Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

portant gifts and loans, but he labored zealously
and successfully to secure the same from others.
In 1916, he was appointed General Curator and
from that time he devoted himself untiringly to
the work of his office, and he discharged its
responsibilities and duties with a faithfulness
which is beyond all praise.
His remarkable attainments as a student and
collector of Early American Pottery were recog-
nized by all of the leading Museum authorities
throughout the country, and he had been invited
to lecture on this topic during the coming winter,
before the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
On the personal side, his death has brought
grief to all of his associates, and we sorrow most
of all, that we shall see his face here no more.
Resolved, That this Minute be entered on the
records of the Atheneum, and that a copy be
transmitted to his family with the assurance of
the sincerest sympathy of the Trustees of Wadsworth
Atheneum in their great bereavement.
McKNIGHT, Everett James, M. D.,
Physician, Public Official.
The name of McKnight has come down
to us from early Scottish times, when it
appeared in various forms according to
the taste of those who wrote the rules
which governed spelling in that day being
extremely lax.
The first of the name to come to this
country was John McKnight, who was
born in Scotland in 1712, and settled in
Hartford, Connecticut, about 1738. He
was at that time twenty-six years of age.
Sometime after living in Hartford he went
to New Haven, where he remained for a
term of years, but finally returned to
Hartford in 1748 and established himself
in a successful mercantile business, becoming
later the postmaster of Hartford.
He prospered greatly in his business until
the Revolutionary period, which saw
the complete collapse of his business and
the loss of his fortune. The bitterness of
this blow was increased by the fact that
he loaned a large proportion of his wealth
to his country, which he was never able
to regain. His declining years were spent
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
on a small farm in the northwestern part
of what is now the town of Ellington.
Here hardship and privation were, in the
main, his lot until his death on March
16, 1785. He married Jerusha Crane,
whom he met on a trip in one of his own
ships, the voyage being made to pur-
chase a cargo of goods for sale in the
colonies. His wife was born about 1724,
and died September 5, 1783. A son was
born to them on June 18, 1759, and died
November 12, 1837, little being known
of his career beyond the fact that he suc-
ceeded his father as a farmer on their
land in Ellington, and married Charity
Abbe, who died in 1798.
Their son, Horace McKnight, grand-
father of Dr. McKnight, continued his
father's occupation and conducted as
well two taverns, one in Ellington and
the other in Enfield. He was also a
great student and teacher, and held many
minor political offices in the community.
Among them we may mention that of
school visitor, justice of the peace and
town representative in the General
Assembly. Besides these activities he
was an active member of the Congregational
church in Ellington. He was born
on October 23, 1790, and died December
27, 1856. He was married on January 26,
1817, to Asenath Kimball, who was born
September 27, 1795, and died January 17,
1857, a daughter of Daniel and Merriam
(Allworth) Kimball. Her family traces
their descent to one Thomas Kimball,
who was born in the County of Suffolk,
England, in 1733, and brought by his par-
ents to the colonies when but a year old.
The father of Dr. McKnight, James
Dixon McKnight, was born in Enfield,
Connecticut, on August 9, 1826. He mar-
ried, October 10, 1850, Mary Fidelia
Thompson, who was born on May 26,
1827, a daughter of John and Anne (Ellsworth)
Thompson. Her maternal grand-