Person:Nehemiah Knight (45)

Nehemiah Knight (23 March 1746 - 13 June 1808): represtative from Rhode Island. Nehemiah was born in Knightsville, Cranston, Rhode Island, which is now part of Providence. He attended the public schools and later engaged in agricultural pursuits. Nehemiah was the town clerk for seven years beginning in 1773, and elected to the General Asselmbly of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations in 1783 and 1787. He was also elected to the Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Congresses of the United States as an Anti-Federalist beginning in March, 1803. Nehemiah died in Cranston at the age of sixty-two leaving a son Nehemiah Rice Knight. (The Knight Family, American Genealogical Institute, 1975)

Records of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations in New England, 1862. Proceedings of the General Assembly, held for the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, at South Kingstown, on Thursday, the 17th day of April, 1777. [excerpt]

Committee appointed by the General Assembly to procure Blankets for the Soldiers. For Cranston………….….Nehemiah Knight, Esq. ....

History of Providence County, Rhode Island Originally published in New York, 1891 Page 755

 Knightsville is among the older places in the town (Cranston). There were in former times a bank and two hotels in the place. There are now three stores, one church and one hotel here. It is also the seat of the town house. Nehemiah Knight was tavern keeper in this place at an early day. The old tavern stood on the site now occupied by the town house. Following him was Sylvester Rhodes. He married Harriet Knight, who kept the house after his death.

The Life and Times of Samuel Gorton The Founders and the Founding of the Republic Philadelphia 1907 - Page 202/265

Incidents in the Life and Times of Stukeley Westcote, with some of his Descendants J. Russell Bullock 1888 - Page IX, 66

Manual with Rules and Orders for the use of the General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island Providence, R I. E. L. Freeman & Sons, State Printers 1901 Nehemiah Knight Eighth Congress (1803 - 1805) August 1802 Received 2598 votes, Nehemiah Knight and Joseph Stanton declared elected. Ninth Congress (1805 - 1807) August 1804 Nehemiah Knight and Joseph Stanton elected Tenth Congress (1807 - 1809) August 1806 Nehemiah Knight - died in office

Publications of the Rhode Island Historical Society Providence Printed for the Society by the Standard Printing Co. 1898 - Page 158 A Healthy, Sprightly Negro Boy For Sale.

  An advertisement appeared in five successive issues of the Gazeette, beginning March 2, 1765, that reflects no credit on the ideas of human liberty that then prevailed in these Plantations. It is as follows: “To be Sold by Nehemiah Knight of Cranston - A healthy Sprightly Negro Boy about Seven years old.”

MARRIED: Vital Record of Cranston,Johnston and North Providence, Rhode Island James N. Arnold 1983 Knight,Nehemiah, and Eleanor Hudson, of Daniel; m. by James Harris, Justice, Aug 8, 1762

DEATH: New England Ancestry of Susan Alma Cook 1866-1934 Researched and Compiled by Philip R. Bunnelle Santa Clara, California 1998 Published by PB Press - Santa Clara, Ca Page 40

 Nehemiah died at Cranston 13 June 1808, aged 62 years, 2 months and 2 days. He was buried in back of the Town Hall. His will dated 8 November 1806 was proved at Cranston 24 June 1808. In it he mentions:
  Wife Eleanor; 3 sons Jeremiah, Daniel & Nehemiah; daughter Eleanor R. Knight who rec'd privilege of living in house; my unnamed daughters have already received; grandsons James Aldrich & Sylvester Knight.

Stuckeley Westcote and some of his Descendants Fifty copies only . Privately Printed No. 43 1886 Appendix A. Page X

  Nehemiah , known as "Squire" Knight, was born 1746, March 30, and died 1808, June 13. He married 1762, August 8, Elinor, daughter of Daniel and Ellen (Rice) Hudson of Cranston. She was born 1746, December 5, and died 1823, April 5. "Squire" Knight was a man of marked ability and influence. For 20 years, from 1773 to 1793, he was the accurate and efficient town Clerk of Cranston, acting all of this time also as the intelligent and friendly advisor of his fellow townsmen. From 1803 to 1808, he was the only representative of his state in Congress, dying in office June 13, of the latter year. The following record from his tombstone at Knightsville, bears testimony to the esteem in which he was held.
  "This sad memorial is erected to the memory of Nehemiah Knight, Esq. For forty years he possedsed, and during that long period never abused, the confidence of his country. With probity and honor he fulfilled the important trusts in the offices he sustained, both in his native state and in times of peculiar trial. Beloved in private life, and respected in public, he departed this life on the 13th day of June, 1808, aged 62 years, 2 months and two days.

