Atchison County Biographies
E. W. Howe's Historical Edition of the Atchison Daily Globe
These biographies were originally published in 1896 in the Atchison Daily Globe, written by the editor and publisher, E. W. Howe. In 1916 the biographies were reproduced in Sheffield Ingall's "History of Atchison County, Kansas," with a few updates such as death information.
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SAMUEL C. KING.
Samuel C. King came to Atchison ]\Iarch 2/, 1857. His brothers, Ed.
and John, together with a sister and his widowed mother, arrived here the
year before, coming here with Dr. W. L. Challiss, in the steam ferry, "Ida."
from Brownsville, Penn., where that boat was built. The King family came
originally from England, within thirty-five miles of Liverpool, where the
children were born, and where the father died. Ed. King was the first pilot
of the ferry boat, "Ida," when it began making trips to Atchison. The three
sons and the mother took up claims in Mt. Pleasant township. While living
there three old neighbors came out and Samuel C. King went out with them
to look for claims. They were told that there was plenty of vacant land near
Monrovia, but Mr. King advised them that it was too far out in the wilderness,
and they went elsewhere. (Monrovia is fourteen miles from Atchison). While
the other members of the family were getting their start Samuel C. King
clerked in George T. Challiss' store, receiving $25.00 per month, and boarded
himself. He afterwards went to work for Mike Finney, steamboat wharf
master, and was practically the first express agent in Atchison. Later he went
out to his farm and split rails to fence it, and afterwards clerked for Bowman
& Blair for $25.00 per month and board. He enlisted in the navy in June.
1861, enlisting as a landsman on the man of war, "Augusta." He served on
this ship through all the exciting scenes of the navy during the war, and was
at the battle of Point Royal. He assisted in capturing eight British ships,
which tried to aid the blockade, and his part of the prize money amounted to
over $7,000.00. He was at the bombardment of Ft. Sumpter, and at the
taking of Tyble Island, off Savannah, Ga. He spent eleven months at sea,
working for the "Alabama," and rounded Cape Hatteras. He saw the burning of
Charleston, and finally learning that his mother was fatally ill, he came home.
He was elected county treasurer of Atchison county. Mr. King remained a
prosperous capitalist and real estate operator, until his death on the
twenty-third day of January, 1910.
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This website created Jan. 24, 2012 by Sheryl McClure.
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