The biography of John Pierce McKnight, from the "Twentieth Century History of Altoona and Blair County,
Pennsylvania, and Representative Citizens"; 1911, by Jesse C. Sell pages 484 and 485.  The biography states that his father, Robert McKnight, married Mary McIlwain, who was was the daughter of an Ake who later married Britton Pierce.
 

"JOHN PIERCE McKNIGHT, who resides on a farm of 60 acres in Antis Township, has been a life-long resident of Blair County, Pa. He was born March 24, 1843, in the vicinity of Elizabeth Furnace, and is a son of Robert and Mary (McIlwain) McKnight.

     John P. McKnight, the grandfather, after whom our subject was named, was born within what was then ten miles of Philadelphia, and doubtless the Philadelphia proper of today, and was the son of a publisher, who came from the north of Ireland.  The family is of Scotch-Irish ancestry and located in this country at a very early period. John P. McKnight was a very prominent man and located in Huntingdon County, where he was agent for the Richard Neve Land Company of Philadelphia. His name appears on many of the deeds in this county, they having been made out to him, and transferred from him to the purchasers. He was the owner of much land himself in Huntingdon, Bedford, and Indiana Counties. He died about 1806 at the age of 33 years and was buried at Manor Hill, Huntingdon County. He married a Miss Adams, and they had the
following children: Robert, father of our subject; Jane (Crane), who was a resident of Bedford County some years but died in Blair County, Pa.; Margaret, who was the wife of David Bell; and Eliza, who was the wife of Martin Bell.

     Robert McKnight was born January 4, 1803, on a large farm up Shaffers Creek in Huntingdon County, Pa., and after his father's death, which occurred about three years later, his mother located in the borough of Huntingdon, where he was reared. He was 12 years old, when with his mother he went on horseback to Tennessee, a distance of more than 500 miles. They went to see a cousin of hers named Patton and remained all winter, Robert attending school there during their stay. After their return home he wrote a letter back to where they had visited, and for nearly 45 years received no reply. Then unexpectedly a letter came from a son of the recipient of the letter in 1859, with due apology. It was the beginning of an interesting correspondence relating largely to ante-bellum conditions. Robert McKnight was an exceptional student for that day, a fine penman and a mathematician. He with his mother and three sisters later located on a farm of 175 acres in the vicinity of Elizabeth Furnace, and resided there until his death, December 27, 1860.

    He married Mary McIlwain, who was born February 14, 1813, near the big spring at Williamsburg, Blair County, Pa. Her father died young, and her mother, who in maiden life was an Ake, later married Britton Pierce, an old soldier of the War of 1812, and at the time of her death was living in Bedford County, Pa. Robert and Mary McKnight had the following children: Eliza, widow of John A. Sprankle; Margaret, widow of Allen McCartney of Altoona; Ellen, deceased, who was the wife of Maj. George H. Gwin of Altoona; Anna and Sarah, both of whom died of scarlet fever; John P., subject of this record; William, who lives in Huntingdon County; Blair, who lives in Allegheny Township; Robert, of Altoona; Wilson, of Altoona; Reuben, deceased, who resided in Altoona and was about 24 years old at the time of his death; and Mary, who is the wife of Oscar Nelson, of Altoona. Mrs. McKnight died February 26, 1904, aged 91 years and was buried in Fairview Cemetery at Altoona. She was for years a member of the Baptist Church of Logan Valley, and Robert McKnight attended the various churches of the neighborhood, but was a member of none. The grandfather of our subject was a member of the Church of England. Robert, who was politically a Whig, served as justice of the peace during his entire active life, and held some office after coming here. He was many years auditor, and because of his excellent handwriting made a most efficient one. He served also as school director, and in all minor offices, except that of constable.

    John P. McKnight was reared at the old home at Sabbath Rest and attended the local schools of that locality, and after the war, in 1865 and 1866 attended the academy at Martinsburg. He was a boy when the war was in progress, and had given his father a promise not to enlist until of age. He served in Company E, 104th Pa. Vol. Inf., enlisting for one year or during the remainder of the war, and he served until its close. His company was stationed at Richmond and Petersburg, being at the latter place when Lee surrendered, and after the war, they policed Norfolk for some time. He was discharged at Philadelphia August 28, 1865. He then completed his education at the Martinsburg Academy, and for one winter was engaged in carpentering.  In 1867 he went west prospecting, but worked for a while in Illinois, in September of that same year returning to the home place. His family owned property and he built in Altoona and farmed at the same time, and after his marriage located on his wife's property, which is situated in the city of Altoona, and consists of one lot and house. They resided here nine years, and during this entire time he held some township office. About 1884 he located on his present place, which then consisted of two acres and a blacksmith shop. It was humorously referred to as "Crider's Forge," the blacksmith shop and a log house having been built by Jacob Crider. Mr. McKnight has remodeled the house, and now has sixty acres of farm land, which he bought from David Smith.

     Mr. McKnight was married June 23, 1874, to Grace Matilda Hagerty, who was born in Logan Township, near the limits of Altoona, and is a daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth Reed (McGlathery) Hagerty. They have three children living and one deceased, namely: Mary E., living at home; Grace, who died aged four years; John Roy McKnight, M. D., an army surgeon who attended the local schools of the county, Bucknell University, and Jefferson Medical College, and is now completing an eight months' government course in
Washington, D. C.; and Abram Garfield. The last mentioned, who has charge of tests on gasoline engines for the Fairbanks-Morse Company, attended the local schools and is now taking a night course - the Dominion Commercial Course - at the Toronto University at Toronto, Canada. He is an expert machinist and served a four years' apprenticeship at Bellwood, then went to Beloit, Wis., and entered the employ of the Fairbanks-Morse Company, and when that firm began manufacturing in Toronto, was placed in charge of the tests there.

     Mr. McKnight and family are members of the Baptist church, of which he is also one of the board of deacons. He is politically a Republican, and has filled ail of the local offices except that of constable. He was for many years a school director and did much for the cause of education, studying the conditions and requirements of the schools. He is an avidious reader and an intelligent and well informed man. Mr. McKnight is fraternally a member of the Patrons of Husbandry, Grange No. 664 of Bellwood. He was formerly an Odd Fellow, and also belonged to Sanford Beyer Post, G. A. R., No. 426, of Bellwood."
 

This web page is authored by Scott Duncan.  All information listed without a reference should be verified.

 

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