Sanders-King
Family Heritage
Tracing seven generations from enslaved ancestors in 1815 Alabama to present-day descendants across the American landscape.
29
Persons Documented
7
Generations
7
States Traced
2+
Centuries Spanned
This family history includes ancestors who were enslaved in Alabama, South Carolina, and Florida. The earliest documented ancestors, Charles and Julia King, were born into slavery circa 1815-1820. Their first appearance as free people in the historical record is the 1870 Census at Camp Izard, Marion County, Florida. We honor their memory and acknowledge the forced conditions under which they lived.
Family Tree
Interactive visualization of 7 generations with confidence-coded connections
Timeline
From enslaved ancestors in 1815 Alabama to present-day descendants
DNA Ancestry
23andMe ancestry composition with 351 identified DNA segments
Active Research
Open questions, next steps, and how to contribute to this ongoing investigation
About This Project
Methodology, sources, and the context of African American genealogy
Geographic Origins
Tracing the family across 8 locations in 6 states, from enslaved origins to present-day homes.
Migration Paths
Alabama
King (Charles, Julia)
c. 1815-1860s
Birthplace of the earliest known ancestors, Charles and Julia King, who were born enslaved circa 1815-1820. The family migrated from Alabama through South Carolina before settling in Florida.
South Carolina
King (James, Ellen)
c. 1843-1860s
James King (b. ~1843) and Ellen King (b. ~1853) were both born enslaved here. Census records list South Carolina as the birthplace of the children in Charles King's household.
Marion County, Florida
King, Finley
1870-present
The King family settled at Camp Izard after emancipation. Six generations lived in and around Ocala, from James King (1870 Census) through Clarence Jr. (born 1952). Key locations include Camp Izard, Ocala, and Kendrick. Burials at Pinelawn Cemetery, Faith Memorial Gardens. Lewis King’s sources differ between Faith Memorial Gardens and Lincoln Memorial Gardens; supporting cemetery records are still needed.
Chicago, Illinois
Sanders — candidate family
20th-21st century
The Westfield alumni association’s 2003 anniversary account places Clarence and Lucile Sanders in Chicago after their 1953 Bessemer wedding. Their relationship to Barklee’s father remains unconfirmed. See the Research page for the marriage index, census images and identity conflict.
Cortland, New York
Sanders, Brown
20th-21st century
Clarence Jr. settled in the Cortland and Virgil area, studied political science at SUNY Cortland, and raised his family here. Barklee was born in Cortland in 1994. Wright-Beard Funeral Home handled family services.
Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
King (Gloria)
21st century
Gloria A. King currently resides in Chambersburg. A separate African American King family has roots in Chambersburg dating to the 1860s, though Gloria's connection to that line is undocumented.
Washington, D.C.
King (Freddie)
20th century
Freddie Eugene King, son of Ebo 'Buster' King and Mamie Lawton, died in Washington, D.C. in November 2000.
Vietnam
King (Lewis)
1968
SP4 Lewis King was killed in action on August 24, 1968, while serving with the 1st Platoon, A Troop, 3/4 Cavalry, 25th Infantry Division. His name is inscribed on Panel W46, Line 4 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.
The Family Tree
29 documented persons across 7 generations. Click any person to see their full story.
Generation 1
◆Subject(1)Barklee Sanders
Generation 2
◆Parents(2)Clarence D. Sanders Jr.
Catherine Mary Sullivan Sanders
Generation 3
◆Grandparents(1)Gloria A. King
Generation 4
◆Great-Grandparents(4)Ebo 'Buster' King
Lizzie Finley
Clarence Sr. (Westfield candidate)
Lucile Johnson Sanders
Generation 5
◆2x Great-Grandparents(2)Samuel Z. King
Martha Johnson King
Generation 6
◆3x Great-Grandparents(2)James King
Ellen King
Generation 7
◆4x Great-Grandparents(2)Charles King
Julia King
Backed by 75 Source Documents
This research draws from census records, death certificates, funeral home records, DNA analysis, military records, and more. Every claim is sourced and assigned a confidence level.