Person:Cyrenius Knight (3)

MILITARY: 1st Michigan Sharpshooters COMPANY D OFFICERS 2nd Lieutenant Knight, Cyrenus B. Newton 38

American Civil War Soldiers July 25, 2005 11:06 AM

Name: Cyrenius B Knight , Residence: Newton, Michigan Enlistment Date: 10 November 1862 Distinguished Service: DISTINGUISHED SERVICE Side Served: Union State Served: Michigan Death Date: 26 December 1900 Unit Numbers: 1134 1134 Service Record: Enlisted as a Lieutenant 2nd Class on 10 November 1862 at the age of 38 Commission in Company D, 1st SS Regiment Michigan on 16 April 1863. Wounded on 08 June 1864 at Cold Harbor, VA Promoted to Full Lieutenant 1st Class on 01 August 1864 Discharged Company D, 1st SS Regiment Michigan on 22 October 1864

These Men Have Seen Hard Service The First Michigan Sharpshooters By Raymond J. Herek Published 1998 Wayne State University Press Page 54 The Sharpshooters kept squads on every road into Vernon and a few of them even saw some action against the enemy. At 4:00 in the morning-about the same time Morgan's telegrapher bade everone a good night-2nd Lt. Cyrenius B. Knight and his squad of Pickets fired at a group of horseman approaching them. At the sound of the shooting, the rebels hurried off. At daylight the body of “a young fellow-a mere boy” was found on the road. As the Sharpshootes moved out, most of them stared at the first casuality they had caused in this war.

Official Army Register of the Volunteer Force of the United States Army For the Years 1861, '62, '63, '64, '65. Part IV Michigan Page 287 Michigan Infantry First Regiment Sharpshooters Discharged Second Lieut. Cyrenius B. Knight, October 22, 1864

BIOGRAPHY: Jacob and Margarette (Brown) Miller And Their Descendants Who Came to Michigan Compiled by Wilma Miller 1972 - Page 20 Cyrenius B. Knight died at Los Angeles, Calif., Dec. 26, 1900. The subject of this sketch was born in Goshen, Litchfield Co., Conn., March 10, 1824. He was the son of Benjamin and Sally (Osborn) Knight and the eldest of a family of eight children. When but a young boy he came with his parents to Michigan. He was married in Leroy, Nov. 26, 1851, to Maria M. Drake. Two children were born to them, both dying in childhood. Leaving his family and farm he enlisted in Battle Creek, in Co. D, 1st Michigan Sharpshooters. As a private, he was faithful and loyal to his country's service, ever firm in convictions of truth and right, following the stars and stripes bearing the hardships and toil incidental to a soldier's life without a word of complaint. He was promoted to 2nd lieutenant, April 16th, 1863, and to 1st lieutenant, April 1st, 1864. He was wounded in battle at Cold Harbor, which rendered him unable for service. He was promoted to a captainship and honorably discharged for disability, coming back to his farm, where he remained for a few years, then moving to Marshall and from there to Union City, in which place he has lived for the past 23 years, with the exception of 12 summers spend in Dakota, where he tilled the soil, and the wild and barren waste was, by his labor, made to blossom like the rose, and from his broad and fertile fields, he gathered the golden grain to enrich his store. Becoming weary with the toil of farming, he disposed of his interest in the west to retire from the more active duties of life, returning to his home in Union City where he has since remained.

He was a member of the Congregational church, and for many years a member of the Masonic fraternity, attaining to the higher degree of Masonry. He was a member of Union Chapter, 193, Order Eastern Star, also member of the G.A.R. He was a kind, obliging neighbor, a good citizen. The needy and destitute found in him a friend. No worthy one was turned from his door.

A good man has fallen; he will be missed in the church, on the street, in the social circle; in the lodge and chapter there will be a vacant chair. But most of all he will be missed in the home of the devoted wife who has shared his joys and sorrows for nearly 50 years. He has cared for her so kindly, so gently, and so lovingly all these years, and that she might regain health and strength, they left their home and journeyed westward to the land of sunshine, fruit and flowers, when suddenly, in the home of his friend, Edgar Doty, he passed away surrounded by friends, with the best of medical care, and all that willing hands and loving hearts could do was of no avail, the lamp of life burned low, and flickering, went out. The Master said "your work is done, come up higher," so like a faithful solider he obeyed as bravely as he did on the battlefield. He has gone from us, yet him best, loved him most. The sympathy of this entire community go out to the grief-stricken wife and aged only sister in their deep affliction.

CENSUS: 1850 United States Federal Census Name: Cyrenus Knight Age: 26 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1824 Birth Place: Connecticut Gender: Male Home in 1850(City,County,State): Newton, Calhoun, Michigan Source Citation: Year: 1850; Census Place: Newton, Calhoun, Michigan; Roll: M432_348; Page: 230; Image: 449.

1860 United States Federal Census 1860 United States Federal Census Name: Serenus B Knight Age in 1860: 35 Birth Year: abt 1825 Birthplace: New York Home in 1860: Newton, Calhoun, Michigan Gender: Male Post Office: Marshall Farmer Household Members: Name Age Serenus B Knight 35 Maria Knight 30 Harrison Mack 20 Mary Vanvleek 18 Source Citation: Year: 1860; Census Place: Newton, Calhoun, Michigan; Roll: M653_539; Page: 0; Image: 731.

1870 United States Federal Census Name: Cyrenns Knight Estimated Birth Year: abt 1824 Age in 1870: 46 Birthplace: Connecticut Home in 1870: Newton, Calhoun, Michigan Race: White Gender: Male Post Office: Newton Source Citation: Year: 1870; Census Place: Newton, Calhoun, Michigan; Roll: M593_667; Page: 764; Image: 350.

1880 United States Federal Census Name: Cyrenius Knight Home in 1880: Union, Branch, Michigan Age: 56 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1824 Birthplace: Connecticut Relation to Head of Household: Self (Head) Spouse's Name: Maria Father's birthplace: New Jersey Mother's birthplace: Connecticut Occupation: Retired Farmer Marital Status: Married Race: White Gender: Male Household Members: Name Age Cyrenius Knight 56 Maria Knight 52 Source Citation: Year: 1880; Census Place: Union, Branch, Michigan; Roll: T9_573; Family History Film: 1254573; Page: 710.1000; Enumeration District: 38; Image: 0771.

North Dakota Census, 1870-90 Name: Cyrenius B. Knight State: ND County: Barnes County Township: Valley City Year: 1890 Database: ND 1890 Veterans Schedule Source Information: Jackson, Ronald V., Accelerated Indexing Systems, comp. North Dakota Census, 1870-90 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 1999. Original data: Compiled and digitized by Mr. Jackson and AIS from microfilmed schedules of the U.S. Federal Decennial

1900 United States Federal Census Name: Cyremus b Knight Home in 1900: Union, Branch, Michigan Age: 76 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1824 Birthplace: Connecticut Relationship to head-of-house: Head Spouse's Name: Marie M Race: White Occupation: Household Members: Name Age Cyremus b Knight 76 Marie M Knight 70 Bertha Briegel 18 Source Citation: Year: 1900; Census Place: Union, Branch, Michigan; Roll: T623 704; Page: 18A; Enumeration District: 21.