judge Sudler Houston King is much needed! A Delaware resident for a good majority of his life, King is also the first person profiled here who was a policeman by occupation. Born on July 16, 1896, in Sudlersville, Queen Anne's County, Maryland, Sudler Houston King was the son of Morgan and Mary V. King.
Removing to Delaware at an early age, King was a student at the Middletown High School. He married in Delaware in the 1910s to Naomi Louetta Shockley and later had one son, Darwin Morgan King (1919-2014). A veteran of World War I, King enlisted at Newark, Delaware in August 1918 but did not see combat, and was commissioned a corporal in the 33rd Field Artillery Regiment at Camp Meade in Maryland.
After the completion of his service, King returned to Delaware and resided in Middletown in New Castle County. From 1924-1944 he was an officer with the Delaware state police department, retiring with the rank of sergeant. A founding member of the Delaware Association of Retired State Police, King would serve as president of that association and was active in veteran's organizations his native county, being a two-time commander of the David Harrison Post No. 14 of the American Legion in Smyrna and commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3792 in Middletown.
Sudler King had to deal with a leaky capitol roof during his term. From the Wilmington Morning News, February 5, 1949.
In November 1948 Sudler King was elected as one of New Castle County's representatives to the Delaware General Assembly and during his term (1949-51) also occupied the post of state highway department right-of-way agent, serving until 1953. After leaving the legislature King was employed by the New Castle County Engineer's office from 1955-61 and in the last-named year was elected as a town magistrate for Middletown, where he would serve until his death.
King's final years saw him active in raising poultry and during the 1960s served as president of the Magistrates Association of Greater New Castle County. Sudler Houston King died at a Dover, Delaware hospital on February 19, 1968, aged 71. He was survived by his second wife Thelma (1918-2006) and son Darwin and was interred at the Townsend Cemetery in Townsend, Delaware.
From the Wilmington News Journal, February 20, 1968.
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