Charles John King
b. 14 November 1863 Stoke Damerel, Devon, England d. 12 July 1943 Grass Valley, California. Picture taken in San Francisco sometime around the Great Earthquake of 1906.
The theme for this week in the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge is...Great. I can think of a lot of GREATS for this weeks entry! This post focuses on my Great Great Grandfather Charles J. King. Fortunately, several journals that he kept detailing his expedition to Egypt and his trip to America have survived. My cousin Pam started to transcribe these several years ago. They are a great source of material that I am just starting to delve into. I would like to thank Pam for letting me borrow her work in progress! Within Charles' journals was a story about how he came to America, and the unusual circumstances which led to his voyage across the Atlantic. The circumstances were very mysterious to be sure. It remains a great family mystery!
This is the story of his trip to America. He titled it "Having Referance (sp) to My Trip To America". I was more fascinated by the details of the beginning of his trip than with his descriptions of the rest of the voyage across the Atlantic. His observations on the remainder of his trip consisted of daily weather reports, ship sightings and what was on the menu (breakfast, dinner and tea). One of his quotes from this journal was..."I shall feel heartily thankful when I arrive in New York for it seems to me that almost anything on land is better than the monotony of life on board ship." He arrived in New York on May 7th or 8th of 1894, according to his journal, so his trip was about two weeks long. "I have been thinking a great deal about my darling wife and child and I have concluded that it will be very much better for them when they come to take passage on a fast boat for it seems to one that to save a day only of this dreary monotonous life is a distinct gain."
I am not sure if he wrote this during the actual voyage, or shortly after his trip. There is a lot of detail in the little notebook pages. He may have re-written this from a daily journal that he kept during the trip.
Charles J. King's original journal; first page.
"After making full preparation which lasted several days and employing all the female skill that we were in possession of at home. The day of departure eventually arrived for my final farewell to all things that I had become familiar with at home and according to my own wish I determined to break through the trying ordeal of parting with those friends who had become dear to my heart. I had been timed to leave home at 3 oclock pm on Thursday April 26 1894, up to this time I had kept from my darling child as far as possible the secret of my departure from her and in order to carry this out we had arranged to send her away to a friends house with her great aunt to spend the afternoon. I shall remember for a great while that last kiss, she came to me full of childish innocence to say goodbye not knowing that on her return in the evening her father would be many miles away, her disappointment no doubt will be told to me on the first occasion that I receive a letter from my darling wife. As nearly as possible to the time appointed I reluctantly and with tears took my parting with mother and sister and with my wife began the journey on foot for a short distance for it had been arranged previously that we should be picked up about two miles from home by a waggonet that had been previously ordered to drive us to Lostwithiel with a friend and my luggage that walk being the last I had taken with my wife at home I shall remember it for a very long time. Having been overtaken as appointed we were not long making the distance to Lostwithiel. We were kindly entertained for the time we were waiting by a friend, and it was here that I took my parting with my wife. Of all the partings this was the most heartrending that had taken place between us during the whole time we had been married, for events had not called upon us to separate for long together but now through no fault of our own we were called upon to wrench ourselves sunder. (Italics mine). God knoweth the heart of all men and I trust that in that day when He cometh to Judge the quick and the dead, that it will be found that I had done what I could to avoid the calamity that had overtaken us. I think it wise to dwell no longer on the events that transpired at this time. They are treasured up in our hearts and come what may nothing can erase them whilst we are separated and I think when the time of our reunion arrives."
Emma Lavinia King (left) before age 6 with possibly a cousin. This would have been right around the time her father left for America.
