Person:Benjamin Knight (63)

LAND:BIOGRAPHY: His early life was spent helping his father Stephen Knight on the family farm, and his educational advantages were limited to occasional terms in the district schools, until he was eighteen years old,in 1831, at which time he entered the Spraque Print Works at Cranston Rhode Island, where he served as an operative for two yeas and then returned to farming for two years.

In 1835 he started his first business venture, by purchasing a small building near the Sprague Print Works and opening a general grocery store.

Five years later in 1840, he removed to Providence, and with Olney Winsor and L.E. Bowen, under the firm name of Winsor,Knight & Company, engaged in the wholesale and retail grocery business.

In 1842 he bought controlling interest in the company, and in 1847 his brother Jeremiah Knight became associated with him, under the style of B. B. Knight & Company.

In 1852 he sold a half interest in his company flour and grain business to his brother Robert Knight, and purchased a half interest in the Pontiac Mill and Bleachery, and established the firm of B. B. & R. Knight, the extended into the manufacturing and mercantile fields from this company.

The brothers at one time or another owned as many as 21 cotton mills, in nearly as many villages scattered over Rhode Island, with a total capacity of around 11000 looms and over four hundred thousand spindles.

They had stores located in New York City, at Worth St. and others in Boston,Massachusetts, Philadelphia, and Baltimore.

Brayton Knight also served a term as a state legislator and as a member of the City Goverment of Providence, R.I. He served as alderman from the sixth ward in 1865-66-67, was chairmen of the Finance Committee of the Aldermanic Board, and was twice elected to the General Assembly.

He was President of the Butcher's and Drover's Bank from 1853 until soon before his death.

This company was the founder of the Fruit of the Loom Trade Mark, in 1856, it was registered as a trade mark in the United States Patent Office in (#418) in 1871 one year after passage of the first trademark law by congress.

The record of Scituate's earliest mills indicate that saw mills and grist mill were among the first. Following is a timeline of some mills known to have existed; some for only a short time, some incorporated into the operations of another bigger mill, some still surviving today although not functioning in its original capacity, and finally some taken by the Reservoir. There are some conflicting accounts. Many mills passed through several hands. Records of these matters are incomplete at best.

1812 - Fiskeville Mill

Founder: Dr. Caleb Fiske Type: cotton Products: Structure: Location: Scituate along the Pawtuxet (mill and mill houses; however, most other buildings in Cranston) History: 1900 became idle 1900s purchased by B.B. &;R. Knight Company and became part of Jackson Mills

1823 - Jackson Mill

Founder: Charles Jackson (governor of RI, 1845-46) Type: cotton Products: Structure: Location: Pawtuxet History: 1880s - owned by Christopher Lippett &;Co and produced sheeting 1901 owned by B.B. and R. Knight Manufacturing. one of the smaller mill villages on the Pawtuxet 1926 - installed 120 hp engine ending dependence on water power with 50 broad looms and 50 workers 1929 - out of business 1938 - destroyed by fire

1887 Providence Directory Benjamin B. & Robert, Manufactures and Bleachers 3 Washington Row, house 345 Broad

The Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans: Volume VI K. Knight, Cyrus Frederick

KNGHT, Benjamin Brayton, manufacturer, was born in Cranston, R.I., Oct. 3, 1818; son of Stephen and Welthan (Brayton) Knight. When twelve years old he was apprenticed for five years to a neighboring farmer, and while employed in running a saw mill he sawed out the tub water wheel for the Natick mills, which was not replaced until the mills were remodelled by B. B. & R. Knight in 1884. In 1835 he engaged in the grocery business in Cranston, removing in 1838 to Providence. He engaged in the grain and flour trade in 1849, and in 1852 he purchased a half interest in the Pontiac mills bleachcry, forming, with his brother Robert, the firm of B. B. & R. Knightdd He afterward devoted his entire attention to this business, and at the time of his death was the head of the largest cotton mill system in the world, including the business of fifteen distinct mills, operating over 500,000 spindles and 15,000 looms. He was a member of the general assembly of the state in 1853 and 1873, serving as chairman of the finance committee, and was a city alderman, 1865-67. He was married, in 1842, to Alice W., daughter of Elizur W. Collins of Johnston, R.I. She died in 1850, and in 1851 Mr. Knight was married to Phebe A., daughter of Abel Slocum of Pawtuxet, R.I. He died in Providence, R.I., June 4, 1898.