CENSUS: New England Ancestry of Susan Alma Cook 1866-1934 Researched and Compiled by Philip R. Bunnelle Santa Clara, California 1998 Published by PB Press - Santa Clara, Ca Page 40

  The 1774 Rhode Island state census shows him heading a household of 7 in Cranston, while the 1782 state census shows a household of 11. The 1790 census shows him living in Cranston next to Andrew Knight, relationship unknown, and Jeremiah Knight, presumably his father. His household of 11 included two slaves and a nonwhite free person. The 1800 census shows a Nehem Knight heading a household of 11 in Pomfred, Windham Co., CT, a few miles from the Rhode Island border. His father died there that same year.

1.   Nehemiah Knight, in Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.

   the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia

   Nehemiah Knight (March 23, 1746June 13, 1808) was a United States representative from Rhode Island. He was born in Knightsville (a village later named after him) within the town of Cranston in the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. He attended the common schools, engaged in agricultural pursuits, and was town clerk from 1773 to 1800. In 1783 and 1787 he was elected to the Rhode Island General Assembly, and was sheriff of Providence County in 1787.

   Knight was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Congresses and served from March 4, 1803, until his death in Cranston in 1808; interment was in a small family cemetery now known as Cranston Historical Cemetery, number 21 in between 1757 and 1761 Cranston Street South of Phenix Avenue in the center of "Knightsville," Cranston, which is named for the family.

   Nehemiah was married in 1762 to Eleanor Rice Hudson (1746–1823). Their son, Nehemiah Rice Knight (1780–1854), would later become the Governor of Rhode Island and even later a U.S. Senator.

2. ↑ Arnold, James N. Vital Record of Rhode Island, 1636–1850: First series, births, marriages and deaths. A family register for the people. (Narragansett Hist. Publ. Co., 1891).

   Knight, Nehemiah, Hon., at Cranston, aged 62 years, June 13, 1808 (Providence Gazette - Deaths - 1905, Vol. XIV, p. 32)
   Knight, Hon. Nehemiah, member of Congress from this State, at Cranston, in 63d year, June 12, 1808 (Providnece Phenix - Deaths - 1905, Vol. XV, p. 184)

3. ↑ National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution Patriot Grave Search.

   KNIGHT, Nehemiah Sergeant RI
   Knight Cem Cranston, Providence County, RI
   1746 - 1808
   Revolutionary War Graves Register.
   Clovis H. Brakebill, compiler.
   672pp. SAR. 1993.
   Also SAR Revolutionary War Graves Register CD.
   Progeny Publishing Co: Buffalo, NY. 1998

4.   Abstracts of Cranston Wills, in Rhode Island Genealogical Register. (Princeton, Massachusetts: A. G. Beaman)
   8:128.

   Nehemiah Knight of Cranston, Esq. Will dated 8 Nov 1806, proved 24 June 1808, pps. 20-21.
   Wife Eleanor
   Sons: Jeremiah, Daniel & Nehemiah
   Daughter Eleanor R. Knight received privilege of living in house.
   My unnamed daughters have already received
   Grandsons: James Aldrich & Sylvester Knight
   Witnesses: Jonathan Sprague Jr., Joseph Sarle, John D. Foster, Andrew Potter

5.   Rhode Island. Secretary of State, and John Russell Bartlett. Census of the inhabitants of the colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations 1774. (Baltimore, MD: Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Company, c1969).

   Census of the Inhabitants of the Colony of
   Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.
   Taken by order of the General Assembly, in the year 1774
   Arranged by John R. Bartlett - Secretary of State
   Providence - Knowles, Anthony & Co., State Printers
   1885 - Page 214
   Cranston
   Head of Family: Nehemiah Knight
   Whites Males Above 16: 1
   Under:16: 0
   Females Above 16: 1
   Under: 16: 5
   Indians:
   Blacks:
   Total in Household: 7