ThomasKnight

 
THOMAS KNIGHT was born inCornwall county, near Land’s End, England, August 14, 1836. His father,Thomas Knight, was also born in Cornwall, of Cornish parents, and followedthe trade of cooper until he came to this country in 1846. He first settledin Meredosia and then came into Cass county, where the family has sincemade their home. The father had brought a little money with him and wasable to buy forty acres of land. He became a farmer, which business wasentirely new to him. He was very industrious and had good judgment andall the family became well off. The father died there, after having increasedhis property to 264 acres. His wife survived him some years, and died whenpast four-score years. She was remarkable for being a very beautiful oldlady and a very consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Mr. Knight is one of a familyof six, of which all are still living. He is one of the wealthy and influentialmen of Beardstown, and is now living at the corner of Eleventh and Washingtonstreets, where he recently purchased a fine home, and has lived here eversince he retired from active life on his farm. He has been a successfulfarmer and stock-raiser in Hickory precinct. He was a progressive farmerand kept up with the times. His possessions amount to 520 acres, most ofit under the plow and supplied with the finest improvements. As he wasonly ten years of age when he reached Cass County, he is one of the oldestsettlers of the county.

Mr. Knight was married inBeardstown, to Emma Dunn of Cornwall, England, where she was reared. Shecame to Illinois with her brothers when yet a young girl and settled inCass county, where she and her brother John still reside. Mr. and Mrs.Knight have six children. Robert, who married Delia Thiveaght, daughterof a farmer of Monroe, Illinois; Minnie married Fayette Post, a railroadconductor on the Ohio & Mississippi, living in Beardstown; Myrtle marriedL. W. Berry, train dispatcher on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad;Albert and Eddie are at home, as is also the youngest, Clarence Lloyd.Mrs. Knight and some of the children are members of the Methodist EpiscopalChurch. Mr. Knight, since he became of age, has become a Democrat, andhis party elected him to the office of County Commissioner. He is a stronglocal worker for his party.

Biographical Review ofCass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois, Biographical Review PublishingCo., Chicago, 1892, pages 252-253.

Copyright1999-2000 Judi Gilker; all rights reserved. For personal useonly. Commercial use of the information contained in these pages is strictlyprohibited without prior permission. If copied, this copyright must appearwith the information.

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