Knight Road, which runs alongside Wissahickon High School, is a well-know road in the Ambler area. But where did this name come from and who were the people associated with this last name?
Giles Knight, Jr.
The first Knight to arrive in the New World with William Penn was Giles Knight, Jr. (1653-1720). Giles was raised a Quaker in Gloucestershire, England. He married Mary English in England, and they rode on the ship with William Penn to settle in the New World. His wife's father purchased 500 acres of land in an area called Byberry, Philadelphia County. Her father gave one half to her brother Henry, and the other half to Giles.
Fun Fact #1: Giles's friends in England tried to persuade him and his wife to leave his first son Joseph behind, fearing he would get devoured by wild animals like wolves, bears, and panthers in Pennsylvania.
After Giles, his wife and his son Joseph arrived in Byberry, his family spent 6 weeks living in a cave, until he constructed a wigwam in which his family lived for several months. Eventually, he built a log house. Giles became a prosperous businessman. He owned a store selling dry goods, groceries, and other things in Byberry, now a section of upper Northeast Philadelphia.
Descendants of Daniel Knight
Daniel Knight (1697-1782) was born in Byberry near Poquessing Creek, and was the second-to-last son of Giles and Mary Knight. He married 3 times. The first was to Elizabeth Walker and they had 3 children, including his son Jonathan Knight (1722-1772). After Elizabeth died, he married Esther Walton, who subsequently died as well. Life in the New World was a hazardous time. Finally, he married Mary Wilson.
Dr. Alexander Knight (1786-1827) was born in Byberry to Dr. Samuel and Mary Knight. He was educated at Byberry School, which was run by Watson Atkinson and John Comly, where he studied Latin. Comly Road in Northeast Philadelphia is named for the family.
With an interest in science and medicine, he decided to pursue this career, and graduated at the University of Pennsylvania with honors. He had the support of Dr. John Otto, and maintained a friendship with until him until Otto's death.
Alexander went on a voyage to Lisbon and Canton where he established himself in the medical field without any sponsorship or fortune. But with perseverance and commitment to his career, he began to get noticed by others.
As a result, in 1814, he was appointed the Port Physician in Philadelphia, and served there for 13 years. He died with hemoptysis (coughing up blood).
Fun Fact #2: Alexander faced the yellow fever epidemic of 1793 while taking care of the poor. He contracted the disease afterwards.
The Arrival of George K. Knight
George Knorr Knight (1818-1903) was born on November 6 in Philadelphia to Dr. Alexander and Mary Knight. At the age of 8, he was left as an orphan. He first chose to follow his father's footsteps by becoming a doctor, but then decided to pursue a career in business by joining a business house in New York City. Unfortunately his health began to fall, and he decided to choose another career.
After his marriage to Sarah A. Arthur in 1846, he began to pursue farming, and purchased a tract of land in Germantown on Washington Lane. But in 1856, he found more opportunities when the North Pennsylvania Railroad was built, and purchased 45-50 acres of land in Ambler. In 1863, George purchased a lumber yard, general store, and coal business with 10 acres of land from Joseph L. Wilson. George remained as an agriculturalist throughout his life.
Fun Fact #3: "Mr. Knight was one of those, who with Benjamin P. Wertsner conceived the idea of establishing a national bank in Ambler and subscribed for a quantity of stock. After the organization he was made vice president serving for several years."
His daughters Elizabeth, Sarah "Sally", and Cordelia later became principals of the Sunnyside Academy, which was located on their father's property. The school was also used as a bank before the actual bank (First National Bank) was erected.
Read more about the Knight sisters and the Sunnyside School here!
George's son Alexander Knight (1846-????), meanwhile, had his own success. He was born on July 3 in Germantown where he attended school, and finished school in Ambler that also served as his family home, in 1856. He began his career in business in 1867 as a salesman with Phineas Hough, Jr. of the Carpet Store in Philadelphia. Alexander continued his career with Hough's successor, Thomas C. Lippincot. He stayed with the Carpet Store for 17 years.
He then moved on to Strawbridge & Clothier in Philadelphia where he worked in the carpet department for 12 years as a salesman. He was then promoted to "buyer and manager" in his department, and spent 15 years in that position. He retired in 1914 from the business.
He also served as Director the First National Bank of Ambler for 12 years.
Fun Fact #4: In 1903, he was appointed by Governor Samuel Pennypaker to serve on a commission to select a site to build a state institution for the feeble-minded of Eastern Pennsylvania. The institution was built in Spring City, Chester County, PA.
Bibliography
"Emmy Simon Postcard Collection." Wissahickon Valley Historical Society. Accessed November 8, 2021. https://www.wvalleyhs.org/emmy-simon-postcard-collection/.
"Giles Knight Jr." Find a Grave. Accessed February 8, 2021. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/60123558/giles-knight.
"Giles Knight, Jr." Geni. Accessed February 8. 2021. https://www.geni.com/people/Giles-Knight-Jr/6000000030434713481.
"Golden Wedding Celebrated." Ambler Gazette. October 23, 1924. http://digitalcollections.powerlibrary.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/wivp-gazett/id/12862/rec/5.
Hunsicker, Clifton Swenk. Montgomery County, Pennsylvania: A History, Volume 2. (New York; Chicago, Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc., 1923): 311-312.
Kenderdine, Thaddeus Stevens. The Kenderdines of America: Being a Genealogical and Historical Account of the Descendants of Thomas Kenderdine, of Montgomery Shire, Wales, who, Two Hundred Years Ago, Settled in Philadelphia County. (Doylestown: Doylestown Publishing Company, 1901): 53, 77, 164-165.
Martindale, Joseph C. A History of the Townships of Byberry and Moreland in Philadelphia, PA, From Their Earliest Settlement by the Whites to the Present Time. (Philadelphia: T. Ellwood Zell, 1867): 299-300, 310-315.
Mueller, A.H. Atlas of the North Penn Section of Montgomery County, Pa., Plate 26, 1916.
"Obituaries, Death Notices, and Funeral Notices - Ki-Kn." Montgomery County Pennsylvania Genealogy. Accessed February 17, 2021. http://www.montgomery.pa-roots.com/Obituaries/ObitsKi-Kn.html.
"Samuel Knight (1760 - 1796)." WikiTree. Accessed February 8, 2021. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Knight-17543.
Scott, J. D. Montgomery County 1877, Gwynedd, North Wales, Ambler, Royer's Ford, Limerick Station, 1877.
Scott, J.D. North Pennsylvania Railroad 1886 Philadelphia - Bucks - Montgomery Counties, Ambler, 1886.
Smith, J.L. Montgomery County 1893, Ambler Borough, 1893.
Swaim, William. Some Remarks Upon a Publication by the Philadelphia Medical Society Concerning Swaim's Panacea. (Philadelphia: Philadelphia Medical Society, 1828): 26.
Webster, James, Caleb B. Matthews, and Isaac Remington. The Medical Recorder of the Original Papers and Intelligence in Medicine and Surgery, Volume 12. (Philadelphia: James Webster, 1827): 462.
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