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. Background 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. Politics 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. King served as a member of the United States House Committee on Ways and Means, beginning a commitment that he would serve during twelve of his following thirteen terms in the House of Representatives, excluding only 1947-1948, during the 80th United States Congress. Two years later, King again served as one of California's delegates to the 1944 Democratic National Convention again held at Chicago Stadium from July 19 to July 21. In the House elections on November 7, 1944, King again ran unopposed for state's 17th district, and captured 147,217 votes, nearly 100 percent. In the 1946 House elections, King was again unopposed and captured 110,654 votes, or 99.4 percent. At the 1948 Democratic National Convention, King served as an alternate delegate from California. In continuance of