King, William (1768-1852), led the campaign to make Maine a state in the early 1800’s. At that time, Maine was part of Massachusetts. King was chosen president of Maine’s constitutional convention in 1819. There, he presided over the debate about whether Maine should separate from Massachusetts. The people of Maine voted for separation later that year, and Maine entered the Union as the 23rd state in 1820. King won election as Maine’s first governor in 1820 and served until 1821.
King was born in Scarboro, Me. He served in the Massachusetts legislature several times between 1795 and 1819. A statue of King represents Maine in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. His half brother Rufus King was a leading opponent of the expansion of slavery.
