The ancestry of Mr. Knight remotely, were of Irish and Scotch extraction. His parents, however, were of that stalwart Pennsylvania stock which furnished so many of the early settlers of Indiana when strong men were required to change her ancient woodlands to productive farms and happy homes. The subject of this biography was born in Miami County, Ohio, December 14, 1823. While yet a lad, his parents, John and Abigail Knight, moved to Carroll County and purchased the farm yet owned by Mr. Knight, east of the fair grounds, reaching their future home November 17, 1828. There was an abundance of hard to be done in developing the farm, and to this end he bent his youthful energy. His father died in December, 1837, at the age of fifty-eight, and the responsibilities of managing the farm rested then upon his shoulders. He was equal to all emergencies, however, and rapidly the forest gave way to fields of ripening grain. Mr. Knight continued to farm until in the year 1866, when he purchased the hotel property in Delphi and has continued the hotel business to the present time. He has in all these years been one of the foremost men of the city and country in affairs of public moment. He was for six years a member of the City Council and , while occupying this official relation to the city, he did a great work in behalf of he improvement of the streets and the enlargement of the city limits. He was the Chairman of the Special Committee of Annexation of Territory to the City, and while in this most delicate and highly responsible position, he pursued the line of duty without fear, favor or partiality. He was a stanch friend to the great enterprises of building the Chicago & Indianapolis Air Line Railway, and in the dark days of the enterprises, he in common with a few other of our citizens, gave it a material aid, which added new life and vigor, and rescued it from impending defeat and ruin. Mr. Knight is a man of strong impulses, and very positive in his likes and dislikes, In 1855, he conceived a favorable opinion of Odd Fellowship and on July 15 of that year, he united with Delphi Lodge No. 28. He rapidly passed the graduations of the order, and June 27, 1859, he was elected Noble Grand. In November of the year following, he was admitted to membership in Carroll Encampment, No. 22. He pursued the work in this branch with a zeal equal to that manifested in the subordinate lodge, and in rapid succession he filled the various official stations requisite, and was admitted to the Grand Encampment in the State grand bodies. He is an enthusiastic member of Adina Lodge, No. 79, D of R. When Delphi Lodge No. 28, determined to build the new hall which adorns another page of this work, he was appointed to a position on the Building Committee. In this work he engaged with much enthusiasm, and his watchful interest saved the order no small sum of money.

County Coordinator: Suzy Sprague suzyq.wa@worldnet.att.net