ORAN W. KING, M. D. Among the leading practitioners of medicine who have advanced the prestige of Des Moines in various fields of professional science. Dr. Oran W. King occupies a prominent place. During the earlier
years of his practice he carried on a general business in medicine and surgery, but eventually took up urology, to which special line he now devotes himself exclusively. He has won success and reputation, and has the confidence and esteem of his fellow citizens and practitioners.

Doctor King was born in Benton County, Iowa, October 1, 1875, and is a son of John and Mandana (Johnson) King. His paternal grandfather was Aaron King, a native of Ohio, who moved to Iowa some time during the war between the states, and here rounded out his long and honorable career as an agriculturist. The maternal grandfather of Doctor King, Albert Johnson, was born in Indiana and came to Iowa as a pioneer of 1847, here experiencing all of the hardships and privations of the early days and eventually becoming a substantial and progressive farmer and a man of influence in his community. His death occurred in Benton County.

John King, the father of Doctor King, was born at Youngstown, Ohio, December 2, 1843, and was only eighteen years o age when he enlisted in an Indiana volunteer infantry regiment for service during the war between the
states. At the close of that struggle he came to Iowa, where he settled on a farm in Benton County, and here passed the remainder of his life, dying December 29, 1922. Mandana (Johnson) King died August 26, 1893, the mother of two children: Dr. Oran W., of this review and a daughter, Edith, who married Benjamin Corbett July 16, 1891, and became the mother of four children, of whom Glenn and J. Luverne, still survive. Mr. Corbett died in
1916, and in 1923 his widow married Dick Wykoff. She died August 5, 1928.`In October, 1894, John King married Electra C. Mooseman, who bore him two children: Forrest M., born January 16, 1897, and Merle, born May 5,
1899, and now the wife of Earl Dexter, of La Porte City, Iowa. The early education of Oran W. King was acquired at Tilford Academy, Vinton, Iowa. In the meantime he had farmed for four years, and had prosecuted his medical
studies at the University of Iowa and at Northwestern University, from which latter institution he was graduated with the degree of Doctor of Medicine as a member of the class of 1903. He located at Keystone, Iowa,
where he engaged in general practice for six years. When he left Keystone Doctor King went to Monteuma, the county seat of Poweshick County, where he remained for almost eight years, or until he entered the United States
Medical Corps for service during the World war, being commissioned a first lieutenant. He first went to Camp Reilly, where he was in training for three weeks, and subsequently was transferred to Camp Travis, where he remained for a like period.
 

The remainder of his service, about sixteen months, was spent at Camp Dodge, where he received his honorable discharge January 17, 1919, having been commissioned Major in June, 1918. Upon being relieved of his military
duties Doctor King settled at Des Moines, where he now has offices in the Equitable Building. He has been a close and constant student and has taken post-graduate work at Chicago, principally in urology, to which he now
devotes his entire attention. He is known as one of the most capable men in his special field in the city and has built up a large and representative practice. Doctor King is a member of the Polk County Medical Society, the
Iowa State Medical Society, the American Medical Association and the American Urological Association. He is a member of the Christian Church and the Conopus and Country Clubs, is a Scottish Rite Mason and member of the
Mystic Shrine. He is also identified with several civic bodies and is a generous supporter of all enterprises that promise to be of benefit to his adopted city. On October 17, 1900, Doctor King was united in marriage with
Miss Oral Wolfe, who was born and educated at Viton, Iowa, and to this union there have been born two children: Margaret, born February 15, 1904, educated at West High School and Drake University, who is teaching school
at Lima Grove, Iowa, and Kathryn, born April 1, 1910, who is attending Ames College. Mrs. King is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.