BIOGRAPHY: Hon. George S. KING, Cambria County, PA 

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From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria 
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 15-19
____________________________________________________________

HON. GEORGE S. KING. In the industrial history of Johnstown and Cambria county 
perhaps no one stands higher or is more favorably known than the gentleman whose 
name heads this sketch. He stands as a typical representative of that sturdy 
American citizenship whose brain and brawn have made western Pennsylvania the 
most noted iron-producing section in the world.
     George S. King was born in Hagerstown, Washington county, Maryland, on 
October 28, 1809, and is a son of John and Ellen (Shryock) King, and is of 
German stock, about seven-eighths German blood coursing through his veins.
     When he was about four or five years of age his father removed to 
Mercersburg, Franklin county, Pennsylvania. At the age of about twelve years he 
took a position as clerk, and from this time on young King made his own way, and 
gained a knowledge of those fundamental principles of business which no doubt 
contributed so largely to his future success. Remaining in that position about 
three years, he accepted a similar position in Meadville, Pennsylvania, where he 
remained until seventeen years of age, when he embarked in the same place in 
mercantile pursuits for five years, being uniformly successful.
     In 1831 he traded a portion of his Meadville property to Abraham Morrison 
in part pay for sundry Johnstown properties. When leaving Meadville he took a 
position in the wholesale dry-goods establishment of Michael and Frank Tiernan 
of Pittsburg. He remained in Pittsburg one year, when he purchased from Col. 
James Patton, a brother-in-law of Col. Thomas A. Scott, then a small boy, a half 
interest in a store at Loudon, Franklin county, Pennsylvania. While at Loudon he 
boarded with the father of Thomas A. Scott, and the only brother of the future 
great railroad manager clerked in his store. He did not remain long at Loudon, 
but retained his one-half interest in the store, his brother having become an 
owner of a half interest. He then went back to Mercersburg and purchased the 
store of Arthur Chambers, a descendant of the founders of Chambersburg. Soon 
after this purchase he formed a partnership with a man named McGaw, and started 
a store in McConnellsburg, then Bedford county, now the county-seat of Fulton 
county, Pennsylvania. He soon found that McGaw in the McConnellsburg store was 
doing a more lucrative business than he in the Mercersburg store, and this 
caused him to become dissatisfied, and to seek a new location. Through the 
influence of Jeremiah S. Black, then a young lawyer of Somerset, afterward the 
renowned lawyer and jurist, he went to the latter place with the intention of 
going into the mercantile business at that point. Matters not materializing then 
as he had anticipated, he was advised to come to Johnstown by a merchant of 
Somerset, who gave him a letter of recommendation to Abraham Morrison, Esq., who 
had practiced law at Somerset, but had removed to Johnstown about the time of 
the building of the main line. This was in the year 1833.
     He came on horseback and got there in the evening. It was his first visit 
to the place, and, to use his own language, "When I heard the boat horns blowing 
and saw the improvements that were going on I concluded that this was the place 
to do business."
     He purchased a portion of Mr. Morrison's property, and gave in part payment 
a tract of land in Crawford county. The property purchased of Mr. Morrison 
consisted of a plot of ground on the corner of Main and Franklin streets, 
extending on Franklin street to the alley between Carpenter's restaurant and the 
Methodist church property, and an equal distance on Main street, including the 
location now occupied by Griffith's drug store; also the lot on which Dr. Swan's 
residence now stands, and a number of lots on Market and Vine streets.
     The lot upon which Dr. Swan's residence now stands was then a cornfield. 
Here Mr. King built a cottage house, in which he lived for some years, and 
afterward sold to Rev. Samuel Swan, the father of Dr. Swan. When he first went 
to Johnstown, boating on the western division of the Pennsylvania canal had just 
begun, and one track of the Portage railroad was about completed. He remained in 
Johnstown most of the time from that on, having removed his Mercersburg store to 
that place in 1834.
     He had contracted with Mr. Hamilton, the father of Major David Hamilton, 
for the erection of his store building, but it was not finished at the time 
specified, and his goods lay in boxes awaiting its completion. At last it was 
completed, and he concluded to open his store, after which he was to go to 
Bedford to be married, but in consequence of arranging the store, he was 
detained longer than he expected, so that he did not reach Bedford until nine 
o'clock at night of the day for which the wedding was set. The minister had 
already gone home, and the assembled guests had given him up.  However, the 
minister was informed of his arrival, and the wedding took place a little late, 
but nevertheless in the evening of the day for which it had been arranged.