Providence Rhode Island City Directory Page 273 -274 Knight, Benjamin B. & Robert, mfrs. and bleachers, 8 Washington row, house 345 Broad [South Main

A Short History of the Slocums, Slocumbs and Slocombs of America Charles Elihu Slocum, M.D., Ph. D. 1882 - Page 167/296

The Rhode Island Register for the year 1856. By George Adams Volume II - Providence Gladding & Brother; George H. Whitney 1856 Register County of Providence Sheldon Knight Justice of the Peace - Cranston Sheldon Knight City of Providence Robert Knight - Jabez C. Knight Westerly Jed W. Knight Rhode Island Militia A. E. Burnside, Major General of the Militia First Light Infantry Company, Providence Lieutenant Colonel, Sylvester R. Knight

Banks in Providence Atlantic Bank - 48 Broad Street. Robert Knight - Director

Bank of Commerce - 4 Market Square Jabez C. Knight - Director

Butchers' and Drovers' Bank - 25 Broad St. B. B. Knight - President - Director W. Knight - Cashier

High Street Bank - 154 High Street. Robert Knight - President - Director

Mount Vernon Bank - 37 Westminster Street Robert Knight - Director

Roger Williams Bank - 23 Market Square Jabez C. Knight - President - Director

Elmwood Bank. - Elmwood, Cranston Robert Knight - Director

Landholders' Bank, - Kingston, South Kingston David B. Knight - Director

Mechanics' Savings Bank. - 41 Westminster St., Providence Henry P. Knight - Director People's Savings Bank. - 4 Market Square, Providence Jabez C. Knight - Director

Insurance Companies

Fireman's Mutual Insurance Company 2 Market Square, Providence Benjamin B. Knight - Director

Merchants' Insurance Company 20 Market Square, Providence Jabez C. Knight - Director

Roger Williams Insurance Company 15 Market Square, Providence B. B. (Benjamin Brayton) Knight - Director

Butler Hospital Jabez C. Knight - Director

Cranston, Providence City Council (Probate) - Sheldon Knight

Foster, Providence City Council (Probate) - Olney Knight

Johnston, Providence City Council (Probate) - Charles Knight

Coventry, Blacksmith - Alfred W. Knight Scituate, Bobbin Makers - Robert Knight Foster, Carpenter - Ezra Knight West Greenwich, Carpenter - Nathan Knight West Greenwich, Carpenter - Olney Knight Coventry, Carriage & Coach Builders - Caleb Knight Lime Rock, Cooper - John Knight Scituate, Grist Mill - Richmond M. Knight Providence, Grocer (Retail) - William A. Knight Pawtucket, Millinery & Fancy Goods - Mrs. Henry Knight Scituate, Saw Mill - Richmond M. Knight Scituate, Saw Mill - Wm. W. Knight

History of Providence County, Rhode Island Edited by Richard M. Bayles Originally published in New York, 1891 Page 562

 The Butchers' and Drovers' Bank was incorporated in May, 1853, with a capital of $250,000, and located at 25 Broad Street. Its first directors were B. B. Knight - Alfred Anthony - Henry J. Burroughs - Welcome B. Sayles - Albert S. Gallup - Daniel Remington - Nathaniel A. Eddy - John Stokes - David S. Carr - J. S. Tourtellot and William O. Darling. The president of the bank during the whole period of its active existence, up to 1887, was Benjamin B. Knight, with the exeption of perhaps a year about 1858, when the office was filled by Henry J. Burroughs.

LAND: The Providence,Providence,Rhode Island City Tax, ordered by the city council June 1845, to be assessed at the rate of $.38 cents per $100.00 of ratable property. The following individual was rated as follows.

                                      Real.      Per.       Amt. Of  Tax

Benjamin B. Knight 25 9,50

The Providence,Providence,Rhode Island City Tax, ordered by the city council June 1845, to be assessed at the rate of $.38 cents per $100.00 of ratable property. The following individual was rated as follows.

