1890- The Beginning

On April 25, 1890, Reverend King wrote a letter to his son asking him to sell out his holdings in Kansas and come south to Lake Charles, Louisiana.  The letter instructed George to use the money gained from selling his holdings to book a railroad boxcar.  In this boxcar, they could transport the family’s belongings and livestock, as well as grain, (including corn, oats, and other grain products), from Kansas, where it was less expensive.  Upon arrival in Lake Charles, the grain could be sold for enough profit to pay the freight and provide enough money for the family to survive their first winter in the South.

This letter from Reverend King planted the idea that resulted in the move of two families from Kansas to Louisiana.  It inspired not only George to head south, but also George’s friend Willis Weber.  Reverend King’s last piece of encouragement to the men was, “One thing more, we are sure to have deep water, and that makes Lake Charles the next future great city of the Southwest.”  So in anticipation of future opportunities, both men and their families headed south to Lake Charles, Louisiana.