Person:Ernest Knight (32)

BIOGRAPHY: http://www.wind.cave.national-park.com/nmi.htm

Knights Assembly 03/20/1892 Alvin, Elmer and J.D. McDonald and George Stabler.

Knight's Well 03/29/1892 Named after Ernest A. Knight who discovered this area. Ernest Knight, Alvin McDonald and William Ranger.

Dago Misery 03/29/1892 Alvin McDonald, Ernest Knight, William Ranger

Dutch Misery 03/29/1892 Alvin McDonald, Ernest A. Knight, William Ranger

Carriers Roost 03/29/1892 Alvin McDonald, Ernest A. Knight

Extract from the PRIVATE ACCOUNT OF A.F. McDONALD Permanent Guide of Wind Cave January 1, 1891 to July 23, 1892 High Route March 29th, 1892 At 8 o'clock this morning Ernest A. Knight, William Ranger & I started in the cave on an exploring trip. We started to explore from the Fallen Flats on the Sampson's P. Route & took the passage leading to the South West of the room. After going through a low passage for about 50 feet we came into a very pretty room that was about 30 feet in diameter. After crawling over two shelves on the side of the room until we got to the bottom we found that it was about 25 feet deep & decorated with the finest quality of box-work. From there we went through a small hole in the west side of the room and came into a room that Elmer discovered on the 2nd day of August 1891. This room is about 100 feet long by 35 feet wide and has an average hight of 12 feet. The rock is generally bare although there is a few geodes and some very nice box-work in the room. In the North west corner of this room there is 6 or 8 large rocks piled up length wise with the room. From there there is a hole leading up about 55 or 60 feet. I could see a well developed passage leading from the top of this hole but I could not get to it on account of dangerous climbing so I thought that the hole would still be there when I got to be a better climber and then I would explore it. We then went to that small hole that leads from the west side of the chamber with the intention of going through it and exploring for new chambers on the other side. The hole is noted for being a hard one to get through but all three of us got safely through that 12 feet of passage in about ten minutes. We found ourselves in a chamber that had loose rock in the bottom of it. This room was about 25 x 50 feet & about 25 feet in height. As we were but a little ways from the Lake Side Scenery we determined to make an effort to find a passage leading to it from this room so as to avoid the small hole that we had just came through. The Lake Side Scenery lay to the South of us and as we could find found no passage leading in the desired direction we tried & a passage that led from the west side of the room. It soon turned South east and after we crawled around for about 20 minutes we found a direct passage leading to the fourth room or the Lake Side Scenery. We then returned to the room that we started to explore from and tried to find a passage leading to an upper room but after I crawled through loose rock for nearly half an hour we gave it up. We then took a passage leading to the west and after taking three or four angles we came into a very pretty, oblong room which was about 40 feet in length. From there I found a passage leading to the west through some loose stone and we had to move several of them before I could get through. I found the room to be much the same shape as the one that I had just left but I could find no passage leading from it so I returned to the remainder of the party then. Ernest Knight & I found a passage leading to the South of the room which soon led us into a small chamber about 7 x 10 feet. From there I discovered a hole leading East and after crawling on my hands and knees for about 15 feet I came into an irregular room about 40 feet across. Here I sent word by Ernest to Mr. Ranger to bring everything if he had to use a pack mule. When he came we left him with the string and tried to find our way out of the room. I explored the west side of the room while Ernest explored to the south. We both came back unsuccessful but Ernest soon found a good passage leading to the East. Will Ranger & I folloed him and we soon came into a very large room which I recognized as the Cathedral which is near the Diamond Mine. This room was discovered the 5th day or July 1891 which is the same time that the Diamond Mine was discovered. Here we ate our lunch and after resting awhile we went to the Diamond Mine and then to Grand View which is one or the finest chambers in the cave. We climbed up the west side of Grand View for about 50 feet where we reached the ceiling. Here we fould the following inscription smoked on the roof ceiling.

