Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 06.djvu/309

 KNOX

KNOX

Jtica, N.Y., in 1833. He removed to Knoxville, 111., in 1836, where he was a farmer and merchant. He was a delegate to the state constitutional con- vention of 1847 and a representative in the 33d and 34tii congresses, 18.j3-57. He gave to Yale college $r)0,00 and a like sum to Hamilton for a hall of history and to increase the endowment of the Maj'iiard-Kiiox cliair of political economy. He received the degree of LL.D. from Hamilton in 1802. He died in Knoxville. 111., Oct. 8, 1876. KNOX, James Hall Mason, educator, was boru in New York city. .June 10, 1824; son of the Rev. Dr. John and Eui)hemia Provost (Mason) Knox; and gramlson of Dr. Samuel and Rebekah (Hodge) Knox, of Adams county, Pa., and of the Rev. Dr. John M. and Ann (Lef- ferts) i\Iason, of New York cit}', and great- grandson of the Rev. Dr. John and Catha- rine (Van Wyck) Ma- son, of New York city. He was gradu- ated from Columbia college in 1841, and from the Theologi- cal Seminary of the Reformed Dutch

^--p ^ church, New Bruns-

Mzi 4/5W^^<?<- ^i«k, N.J., in 1845. He was ordained, Sept. 8, 1846, by the presbytery of Newton, and was pastor at German Valley, N.J., 1846- 51; of the Reformed Dutch church at Eas- ton, Pa., 1851-53; of the First Presbyterian church, Germanton, Pa., 1853-69, and Bristol, Pa., 1873-84. He was elected a trustee of Lafay- ette college, Easton, Pa., in 1865, and became president of the college as successor to President Cattell, in November, 1883, serving till 1890, in which year he resigned and became a minister- at-large. He was on the executive committee of the board of home missions for many years pre- vious to the reunion of the Presbyterian church in 1809. He was married, Sept. 17, 1846, to Louise, daughter of Burr and Jane (De For- est) Wakeman, of New York city. Mrs. Knox died, ilarch 7, 1863, and lie was married secondly Dec. 16, 1869, to Helen Ritchie, daughter of the Hon. Oswald and Cornelia Woodhull (Hart) Thompson, of Philadelphia, Pa. He received frjm Columbia college the degree of LL.D. in 1880. He died in Baltimore, Md., June 21, 1903.

KNOX, John, clergyman, was born near Get- tysburg, Pa., June 17. 1790; son of Dr. Samuel and Rebekah (Hodge) Knox. He entered the junior class of Dickinson college, and \vas grad- uated in 1811; was a student at the Theological

seminary of the Associate Reformed church in New York city, under Dr. John M. Ma.son, and was licensed to preach by the Associate Reformed presbytery of Philadelpliia, Pa., in 1815. He was installed a pastor of the Collegiate Reformed church in New York city, July 16. 1816; and be- caine senior minister in 1833, which position he held until his death. He was married. May 11, 1818, to Eupiiemia Provost, daughter of the Rev. Dr. John M. I\Iason. He took an active part in raising funds for the endowment of professor- ships in the Theological seminary in New Bruns- wick, N.J., and was prominently identified with the American Tract society, being chairman of its publishing and executive committees. He was president of the board of trustees of the Leake and Watts Orpiian asylum, a trustee of Columbia college, 1836-58, and president of the board; a trustee of the College of Phj'sicians and Surgeons, and of Rutgers college, which college he greatly assisted in a time of financial embar- rassment. He received the degree of S.T.D. from Washington college. Pa., in 1824. He died in New York city. Jan. 8, 1858.

KNOX, John Jay, financier, was born in Knox- boro, Oneida count}', N.Y., March 19, 1828; son of Gen. John Jay and Sarah (Curtiss) Knox. His father was a banker, brigadier-general in the state militia, presidential elector for Harrison and Tyler in 18- 40 and for Lin- coln and Ham- lin in 1860, trus- tee of Hamil- ton college, 1828-76, and founder of the village of Knoxboro. Oneida county. John Jay Knox, Jr.. was graduated at Hamilton college, N.Y., in 1849, and began his business career as a clerk in the bank at Vernon, N.Y., of which his father was president. He was subsequentl}', for brief periods, cashier of a bank at Norfolk, Va., and of one at Binghamton, N.Y. He conducted a private banking business at St. Paul. Minn., with his brother. Henry M. Knox, 1856-62, and in January. 1862. he wrote an article for HiinVs Merchants' Magazine, advocating the establisiiment of a national banking system, with the circulation guaranteed by the government. This article attracted the attention of Secretary Chase, and Mr. Knox was given a position in the U.S. treasury department, and his suggestion re- sulted in the national bank act, passed Fel). 25, 1863. He had charge of the mint and coinage correspondence in the treasury department. 1866- 73. and made an e.xamination of tiie U.S. branch mint at San Francisco, and his report was pub- lished in ly66. He sulisequently discovered in the office of the treasury of the U.S. mint at New