Henry King

Who is Henry King?

Henry King was a blacksmith who in 1878 became the third chief of police in Los Angeles, California. He served two terms of more than two years each, from December 5, 1878, to December 11, 1880, and from December 11, 1881, to June 30, 1883.

As stated in An Illustrated History of Los Angeles County, California, Chicago, the Lewis Publishing Company, 1889, p. 746, at:

King was born in County Down, Ireland on May 26, 1832, but was brought up in St. Louis, Missouri, where he learned his trade. He came to the Pacific Coast in 1854, and "went to the mines in Amador County, where he spent one year, and the following year came to Los Angeles. . . .He was employed as a journeyman for ten years, after which he engaged in business for himself . . . . After a few years he went to San Francisco, where he resided six years, and then returned to Los Angeles and opened his present shop on Aliso street."

King was married on September 12, 1860, to Helen Costin of New York State. They had three sons and five daughters.