Richard King (Texas)
Encyclopedia
Richard King was a riverboat captain, entrepreneur, and most notably, the founder of the King Ranch
in South Texas
, which at the time of his death in 1885 encompassed over 600,000 acre
s (2,400 km²).
into a poor Irish family, King was indentured as an apprentice to a jeweler in Manhattan
at the age of nine. In 1835, he ran away from his indenture, stowing away on a ship bound for Mobile, Alabama
. Upon discovery, he was adopted into the crew and trained in navigation, becoming a steamboat
pilot by the age of sixteen. While serving in the end of the Second Seminole War
in 1842, he met Mifflin Kenedy, who would later become his partner. From 1842 to 1847, King would operate steamboats on the Apalachicola
and Chattahoochee
rivers, in Florida
and Georgia
.
along the Rio Grande River, and in 1847, Kenedy convinced King to join the war effort on the Rio Grande, where King worked on the transport Colonel Cross, ferrying army supplies between Reynosa
, Camargo
, and Matamoros
. In 1850, following the war, King, Kenedy and two other partners formed the M. Kenedy and Company steamboat firm, renamed in 1866 to King, Kenedy and Company when the two other partners where bought out. This firm achieved "nearly monopolistic" control on the Rio Grande for most of the years between 1850 and 1874, when the partnership was dissolved.
and Cameron County, Texas
, and continued investing the large profits from the riverboat firm. In 1852, King purchased a false title to the southern half of Padre Island
. That same year, he traveled overland from Brownsville to Corpus Christi
, and became fascinated with the grasslands along Santa Gertrudis Creek in the "Nueces Strip" (the land between the Nueces River
and the Rio Grande). In 1853 and 1854 King began land acquisitions in the region of the creek, purchasing valid titles to two ranches of a combined 68500 acres (277.2 km²), forming the nucleus of the King Ranch
. He continued acquiring land until his death in 1885, when the ranch had 614000 acres (2,484.8 km²).
As the American Civil War
progressed, King and Kenedy shipped to and from the Confederate States of America
, registering their fleet of 26 boats under Mexican flag at Matamoros
to avoid the Union blockade. They shipped food from their ranch, and munitions, medicine, and cotton to or from Europe. In 1863, the Union General Nathaniel Prentice Banks
attempted to interrupt this trade with his forces capturing Brownsville, Texas
and raiding and destroying the King Ranch, but King avoided the raid and resumed business in 1864, earning a considerable fortune over the course of the war. Following the war, King removed to Matamoros, until he was pardoned by President Andrew Johnson
. As part of his application for pardon, he declared that his taxable property was worth $300,000 at the time.
. King continued expanding his business operations, investing in the Corpus Christi, San Diego and Rio Grande Narrow Gauge Railroad Company
, packing plants, ice houses, and harbor improvements at Corpus Christi. He is also linked to several filibustering exhibitions
in northern Mexico, attempts to seize Mexican territory by force. King also privately funded operations of the Texas rangers
, particularly the "Special Force" under Leander H. McNelly
, and donated $4,000 for a monument to McNelly upon McNelly's death.
. They had 5 children, Nettie, Ella, Richard, Alice Gertrude, and Robert E. Lee, the latter named for the King family friend, Robert E. Lee
. Lee is said to have chosen the location for the King's home on the King ranch, as a location easy to defend. Following Robert Kings's early death at age 19, King is said to have taken to drink; however, other sources suggest that this was self-medication for a recurring stomach pain. He died of stomach cancer at the Menger Hotel
in San Antonio on April 14, 1885, at age 60. He was buried in San Antonio; upon his wife's death in 1925, he was re-interred with her on the King Ranch, at Kingsville. King's ghost is said to haunt the Menger Hotel, particularly the suite named for him.
is named for King. Corpus Christi has a high school named for King.
King Ranch
King Ranch, located in south Texas between Corpus Christi and Brownsville, is one of the world's largest ranches. The ranch, founded in 1853 by Captain Richard King and Gideon K. Lewis, includes portions of six Texas counties, including most of Kleberg County and much of Kenedy County, with...
in South Texas
South Texas
South Texas is a region of the U.S. state of Texas that lies roughly south of and including San Antonio. The southern and western boundary is the Rio Grande River, and to the east it is the Gulf of Mexico. The population of this region is about 3.7 million. The southern portion of this region is...
, which at the time of his death in 1885 encompassed over 600,000 acre
Acre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
s (2,400 km²).
