Multnomah-Marion County OR Archives Biographies.....King, Charles W. November 7, 1864 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/or/orfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ila L. Wakley iwakley@msn.com May 31, 2010, 8:58 pm Source: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. III, Published 1928, Pages 380 - 381 Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company CHARLES W. KING. For forty-seven years Charles W. King was associated with the firm of Olds, Wortman & King of Portland and thus his name is inseparably interwoven with the record of commercial activity and development of the city. The store with which he was so long associated has always figured as one of the most important commercial enterprises of the city and its steady growth and unsullied reputation are attributable in large part to his efforts. Oregon is proud to number him among her native sons. Born in Butteville, Marion county, Oregon, November, 7, 1864, a son of S. W. King, who came to this state from Vermont in 1859 and for a time engaged in teaching school. Later he removed to Idaho, where he conducted a hotel in the Orofino mining district. In 1870, however, he returned to the Willamette valley, where he again took up the profession of teaching, being one of the early and capable educators of this state. He established his home in Portland at a later date and in 1873 was elected the first city superintendent of schools, so that he had much to do with shaping the educational policy of the city. In his first school in Portland there was a rather tough element that had occasioned previous teachers considerable trouble, but by giving two bullies of the school a demonstration of his ability to handle them, Mr. King found that all went well afterward. It was in 1878 that he joined W. P. Olds in a partnership relation and purchased the dry goods store of John Wilson. They took over the business on the first day of September, but Mr. King continued teaching for a year, spending all of his spare time, however, in the conduct of his newly acquired mercantile interests. After that year he concentrated his entire time and energies upon the conduct of the business, which was small at first but grew steadily under the wise management of the partners, who maintained their relationship until 1890, when Mr. King sold his interest to John Wortman. He then retired from the dry goods trade and devoted his remaining years to activity in the financial field. He passed away at the age of eighty-three years. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Sarah Fairbanks, was first married to the father of W. P. Olds and after his demise she became Mrs. King and the mother of two sons: Charles W.; and Ralph, who lived in Idaho and died at the age of forty-three years. The public school system of Portland accorded Charles W. King his educational opportunities and he started out in the business world by securing employment with the Powers Furniture company for the vacation period. On the 1st of September, 1878, when only thirteen years of age, he went to work for Olds & King as errand boy and continued with that house for forty-seven years, his connection long being that of an official. He worked his way upward through all the various departments, thoroughly acquainting himself with the entire business, and in 1892 he purchased the interest of John Wortman, the firm having in 1890 become Olds, Wortman & King. They developed one of the largest department stores in the entire coast country. From their first location on Third street they removed to the east side of First street, between Yamhill and Taylor, afterward maintained their store at First and Taylor, later at Fifth and Washington streets and in 1910 came to their present location. This was considered a daring venture. Friends and business associates all advised against it, thinking it was a bad move to go five blocks from what was then the heart of the retail business district, but the partners in the business had vision and demonstrated their confidence in the growth of the city. The store building is five stories in height and was so erected that four more stories can be added. It covers an entire block and was erected at a cost of eight hundred and fifty thousand dollars, the land having formerly been owned by the Governor Pennoyer estate. The firm organized a company known as the Portland Building Company to erect the building, and while they have sold the name and the business, they hold the lease on the property, which runs until 1959, and from this derive a gratifying annual income. Mr. King was married to Miss Fanny Belle Hunt, a daughter of Charles H. and Julia M. Hunt, who came to Portland from Providence, Rhode Island, her father having at one time been chief of police of this city. Mr. and Mrs. King became the parents of a daughter and a son: Philena, who is the wife of Roland Lockwood, of Portland, and has a daughter, Caralee; and Charles S., who married Vivian Humphrey, of California, and has three children — Charles Albert, Charles Hunt and Cynthia. Charles S. King is now connected with the American Exchange Bank of Portland. Mr. King was early made a Mason in Harmony Lodge and has since taken the Scottish Rite degrees and is a Noble of the Mystic Shrine. He is likewise a life member of the Multnomah Athletic Club. There are few residents of Portland more widely and none more favorably known. A representative of one of the honored pioneer families and for almost a half century connected with its mercantile interests, he gained a wide acquaintance and all the activities of his life qualified him for the kind regard which is everywhere extended him. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/or/multnomah/bios/king1117gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/orfiles/ File size: 6.0 Kb