Charles Henry King

Charles Henry King was born on March 12, 1853, in Perry Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania. His parents were Lynch King and Rebecca Shepherd. He was married to Martha Alicia Porter, and together they had five children who survived to adulthood; among them were two sons and three daughters. Two of the children, including Leslie, were born in Chadron, Nebraska.

King's career was centered around business and banking activities tied to the westward expansion of the railroad system during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Beginning in the 1880s, he established retail stores, banks, and freight operations in locations anticipated to become transportation hubs due to the expansion of the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad, which later became part of the Chicago and North Western Railroad. His company was known as C.H. King and Company. He aimed to supply and support the pioneers and settlers moving west.

He played an instrumental role in the development of Chadron, Nebraska, where his family resided and where two of his children, including Leslie, were born. Additionally, King was involved in founding several Wyoming communities, including Fetterman City, Douglas, and Casper. On June 10, 1889, he expanded into banking by adding "bankers" to his company's name, becoming C.H. King and Company, and he operated the First National Bank of Casper until he sold it in 1896. That institution is now part of the First Interstate BancSystem. After selling the bank, King focused on freight operations between Casper and the Wind River region, which was rich in minerals. He also contributed to the founding of the Wyoming communities of Shoshoni, Riverton, and Arapahoe.

In 1908, Charles King moved his family to Omaha, Nebraska. There, he commissioned a three-story Victorian mansion located at 3202 Woolworth Avenue. The residence featured ornate design elements, including an elaborate ballroom used for entertaining. In Omaha, he managed the Omaha Wool and Storage Company, and his sons, including Leslie, were involved in wool trading businesses. His estimated wealth at the peak of his success was approximately $20 million. According to his granddaughter, King was considered among the wealthiest individuals in Wyoming.

Later, perhaps due to a scandal involving his son Leslie's divorce and allegations of abuse, the Kings retired from business in 1913 and relocated to California. When Leslie refused to pay child support for his son Leslie Jr., the Kings ensured continued support for their grandson, financially aiding Dorothy Ayer Gardner until 1929. Charles Henry King died on February 27, 1930. He was interred in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale, California, near his son Leslie.

The site of King's mansion in Omaha has been designated as the Gerald Ford Birthplace and Gardens historic site. Additionally, the C.H. King Company and First Union Bank Building in Shoshoni, Wyoming, has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places; the building currently houses Yellowstone Drugs.