A.F. Mc DONALD July 12 1891

Here we took a passage leading to the East and after going about 50 feet we climbed up through a small hole and turned directly back into a very nice room that was about 20 feet in diameter and 30 feet high. Will Ranger explored to the left while Ernest & I explored to the right. We climbed up into a hole in the side of this room & slipped down into a pretty little room that was ornamented with white sandstone. We named it the Carriers Roost. On the wall I placed the following with a lead pencil

Ernest A.. Knight March 29th, 1892

We heard Ranger calling to us and as we could get no farther, we went to him. He had found some beautiful argonite frost and also found the Bottomless pit. Think that this pit opens out in the cathedral and there fore has not bottom. According to my judgement it must be over 125 feet deep. After exploring around for an hour we found several small rooms that were completely lined with beautiful frost work. In one place within 50 feet of the top of the Bottomless Pit we found a seam of Black Hill Diamonds but they were small and we did not try to take any to the entrance with us. We returned to Grand View and after packing a few pieces of frost-work that we brought with us we started on around the circle. We passed through 2 large rooms that were not named and then we came to the Largest chamber on the route which is Paradise Regained. From the largest end of this room we found a passage leading South West. After we went about 300 feet through difficult passages we came to a large room with irregular shape and about 75 feet in diameter. The ceiling was about 9 feet high. We went on about 200 feet in a South westerly course and came unexpectedly into the Cathedral. We then made our way back to the Paradise Regained. We then started to the White Rose Chamber but after we got into the third large room we found a passage leading to the North East that aroused what little curiosity we had left, so E.A. . Knight & I started to explore it. It was oven shaped and led straight ahead for 150 feet without a break. It then opened out into a small, low room with a passage leading to the right & one leading to the left. I took the passage leading to the left and Ernest took the one that led to the right. Both passages came together in about 60 feet and then I left Ernest and went on to see whether or not it would pay to put a string in the passage. It sloped gently down for about 200 feet and came to an abrupt stop. As there was a crevice cross-cutting the bottom of the passage about 4 feet from the end I began to hunt a way down. I soon found the desired passage and found the bottom of the crevice in about ten feet. I tried to work to the left but could not and had no other show but go to the right.

This I did and soon found that it opened into a good passage. Here I called to Ernest and He and Ranger came with the string. We went South East for about 150 feet from where they overtook me when I recognized the passage and told Ranger to burn the String off for we had no use of for it. Here we rested a while and also noted two peculiaritys in the place. The first was the floor which resembled the waves on water and the second was the wind breeze or air was going toward the entrance. I went to the passage that we had just came through and found that the air was moving out the other way. This showed that there was a passage some where near that the air came out of, so we started to hunt for it. I found it in about 5 minutes and it led South East acording to guess-work for we had no compass with us. I crawled the in hole which was about 35 feet in length and named it Dago Misery. {Mr. Ranger then named the passage that he stretched the string through the Dutch Misery.}* From there we went * about 50 feet through an irregular passage and arrived at a large room with about the same formation as Recovered Paradise. It was about 250 feet long with a very irregular shape and the ceiling was about 10 feet from the floor, Ranger staid with the string while Ernest & I explored the surroundings. We found several small chambers to the left & also a large passage leading straight ahead which we all followed. It was open for about 100 feet and then it became smaller and turned gradually to the left. We were soon in another large chanaber but not large as the one we had just left. We again left Mr. Ranger with the string and I found a large passage leading North West. While Ernest found a smaller but more important passage leading to the South East. After taking a few loose rock from the passage that Ernest found I was soon able to get through it. We found it to be a room with regular dimensions and the floor was covered with great boulder like rocks. The room was about 80 feet long by 25 feet wide and 30 feet high. At the farther end of the room Ernest found a hole about 4 or 5 feet in diameter and much the shape of a well which led up out of sight. Excited by curiosity he climbed up it and found the top in about 60 feet but he had a harder climb to get down than he had getting up but he reached the bottom with safety in a few minutes. I found a hole leading down near the bottom of the hole that Ernest had just came from but it was so small to get through so we all looked for another way to get down. Mr. Ranger found a passage leading down from the East side of the room so we went down it to see what we could find. We went to the South East and soon came into a room which was about the size of the one that we had just left. We looked around for 15 or 20 minutes and found nothing so we decided to start for the entrance. We were then about four miles from it and as we did not have an over supply of light there was some compulsion about it so we started immediatly. We went to the Garden of Eden by way of the hole in the floor and arrived at the entrance at 6:00 P.M. being 10 hours and 30 minutes on the trip. We were all three tired and hungry but for all of that we did not regret the trip.

