Neptune's Needle

Merchant shipper. In 1791 King moved to Topsham, Maine, where he became partners with his brother-in-law, Dr. Benjamin Porter, in a store, lumbermill, and shipyard. King oversaw the construction of five vessels. By 1796, he operated in the West India trade, built a home and shipyard, and quickly became a successful merchant capitalist. He pioneered the New Orleans cotton trade with Liverpool, England, and established two banks, a marine insurance company, a toll road, and a small cotton and woolen mill. He also invested in real estate, purchasing land in Franklin County and naming it Kingfield.

Having switched to the Whig party, he was defeated in a run for governor in 1835. King's business career also suffered a decline. He left shipbuilding and shipping, and he was forced to sell off his real estate holdings.

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Peter Richards