John King, Sr., was a native of County Longford, Ireland, of which county his wife, Bridget Murtaugh, also was a native. They were married at their old home and came to America in 1846, landing at New York City on December 2nd. Here they remained for three years, and in 1849 came to Michigan and settled in Flint Township, Genesee County, on an unbroken farm covered with oak openings. Upon this they remained for four years and cleared some twenty-five acres of the land.

Settling their first Western farm, John and Bridgit removed to Hazelton Township in 1853, and settled on Section 13, which was all wild land. Before reaching their home they were obliged to cut the road through the woods for a mile and a half. Here they finally acquired a handsome property of four hundred and eighty acres. They encountered many hardships in their early life in the West as they were unused to such experiences. It was so solid a forest that it was with difficulty that they found their way from point to point, even with the help of blazed trees. There were but few families then in the township and only nine voters were registered that spring. The farm was greatly improved during the lifetime of the father who passed way in 1871, at the age of sixty-six. His worthy companion outlived him ten years and attained the age of eighty-one. They were the parents of six [eight] children who grew to maturity.

(Portrait and Biographical Album of Clinton and Shiawassee Counties, 1891, pp. 356-7.)

The following information was taken from the book: The Famine Immigrants. Lists of Irish Immigrants Arriving at the Port of New York, 1846-1851.

Ira A. Glazier, Editor; Michael Tepper, Associate Editor

Volume I--January 1846-June 1847

Baltimore

Genealogical Publishing Col, Inc. 1983

Page 308:

John King and seven children arrived aboard the ship 'St. George' on 2 December 1846. The ship arrived in the port of New York City from Liverpool, England.

King, John, Age 40, Male, Laborer

King, Mary, daughter, Age 17, Female, no occupation

King, Ann, daughter, age 16, Female, no occupation

King, James, son, age 14, Male, Laborer

King, Margaret, daughter, age 11, Female, no occupation

King, John, son, age 9, Male, child

King, Eliza, daughter, age 6, Female, child

King, Joseph, son, age 2, Male, child

Only Ann King did not come with the family when they migrated to Michigan. It is unknown what her fate was.

Per the book, 86,222 passengers immigrated to New York between January 1, 1846 and June 31, 1847.

Steerage fares between Liverpool and New York underwent substantial reduction between 1842 and 1851, falling from about 5 English pounds per passenger in 1842 to 3 English pounds or 4 English pounds in 1851. This represented about 1/2 to 1/3 of the annual earnings of a pre-Famine laborer.

Liverpool offered cheaper fares and more regular trans-Atlantic service to the U.S.A.

Liverpool ships averaged between 400-500 passengers on the trans-Atlantic routes and weighed about 300 tons.

(The Famine Immigrants. Lists of Irish Immigrants Arriving at the Port of New York, 1846-1851.)

Note: Above excerpt from The Famine Immigrants courtesy of Conly_2011-02-13 p Public Tree at Ancestry.com.

Oral history:

Wayne Mulcahy, first genealogist for the Murphy family line who put findings on paper, noted that John King, Sr. was one of 22 children. He married Bridget Murtaugh who was one of 23 children. Bridget Murtaugh King first came to the USA in 1844, one year before the rest of her family. She returned to Ireland, collected her family and returned to the USA. They came from County Longford, Ireland to New York City in 1845. They lived on Barclay Street, NY near St. Patrick's Cathedral. They spent two years in New York, then two years working the Kingston, NY quarries. Then on to Flint, Michigan in 1849. They bought 40 acres, later sold it in 1853 and moved to Hazelton Township, Shiawassee County, Michigan. 

Bridget Murtaugh King's mother's people, the McGoldricks, were wealthy literary people, some settled in England.

John King, Sr.'s mother's people, the Hughes, settled in Australia. His brother, Dan King, went to Australia as well. The Hughes had 4 priests in the family. They also were a people of great wealth, owning a whole township of land.  

(Conly_2011-02-13 p Public Tree at Ancestry.com.)