     He continued the mercantile business in Johnstown for three or four years, 
and then sold out to John K. and William L. Shryock, who had come to the place 
from Hagerstown.
     It had been his intention to go to Pittsburg and engage in the wholesale 
mercantile business; but the hard times of 1837 and 1838 came on, and he 
remained in Johnstown.
     About 1839 or 1840, Mr. King turned his attention to searching for iron ore 
in the hills around Johnstown, and, after a hunt of several months, was rewarded 
by finding a deposit near Laurel Run, some three miles west of Johnstown, which 
he thought sufficient to justify the erection of a furnace.  He associated with 
himself David Stewart, and John K. and William L. Shryock, and Cambria Furnace 
was built.  It was a charcoal furnace, and made its first iron in 1841.
     About the latter part of 1843, Dr. Peter Shoenberger, of Pittsburg 
purchased the interest of David Stewart, and in 1844, Dr. Shoenberger and Mr. 
King purchased the interest of John K. and William L. Shryock, and thereby 
became equal owners of Cambria furnace.
     In consequence of the better times brought about by the tariff by 1842, Dr. 
Shoenberger and Mr. King built two more furnaces, Mill Creek and Ben's Creek, 
the former about four miles and the latter about three miles from Johnstown.  In 
these enterprises Mr. John Bell was associated with Mr. King and Dr. 
Shoenberger, but they soon after purchased his interest.
     Mr. David Stewart, who had been interested in the Cambria furnace, built 
Blacklick furnace, situated in Indiana county, Pennsylvania, about eight miles 
from Johnstown; but, becoming discouraged in consequence of the tariff at 1846, 
sold it to Mr. King and Dr. Shoenberger.  They then built another furnace at 
Sharon, Mercer county, Pennsylvania, making five furnaces which they then 
operated, but with little profit to themselves.
     Dr. Shoenberger favored the erection of a large foundry, so as to put the 
iron in the shape of castings, such as large sugar kettles, for the New Orleans 
market, which then seemed most in demand.  Mr. King advocated the erection of a 
rolling-mill to manufacture railroad iron.  The iron of these furnaces was not 
suitable for bar-iron, and, in his opinion, was not good for castings, being too 
hard, though in a wrought form he was satisfied that it was good for railroad 
iron, if properly worked.  The result of a trial demonstrated that he was right 
in his opinion.
     Finally, it was agreed that an effort should be made to organize a company 
to erect a rolling-mill at Johnstown for the manufacture of railroad iron.
     In the early part of 1852, Mr. King went east to endeavor to get 
capitalists interested in the proposed enterprise.  He went first to New York 
city, but finding little encouragement there, he went to Boston.
     This visit resulted in an arrangement by which certain Boston parties were 
to get up a company within six months, and Mr. King was to secure the charter.  
Mr. King and Dr. Shoenberger were to put in their four furnaces and 25,000 acres 
at $30,000, and they were to retain stock to the amount of $100,000, the 
difference to be paid them in cash.  The capital was to be $1,000,000 and the 
works were to be located in Johnstown. Mr. King, without consultation with Dr. 
Shoenberger or any one else, named the company, The Cambria Iron company and the 
works the Cambria Iron works, and fixed the capital.
     When the six months were up the Boston parties wanted more time; they had 
not succeeded in raising the money as they had anticipated, and further time was 
granted.
     They then transferred their efforts to New York, and were finally 
successful in having the amount subscribed. Mr. King was appointed to go to 
Harrisburg and secure a charter incorporating the proposed company. Arriving at 
the latter city, he was not long in finding that a statute existed prohibiting 
the incorporation of companies controlling more than five hundred acres of land 
in any one county. As the lands included in the Cambria Iron company's landed 
interests embraced several thousand acres in Cambria county, it was necessary to 
secure special legislation adapted to the conditions as they existed in this 
particular case. Mr. King went to Harrisburg, the legislature then being in 
session, and secured the enactment of an additional article to the general law 
permitting the incorporation of the Cambria Iron company, with its extensive 
land acreage. A meeting was held to organize the company, which resulted in the 
election of Dr. Shoenberger, president; Simon Draper, of New York, treasurer; 
George N. Hodges, secretary, and George S. King, general manager. Some time 
after this it was arranged that Mr. King and Dr. Shoenberger should take 
$200,000 of the stock of the company, instead of $100,000, as originally agreed 
upon, leaving $100,000 to be paid them by the company.