Early years
Born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
into a poor Irish family, King was indentured as an apprentice to a jeweler in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
at the age of nine. In 1835, he ran away from his indenture, stowing away on a ship bound for Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
. Upon discovery, he was adopted into the crew and trained in navigation, becoming a steamboat
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
pilot by the age of sixteen. While serving in the end of the Second Seminole War
Seminole Wars
The Seminole Wars, also known as the Florida Wars, were three conflicts in Florida between the Seminole — the collective name given to the amalgamation of various groups of native Americans and Black people who settled in Florida in the early 18th century — and the United States Army...
in 1842, he met Mifflin Kenedy, who would later become his partner. From 1842 to 1847, King would operate steamboats on the Apalachicola
Apalachicola River
The Apalachicola River is a river, approximately 112 mi long in the State of Florida. This river's large watershed, known as the ACF River Basin for short, drains an area of approximately into the Gulf of Mexico. The distance to its farthest headstream in northeast Georgia is approximately 500...
and Chattahoochee
Chattahoochee River
The Chattahoochee River flows through or along the borders of the U.S. states of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. It is a tributary of the Apalachicola River, a relatively short river formed by the confluence of the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers and emptying into Apalachicola Bay in the Gulf of...
rivers, in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
.
Riverboating
During the Mexican-American War, King's friend Kenedy enlisted as ship master, running men and supplies to the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
along the Rio Grande River, and in 1847, Kenedy convinced King to join the war effort on the Rio Grande, where King worked on the transport Colonel Cross, ferrying army supplies between Reynosa
Reynosa
Reynosa is a border city in the northern part of Tamaulipas, in the country of Mexico. It is located on the southern bank of the Rio Grande, directly across the border from McAllen, Texas in the United States. As of 2010, the city of Reynosa counts with a population of 607,532...
, Camargo
Camargo
Camargo may refer to one of these places:Places Bolivia:* Camargo, Chuquisaca Brazil:* Camargo, Rio Grande do Sul Mexico:* Camargo, Chihuahua* Camargo, Tamaulipas Spain:...
, and Matamoros
Matamoros, Tamaulipas
Matamoros, officially known as Heroica Matamoros, is a city in the northeastern part of Tamaulipas, in the country of Mexico. It is located on the southern bank of the Rio Grande, directly across the border from Brownsville, Texas, in the United States. Matamoros is the second largest and second...
. In 1850, following the war, King, Kenedy and two other partners formed the M. Kenedy and Company steamboat firm, renamed in 1866 to King, Kenedy and Company when the two other partners where bought out. This firm achieved "nearly monopolistic" control on the Rio Grande for most of the years between 1850 and 1874, when the partnership was dissolved.
Founding the King Ranch
As soon as King had arrived in Texas, he began speculating in land, beginning with lots in Brownsville, TexasBrownsville, Texas
Brownsville is a city in the southernmost tip of the state of Texas, in the United States. It is located on the northern bank of the Rio Grande, directly north and across the border from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Brownsville is the 16th largest city in the state of Texas with a population of...
and Cameron County, Texas
Cameron County, Texas
Cameron County is the southernmost county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2010, its population was 406,220. Its county seat is Brownsville. Cameron was founded in 1848...
, and continued investing the large profits from the riverboat firm. In 1852, King purchased a false title to the southern half of Padre Island
Padre Island
Padre Island is part of the U.S. state of Texas. The island is located on Texas' southern coast of the Gulf of Mexico and is famous for its white sandy beaches at the south end...
. That same year, he traveled overland from Brownsville to Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. The MSA population in 2008 was 416,376. The population was 305,215 at the 2010 census making it the...
, and became fascinated with the grasslands along Santa Gertrudis Creek in the "Nueces Strip" (the land between the Nueces River
Nueces River
The Nueces River is a river in the U.S. state of Texas, approximately long. It drains a region in central and southern Texas southeastward into the Gulf of Mexico. It is the southernmost major river in Texas northeast of the Rio Grande...
and the Rio Grande). In 1853 and 1854 King began land acquisitions in the region of the creek, purchasing valid titles to two ranches of a combined 68500 acres (277.2 km²), forming the nucleus of the King Ranch
King Ranch
King Ranch, located in south Texas between Corpus Christi and Brownsville, is one of the world's largest ranches. The ranch, founded in 1853 by Captain Richard King and Gideon K. Lewis, includes portions of six Texas counties, including most of Kleberg County and much of Kenedy County, with...
. He continued acquiring land until his death in 1885, when the ranch had 614000 acres (2,484.8 km²).
