Pictures of Wil King

.

This appeared as a letter to the Editor in the Kinston Free Press, April 7, 2003 shortly after the accidental death of Wil King.

Dear Editor,

Wil King was an exciting young  man with a zest for life.  His passing came far to soon and was a shock to all that knew him.  I have known Wil King since he was a young boy but it was about a year ago that I really came to know Wil King the man.

We shared the same love of history and historical preservation, and the same vision for heritage tourism in Lenoir County.  As our friendship grew, I as president of the Historical Preservation Group and Wil as the preservation chairman of the Lenoir County Battlefields Commission often shared our dreams and worked closely together on the preservation of the battlefields.

 Wil worked hard planning for the battlefield reality. He initiated the first official mapping of the battlefields so one might learn where all the events of the battles took place.  He explored the fields, swamps and woods where both Confederate and Union soldiers had marched and fought.  He led the way for cartographer Mark Collier to do professional mapping.  Wil had learned as much or more than most about the integrity and the terrain of the battlefields.  With Wil's help the preservation plans for the First Battle of Kinston Battlefield were taking shape and moving forward.  Working on the project of restoring and preserving the battlefields had become a real passion for Wil and was his main focus.  He spent many hours exploring and diving in the Neuse River looking for the elusive cannons from Camp Poole during the Civil War. He was truly an adventurous and energetic person that loved the idea of learning and experiencing what the past was all about as well as what it could mean to the future.  I shall always cherish the memory of the times spent with Wil on the Neuse River, the battlefields or just sitting around talking.  He had earned my respect and admiration.  In a way this young visionary has become my hero.  I miss him and give thanks that I had the opportunity to have known this extraordinary young man who had become my friend.

Wil is another reason why preservationist of this area will work harder than ever before to make our shared dreams become a reality.

The Wil King Memorial Site shall be located in the First Battle of Kinston Battlefield Park as a tribute to Wil King for his dedication and service to the preservation of Lenoir County Civil War Battlefields and his love for our community.

                                                                               Jane Phillips
                                                                               President of the Historical Preservation Group

Tourist Comes To Visit Wyse Fork Battlefield

Wil King Made An Impression

Last November Mark Turvey  of Illinois came to North Carolina only to see where his great great grandfather died during the Battle of Wyse Fork in 1865.  Wil King took the time to show Mark around. and showed him the spot that his great great grandfather had died.  Upon hearing of Wil’s death Mr. Turvey sent this letter to the Jane Phillips.

      I was deeply saddened to learn of the tragic death of Wil King. Although I met Wil only once and shared just a few hours with him, I still feel a great sense of loss. I was so impressed by the hospitality that Wil displayed. I had never met the man before, but he was willing to take time out his day to give me a personal tour of the Kinston Civil War Battlefields and other historic sites in the community.  Wil was friendly in a genuine way, and tried to be as helpful to me as he could without expecting anything in return.

     I was amazed by the knowledge that Wil possessed of the history of Kinston, particularly of the Civil War battles.  Wil knew where the battles were fought, the names of the generals, colonels, captains and other officers, the positions of the armies during the battles, as well the locations where the Union and Confederates were encamped. Wil was able to describe the events as if he had actually been there and witnessed the battles himself.

     My great-great grandfather, a Union soldier, died during the Battle of Wyse Forks on March 8, 1865. I was impressed by the respect that Wil displayed towards both the Confederate and Union soldiers as well as towards all of the citizens that were affected by the war and its aftermath.  Wil clearly had a deep understanding of the Civil War’s importance in our country’s history.

      Wil displayed concern for the economically hard times his community has experienced, but what struck me most of all was the pride Wil had in Kinston and the enthusiasm he had towards his dream of preserving the Civil War Battlefields in the community. Wil felt that preserving the Civil War Battlefields would bring tourism to Kinston and increase civic pride in the community.

     I couldn’t agree more with Wil.  I believe that preserving and developing the Civil War Battlefields would not only bring tourism to Kinston, but would beautify the community and make Kinston a better place to live and work.

   Some day I hope to return to Kinston and see the progress that has been made in preserving the Kinston Civil War Battlefields.  I can think of no better way to honor Wil’s memory than to make his dream become a reality.

      I know that I will never forget my visit to Kinston in November 2002, nor will I forget the friendship and history that Wil shared with me.

     Please express my deepest sympathy to Wil’s family and friends.
                                                                                                Mark Turvey