King arrived aboard the Salsette in Melbourne in January 1841 where he became an auctioneer and commission agent in Elizabeth Street.
Later he briefly served as government auctioneer.King was member for Gipps' Land in the unicameral Victorian Legislative Council from November 1855 until the Council was abolished in March 1856 and member for Gippsland in the new Victorian Legislative Assembly November 1856 until resigning in September 1857.
King died in Armadale, Melbourne, Victoria on 24 January 1895.