The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-08-30

grandfather was Joel Knight, and his
parents were Hon. Asa and Susan
NIiIIer) Knight His father, Asa, was a
merchant. served in the legislature sew
eral terms as Democrat, and from
1884 to 1886 was judge of probate for
the southern district.
John NJ. Knight was born in Dunn
merston Aug. 2S, 1886. He was the last
survivor of the family. in which there
were seven children. The year in which
he was born was the last year in which
his father served in the legislature and
no other Democrat WAS sent from Dunn
merston to the general assembly until
John NJ. Knight was elected IN 19I2-a
period of as years. When the Progress
siyes entered the political field in 1872
the dsaffected Republicans supported
and helped elect the Democratic candi-
date. Mr. Knight said he never would
would have accepted the Democratic
nomination had he supposed he would
be elected, but having been elected he
closed his home in Dummerston and went
to Montpelier, where he remained until
the end of the session, not returning for
Sundays. holidays or for any other rea-
, son, preferring 10 be "A representative
on the job all the time In his early
days he had been held up by Indians and
robbed by road agents, but he told the
members of the house OF representatives
that the greatest hOldup was performed
in Vermont, where busy men are
dragged from their business TO serve MS
petit jurors for 30 cents "A day." The
speech sent the bill for more pay through
the house, but it did not pass the senate.
BESIDES serving in the legislature Mr..
Knight had served as justice of the
peace, town auditor and petit juryman.
When he was II years old Mr.. Knight
entered his fathers store. Later he sold
goods in Brattleboro 10 years. A few
years later, in 1863. he went to DeS
MoineS. Ia where later he and his
brother, the late Randolph A. Knight of
Dummerston, were in the drygoods and
millinery business, having the largest es-
adjustment of its kind at that time in
central Iowa.
In May 1864, the year after he went
west, John NJ Knight joined a party
bound for the gold mines of Montana and
Idaho, equipped with OK teams and In
dian ponies and travelling through hostile
Sioux Indian country. While travelling
by stage from Virginia City to Last
Chance Gulch, now the city of Helena,
Mr.. Knight and others were held up by
robbers and Mr.. knight was relieved of
5000. Only two houses had been built
IL what is now Helena, but Mr.. Knight
erected several there and engaged in
prospecting. The return trip to Des
Aloines was begun by wagon train from
Salt Lake City, and on the trip the party
was attacked by Sioux Indians, one man
being killed and two wounded and some
stock being lost. From Denver. then
village, Mr. Knight travelled by stage
80 miles to Des AIoines, where he en-
gagged in the drygoods and millinery bust
ness some p years.
On Sept. 4, 1873, Mr.. Knight mar
ried Ellen Frances Rice, daughter of DR.
William b. Rice of Niagara Falls, n y
After leaving Des Moines they lived in
lockport. y. y, and later in Contoocook,
y. H., where their home. Hilcrest, was
burned in February, 1908 Soon after
wards they made the old Knight home
stead in Dummerston, Knightholm. their
home during the summers, spending the
winters with relatives. \ sister of Mr.
knight. Miss Mary Esther Knight, who
was well-knOwn Dummerst0n resident
of refined characteristics. died in the old
homestead in 1903 at the age of II
years, and other sisters and brothers
have since passed away.
Mrs. knight died in the home of her
daughter Mrs. LeFever, in Philadelphia