King-Lorenz House

Duane's take

The way the marker tells it, here's the story of the King-Lorenz House in Wilson County. Robert and Rachel Emma Smith had this home built in 1898. Rachel went by her maiden name King, and that name carried some weight in Texas.

Her father was John R. King, an early Texas military and political leader, and the family he built kept its roots right here. With just one exception, a stretch from 1911 to 1914, his descendants have owned this home from the day it was constructed.

That is the kind of staying power you don't see much anymore. Now, one of the figures who later lived here was Wade Lorenz, born in 1896, gone in 1930. Wade had been a Texas Ranger before he settled into life as a Stockdale businessman and rancher.

A former Ranger living in a house with that kind of lineage. Some addresses just have a certain gravity to them. The house itself is worth a look too.

It follows what architects call the I-house plan, though with its own variations, and the porches carry decorative woodwork that people still stop to admire. At the base of the marker, there's a dedication. To the memory of Mrs.

Bernice King Lorenz Bird. The family name, carried forward. The house still standing.

Some stories don't need an ending so much as they need a name remembered.

What the marker says

This home was constructed in 1898 for Robert and Rachel Emma (King) Smith. Rachel was the daughter of John R. King, an early Texas military and political leader. His descendants have owned the home since its construction, except for the years 1911-14. Wade Lorenz (1896-1930), a former Texas Ranger who later lived here, was a Stockdale businessman and rancher. The home is a variation of the I-house plan and features decorative woodwork on the porches. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1984 Incise on base: Dedicated to the memory of Mrs. Bernice King Lorenz Bird