John Pendleton King was born in Glasgow, Kentucky and graduated from the Academy of Richmond County.  He studied in Europe from 1822 to 1824.   His further studies included a law degree, and he was admitted to the Georgia bar in 1819.  He practiced in Augusta until 1829. 

Mr. King also served as a member of the State Constitutional Conventions. In 1831, he was elected to the U.S. Senate and was reelected in 1834. He served until 1837 and then resigned.

From 1841 to 1878, Mr. King served as the president of the Georgia Railroad and Banking Company.  In 1865, he was a member of the State Constitutional Convention. He died in 1888 and was buried in Augusta’s St. Paul’s Churchyard.

The town of Kingston, Georgia is named for Mr. King.