CENSUS: 1870 United States Federal Census Name: Ernest Knight Estimated Birth Year: abt 1870 Age in 1870: 2/12 Birthplace: Vermont Home in 1870: North Hero, Grand Isle, Vermont Race: White Gender: Male Post Office: North Hero Source Citation: Year: 1870; Census Place: North Hero, Grand Isle, Vermont; Roll: M593_1621; Page: 40; Image: 81.

1880 United States Federal Census Name: Ernest Knight Home in 1880: North Hero, Grand Isle, Vermont Age: 10 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1870 Birthplace: Vermont Relation to Head of Household: Son Father's Name: Orris P. Father's birthplace: Vermont Mother's Name: Mary Mother's birthplace: Vermont Marital Status: Single Race: White Gender: Male Household Members: Name Age Orris P. Knight 38 Mary Knight 39 Fred L. Knight 12 Ernest Knight 10 Abby A. Knight 8 Oscar Knight 5 Custas Knight 3 Waldo E. Knight 2 Infant Knight 6M Source Citation: Year: 1880; Census Place: North Hero, Grand Isle, Vermont; Roll: T9_1344; Family History Film: 1255344; Page: 355.2000; Enumeration District: 119; .

1900 United States Federal Census Name: Ernest O Knight Home in 1900: Kansas City Ward 8, Jackson, Missouri Age: 30 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1870 Birthplace: Vermont Relationship to head-of-house: Head Spouse's Name: Ernest Race: White Occupation: Household Members: Name Age Ernest O Knight 30 Ernest Knight 28 (Emma J. Knight (wife)) Source Citation: Year: 1900; Census Place: Kansas City Ward 8, Jackson, Missouri; Roll: T623 862; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 72.

1910 United States Federal Census Name: Ernest Knight Age in 1910: 41 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1869 Birthplace: Vermont Relation to Head of House: Head Father's Birth Place: Vermont Mother's Birth Place: Vermont Spouse's Name: Emma Home in 1910: North Hero, Grand Isle, Vermont Marital Status: Married Race: White Gender: Male Household Members: Name Age Ernest Knight 41 Emma Knight 39 Orris P Knight 9 Curtis T Knight 6 Source Citation: Year: 1910; Census Place: North Hero, Grand Isle, Vermont; Roll: T624_1615; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 122; Image: 157.

1920 United States Federal Census Name: Ernest A Knight Home in 1920: Shelbume, Chittenden, Vermont Age: 49 years Estimated Birth Year: abt 1871 Birthplace: Vermont Relation to Head of House: Head Spouse's Name: Emma J Father's Birth Place: Vermont Mother's Birth Place: Vermont Marital Status: Married Race: White Sex: Male Home owned: Own Able to read: Yes Able to Write: Yes Image: 318 Household Members: Name Age Ernest A Knight 49 Emma J Knight 48 Oris P Knight 19 Curtis T Knight 16 Ralph E Knight 8 Oscar B Knight 43 Source Citation: Year: 1920;Census Place: Shelbume, Chittenden, Vermont; Roll: T625_1872; Page: 2B; Enumeration District: 67; Image: 318.

1930 United States Federal Census Name: Ernest A Knight Home in 1930: Shelburne, Chittenden, Vermont Age: 59 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1871 Birthplace: Vermont Relation to Head of House: Head Spouse's Name: Emma J Race: White Occupation: General Farming Household Members: Name Age Ernest A Knight 59 Emma J Knight 58 Oris P Knight 29 Grace C Knight 22 Irene J Knight 2 9/12 Roy G Knight 1 7/12 Shirley E Knight 6/12 Source Citation: Year: 1930; Census Place: Shelburne, Chittenden, Vermont; Roll: 2428; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 40; Image: 273.0.