Cecil R. King

Cecil R. King


Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 17th district
In office August 25, 1942 – January 3, 1969
Preceded by	Lee E. Geyer
Succeeded by	Glenn M. Anderson
Member of the California State Assembly
In office 1933–1935 1937–1942
Personal details
Born	(1898-01-13)January 13, 1898 Fort Niagara, New York
Died	March 17, 1974(1974-03-17) (aged 76) Inglewood, California
Political party	Democratic

Cecil Rhodes King (January 13, 1898 – March 17, 1974) was an American businessman and politician. King, a Democrat, served as the first member of the United States House of Representatives from California's 17th congressional district for fourteen terms, serving from August 1942 to January 1969. King was first elected by special election on August 25, 1942 after previously serving out the term of Lee E. Geyer who had died in Washington, D.C. on October 11, 1941.

King was born on January 13, 1898 in Fort Niagara in Niagara County, New York. At the age of ten, King moved with his family to Los Angeles, California. After attending public school in Los Angeles, King enlisted in the United States Army during World War I. In the war, he served as a private, the lowest enlisted rank in the United States Army, from 1917 to 1918. After the war, King got involved in local business in Southern California.

In 1933, King became a member of the California State Assembly and served in that body until 1942, with the exception of 1936. From July 15, 1940 to July 18, 1940, King served as a delegate from California to the 1940 Democratic National Convention at Chicago Stadium in Chicago, Illinois. The representative for California's 17th congressional district, Lee E. Geyer, died in Washington, D.C. on October 11, 1941. King served out Geyer's unfinished term, and was elected as a Democrat to the 77th United States Congress by a special election on August 25, 1942. Later that year, King ran unopposed in the November 3 election and captured 92,260 votes, 99.8 percent of the total.