Civil War years
In 1860, King and Kenedy jointly purchased a large ranch, Santa Gertrudis, jointly managing livestock, as R. King and Company.As the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
progressed, King and Kenedy shipped to and from the Confederate States of America
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
, registering their fleet of 26 boats under Mexican flag at Matamoros
Matamoros, Tamaulipas
Matamoros, officially known as Heroica Matamoros, is a city in the northeastern part of Tamaulipas, in the country of Mexico. It is located on the southern bank of the Rio Grande, directly across the border from Brownsville, Texas, in the United States. Matamoros is the second largest and second...
to avoid the Union blockade. They shipped food from their ranch, and munitions, medicine, and cotton to or from Europe. In 1863, the Union General Nathaniel Prentice Banks
Nathaniel Prentice Banks
Nathaniel Prentice Banks was an American politician and soldier, served as the 24th Governor of Massachusetts, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and as a Union general during the American Civil War....
attempted to interrupt this trade with his forces capturing Brownsville, Texas
Brownsville, Texas
Brownsville is a city in the southernmost tip of the state of Texas, in the United States. It is located on the northern bank of the Rio Grande, directly north and across the border from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Brownsville is the 16th largest city in the state of Texas with a population of...
and raiding and destroying the King Ranch, but King avoided the raid and resumed business in 1864, earning a considerable fortune over the course of the war. Following the war, King removed to Matamoros, until he was pardoned by President Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
. As part of his application for pardon, he declared that his taxable property was worth $300,000 at the time.
Later years
In 1868, King and Kenedy dissolved their ranching partnership, taking 13 months to round up and divide the livestock. King retained the Santa Gertrudis ranch as part of his expanding King ranch while Kenedy purchased the Laureles Ranch, near Corpus ChristiCorpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. The MSA population in 2008 was 416,376. The population was 305,215 at the 2010 census making it the...
. King continued expanding his business operations, investing in the Corpus Christi, San Diego and Rio Grande Narrow Gauge Railroad Company
Texas Mexican Railway
The Texas Mexican Railway is a class 1 railroad that operates as a subsidiary of Kansas City Southern Railway in Texas. It is often referred to as the Tex-Mex, or TexMex Railway....
, packing plants, ice houses, and harbor improvements at Corpus Christi. He is also linked to several filibustering exhibitions
Filibuster (military)
A filibuster, or freebooter, is someone who engages in an unauthorized military expedition into a foreign country to foment or support a revolution...
in northern Mexico, attempts to seize Mexican territory by force. King also privately funded operations of the Texas rangers
Texas Ranger Division
The Texas Ranger Division, commonly called the Texas Rangers, is a law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction in Texas, and is based in Austin, Texas...
, particularly the "Special Force" under Leander H. McNelly
Leander H. McNelly
Leander Harvey McNelly was a Confederate officer and Texas Ranger captain. McNelly is best remembered for leading the "Special Force", a quasi-military branch of the Texas Rangers that operated in South Texas in 1875-76....
, and donated $4,000 for a monument to McNelly upon McNelly's death.
Personal life
King married Henrietta M. Chamberlain on December 10, 1854 in Brownsville, TexasBrownsville, Texas
Brownsville is a city in the southernmost tip of the state of Texas, in the United States. It is located on the northern bank of the Rio Grande, directly north and across the border from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Brownsville is the 16th largest city in the state of Texas with a population of...
. They had 5 children, Nettie, Ella, Richard, Alice Gertrude, and Robert E. Lee, the latter named for the King family friend, Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
. Lee is said to have chosen the location for the King's home on the King ranch, as a location easy to defend. Following Robert Kings's early death at age 19, King is said to have taken to drink; however, other sources suggest that this was self-medication for a recurring stomach pain. He died of stomach cancer at the Menger Hotel
Menger Hotel
The Menger Hotel is a historic hotel located in downtown San Antonio, Texas.-History:The hotel was built beginning in 1858 by German immigrant William Menger, as an expansion of his boarding house business and adjunct to his brewery...
in San Antonio on April 14, 1885, at age 60. He was buried in San Antonio; upon his wife's death in 1925, he was re-interred with her on the King Ranch, at Kingsville. King's ghost is said to haunt the Menger Hotel, particularly the suite named for him.
Legacy
The King Ranch continues to be a dominant economic force in the region. The town of Kingsville, TexasKingsville, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 25,575 people, 8,943 households, and 6,134 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,848.8 people per square mile . There were 10,427 housing units at an average density of 753.8 per square mile...
is named for King. Corpus Christi has a high school named for King.