Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1892, volume 3).djvu/601

Rh ferred to Warren, Mass. He began to produce woollen goods in 1853, but in 1859 disposed of his interests. He thenceforth devoted his attention chiefly to the development of his inventions. The manufacture of his patent safety steam-boiler feeder was then begun, and in 1858 he began to construct his patent steam-pump. Soon afterward he procured patents for steam pumping-engines, an automatic boiler-feeder, and a fancy loom for producing all kinds of narrow textile fabrics. In 1860 he disposed of one half of the steam-pump business, and since that time, with gradual increase of plant, the Knowles pump-works have become the most extensive of their kind in the United States, but ultimately were disposed of to the George F. Blake manufacturing company of Boston. In 1861 he began the manufacture of the tape-bind- ing loom under the different patents that had been secured by him in preceding years, and under his management this business grew very rapidly. Mr. Knowles was elected a member of the Massachusetts legislature in 1862 and 1865, of the senate in 1869, and received the degree of A. M. from Williams in 1865.

KNOWLTON, Helen Mary, artist, b. in Little- ton, Mass., 16 Aug., 1832. She was a pupil of William M. Hunt, and opened a studio in Boston in 1867. She has exhibited charcoal sketches or landscapes and portraits in oil, in Boston, Phila- delphia, New York, and London, taught art stu- dents in the town and country, and written much on art. Some of her most effective work is in charcoal. She has published the " Talks on Art " of William M. Hunt, which she prepared from notes that she had taken while under his instruc- tion (Boston, 1879), and " Hints to Pupils in Draw- ing and Painting," relating chiefly to charcoal- drawing, with illustrations from drawings by Will- iam M. Hunt (1879). KNOWLTON, Miles Justin, missionary, b. in West Wardsborough, Yt.. 8 Feb., 1825 ; d. in Ning- po, China, 10 Sept., 1874. He was educated at Madison university, HamUton. N. Y., and studied theology at the Hamilton seminary, where he was graduated in 1853. After receiving ordination as a Baptist minister in his native town on 8 Oct., 1853, he sailed as a missionary with his wife for Xingpo, arriving there in June, 1854. In 1860 he published in Chinese a manual for native preachers, called "Scripture Catechism." He taught a theological class, besides conducting the mission church at Dinghai and two out-stations on the island of Chusan. Several other churches were founded and visited regularly by him during his stay in China. In 1862 he returned to the United States for the restoration of his health, but at the end of eighteen months resumed his missionary labors. In 1869 he made a journey to Pekin and Manchuria, and in 1870 one up the Yangtse Kiang, both of which he described in the " Baptist Missionary Magazine." He received the degree of D. D. from Madison uni- versity in 1871. In 1871, while on a visit to the United States, he wrote a prize essay on '* China as a Mission Field," and delivered before the faculties and students of theological seminaries a series of lectures that were published under the title of " The Foreign Missionarv, his Field, and his Work " (Philadelphia, 1872).

KNOWLTON, Miner, soldier, b. in Connecticut in 1804 ; d. in Burlington. X. J., 25 Dec, 1870. He was graduated at the U. S. military academy in 1829, and commissioned a lieutenant in the 1st ar- tillery, to which regiment he was attached till he was retired, rising to the grade of captain in 1846. In 1830-'7 he served as assistant professor of mathematics at the military academy, in 1833-'7 as assistant teacher of French, and in 1837-44 as instructor of artillery and cavalry. As a member of the artillery board he aided in the compilation of the '* Instructions for Field Artillery " that were adopted, 6 March, 1845, for the service of the United States. With a view of studying foreign military science, he went to Algeria in 1845, and served on the staff of Marshal Bugeaud. He was at Corpus Christi during the military occupation of Texas, and in the war with Mexico in mustering volunteers into service on the Rio Grande, and in the recruiting service and on engineer duty. He was on leave of absence from September, 1849, till 1861, when he was retired from active service for disability resulting from disease and exposure in the line of duty. Capt. Knowlton was the author of " Notes on Gunpowder, Cannon, and Projectiles" (1840) ; and the compiler of " Instructions and Regulations for the Militia and Volunteers of the United States " (1861).

KNOWLTON, Paul Howard, Canadian states- man, b. in Newfane, Windham co., Vt., 12 Sept., 1787; d. in Knowlton, Brome co., Canada East, 28 Aug., 1863. He was appointed a member of the special council by Sir John Colborne, and in 1841, on the union of the provinces, was called by royal mandamus to the legislative council. He was for upward of thirty-five years engaged in political life. He had been mayor of Knowlton, which town was named after him.

KNOWLTON, Thomas, soldier, b. in West Box- ford, Mass., 30 Nov., 1740 ; killed at the battle of Harlem Plains, N. Y., 16 Sept., 1776. He served during six campaigns in the French war, and took part in the capture of Havana in 1762. Returning after the war to Ashford, Conn., where his father had settled in early life, he followed farming until the beginning of the Revolutionary war. lie was unanimously elected captain of a company of mi- litia that was raised in Ashford after the battle of Lexington, and with 200 Connecticut men that were spared from Gen. Artemas Ward's command he was ordered to Charlestown with Col. William Prescott. His force, consisting of farmers, without uniforms, and armed for the most part with shot- guns, was sent by Col. Prescott to oppose the ad- vancing British grenadiers, and took its post on the side of Breed's hill, where the British were landing, behind a rail fence, which was converted into a very effective breastwork by throwing up a parallel fence and filling the space between with new-mown grass. There they held their ground gallantly until the retreat. Knowlton was soon afterward promoted major, and on 8 Jan., 1776, made a daring and successful incursion into Charlestown. He commanded a regiment of light infantry that formed the advance-guard of the army at New York in 1776. and was afterward commissioned lieutenant-colonel of a regiment of rangers selected from the Connecticut troops. While reconnoitring the enemy's position near Bloomingdale on the morning of the battle of Har- lem Heights, he was attacked by Highlanders and Hessians. Gen. Washington sent Maj. Leitch to his aid, with orders to fall on the enemy's rear, while a feint in front engaged their attention. Knowlton's rangers and the Yirginians attacked the British on the flank instead of in the rear, and both officers were killed in front of their men. Knowlton's loss was lamented by Washington, who mentioned him in his general orders as a soldier who " would have been an honor to any country."

KNOX, Henry, soldier, b. in Boston, Mass., 25 Julv, 1750; d. in Thomaston, Me., 25 Oct., 1806.