KING, Ernest Samuel

KING, Ernest Samuel (1886-1948), born in San Jose, California, and fresh from high school graduation at age 18, he joined the California Academy of Sciences expedition to the Galapagos in 1905-1906 aboard Academy as a herpetology assistant. En route to Ecuador in 1905, they stopped and collected on the Mexican islands: San Martin, San Geronimo, San Benito, Cedros, Natividad, San Benedicto, Socorro and Clipperton islands.

Upon his return, he didn't pursue a career in science. He was office manager and salesman for J&H Metals.

King died on July 1, 1948 in San Jose, California at age 61.

Ernest Samuel King (1886-1948) = [1909] Anna Ethel Berthold King (1887-1962)

• Vivian R. King (1917-1931 —died before her parents)

The 1905-1906 California Academy of Sciences Galapagos expedition visited multiple Baja California islands, including:

• Isla San Martin, July 11, 1905
• Isla Geronimo, July 13, 1905
• Isla San Benito, July 14-17, 1905
• Isla Cedros, July 18, 1905
• Isla Natividad, July 19, 1905

Expedition participants included:

• Rollo Howard Beck (1870-1950), vessel master and ornithologist
• Edward Winslow Gifford (1887-1959
• Joseph Slayton Hunter (1879-1972 ), mammalogist
• Ernest Samuel King (1886-1948), herpetology assistant
• Frederick T. Nelson, Mate
• Washington Henry Ochsner, (1882-1927), geologist and conchologist
• J. J. Parker, navigator (didn't return with the vessel, having left over accusations of incompetence.)
• J. R. Slevin (1881-1957), assistant herpetologist
• Alban Stewart (1875-1940), botanist
• James White, cook
• Francis Xavier Williams (1882-1967), entomologist

King collected on:

• ISLA SAN GERONIMO (1905)
• ISLA SAN MARTIN (1905)

“Ernest Samuel King: Herpetology Assistant (1886-1948). Ernest Samuel King was born December 16, 1886, in San Jose, California, a member of a pioneer San Jose family. His father was John S. King, for whom King Road in San Jose was named. His mother was Bessie (Dill) King, and he had a brother named Orlo King. A simple and poignant summary of Ernest King's life appeared anonymously in the September 1948 issue of the Academy Newsletter, which stated, "In the spirit of adventure and with a love and experience of nature, Ernest S. King—fresh from high school graduation—shipped for the Galapagos Islands as assistant herpetologist ob the schooner Academy, June, 1905. During his 17-months expedition of the California Academy of Sciences, the boy King proved a capable man in the field and became the lifelong friend of his shipmates and of the Academy, even though he did not afterwards follow a career in science." King was eighteen years old when the schooner Academy departed from San Francisco.

King was office manager and salesman for J&H Handcraft Metals, as well as a part president of the Santa Clara County Humane Society. He was a Freemason and member of San Jose Lodge No. 10 of the Free and Accepted Masons. King died at his home in San Jose on July 1, 1948, at sixty-one years of age. He was survived by his wife Anna E. (Berthold) King (1887-1962) and preceded in death by his daughter, Vivian King.” [James, Matthew S. Collecting Evolution, (2017)].

ISLA SAN MARTIN

ISLAND	COLLECTOR	INSTITUTION	DATE	NUMBER	SPECIMEN
Isla San Martin	E. S. King	CAS	July 11, 1905	CAS-8675	Uta stansburiana elegans	Herps
Isla San Martin	E. S. King	CAS	July 11, 1905	CAS-8676	Uta stansburiana elegans	Herps