Mary and Asa's first two children died in early childhood. In 1878, Asa died quite unexpectedly and prematurely. Mary's letters from this period recount her struggle to manage the farm and raise her two living children alone. The Knight Family Papers contain personal family papers dating from 1849 through 1940. The bulk of material dates from 1860-1900.
Personal letters are the most common type of document found.
Also included are diaries, journals, business papers, photographs, and a few artifacts. Additionally, there is a small amount of miscellaneous publications, flyers, and other kinds of documents from sources outside of the family. There are also a few flat oversize items. The approximate volume of the collection is 21 cubic feet. The Knight Family Papers were donated to The University of Akron in 1986 by Lovina May Knight , who is Charles Mellen Knight's granddaughter.