John King (official) facts for kids

John King (1759–1830) was an important government official in Britain. He worked as an Under Secretary of State at the Home Office starting in 1791. For a short time in 1806, he was also a Member of Parliament for Enniskillen.

John King's Early Life and Career

John King was born in 1759. He was the fifth son of James King, who was a church leader. John went to Eton, a famous school, and then studied at Christ Church, Oxford University. He finished his studies in 1781.

Working in Government

In 1791, John King began working as a law clerk at the Home Office. This office handles important matters within the country. He quickly gained support from William Grenville, who was the Home Secretary at the time. By the end of that year, King became a Permanent Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department. This meant he was a senior official helping to run the Home Office.

King worked with other important people like Henry Dundas. They helped the government gather information from different departments. King was involved in various tasks, including dealing with foreign visitors. After the Aliens Act 1793 was passed, he also worked in the Alien Office. This office managed foreigners entering the country and helped with intelligence. By 1798, he became a joint leader of the alien department. He stayed at the Home Office until 1806.

Becoming a Member of Parliament

In 1806, John King became the Secretary to the Treasury. This job required him to be a Member of Parliament (MP). Being an MP meant he had a seat in the House of Commons. This allowed him to help William Grenville, who had become Prime Minister.

King became the MP for Enniskillen. However, he did not enjoy being in Parliament. He asked to be moved to a different role. Later that year, he was replaced at the Treasury and as an MP by William Henry Fremantle.

Later Career

After leaving Parliament, King became the comptroller of army accounts. This meant he was in charge of checking the army's finances. He held this important position for the rest of his life. John King passed away in 1830.

Places Named After John King

John King's name lives on in different places.

• King, Ontario in Canada was named after him by John Graves Simcoe.
• Port John, located on King Island in British Columbia, Canada, was named by George Vancouver. Vancouver had served under John King's brother, Captain James King.

John King's Family Life

In 1792, John King married Harriot Moss. She was the daughter of Charles Moss, who was a bishop. John and Harriot had a large family together. They had four sons and nine daughters.

Some of their children included:

• John James (who passed away in 1867) married Charlotte Wyndham.
• William Moss (who passed away in 1864) became a rector.
• Marianne (who passed away in 1866) married Walter Campbell.
• Harriet (who passed away in 1828) married William Henry Blaauw.
• Caroline Margaret married Lt.-Gen. Sir William Cornwallis Eustace.
• Katherine Judith (1803-1825) married Henry John Adeane.
• Emily (1807-1832) married William Henry Harford.