Male

May 8, 1791

October 3, 1853

New York, NY

London, England
Paris, France
Boston, MA
Weehauken, NJ

Sarah Gracie King (February 4, 1813)

James Gore King was the son of Rufus and Mary (Alsp) King. He had been named after his father's close friend and Harvard classmate Christopher Gore. King was never admitted to the Bar and instead went on to great prominence as an international banker and businessman. In the War of 1812, he served as an Assistant Adjutant General in the New York militia. At the end of the war he opened a commission house in New York City.

King and his wife, Sarah Rogers Gracie (the daughter of Archibald Gracie), had four daughters and three sons. In 1818, they established the English house of 'King & Gracie' in which he was senior partner until 1824. King then joined the New York City banking house of 'Prime, Ward & Sands.'

In 1835, King accepted another prominent position as the President ...of the New York and Erie Railroad. King had an estate in Weehawken, NJ. named "Highwood" and became known as the "Merchant Prince" and the "Almighty of Wall Street." He headed another firm: 'Prime, Ward & King,' before leaving this firm to form 'James G. King & Son.' Although not greatly involved in politics, King supported the Presidency of Zachary Taylor and was against the Fugitive Slave Bill of 1850.
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In February 1811, former Litchfield Female Academy student Elizabeth S. Wolcott, accused King and fellow students William Channing Gibbs and Thomas Sowers Aspinwall of eating her sister Laura Wolcott Gibbs' wedding cake. Elizabeth wrote to her uncle Frederick Wolcott asking him to detain the men in jail and, if necessary, impose a sentence on them for the offense.

The letter is considered an excellent parody of legal procedures being studied at Litchfield Law School and shows the familiarity of young women with legal terminology.

Elizabeth S. Wolcott, NYC
to
[Uncle] Frederick Wolcott, Litchfield
24 Feb 1811

Dear Uncle,
I sent by Mr. W. Gibbs a small trunk containing pieces of Laura's wedding Cake, directed to Aunt Wolcott Mrs. Reeve ...& Miss Pierce and with sundry little presents for my Cousins. Instead of delivering the Trunk to Mrs. Reeve as requested, I understand it was opened by Mr. Gibbs Mr. King and Mr. Aspinwall. I have to request you, to order the Sheriff to take up these three young men, who were all concerned in taking the Cake. If they are penitent and make suitable apologies, I am willing they should be pardoned, this being as I wish to believe, their first offence, but if they deny the charge, I request you to detain them in jail, till I can end you Miss Sally Gracie's disposition, who heard Mr. Aspinwall make a full confession. I can prove them guilty, and if they are stubborn I suppose you will sentence them to be punished according to Law. We all join in sending love to you Aunt Wolcott & Cousins.

Yours affectionately,
Eliza S. Wolcott

Alice Wolcott Collection, Litchfield Historical Society
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1810

Studied at Harrow in London, England from the age seven to ten and then was sent to the Paris Ecole Polytechnique from the ages of ten to thirteen. He was then tutored for Harvard College by Rev. Dr. J. S. J. Gardiner, the Rector of the Trinity Church in Boston, MA, and graduated from Harvard in 1810 at the age of nineteen.

Business; Political Office

He began reading the law with Peter Van Schaick of Kinderhook, NY before attending the Litchfield Law School.

Whig

U.S. Representative (NJ) 1849-1851

Catalogue of Litchfield Law School Hartford, Connecticut: Press of Tiffany, Case and Company, 1849.


Litchfield County Bar Association Records, 1810, Litchfield Historical Society, Helga J. Ingraham Memorial Library.

Cole, Arthur H. "College Expenses of 1806-1810." Harvard Alumni Bulletin 31 Jan 1936.

Brush, Edward Hale. Rufus King & His Times. NY: Nicholas L. Brown, 1926.