California Genealogy and History Archives
|George Edward King
One of the thrifty and most enterprising agriculturists of Sonoma county is George E. King, who for many years has been actively engaged in his chosen vocation on a large and well-kept ranch near Kenwood. Being early trained to habits of industry and economy, he laid the foundation of his future success when young, and is now enjoying the prosperity to which he is justly entitled. He was one of a large family of thirteen children born to his parents, who at the time of his birth, March 18, 1861, were in Stuttgart, Germany. One year later the parents removed to England, where they remained throughout the balance of their lives. The father, Rev. Joseph King, was a native of London, England, and was a minister in the Episcopal church.
George E. King was reared and educated in England, and in 1883, when about twenty-two years of age, came alone to the United States, going direct to Klamath Falls, Ore., where, during his nine years residence there he accumulated considerable valuable real-estate, among others owning a half-interest in five hundred and sixty acres of land. It was this interest that he traded for real estate in Santa Rosa in 1891, receiving in its stead twenty-five acres one mile from town. For a time he followed farming and poultry raising, and after selling the land engaged in the real estate business in Santa Rosa until 1901. In December of that year he came to Kenwood and bought a twelve-acre ranch upon which he resided for four years. He then bought fifty acres of the Yost tract which he subdivided and sold, subsequently purchasing the ranch on which he now resides. The original purchase consisted of fifty-six acres, to which he added by the purchase of adjoining land until at one time his acreage included eighty-two acres, constituting one of the finest ranches in Sonoma county. In addition to carrying on general farming he also had a fine vineyard and an eight-acre orchard of walnuts, the latter of which he set out himself. From time to time Mr. King has sold off portions of his ranch until now he has only thirty-six acres. In addition to his other interests he is also engaged in the poultry business.
Mr. King’s marriage January 24, 1889, united him with Miss Winnifred Prideaux, a native of Plymouth, England, whose ancestry can be traced back to William the Conqueror. Her father, George Prideaux, a gentleman of Plymouth, is deceased, as is also his wife. The eldest of the six children born to Mr. and Mrs. King is Joseph E., born in Oregon January 9, 1890, and now in the employ of the Wells-Fargo Express Company at Benicia, Cal. Martha Winnifred was born November 13, 1891, and has graduated from the public schools of Santa Rosa and Kenwood. Nellie Gertrude, who was born in Santa Rosa April 24, 1893, was educated in the schools of Santa Rosa and Kenwood also. Catherine Frances, born in Santa Rosa in 1895, received her schooling in Kenwood. Esther Florence Violet, born I 1897, and Marguerite, born in Kenwood in 1901, are both students in the schools of this place.
Politically Mr. King is a stanch Republican, and while in England was identified with the Masonic body, but has not affiliated with the order since coming to the United States. He is a member of the Kenwood Improvement Club, composed of enthusiastic citizens whose object is the promotion of the unrivalled advantages of town and county, and he is also a member of the Royal Order of Moose in Santa Rosa. He is a member of the board of school trustees for the Los Guilicos district, to which he has already given eight years service, a part of the time as clerk. Mr. and Mrs. King are both active members of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Santa Rosa, in which he has served as vestryman.
Transcribed by Peggy Hooper 2011