Person:Benjamin Knight (70)

BIOGRAPHY: Benjamin Knight Birth: 16 October 1836-- Tolland, Mansfield, CT Death: 1905 -- Spouse: Parents: Benjamin Knight, Amy Ballou

http://www.santacruzpl.org/history/crime/harlots2.shtml Fallen Angels of Front Street, Part 2 "Maria" "Maria" was a tough little Irish lass who worked the saloons of Santa Cruz for a dozen years. Her free wheeling life style was a source of endless shame for her brother, a prominent druggist in the community.

Her real name was Mary McDermott and she was born at Stone Pew, Ireland in 1843. Her father died during the great famine of the 1840s and as a result, his large family suffered much privation. In 1854 several of the children migrated to America where they lived for many years in the Irish conclave at New York City.

On November 3, 1883, she sold her home to Dr. Benjamin Knight. A month later she entered the county hospital suffering from dropsy, there she died on December 11, a tired old woman at the age of forty.

Surname: Knight Given Name: Benajamin Page #: 321 County: Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Benito Position: Member State Senate Session: 25, 26

Surname: Knight Given Name: Benjamin Page #: 371 County: -- Position: Officers of Senate Session: Twenty-Sixth

California State Roster, 1909 Government and Military records December 22, 2004 11:34 AM Given Name: Benj. Surname: Knight Jr. Position: President pro tem - Senate City: -- Death Date: -- Page #: 564 Source Information: Graden, Debra, comp. California State Roster, 1909 Government and Military records. [database online] Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 2002. Original data: California Blue Book or State Roster 1909. State Printing Office, Sacramento CA, 1909.

The History of Santa Cruz, California By E.S. Harrison San Francisco, Cal. 1892 Page 325

Dr. Benjamin Knight

  The subject of this sketch came to Santa Cruz County in May, 1869, having graduated from the Harvard Medical School on the 4th of the preceding March. Dr. Knight is a native of Connecticut, and on his mothers side he is descended from Maturin Ballou, a colaborer of Roger Williams of Rhode Island. His mother's maiden name was Ballou, a family which included among its branches such men as Hosea Ballou, the eminent Universalist divine, and many outhers equally honorable.

  The home of Dr. Knight's parents was in Rhode Island, they having but a temporary residence in Tolland County, Connecticut, at the time of his birth, October 16, 1836. He was therefore, reared in Rhode Island and educated in the Providence Conference Seminary at East Greenwich. After leaving the seminary he taught school, and was thus employed in Mansfield, Massachusetts, at the outbreak of the Civil War. Fired with the patriotism which burned so grandly at this critical period among all lovers of the Union, young Knight was among those who responded to the call for three hundred thousand troops. He served in the army for two years, mostly in South Carolina. After leaving the army he taught school, and pursued the study of medicine, graduating as before stated. On the 8th of April, 1869, he was married to Miss Lydia A. Killey, of Johnston, Rhode Island, and left with his bride on the same day for California. Four children have been born unto them in Santa Cruz, three daughters and one son: Edith, born September 3, 1871, now teaching school; Ida, born December 20, 1872; Benjamin K., born August 28, 1874, and Mary A., born July 12, 1878, died November 17, 1885.

  He has practiced medicine almost continuously in Santa Cruz since his arrival, filling the office of county physician some fourteen years.

  In 1882 Dr. Knight was elected joint State senator from Santa Cruz, San Benito, and Monterey Counties. He served as senator in 1883, in the extra session in March, 1884, the regular session of 1885, and also as chairman of the Hospital Committee in 1883 and 1885, and also as chairman of the Finance Committee, 1885. Dr. Knight was elected upon the Democratic ticket. He does not claim to be "much of a politician." In 1879 he was the Democratic candidate for the Assembly, but was defeated by a nominee of the combined Workingmen's and New Constitution parties.

  Dr. Knight has no affiliation with any religious body, although Mrs. Knight is a member of the Episcopal Church. As a physician he has an extensive practice, and enjoys the well-earned love of numerous friends and the esteem of an extensive circle of acquaintances.

