Matthew Leander King
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Major Matthew Leander King (May 20, 1878 – October 23, 1919) was an American
engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the l ...
.


Early life and marriage

King was born in
Panora, Iowa Panora is a city in Guthrie County, Iowa. The population was 1,091 at the time of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. It is part of the Des Moines metropolitan area. History Panora was platted in 1851. 2014 Mother's Day tornado Just bef ...
, the son of Anna Ross (
née A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...
Caldwell) and John King.Original document read Panora Illinois. Searching for Panora, Illinois did not turn up any such town. There is a
Panora, Iowa Panora is a city in Guthrie County, Iowa. The population was 1,091 at the time of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. It is part of the Des Moines metropolitan area. History Panora was platted in 1851. 2014 Mother's Day tornado Just bef ...
in Guthrie County, and a
Peoria, Illinois Peoria ( ) is the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, United States, and the largest city on the Illinois River. As of the United States Census, 2020, 2020 census, the city had a population of 113,150. It is the principal city of the Peoria ...
, in
Peoria County Peoria County is located in the U.S. state of Illinois. The 2020 United States Census listed its population at 181,830. Its county seat is Peoria. Peoria County is part of the Peoria, IL Metropolitan Statistical Area. History Peoria County was ...
. Given the references in his obituary to other Iowa interests, it is more likely that it was
Panora, Iowa Panora is a city in Guthrie County, Iowa. The population was 1,091 at the time of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. It is part of the Des Moines metropolitan area. History Panora was platted in 1851. 2014 Mother's Day tornado Just bef ...
He graduated from the Mechanical Engineering Department of
Iowa State College Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a public land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricultural College and Model Farm, Iowa State became one of the n ...
in 1906. Major King was a charter member of the
American Society of Agricultural Engineers The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) is an international professional society devoted to agricultural and biological engineering. It was founded in December 1907 at the University of Wisconsin–Madison as the A ...
, a member of the American Society of Testing Materials. He became a member of the
American Society of Mechanical Engineers The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is an American professional association that, in its own words, "promotes the art, science, and practice of multidisciplinary engineering and allied sciences around the globe" via "continuing ...
in 1912, and belonged to various aeronautical and officers' clubs. He married Lucy M. Massure, the daughter of Phoebe (Duell) and Richard Henry Lee Massure, on Jan. 1, 1901 in Redfield, Iowa. Their union produced two daughters, Harriet Marie and Helen. Through Helen, he was the maternal grandfather of actor
Nick Nolte Nicholas King Nolte (born February 8, 1941) is an American actor. He won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for the 1991 film ''The Prince of Tides''. He received ...
.


As an engineer

He spent five years as an experimentalist in agricultural engineering with the Agricultural Experiment Station of
Iowa State College Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a public land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricultural College and Model Farm, Iowa State became one of the n ...
,
Ames, Iowa Ames () is a city in Story County, Iowa, United States, located approximately north of Des Moines in central Iowa. It is best known as the home of Iowa State University (ISU), with leading agriculture, design, engineering, and veterinary medici ...
, during which time he invented the hollow clay tile silo. For two years he was superintendent and general manager of the David M. Bradley Implement Works at
Bradley, Illinois Bradley (formerly North Kankakee) is a village in Kankakee County, Illinois, United States. It is a suburb of the city of Kankakee. The population was 15,895 at the 2010 census, up from 12,784 at the 2000 census. Bradley is a principal city of ...
. He organized the Iowa Clay Products manufacturers into the Permanent Buildings Society for the development of new designs of and uses for hollow-clay building tile. King designed the
Dexter Community House Dexter Community House, also known as The Roundhouse, is a historic building located in Dexter, Iowa, United States. Several prominent members of the community were responsible for the fundraising and building of this community facility. It repl ...
, which utilized the tiles in its construction.


Military career

King entered the army in September, 1917, with the rank of Captain and was assigned to the Aviation School of Aerial Observation at
Post Field Henry Post Army Airfield is a military use airport located at Fort Sill in Comanche County, Oklahoma, United States. This military airport is owned by United States Army. Established as Post Field in 1917, it was one of thirty-two Air Service t ...
,
Fort Sill Fort Sill is a United States Army post north of Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles (136.8 km) southwest of Oklahoma City. It covers almost . The fort was first built during the Indian Wars. It is designated as a National Historic Landmark ...
, Oklahoma, in charge of maintenance and repair of aeroplanes. He was advanced to the rank of Major in August, 1918, and in November of that year was assigned to Indianapolis as chief engineering officer for aviation in the Northern District. In February 1919, he was made acting director of aviation for the Northern District. In April he was transferred to
Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
, and from there he was assigned on special missions until July when he became flight commander and chief engineering officer of the American Pathfinding and Recruiting Expedition. He was transferred from the Officers' Reserve Corps to the regular army with the rank of Major in October about a week before his death. While at Post Field he learned to fly and was given the classification of Reserve Military Aviator.


Further reading

*"Transactions of The
American Society of Mechanical Engineers The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is an American professional association that, in its own words, "promotes the art, science, and practice of multidisciplinary engineering and allied sciences around the globe" via "continuing ...
," vol. 41, 1919, p. 1129.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:King, Matthew Leander 1878 births 1919 deaths American engineers People from Panora, Iowa