George Clift King
Encyclopedia
George Clift King was the second mayor of the town of Calgary
, Alberta
.
King was born in Chelmsford, England in 1848. At the age of 26, he left England for Canada, arriving in Toronto, Ontario in 1874. He joined the North West Mounted Police and was part of the first contingent sent west to establish Fort Calgary
in 1875. Constable King is often called Calgary's First Citizen, since he was the first NWMP officer to cross the Bow River
and set foot on the future site of Calgary. This title is also sometimes given to Sam Livingston
, another Calgary pioneer who arrived in the Calgary area in 1874; however, Calgary's first European settler was John Glenn (Calgary) who settled at Fish Creek in 1873.
King left the NWMP in 1877 to manage the first store in Calgary, the I. G. Baker
Store. In November 1879, he married Louise Munro, the daughter of a fur trader. They were the first couple married in Calgary. Together they had four children.
In 1882, King started his own store which also housed the local post office. King was appointed postmaster in 1885 and held this position for 36 years.
King was the mayor of the town of Calgary from November 4, 1886 to January 16, 1888. He also spent four years as town councillor. After his retirement as postmaster in 1921, he opened a tobacco and confectionery counter in MacLean's Drug Store on Eighth Avenue. King ran this business until his death in 1935. King was inducted into the Order of the British Empire
on January 1, 1934 by King George V
.
King was laid to rest in Calgary's Union Cemetery. On June 22, 2000, a monument was placed at King's grave and the grave of James Colvin, as they had been unmarked for several years. This was done as part of the 125-year anniversary celebrations of Calgary.
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
District of Alberta
The District of Alberta was one of four districts of the Northwest Territories created in 1882. It was styled the Alberta Provisional District to distinguish it from the District of Keewatin which had a more autonomous relationship from the NWT administration...
.
King was born in Chelmsford, England in 1848. At the age of 26, he left England for Canada, arriving in Toronto, Ontario in 1874. He joined the North West Mounted Police and was part of the first contingent sent west to establish Fort Calgary
Fort Calgary
Fort Calgary was established in 1875 as Fort Brisebois by the North-West Mounted Police, located at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow rivers in what is now Calgary, Alberta.-History:...
in 1875. Constable King is often called Calgary's First Citizen, since he was the first NWMP officer to cross the Bow River
Bow River
The Bow River is a river in the Canadian province of Alberta. It is a tributary of the South Saskatchewan River, and is considered the headwater of the Nelson River....
and set foot on the future site of Calgary. This title is also sometimes given to Sam Livingston
Sam Livingston
Samuel Henry Harkwood Livingston came to Canada following an unsuccessful venture in the Californian gold rush of 1849, and eventually found his way to Jumping Pound, Alberta in 1873 where he opened a trading post...
, another Calgary pioneer who arrived in the Calgary area in 1874; however, Calgary's first European settler was John Glenn (Calgary) who settled at Fish Creek in 1873.
King left the NWMP in 1877 to manage the first store in Calgary, the I. G. Baker
I. G. Baker Company
The I. G. Baker Company was a mercantile and grocery company based in Fort Benton, Montana, started by I. G. Baker. The store was sold to Charles Conrad and his brother William. In 1891, the company was purchased by its chief rival, the Hudson's Bay Company....
Store. In November 1879, he married Louise Munro, the daughter of a fur trader. They were the first couple married in Calgary. Together they had four children.
In 1882, King started his own store which also housed the local post office. King was appointed postmaster in 1885 and held this position for 36 years.
King was the mayor of the town of Calgary from November 4, 1886 to January 16, 1888. He also spent four years as town councillor. After his retirement as postmaster in 1921, he opened a tobacco and confectionery counter in MacLean's Drug Store on Eighth Avenue. King ran this business until his death in 1935. King was inducted into the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
on January 1, 1934 by King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
.
King was laid to rest in Calgary's Union Cemetery. On June 22, 2000, a monument was placed at King's grave and the grave of James Colvin, as they had been unmarked for several years. This was done as part of the 125-year anniversary celebrations of Calgary.