KINGS

Kings was listed as a post office from 1855-1860 in the List Of Abandoned Towns by David Mott published in the Annals of Iowa – 1929.   Mott said no location for Kings was found but other references placed Kings in Section 22 of Jones Township and report that it was replaced by the Patriot Post Office.   In a 1855 Post Office Directory at the National Archives, James M. Campbell is listed as the Kings Postmaster.  James M. Campbell was also one of the co-founders of the town of West Union, which also was in section 22.  The town of West Union was founded in 1854.  The Kings Post Office was in existence such a short period of time and so early in county’s history that it has not been found on any map.   At the time, a post office was often placed in a postmaster’s residence and if the postmaster changed his place of residence, the post office location could also change.   A 1865 record in the National Archives places the Patriot Post Office in the northwest 1/4 of the southwest 1/4 of section 22, Jones Township.   Patriot Post Office was located on the state road.   It seems Kings P. O., West Union, and Patriot P. O. were all in section 22 and may have been the same place and only the name changed over time.