Dr. Harry Clyde King
1871-1931

Source: Centennial History of Arkansas Vol 2&3 1922 Dr. Harry Clyde King, a surgeon of notable capability, by reason of thorough training and long experience and who at all times is most conscientious in the performance of his professional duties, was born in Luray, Clark county, Missouri, December 16. 1871, and is the youngest of a family of eleven children, whose parents were Alfred A. and Ellen (Dennis) King. The father was a mechanical engineer, who served in the Civil war, there being seven brothers in the family who joined the army and all were killed save two. Dr. King of this review was but nine years of age at the time of his father's death. He soon afterward left home to attend school in Cherokee, Kansas, and there lived with a married sister, remaining at that place until he had completed a high school course. He afterward removed from the Sunflower state to Wisconsin, where he continued his studies in a private school and still later he became a student in the University of Chicago. After a preparatory course there pursued he entered Rush Medical College, which is the medical department of the University of Chicago and has an endowment from the Rockefeller foundation. Lacking necessary funds to meet his tuition and the regular expenses of a college course, yet determined to qualify for the practice of medicine Dr. King slept in the basement of the college in order to save room rent and paid for his tuition by acting as an orderly and waiting on table in the student's boarding hall, thus providing for his board and maintenance. Notwithstanding his financial handicap his fellow students recognized his personal worth, ability and high character and elected him to the position of secretary of his class, which was the first four-year class being graduated from that institution. He completed his studies in 1899, gaining thereby his much coveted degree of M. D. In later years Dr. King has taken postgraduate work in New York. On leaving the east he went to Weir City, Kansas, where he established himself in the practice of medicine in connection with his brother, Dr. Dennis W. King, who was then the physician and surgeon for the Central Coal & Coke Company of Weir City. During an epidemic at Bonanza, Arkansas, Dr. King was sent to that place by the Central Coal & Coke Company and continued for a period of six years. He was not only prominent as a physician there but was also a recognized leader in connection with many interests of great public importance and moment. He served as mayor of the city, was chief of police and occupied other positions of public honor and trust, thus displaying his devotion to the welfare and progress of the community. It was in 1906 that Dr. King came to Fort Smith, where he has followed his profession for a period of fifteen years and he is today recognized as one of the leading physicians of the city. He has developed great skill and ability as the years have passed and his efficiency is manifest in many ways. He has always specialized in surgery and he possesses intimate knowledge of anatomy and the component parts of the human body and thoroughly understands the onslaught made upon it by disease. From 1907 until 1916 he acted as chief surgeon for the Midland Valley Railroad and he has been chief surgeon for the Fort Smith Light & Traction Company since 1906. In 1915 he organized the Union Hospital Association among the Union Mine Workers of District No. 21, comprising Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas. The present membership is ten thousand, representing fifty thousand people. Almost every year Dr. King leaves home to attend an important clinic in the larger medical centers of the country. While in Chicago he did service in the Cook County Hospital. He is a local member of the Surgeons College at Rochester, Minnesota, and he belongs to the Sebastian County, the Arkansas State and the American Medical Associations. He was a member of the Medical Reserve Corps during the World war, but could not get overseas, as it was thought best that he should remain at home on account of his duties as chief surgeon of the mine workers. Dr. King was united in marriage to Miss Agnes Cummings of Toronto, Canada, and they have become parents of three children: Linton. who attends the Southwestern University; Eleanor; and Juanita. Mrs. King is a most active club woman and is interested in many of the projects and problems that have to do directly with the welfare and benefit of the people at large. She is now president of the Anti-Tuberculosis Association of Sebastian county and during the World war she acted as chairman of Liberty Loan drives in Fort Smith. Dr. King belongs to the Lions Club and the Country Club of Fort Smith, is also a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and has attained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite in Masonry, while with the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine he has crossed the sands of the desert. Both he and his wife are recognized leaders in the field in which they labor and to which they direct their attention and they are actively interested in all those concerns which are of vital worth to the community, their influence being ever on the side of progress and improvement.