Josias and Louisa King were married by 1860 and living in a hotel in St. Paul called American House. Josias, born in Washington, D.C., and Louisa, born in Kentucky, were married for 56 years. Except for a short time in the late 1860s, the Kings lived their entire married life in St. Paul.

Although Josias appears regularly as "J.R." in the census, Louisa is recorded by several names: Louisa, Mary Louise, Miare, Mary L, M.L., and even once as Emily.