John Kilby (J.K.) Cummings was born on June 16, 1832, the only son of Cornelius and Jane Kilby Cummings of Coleraine, County Londonderry, Ireland. He came to America on the St. Clemens from Liverpool on October 1, 1854, arriving in New Orleans, then he rode a freighter up the Mississippi River to St. Louis where he was naturalized on March 16, 1859. John married Annie Marie Mullen, daughter of John and Sarah McGuire Mullen on September 11, 1862, at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church. The couple had five children, three of whom died in infancy. Their son Harry James Cummings became a doctor, and Constantine Cummings became a lawyer. After coming to St. Louis, John worked as an apprentice at St. Louis Glass Works, the oldest glass factory in the city founded in 1847 by Capt. James B. Eads and other local businessmen. He soon moved to greater responsibilities after obtaining knowledge of the business. John partnered with Joseph Bagot to form Bagot & Cummings and purchased the company around 1861. After Bagot’s death in 1870, John was the company’s sole proprietor until his own death on October 23, 1908. He was buried at Calvary Cemetery with other Cummings family members.