Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1905-04-14
JUDGE SAMUEL KNIGHT.
Interesting Sketch Of the Grandfather
Of the late Thomas J. Knight

Interesting Sketch Of the Grandfather
Of the late Thomas J. knight.
The death Of Thomas J. knight at
West Braitleboro recently removes
connecting link with one q the earliest
and most prominent inhabitants OF the
town. He was a son 81 John knight. who
Was son Of Samuel knight. one OF the
first settlers. Samuel knight was born
in woburn. Mass, Feb. 10 1870. old style.
which would be Feb. %. 1871. new style
He was married in KiIlingiy. Conn.
about 1857, and came TO Brattieboro in
1853. and settled where there is a cellar
remaining on an old road, through the
red gate. beyond the Kane Pine, on
the old road 10 Newfane. In the
Retreat grounds He was then
farmer. and had two children. Somehow.
he studied law. probably with Charles
Phelps. the first lawyer in Vermont, who
came to Marlboro. from Hadley in 1865.
and had a good library. Mr. knight was
admitted TO the bar Of the New York
courts in Cumberland county at West
minister in l772. He soon after bought
% acres and three square rods Of land OF
Esquire stephen Greenleaf. in the north
east corner OF what was called the Gov
ernor's farm, which covered large part
Of the present village Of Brattleboro The
and west about through the Wells foun-
tain on Main street He built a house
where DIT. Pratt's house stands on Main
street, and lived there At that time IL
was the only house between Esluh,e
GreenleaTs house, where the American
House stands, and the Major Arms place
where the Retreat farm is. and he was
the first lawyer OF Brattleboro. He was
the attorney for the Society for the Pro-
pagation Of the Gospel OF foreign parts
which was located in England. He was
naturally with those who favored the
! jurisdiction Of New York, and was quite
I familiar with Charles Phelps OF MARI
boro. who was a prominent New Yorker.
He, however, yielded To the Jurisdiction
! Of Vermont. and when Brattleboro chang
I ed its organization from a New York
| town 10 that OF a Vermont town in 1871.
/ he and Col John Sargant were elected
! representatives, TO the Vermont legisia-
/ ture. and he was the representative in
/ 1884, and 3. He was elected a judge
/ OF the Supreme Court Of Vermont in l7SS.
and continued until 1875, and a part Of
/ the time was chief judge.
In 1890 he sold his land and house 10
I John Welland Blake. a lawyer who was
I the father Of John r. Blake and George
/ Beatty Blake He then moved TO where d.
/ Stewart Pratt lives on Western avenue,
Z and built that house.
/ When Vermont was admitted TO the
! Union, and there came 10 be a United
/ States district judge, Matthew Lyon
| strongly favored his appointment. Mat
/ thew Lyon married the daughter Of Gov.
! Thomas Chittenden. and was himself a
| member OF Congress from Vermont, and
/ they eNerted strong influence in his
! favor but did not succeed. The reason
/ given against him was that the President
| would not appoint man over 90 years
| old, and who had not had a college edu-
| cation Samuel Hitchcock was appointed.
Judge Knight, after his retirement from
the supreme court, continued the pTac-
tice OF law in Brattleboro until the time
| OF his DEATH which occurred Monday
| July %, 1904. lat about sundown-" His
| daughter, Sabra Knight married. prob
ably, Peter Covel, and Samuel Betterly
| Of Dummerston married her daughter
Samuel c. Betteriy and James y. Better
~ Of iummerston are her descendants.
Thomas J. knight was an honest
worthy man, in his place; a good neigh
| Dor and friend His first wife was a
daughter OF Sybn (Fisher) Shepard a
| granddaughter OF Ebenezer Fisher
another Of the first settlers. mentioned
last week in connection with the death
OF George W. Fisher.