Robert Quigley King was born in Pickaway County Ohio on Aug. 13, 1832. His parents, David and Almena King, moved the family to Springfield in the early 1830s. The King family invested in property and built both business and residential buildings near Main and Limestone Streets. In 1849, David died during the cholera epidemic.

King was in the first graduating class to graduate from Wittenberg College, and took over management of the King properties, continuing to expand its holdings.

He wed Harriet Danforth in New Albany, Indiana on January 15, 1857, and they had five children. One of their children, David Ward King, invented the "King Road Drag" or the forerunner of the modern road grader.

In 1871, King was elected as Springfield's second fire chief, serving until 1880 when he resigned. He purchased the first hook and ladder wagon and the first chemical apparatus for the city, and the bell that was used at the Central fire station. King was seriously burned when a factory roof collapsed on him in 1877. He was a member of both the police and fire boards and was treasurer of the Firemen's Relief Association.

Before his death, King had started the construction of an eight-story building (the Arcue building named after "RQ" or Robert Quigley) at Fountain and High Streets in Springfield, with site supervision by his son, R. L.

King. The building was completed shortly after Robert's unexpected death at age 85, and The Arcue building stood at the corner of High Street and Fountain Avenue until it was torn down in 2012.

King was a member of the old Board of Trade and a treasurer at First Presbyterian Church. He lived to see Springfield grow from a village of less than 3,000 inhabitants to its present population of 65,000!

Robert Quigley King died in his home on Nov. 26, 1917 and was buried in Section D, Lot 125 of Ferncliff Cemetery alongside many family members.