An Elaborate History and Genealogy of the Ballous in America By Adin Ballou 1888 Page 1149

  We understand Dr. Knight to be a skilled and prominent practicing physician in Santa Cruz, Cal. But he has been too modestly reticent to present us on syllable of his biography beyond the above record. We wish he had given us a brief outline of his experience; for we are confident his story would have been worth reading. He has given us a good opinion of him simply by the orderly and lucid data furnished us concerning his parents and their chn.; and especially by the interest he manifests in this publication by subscribing for four copies.

MILITARY: American Civil War Soldiers Record Name: Benjamin Knight , Residence: Mansfield, Massachusetts Occupation: Teacher Enlistment Date: 13 September 1861 Distinguished Service: DISTINGUISHED SERVICE Side Served: Union State Served: Massachusetts Unit Numbers: 849 849 Service Record: Enlisted as a Private on 13 September 1861 at the age of 24 Enlisted in Company I, 1st Cavalry Regiment Massachusetts on 14 September 1861. Promoted to Full Corporal on 01 October 1861 Promoted to Full Sergeant on 05 March 1862 Received a disability discharge Company I, 1st Cavalry Regiment Massachusetts on 12 May 1863

Register of the Department of California Grand Army of the Republic San Francisco Joseph L. Tharp 1886 - Page 160 J. F. Reynolds Post, No. 98. Santa Cruz, Cal Knight, Benjamin - Co. I - 1st Mass. Cav.

CENSUS: 1850 United States Federal Census Name: Benjamin Knight Age: 13 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1837 Birth Place: Rhode Island Gender: Male Home in 1850(City,County,State): Warwick, Kent, Rhode Island Source Citation: Year: 1850; Census Place: Warwick, Kent, Rhode Island; Roll: M432_841; Page: 168; Image: 337.

1870 United States Federal Census Name: Benjamin Knight Estimated Birth Year: abt 1837 Age in 1870: 33 Birthplace: Connecticut Home in 1870: Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California Race: White Gender: Male Post Office: Santa Cruz Source Citation: Year: 1870; Census Place: Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California; Roll: M593_89; Page: 409; Image: 143.

1880 United States Federal Census Name: Benj. Knight Home in 1880: Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California Age: 43 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1837 Birthplace: Connecticut Relation to Head of Household: Self (Head) Spouse's Name: Lydia Father's birthplace: Rhode Island Mother's birthplace: Rhode Island Neighbors: View others on page Occupation: Physician Marital Status: Married Race: White Gender: Male Household Members: Name Age Benj. Knight 43 Lydia Knight 30 Edith Knight 9 Ida Knight 7 Benjamin K. Knight 5 Mary A. Knight 2 Source Citation: Year: 1880; Census Place: Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California; Roll: T9_82; Family History Film: 1254082; Page: 450.4000; Enumeration District: 88; Image: 0332.

1900 United States Federal Census Name: Benjamin Knight Home in 1900: Santa Cruz Ward 2, Santa Cruz, California Age: 64 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1836 Birthplace: Connecticut Relationship to head-of-house: Head Spouse's Name: Lydia A Race: White Occupation: Physician Household Members: Name Age Benjamin Knight 64 Lydia A Knight 49 Benjamine Knight 25 Helen B Knight 27 Benjamin B Knight 1 Source Citation: Year: 1900; Census Place: Santa Cruz Ward 2, Santa Cruz, California; Roll: T623 112; Page: 6B; Enumeration District: 89.

DEATH: California State Roster, 1909 Government and Military records December 22, 2004 11:06 AM Given Name: Benjamin Surname: Knight Jr. Position: State Senator City: Monterey, San Benito, Sant Cruz Death Date: June 2, 1905 Page #: 579 Source Information: Graden, Debra, comp. California State Roster, 1909 Government and Military records. [database online] Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 2002. Original data: California Blue Book or State Roster 1909. State Printing Office, Sacramento CA, 1909