Carl B. King was born in Neiltown, Pennsylvania on July 25, 1890. Heeding the call to “Go West, Young Man,” this energetic visionary moved to Oklahoma in 1909 during the oil boom. Honest, forthright, and hardworking, he worked oil deals for leases until he had acquired sufficient resources to purchase his own drilling rig equipment.
The oil fields were good to Carl King, his wife Florence, and their family. The Dallas offices of Carl B. King Drilling Company opened in 1935, followed in 1940 by expansions of the company’s operations into West Texas. The Kings remained in Dallas until Mr. King’s death in 1967 and Mrs. King’s death in 1983.
As they prospered, they gave back, establishing the King Foundation in 1966. Mrs. King served as the president from 1967 until her death. The giving policies for the Foundation were shaped by her gentle wisdom and abiding commitment to the independence, health, and education of the community and its future generations.
Throughout their lives, the Kings were sustained by their small-town, self-starting attitude, and were always thoughtful and careful in their promises and absolutely trustworthy in any commitments. Those qualities lie at the heart of the Foundation today.