"I left Lostwithiel by the 6:57 p.m. train to Bristol and arrived at North Road Plymouth. I found it necessary to change carriages and shortly resume my journey to Bristol where I arrived at about 12:35 am from which place I rebooked to Liverpool but by some mistake due to the booking clerk I discovered on arrival at Birmingham by the Midland Railway about 4:30 am that because my ticket was via Birningham I was doomed to wait at Birmingham 1 1/2 hours which time I whilst in going around Birmingham that part which lies in the vicinity of the Railway station and from what I saw I should say that it was a very nice place, although I was struck with the number of offices that were apparently idle which I thought did not look very healthy for business in the city. I left Birmingham at 6 oclock am and after a run of about 4 hours through very fine country arrived in Liverpool (Lime St) about 10 am. I had my luggage put in the cloakroom and had a wash and brush up in the lavatory of the station for which I paid 2 (?) and was very much benefitted thereby. My next exploit was to find Messers Fairburn Martin and Fleets establishment, the brokers with whome I had booked my passage which did not prove altogether and easy task for which it seemed to me as though no one knew where they lived. On my way however I called into a barber shop and had a shave which if my wife could have seen me when I came out would have said had disfigured me. I however felt that recognition under the circumstances would be more difficult hence my object in doing it. I at length reached the place that I had been in search of and was relieved of my few traps for the time being and after inquiring after the ship, the Alaska of the Guion Line I took a walk down around the docks and wharfe. The ship was then lying off the river taking in cargo and coal and was looking in pretty good turn nothing particular of note occurred whilst I was in Liverpool except I wrote a letter to my wife in which I told her of my safe arrival at Liverpool. "
"In the evening of the same day several men from Cornwall arrived by train 3 men and two lads was going out by the same ship whilst one other man and a woman and a child was going by the Umbria of the Cunard Line. I found that this person with her child was traveling to Los Angeles in lower California and seeing that our interest was so identical it was agreed that we should meet again in New York and commence the journey overland together. The three Cornishmen before aluded to were disposed to the same room in the ship as myself. On the following morning we were asked early and breakfasted at about 8 oclock in preparation for embarking which was to take place at 9 am but although we were on pier at the time appointed we found that want was the order so that by the time we got on board it was 11 oclock but even then the cargo was not all in and so it proved to be 4 oclock before we left our anchorage. Dinner was served on board at about 1 oclock which consisted of soup, roast beef or mutton and rice pudding, vegetables. Shortley after were pulling anchor and getting underway the Umbria was seen to be moving and although we began our journey at a fairly good pace it was not long before the Umbria passed us on her way to Queenstown. Tea was provided on board at 5 oclock and consisted of corned beef, bread and butter, pickles and marmalade. Supper at 9 pm of biscits and cheese. I retired at about 9:30 pm and was aroused for breakfast before seven as we were nearing Queenstown (Ireland)......We left Queenstown of Sunday April 29th at about 1 pm and between 4 and 5 hours later we lost sight completely of the coast of Ireland and consequently Great Britain."
Guion "Alaska" by Unknown Photographer: Wikipedia
The Guion Line was a British passenger service that operated the Liverpool-Queenstown-New York route from 1866-94 and was known for primarily transporting immigrants.
I am not sure what calamity had overtaken Charles and Anna King, or why Charles had to leave England without being recognized. Just several months later both Anna and my Great Grandmother Emma boarded the ship Majestic out of Liverpool with 5 pieces of baggage and got off the ship in New York September 26, 1894. The family eventually settled in San Francisco where Charles started a successful building and contractors business. The family endured the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906, and then resided in both Grass Valley and in Los Altos, California. Whatever had happened in England to precipitate the journey was never passed down or talked about, and still remains a great mystery to the family.
Relationship Reference: Me->Margaret Hansen Boothby->Margaret (Betty) Hayes Hansen->Emma Lavinia King Hayes Van Duzer->Charles J. King
Fantastic! It's wonderful that Charles' diary has survived and is now transcribed. Reading his thoughts on the voyage and the details about his ticketing really add texture to the story. I wonder about his comment on the shave, what could it mean? I suppose you may never know... but, if you do, be sure to blog about it. Thanks for sharing.
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