     Mr. King purchased the land upon which the Cambria Iron company's mills and 
new coke furnaces are erected at Johnstown, and, as general manager, 
superintended the erection of the original buildings. Work began on them in 
February, 1853, just one year after he had gone to New York to interest 
capitalists in the matter.
     In 1855 Mr. King was elected to the legislature by the Whig party. It was 
urged at that time that no man living in Cambria county had done so much to 
develop her resources and advance the prosperity of her citizens; that he was 
the first to discover the iron in her hills, that it was his energy that brought 
to light her latent treasures and transformed them into iron rails to cement the 
mighty East and the growing West, and it was his enterprise that brought 
hundreds of thousands of dollars from the East to be distributed among her 
citizens. During his term in the Legislature there was a movement to secure a 
new county to be called Conemaugh, with Johnstown as the county-seat. The bill 
passed the House by a fair majority and the Senate by a majority of one vote, 
but the adverse influence was sufficient to secure a reconsideration, and the 
measure was finally defeated.
     Mr. King and Miss Eliza McDowell, a daughter of Charles McDowell, then 
editor of the Bedford Gazette, were united in marriage in 1834. To their 
marriage union were born nine children that are living: Charles of Missouri; 
Anna, wife of the late Hon. John P. Linton, an account of whose life record 
appears elsewhere in this volume; Edward, of Philadelphia; Walter, of 
California; Mary, who was the wife of Stephen Evans, deceased, of Missouri; 
George, of Peoria, Illinois; Otho, of Mason City, Illinois; Newton, of Havana, 
Illinois, and Alice, wife of Kenyon S. Fisher, of Ennis, Texas.
     Mr. King sold out his interest in the Cambria Iron company, and in 1866, 
moved to Lewistown, Fulton county, Illinois, two of his wife's brothers being 
practicing physicians there at that time.  Having been one of the founders of 
the First National bank of Johnstown, his mind naturally turned to banking, and 
he organized the Lewistown National bank.  In connection with his banking 
interests, he, with others, carried on a large real-estate and loan business in 
Chicago, and was also interested as a stockholder and director in a number of 
insurance companies in Chicago.
     The great fire of 1871, that devastated so much of the city and ruined so 
many of the prosperous business firms of the city, materially affected this firm 
with which he was connected, and they closed up their business.  In the division 
of their assets, Mr. King took as his share ten acres near the then city limits, 
and eighty acres about one mile distant;  shortly afterward he sold the ten 
acres for $30,000 and the eighty acres for $70,000.
     In 1872 he established a banking business in Mason city, Illinois, of which 
his son, Otho S., was made cashier.  It is now known as the Mason City National 
bank and Otho S. is still cashier.
     In 1874 he founded what is now known as the Havana National bank, his son, 
Newton C., becoming cashier, and has remained such to the present time.
     During his residence in Lewistown and Chicago, he, in connection with 
others, under the firm name of Howes, King & Co., purchased and operated a 
woolen mill in Lewistown.
     Mr. King has always taken a lively interest in real estate affairs in and 
about Johnstown, and at one time or another has owned a greater part of the 
realty in the environs of the city.
     After the death of his wife, and in the absence of all his children, Mr. 
King returned to Johnstown, the scene of his early activities, in 1889, and, 
with the exception of one year visiting in the West, has resided there ever 
since, making his home with his daughter, the widow of the late Col. John P. 
Linton.
     Hon. George S. King has lived in every decade of the closing century; he 
has been a witness to the progress of an age unparalleled in the history of the 
world, and has contributed to a greater degree than is usually the privilege of 
man to that progress.  His is a mind in which the power of construction and 
generalization are highly developed, whilst he possesses that executive and 
organizing ability that are so essential in the carrying out of enterprises vast 
in conception and far-reaching in their influence.  Successful and honorable has 
been his career, and as he enters upon the closing scenes of a busy life, it is 
with that happy consciousness of having faithfully performed every duty 
intrusted to his care, and in such a manner as to draw to himself a host of 
appreciative and admiring friends.