This contains a transcription of the John B. Knight of Westmoreland, NH biography from Biographical Review Volume XXIII: Containing Life Sketches of Leading Citizens of Cheshire and Hillsboro Counties, New Hampshire, Biographical Review Publishing Company, Boston, 1897.
Pages 66-67
JOHN B. KNIGHT, a leading farmer in Westmoreland, was born in Putney, Vt., February 16, 1817, son of Artemus and Olive (Bowen) Knight. The grandfather, Samuel Knight, a farmer of Dummerston, Vt., had five children—Artemus, Samuel, Tama, Lucy, and Luke. Artemus Knight was born in Dummerston, but after his marriage he resided in Putney, and died there at the venerable age of ninety-two. He was a farmer. In politics he was a Whig, and he held the office of Selectman in the town for a time. His wife, Olive, died in 1825, leaving four children—Susanna, John B., Samuel, and Lavina. Samuel married Lucy Huntington, and died in Putney in 1816. Lavinia married Paton Chandler, of Saxton’s River, Vt.
Until twenty-five years of age John B. Knight assisted his father on the farm. Then he obtained a position on the Boston & Worcester Railroad, necessitating his departure from home. Afterward he spent nine years in the employ of this road and in that of the Old Colony. Upon his return home he took up a farm adjoining his early home, and cultivated it for six years. Removing then to Westmoreland, he bought the farm which he now occupies. This he has since enlarged, so that he now owns one hundred and twenty-five acres of well-cultivated land. For some years he made a specialty of sheep-raising, keeping about three hundred sheep. More recently he has devoted himself to general farming on a large scale, and by the closest application to his chosen vocation has become one of the most prosperous farmers of the county.
Mr. Knight married Minerva Fitz, daughter of Rufus Fitz. His children were: Olive, who died at the age of six years; Mary, who married Miron Ward; and Frank, who married Anna Atherton, of Chesterfield, a daughter of William Atherton, and has five children—Grace, Susie, John, William, and Robert. The father has latterly intrusted [sic] much of the care of the farm to his only son.
Mr. Knight is a man of quiet, unostentatious manners, with a liking for hard work. Giving all his attention and time to his farm, he has not been actively interested in politics.