Washington District of Columbia
Biographies

Benjamin King
1779 - 1837
Furnished by : John Sharp

Portrait by Saint Memin circa 1806 This portrait is from the Library of Congress and is said to be the likeness of Benjamin King

Benjamin King Master Blacksmith, Benjamin King, was born in Carron Scotland; he later immigrated abroad and fought with the French armies in Santo Domingo. He was first appointed in 1804 and later reappointed following the War of 1812 by the Board of Naval Commissioners on 15 August 1817 at a salary of $ 1500.00 per year. King did much of the early iron work for the nation's capitol and the White House. Benjamin King held numerous early District public offices. In addition King was an inventor who was often called upon to assist and evaluate new naval devices. King held a number of patents including one for an ’Equilateral Level for leveling lands” (straw cutting machine) that he wrote (2 December 1822) of to Thomas Jefferson. During the war of 1812, King fought at the Battle of Bladensburg. As Washington Navy Yard Master Blacksmith he supervised the anchor shop which employed as many as 19 slaves including 5 owned by King himself, which he leased to the Yard. In 1806 after his first meeting with Benjamin King, Engineer Benjamin Latrobe wrote ’He is a Universal Mechanic and the dernierresort [Last recourse] of all officers and artizans in every difficult undertaking and is seldom found at a loss.” Despite his acknowledged technical competence, Benjamin King's often outspoken manner and frequent critical comments regarding his naval superiors and colleagues caused friction and often acrimonious relations with Commodore's Thomas Tingey, and Isaac Hull, he also had strained relations with WNY engineer Benjamin Latrobe and Secretaries of the Navy, Paul Hamilton & Robert Smith. Benjamin Latrobe eventually came to believe King ’was a fool more then a Rogoue, yet he is a very dangerous Man.” By 1812, Benjamin Latrobe's patience with Benjamin King ran out when King voluntarily appeared before a Congressional Committee and charged Latrobe with wasteful operation of the Navy Yard Steam Engine. Latrobe responded with a detailed response to John Randolph the Committee Chairman ((25 January 1812) attributing problems with the Steam Engine to King's failure to supply the engine sufficient water. Both WNY Commandants Thomas Tingey and Isaac Hull tried unsuccessfully to remove Benjamin King for insubordination. See Paul Hamilton's 25 January 1811 and W. Jones letter of 3 February 1813 (King was eventually demoted to a non supervisory position.). Benjamin King lived at 14th Street East near Eastern Branch, Middle Bridge. Benjamin King died in 1837 and is buried in Congressional Cemetery (R35/87).

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