Charles King

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 November 1849 until 1864. Early life King was born in New York City on March 16, 1789. He was the son of lawyer and politician Rufus King (1755–1827) and his wife Mary (née Alsop) King (1769–1819). Among his siblings was brothers John Alsop King, a Governor of New York; James Gore King, a U.S. Representative; Edward King; and Frederick Gore King. His mother was an only child of Mary (née Frogat) Alsop and Continental Congressman John Alsop, a descendant of early American settlers, John Edward Underhill, Captain John Underhill, and Elizabeth Fones. King was educated at the Harrow School (in Harrow, London) where he was a classmate with Lord Byron. Later in life, he received an honorary LL.D. from the College of New Jersey (later known as Princeton University) and from Harvard College in 1850.