Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1922-09-01

grandfather was Joel Knight, and his
parents We're Hon. Asa and Susan
(NIiler) Knight His father, Asa, was
merchant, served in the legislature sew
eral terms as Democrat. and from
1894 to 1896 was judge of probate for
the southern district.
John NJ. Knight was born in Dunn
merston Aug. %, 1886. lie 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 1912-a
period of 76 years. When the Progress
sives entered the political field in 1912
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 TO 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 as
petit jurors for 30 cents Il day" The
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
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 party
bound for the gold mines of Montana and
Idaho, equipped with OK teams and In
dian ponies and travelling through hostile
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
$500 Only two houses had been built
in what is now Helena, but Mr.. Knight
erected several there and engaged in
prospecting. The return trip to Des
Moines 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 Il
village Mr.. Knight Travelled by stage
| 100 miles to Des NIoines, where he en-
gagged in the drygoods and millinery bust
ness some % years.
On Sept t. 1873. Mr.. Knight mar.
ried Ellen Frances Rice, daughter of Dr.
| William B. Rice of Niagara Falls. n. Y
After leaving Des Mones they lived in
\. H., where their home, IIillcrest, was
burned in February, 1908. Soon after
wards they made the old Knight home
stead in Dummerston, Knightholm, THEN
home during the summers. spending the
winters with relatives. 4 sister of Mr.
Knight Miss Mary Esther Knight. who
was well-known Dummerston resident
of refined characteristics, died in the old
homestead in 1903 at the age of a
years, and other sisters and brothers
have since passed away.
Mrs. Knight died in the home of her
daughter, Mrs. LeFever in philadelphia
Sept. H. 1921. OF the four children
born to Mr. and Mrs. Knight three
daughters grew to maturity and two sur
vlve. Helen, who married Arnold Il
Waters of baltimore, Md, died nine
Years YEAR, ago; The two survivors are
Frances, wife of William Dette of New
York. who is now travelling in Europe
and Susan, wife of DR.. Charles w. lie
Fever of Philadelphia. There are five
grandchildren, Esther and Susan DettC
of New York and Arnold. John Knight
and Levin Waters of Baltimore.
The funeral of Mr. Knight was held
in the old home in Dummerston Aug. II
and the body was laid to rest beside that
of Mrs Knight in the family lot.