Basil King

Biography

Born on February 26, 1859, in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, William Benjamin King—widely known by his pen name Basil King—initially pursued a life of faith before finding fame as a writer. After receiving his education at St. Peter's School and Nova Scotia’s King's College, he was ordained in 1884. His ministry led him to the rectorate of St. Luke's Pro-Cathedral in Halifax and later to Christ Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1892. However, in 1900, failing eyesight prompted King to retire from the clergy and embark on a prolific career in literature. He penned sixteen novels, with 'The Inner Shrine,' 'The Wild Olive,' and 'The Street Called Straight' standing as his most enduring works, alongside his many contributions to national magazines. King was married to Esther Foot; in July 1918, their daughter, Penelope (1894–1970), married the American explorer Reginald Wilson Orcutt (1894–1965)—son of author William Dana Orcutt—at the family’s summer home in Dublin, New Hampshire. Following a protracted illness, King died at his Cambridge residence on June 22, 1928, survived by his wife and daughter.