Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 06.djvu/302

 KXIGHT

KNIGHT

had been conveyed when the tract was the ex- treme outpost of the colony and the site of a fort built by the Duke of York to protect the settlers from the Indians and French Canadians. One of the conditions of the grant was that the mayor and council of Albany should be entertained at the mansion house at least once each year. Col. Johannes Knickerbacker was born at Schaghti- coke in 1749. and died there in 1827 ; was an of- ficer in the American army during the Revolu- tion ; served under General Gates at the battle of Saratoga, and after the war was a member of the New York assembly from Rensselaer county. Herman Knickerbocker studied law in the office of John V. Henry in Albany, and was admitted to the bar in 1803, practising in Albany. He came into possession of a part of the Schaghticoke tract, but as it did not include the homestead, he built a princely mansion and extended yearly hospitality to the mayor and council of tlie city of Troy, in a style to rival the yearly festivi- ties at the paternal mansion. He was popularly known as the " princ« of Schaghticoke," and his prodigality finally exhausted his fortune. He was a representative from New York in the 11th congress, 1809-11 ; a member of the state assembly from Rensselaer county, and also a county judge. He changed his political faith during Jackson's administration, and supported the Democratic party from that time. "While in congress he was visited by "Washington Irving, who, in the preface of " Knickerbocker's History of New York,"' had designated him '* my cousin, the congressman," and when they visited the "White House, Irving introduced him to the Presi- dent as " 3Iy cousin, Deidrich Knickerbocker, the great historian of New York." He died in "Wil- liamsburg. N.Y., Jan. 30. 1855.

KiNIQHT, Benjamin Bra>-ton, manufacturer, was born in Cranston, R.I., Oct. 3, 1813; son of Stephen and "Welthan (Brayton) Knight. "When twelve years old he was apprenticed for five years to a neighboring farmer, and while em- ployed in running a saw mill he sawed out the tub water wheel for the Natick mills, which was not replaced until the mills were remodelled by B. B. & R. Knight in 1884. In 1835 he engaged in the grocery business in Cranston, removing in 1838 to Providence. He engaged in the grain and flour trade in 1849, and in 1852 he purchased a half interest in the Pontiac mills bleachery, forming, with his brother Robert, the firm of B. B. & R. Knight. He afterward devoted his entire atten- tion to this business, and at the time of his death was the head of the largest cotton mill system in the world, including the business of fifteen dis- tinct mills, operating over 500,000 spindles and 15.000 looms. He was a member of the general assembly of the state in 1853 and 1873, serving as

chairman of the finance committee, and was a city alderman, 1865-67. He was married, in 1842, to Alice "W.. daughter of Elizur "W. Collins of Johnston, R.I. She died in 1850, and in 1851 Mr. Knight was married to Phebe A., daughter of Abel Slocum of Pawtiixet, R.I. He died in Providence. R.I.. June 4. 1S98.

KNIGHT, Cyrus Frederick, fourth bishop of Milwaukee and 149th in succession in the Ameri- can episcopate, was born in Marblehead. Mass., March 28, 1831. He attended school at Burling- ton, N.J., and was graduated at the General Theological seminary in 18-54. He received deacon's orders at Trinity church, New York city, July 2, lS->4, from Bishop "Wainwright, and was ordained a priest in St. Luke's, German- town, Pa., by Bishop Alonzo Potter, May 18, 1856. He was as- sistant at St. Luke's, Germantown, 18.54- 56 ; was abroad, 18- 56-57, during which time he studied at

Oxford university ; was rector of St. Mark's, Boston, Mass., 1857-67 ; was assistant and preach- er at the Church of the Advent, Boston, and rector of St. John's, Tallahassee, Fla., 1867- 70 ; was rector of the Church of the Incarnation, Hartford, Conn., 1870-77, and of St. James's, Lancaster. Pa., 1877-89. He served as a deputy to the general convention from each of the three dioceses in which he labored, and while in Hart- ford was made archdeacon. He was a member of the standing committee of the diocese of Cen- tral Pennsylvania, and represented the American church in two meetings of the triennial synod of the church in Canada. He was elected bishop of ililwaukee as successor to the Rt. Rev, E. R. "Welles, who died, Aug. 26. 1887 ; and he was consecrated in All Saints' cathedral, Mil- waukee, March 26, 1889, by Bishops McLaren. Perry, A. Burgess, Seymour, Walker and Gilbert. He received the honorary degree of D.D. from Bethany college, Kan., in 1880, and from Racine in 1890, and that of D.C.L. from the University of Bishop's College, Lennoxville, Quebec, in 1885. He is the author of : The Peace of Jerusalem ; a Plea for Unity; The Reptiles of Florida; Ser- mons, Addresses and Pastorals. He died in Mil- waukee, "Wis., June 8, 1891.

KNIGHT, Edward Collings, merchant, was born in Gloucester, N.J., Dec. 8, 1813 ; son of Jonathan and Rebecca (Collings) Knight, and a