                                                                                   Real.      Per.       Amt. Of  Tax

Benjamin B. Knight and Lorenzo E. Bowen 45 17,10

Bureau of Land Management - General Land Office Records Land Patent Details Names Patentee: Benjamin B. Knight Survey State: Michigan Acres: 80 Metes/Bounds: No Title Transfer Issue Date: 3 May 1837 Land Office: Detroit Cancelled: No U.S. Reservations: No Mineral Reservations: No Authority: April 24, 1820: Sale-Cash Entry (3 Stat. 566) Document Numbers Document Nr.: 18448 Accession/Serial Nr.: MI0670_.427 BLM Serial Nr.: MI NO S.N E½NW 21/ 5-N 10-E No Michigan-Toledo Strip MI Oakland

Bureau of Land Management - General Land Office Records Land Patent Details Names Patentee: Benjamin B. Knight Survey State: Michigan Acres: 160 Metes/Bounds: No Title Transfer Issue Date: 8 May 1837 Land Office: Detroit Cancelled: No U.S. Reservations: No Mineral Reservations: No Authority: April 24, 1820: Sale-Cash Entry (3 Stat. 566) Document Numbers Document Nr.: 21362 Accession/Serial Nr.: MI0730_.308 BLM Serial Nr.: MI NO S/N E½SE 9/ 5-N 9-E No Michigan-Toledo Strip MI Oakland SWSE 9/ 5-N 9-E No Michigan-Toledo Strip MI Oakland SWSW 10/ 5-N 9-E No Michigan-Toledo Strip MI Oakland

Bureau of Land Management - General Land Office Records Land Patent Details Names Patentee: Benjamin B. Knight Survey State: Michigan Acres: 80 Metes/Bounds: No Title Transfer Issue Date: 8 August 1837 Land Office: Detroit Cancelled: No U.S. Reservations: No Mineral Reservations: No Authority: April 24, 1820: Sale-Cash Entry (3 Stat. 566) Document Numbers Document Nr.: 23234 Accession/Serial Nr.: MI0770_.172 BLM Serial Nr.: MI NO S/N E½SE 26/ 6-N 10-E No Michigan-Toledo Strip MI Lapeer

MARRIAGE: Rhode Island Marriages, 1636-1930 Spouse 1: Phebe A. Slocum Spouse 2: Brayton B. Knight Marriage Date: 03 Dec 1851 Source Information: Ancestry.com. Rhode Island Marriages, 1636-1930 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2000.

BURIAL: The Providence,Providence,Rhode Island City Tax, ordered by the city council for the year 1872. The following individual was rated as follows.

                                                      Real.      Per.       Amt. Of  Tax

Benjamin B. Knight 86300 1165.65

CENSUS: 1850 United States Federal Census Name: Brayton B Knight Age: 36 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1814 Birth Place: Rhode Island Gender: Male Home in 1850(City,County,State): Providence Ward 6, Providence, Rhode Island Source Citation: Year: 1850; Census Place: Providence Ward 6, Providence, Rhode Island; Roll: M432_845; Page: 457; Image: 471. (His brother Dexter Knight and Sister Anna Knight are living with him.)

1860 United States Federal Census Name: Benjamin B Knight Age in 1860: 45 Birth Year: abt 1815 Birthplace: Rhode Island Home in 1860: Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts Gender: Male Post Office: Attleboro Household Members: Name Age Benjamin B Knight 45 Phebe A Knight 39 Mary W Knight 15 Walter B Knight 11 Alice S Knight 6 Henry E Knight 4 Ada M Knight 1 Margaret Mc Intosh 41 Hepsibeth Shackley 39 Catherine Levet 18 Phebe Slacum 73 Source Citation: Year: 1860; Census Place: Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts; Roll: M653_491; Page: 445; Image: 447.

1870 United States Federal Census Name: Brayton B Knight Estimated Birth Year: abt 1814 Age in 1870: 56 Birthplace: Rhode Island Home in 1870: Providence Ward 6, Providence, Rhode Island Race: White Gender: Male Post Office: Providence Source Citation: Year: 1870; Census Place: Providence Ward 6, Providence, Rhode Island; Roll: M593_1479; Page: 108; Image: 216.

1880 United States Federal Census Name: Benjamin B. Knight Home in 1880: Providence, Providence, Rhode Island Age: 66 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1814 Birthplace: Rhode Island Relation to Head of Household: Self (Head) Spouse's Name: Phebe A. Father's birthplace: Rhode Island Mother's birthplace: Rhode Island Occupation: Cotton Manufacterer Marital Status: Married Race: White Gender: Male Household Members: Name Age Benjamin B. Knight 66 Phebe A. Knight 57 Adelaide M. Knight 21 Howard O. Sturgis 34 Alice K. Sturgis 26 Walter K. Sturgis 3 Rush Sturgis 9M Margaret Coyle 34 Mary Colohan 36 Bridget Carty 35 Bella McGuire 29 Source Citation: Year: 1880; Census Place: Providence, Providence, Rhode Island; Roll: T9_1212; Family History Film: 1255212; Page: 469.1000; Enumeration District: 29; .

MEDIA: J0002 - Benjamin Brayton Knight