| Sources |
- [S78] Atchley Funeral Home Records, Volume I, 1930-1954, Larry D. Fox, (Smoky Mountain Historical Society), 18 Sep 1940.
P. H. Whaley obituary
- [S75] Atchley Funeral Home Records, Volume II, 1955-1973, Larry D. Fox, (Smoky Mountain Historical Society), 18 Jul 1961.
Julia Helen Whaley obituary
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 25 Jun 2012.
Upland Chronicles: E.T. King made a Sevier life in business, politics
by CARROLL McMAHAN
In Sevier County, a topic generating more excitement than the county election was unimaginable in1938. But several hours after the polls closed on Aug. 4, a violent cloudburst occurred about five miles from Pittman Center, leaving in its wake an unimaginable path of destruction.
Reports of the flood, few and scattered, reached Sevierville the next morning. At about noon an announcement was made that several people were missing. At first those in Sevierville had disregarded the reports of the flood and deaths as rumors, but when the searchers began bringing in bodies, the sad truth became evident. Eight victims perished in the flood. E.T. King, in his first bid for a county-wide office, was elected County Court Clerk in the 1938 election, but instead of celebrating the next day, he was at his home near Smoky Mountain Academy cleaning up the residue left by waist-deep flood water in his own house.
Born April 11, 1904, Elmer Theodore King was known as Theodore or simply by his initials throughout his life. He was one of eight children of William Isaac “Bill” King and Laura Russell King of the Sheep Pen community.
In 1912 neighbors in Sheep Pen and its environs began talking about the need for a high school where their children could receive a Christian education beyond the four or five months of public elementary school each year. The nearest high school was Murphy College in Sevierville some 20 miles away.
Several families including the Paines, the Kings, the Clarks, the Campbells and others joined together in an effort to build a school in their area: the site where Camp Smoky is located was selected.
Most everything was donated for the building of the school — the land, timber and manual labor. E.T. King’s father, Bill, gave the use of his sawmill to cut the timber. More than a hundred students were enrolled when Sevier County Baptist High School opened in 1915. Later, the name was changed to Smoky Mountain Academy.
E.T. attended Smoky Mountain Academy, graduating in 1924 and later attended the University of Tennessee for two years. Interestingly, he began a teaching career in 1921 before he graduated from high school. He taught school for 14 years.
Beginning at Big Ridge in 1921, he taught another five-month session at Meigs Mountain the next year, which was followed by two years at Rocky Flats. In 1925 the Legislature extended the school term to eight months and he was appointed to Laurel Grove School. Following Laurel Grove, he taught four (non-consecutive) years at Shady Grove, two years at Caton’s Chapel and three (non-consecutive) years at Smoky Mountain Academy.
While teaching school, E.T. met Sylvia Whaley who was also a school teacher. Sylvia grew up in Big Greenbrier Cove and moved to Sevierville with her family when the government began buying up property to establish the national park. She was one of seven children of Pinkney and Phoebe Whaley.
Prior to moving to Sevierville, Sylvia’s father, Pinkney Whaley, ran a logging camp in Greenbrier. They hauled basswood, poplar and oak by wagon over the rough, rutted roads to Sevierville.
On Nov. 28, 1928, E.T. and Sylvia exchanged wedding vows at the home of Sylvia’s parents off Hardin Lane. As a matter of fact, it was a double wedding with E.T.’s brother Guilford and Sylvia’s sister Lillard getting married at the same time.
In 1930, E.T. was elected to serve as Justice of the Peace for the 2nd Civil District.
Their son, Carroll Lee, was born May 14, 1932 and a daughter, Shirley Ann (Delozier) was born July 8, 1936.
After serving as Justice of the peace for two years, he was clerk for the Sevier County Superintendent of Roads, a position he was holding when he decided to run for County Court Clerk.
After the ’38 election they moved to Sevierville where E.T. operated a general store while serving as County Court Clerk. He held the County Court Clerk position for eight years. In 1948 he was elected Justice of the Peace for the 5th Civil District and he was elected Chairman of the County Court in January 1949, serving until the office was changed to County Judge by the legislature later that year.
He was elected County Judge for an eight-year term in 1950, serving until Sept. 1, 1958. He was elected City Recorder for Sevierville in May 1961. He was serving his sixth term as City Recorder when he died Dec. 3, 1973.
While he was serving as City Recorder, the pivotal Flood Contract between TVA and the City of Sevierville was enacted on April 12, 1965. Although the county provided part of the local funds, the contract was between the city and TVA.
Jimmie Temple, Roy Newman, Robert Howard, Herbert Lawson and Cliff Davis served as Mayor while E.T. held the office of City Recorder. One of the gentlemen, Robert Howard, who served a term as Mayor while E.T. was City Recorder had once been a partner with E.T. in a grocery store located in the old Nancy Academy building on Bruce Street.
In his lifetime, E.T. King made 15 races for public office, having been elected 11 times and defeated 4 times.
Aside from politics, E.T. became a member of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine in Kerbela Temple of Knoxville on April 24, 1943. He enjoyed involvement in several organizations. He was a member of the Ruritan Club and the Mountain Star Lodge No. 197. E.T. was also an active member of the First Baptist Church, Sevierville.
Sylvia Whaley King survived her husband by 23 years. She passed away Jan. 6, 1997, at the age of 92.
E.T. and Sylvia King grew up in the isolated mountains of Sevier County. They worked hard to receive a good education and used it for the welfare of their family and community. Their legacy will last for generations to come.
— Carroll McMahan is the special projects facilitator for the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce. The Upland Chronicles series celebrates the heritage and past of Sevier County. If you have suggestions for future topics, would like to submit a column or have comments, please contact Carroll McMahan at 453-6411 or email to cmcmahan@scoc.org; or Ron Rader at 604-9161 or email to ron@ronraderproperties.com.
- [S74] Atchley Funeral Home Records, Volume IV, 1987-1999, Larry D. Fox, (Smoky Mountain Historical Society), 6 Jan 1997.
Sylvia Viola Whaley King obituary
- [S73] Rawlings Funeral Home, Book 2, 3 Dec 1973.
King, Elmer Theodore April 11, 1904 Tn Dec 3, 1973
Spouse: Whaley, Sylvia
Father: King, William
Mother: Russell, Laura
Sons: Carroll
Daughters: Mrs. Robert Delozier [Shirley]
Cemetery: Shiloh
Brothers: Walter, Ora, Clyde, Gifford
Sisters: Mrs. Henry Quarrels, Mrs. James Franklin
- [S34] In the Shadow of the Smokies, Smoky Mountain Historical Society, (1993), 354.
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