Who was Harry? It is as strange a tale as ever been told. The tale began to leave a paper trail in Mitchell County, Iowa on December 28, 1896, when Harry Bernard King acquired a marriage license listing his birth place as Mt. Solon, Augusta County, VA, December 17, 1866. He wrote with his own hand that his mom was Anna Moore b. in VA and his father was John King b. in VA. The 1900 and 1910 Worth County, Iowa census states the same information! Harry died in 1919 - and his obituary tells the same strange story of Harry's birth in VA - that he spent his young manhood in VA - that his mom died in 1870 when he was four ... in VA! and his dad died in 1880 when he was 14.... in VA! It even tells the tale that his dad, John King, was an officer in the CSA.

Not a trace is to be found of John King and Anna Moore; no tax record, no marriage record, no birth certificate for Harry... not one record of Harry Bernard King in the entire USA in 1880.

Were there Kings living in Mt. Solon, Augusta County??? According to The Valley of the Shadow, they were there during the years 1860-1864.... but are they found on the Augusta County census???????????? Nope!

Now, why would a good Virginia orphan boy not be found in any state in the USA - and especially in VA???? in 1880? Why would a Virginian leave that wonderful state and move to northern IA!!!! It is an amazing tale ... too strange for fiction.
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