Preceded by Nathaniel Fish Moore Children 14, including Mary Parents Rufus King | Political party Federalist
Democrat Died 1867, Frascati, Italy Party Democratic Party | |
 | ||
Born March 16, 1789
New York City, New York ( 1789-03-16 ) Spouse(s) Eliza Gracie
(m. 1810; her death 1825)
Henrietta Liston Low
(m. 1826; his death 1867) Relatives John Alsop (grandfather) Allegiance United States of America Succeeded by Frederick Augustus Porter Barnard Grandparents Isabella Bragdon, Richard King Similar Rufus King, James G King, John A King, John Alsop, William Campbell | ||
Charles King (March 16, 1789 – October 1867) was an American academic, politician and newspaper editor. He succeeded Nathaniel Fish Moore to become the ninth president of Columbia College (now Columbia University), holding the role from 7 November 1849 to 1864.
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Early life
He was the son of one-time trustee, the lawyer and politician Rufus King (1755–1827) and his wife Mary Alsop (1769–1819). His mother, an only child, was the daughter of John Alsop (1724–1794) and Mary Frogat (d. 1772). His maternal grandfather, was a descendant of early American settlers, John Edward Underhill (1574–1608), Captain John Underhill (c. 1609–1672), and Elizabeth Fones (1610–c. 1673).
King was educated in Harrow, England, and received an honorary LL.D. from the College of New Jersey and from Harvard College in 1850.
Career
After completing his education in England, King became a clerk in the banking house of Hope & Co. in Amsterdam. King returned to the United States in 1806, and began working for Archibald Gracie, a merchant. He became partner with Gracie in 1810, the same year he married Gracie's daughter, Eliza.
King was captain of a volunteer regiment in the early part of the War of 1812, although he opposed the War. He served in the 37th New York State Legislature as a Federalist member of the New York Assembly from July 1, 1813 until June 30, 1814, before becoming a newspaper publisher.
A Democrat, he was editor of the New York American from 1823 to 1845, where he repeatedly clashed with Mordecai Noah, then Editor of the New York Enquirer; Noah nicknamed King "Charles the Pink".
President of Columbia College
On 7 November 1849, he succeeded Nathaniel Fish Moore to become the ninth president of Columbia College (now Columbia University), holding the role until 1864. On his formal inauguration, on November 28, 1849, he spoke on the duties and responsibilities of the university staff, and espoused the virtues of copying the English university system.
During his term as President, the Columbia Law School was founded (1858), the Columbia Medical School, which had been discontinued in 1810, was re-established (1858), and the Columbia School of Mines (1863). In addition to serving as president, he was a trustee from 1825 to 1838, and again from 1849 to 1867. He resigned the presidency in 1865 due to health concerns, and visited Europe with the intention of remaining abroad several years.
Personal life
On March 12, 1810, he married first to Eliza Gracie (1790–1825), the daughter of shipping magnate Archibald Gracie (1755–1829). Their children included:
After Eliza's death in 1825, Charles married secondly Henrietta Liston Low (1799–1882), daughter of Nicholas Low (1739–1826), on October 20, 1826. Their children included:
Charles King is buried in the Grace Church Cemetery in Jamaica, Queens, New York, New York.
Descendants
King was the grandfather of Charles King (1844–1933), a Major general with the United States Army as well as a noted author, who married Adelaide L. Yorke.