Henry William King (1828-1898)

He was born in Martinsburg, Lewis County, New York, and moved to Chicago in 1854 where he established himself in business on South Water Street. In 1868, he went into partnership with William Charles Browning and Edward Dewey, creating the wholesale clothing house of Henry W. King & Co., of which King was president. After the Great Fire of 1871, they built a new retail store at Market and Franklin Streets and King served as President of the Chicago Relief & Aid Society. Soon afterwards, he and Browning opened up stores across the country and the firm became known as Browning, King & Co., reputedly the largest wholesale clothing manufacturers in the world. King lived at 701 Rush Street, Chicago (see images), which neighbored the McCormick mansion. Mrs. King remarked, "they reap while we sow." Their summer home was "White Birches" (see imges) at Elmhurst, Cook Co., Illinois.