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John Mark King
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Cleric, scholar.
Born at Yetholm, Roxburghshire, Scotland on 25 May 1829, son of Ralph King and Mary Scott, he was educated at the University of Edinburgh (MA, 1856), University of Halle (Germany), and Knox College, Toronto (DD, 1882).
Between 1856 and 1863, King was in charge of congregations at Columbus and Brooklyn. In 1863 he became pastor of St. James Square church in Toronto. He was Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Canada in 1883 and Principal of Manitoba College (now the University of Winnipeg) from 1883 until his death. He was interested in public charities such as the Children’s Home and the Relief Society. He presided over the annual meeting of the Winnipeg General Hospital for many years. He wrote A Critical Study of In Memoriam (1898) and The Characteristics of Scottish Religious Life and their Causes (1882).
On 4 December 1873, he married Janet Macpherson Skinner (1838-1886) at Toronto, Ontario. They had two children: Helen Skinner King (1875-1961, wife of Charles William Gordon) and John Ralph King (1878-1888).
He died at Winnipeg on 5 March 1899 and was buried with his wife and son in the Kildonan Presbyterian Cemetery. He is commemorated by King Street and John M. King School in Winnipeg. Microfilm of some of his papers is at the University of Winnipeg.
See also:
Historic Sites of Manitoba: John M. King School (649 Ellice Avenue, Winnipeg)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Gordon-King Memorial United Church (127 Cobourg Avenue, Winnipeg)
John Mark King, Dictionary of Canadian Biography XII, 489-91.
Death registrations [Janet M King, John R King], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
“Dr. King’s affliction,” Manitoba Free Press, 27 February 1888, page 4.
The Canadian Album: Men of Canada or Success by Example, Vol. III, Bradley, Garretson & Co., Brantford, Ontario, 1894.
“Rev. Dr. King died Sunday,” Winnipeg Tribune, 6 March 1899, page 1.
The Story of Manitoba by F. H. Schofield, Winnipeg: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1913.
Pioneers and Early Citizens of Manitoba, Winnipeg: Manitoba Library Association, 1971.
We thank Glen Toews for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 29 October 2025
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