Person:Orris Knight (17)

BIOGRAPHY: Franklin, Grand Isle Counties, Vermont Business Directory, 1883 Name Place Description Knight Orris P. North Hero r 17, farmer about 100 acres.

Posted by: Edmond Spaeth (ID *****6935) Date: September 26, 2003 In Reply to: George Armstrong Custer Knight by William Knight

Certainly, Orris, having served in the Union Army would name one of his sons, Geo Armstrong Custer KNIGHT. His birth occured in 1876 when Gen. Custer died at Little Big Horn battle.

The following bits about your ancestor, Orris P. KNIGHT from the History of the town of North Hero, VT by Allen Stratton.

Rural Free Delivery came to North Hero, VT on 1 Feb 1902. The first carrier was Orris P. KNIGHT 2-1-1902---2-28-1903. p. 167.

Orris' wife Mary was the daughter of Dr. Elijah HAYNES (a remarkable man in many ways) and his second wife, Polly Ann DARROW. more history of HAYNES on the same page. p. 195.

Oct. 19, 1883--Guy K. KNIGHT, returned home from Jamestown,Stutsman, North Dakota last week, where he has been to see his son Henry. He reports all the North Island boys in that section in a prosperous condition. Orris P. KNIGHT has leased his farm to Henry PARKER and in the spring Orris will skip out to Dakota to see if he can't strike ile (sic) like his predecessors. p. 207

Feb 9, 1899-- Mrs. Orris P. KNIGHT has gone on a visit to her old home in Stockholm, NY. p. 214

Oct 3 1901-- Oscar KNIGHT and family who have been passing a few weeks in town , left for their home in Chicago, Sep 26. (brother of George ??) p. 214

May 28, 1903-- Orris P. KNIGHT, jailkeeper, has two boarders at the Jail in the Court House, the result of indulging too freely of Plattsburgh juices. p. 216.

Early settler John KNIGHT ran a ferry service in North Hero, VT and other family history p. 191-193.

Wed, 3 Aug 2005 15:43:52 -0400 From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: travel to North Hero...

Orris Pierre Knight – confirmed birth and death date on death certificate in file listed at 1902-41 Burial Records. Buried in South East cemetery. Listed as Mooney” (cemetery) on death certificate, but Mooney no longer exists. Dead as of 7am on 9 Jan 1915 cause of death: Organic Heart Disease. Occupation listed: farming. Father listed: Augustus Knight. Father’s birthplace: Vermont. Mother listed (illegible… W---tty) Ladd. Birthplace: Vermont.

O.P. Knight elected Justice of the Peace, for the County of Grand Isle,Vermont to begin term of two years December 1, 1912

Respectfully returned to the Commissoiner of Pensions Orris P. Knight, a Corporal Company B. 1st Regiment Vt. Cav. Volunteers was enrolled on the 18th day of Sept., 1861, at St. Albans for 3 years and is reported on rolls of Co. Nov & Dec 1861 thru April 30th 1862, Absent taken prisoner May 24th , 1862, Co. was in action that date, Reproted as prisoner August 31/62.

Muster off roll of Co. dated Nov. 18/64 Discharged for disability Oct of 1862. Prisoner of War records show him captured at Front Royal May 62 Confined at Richmond, Va., date not given paroled at Aikens Landing Va., Sept. 21, 62. No evidence of a disability on said records.

The records of this office do not show disabilities alleged, Regimental Hospital Records not on file.

DEATH: North Hero, Vt. Town Clerks Office

  I James H. Dodds Town Clerk of the Town of  North Hero, VT., do hereby Certify that there is an record in the book of deaths of the Town of North Hero record of the death of Orris P. Knight.

  Date of Death:  Jan. 9th 1915 age 73 years. 10 mo, 7 days   
  Disease or Cause of Death: Organic Heart Disease
  Place of Birth: North Hero
  Medical Attendent: Jas. S. King

Attest James H. Dodds Town Clerk

State of Vermont County of Grand Isle

At North Hero, in said County, personally appeared the above named James H. Dodds Town Clerk of said Town of North Hero and made oath that the foregoing is a true copy of a record of the death of Orris P. Knight, late of North Hero, in said County, as appears by the records of said Town Clerks office.

Before me

MILITARY: Received part of a letter from Bob Sibley, written by his great grandfather in 1862. Here is the trascription of that letter.

May the 30 1862 Wilins Port Md. Mr. Frank Kinney

       I suppose you would like to here form me. Olde Phelps is all rite. I have lost my horse and everything but my saber and my pistol and one blanket. I was from Saturday night till Thursday night getting in. only three of our bois are missing now, Henry Shiott, Corporal Night, A Brigham. We are in hopes that they will come in but Shiott he was shot while fording cedar creek.

        I am feeling so well that I can't write everything that I want to. It was a terrible stampede of Calvary Brigade wagons. The bois keep coming in all the time. Co A and Co B cut up very bad. We heard this morning that the Captain of Co. B. wit 12 or 15 men are in the the mountain. Yet I will write more next time. Write as soon as you get this, send more stamps. Corporal Night I think will come in he was from North Island. I will write more next time, I am well and tough as a knot.
                    F.B. Kinny
                    Williams Port Md.
                    Direct to Washington,D.C.

   I believe that the letter is refering to Orris Pierre Knight b:2 Mar 1841, he served in the Vermont First Calvary Regiment Troop B. as a Corporal. He enlisted 18 Sep 1861 was mustered in 19 Nov 1861 and was mustered out on 7 Oct 1862. Family history says he was captured and paroled so this would match with him going missing and with the early mustered out date. Ancestry Plus Full Context of American Civil War Soldiers has Orris as a POW on 8 May 1862 and Paroled on 21 Sep 1862 and received a disability discharcge 7 Oct 1862

Civil War Pension Index Orris P. Knight

 Images Online #: 1979                      State Filed: Vermont 
 Widow: Sarah A. Knight                     Relative:    
 Minor:                                     Comments: 

Orris P Knight

 Residence: North Hero, Vermont Occupation:   
 Service Record: 
 Enlisted as a Corporal on 18 September 1861

Enlisted in Company B, 1st Cavalry Regiment Vermont on 19 November 1861. POW on 08 May 1862 (Paroled) Paroled on 21 September 1862 Received a disability discharge Company B, 1st Cavalry Regiment Vermont on 07 October 1862

Statement of Mrs. Polly Ann Haynes on the application of Orris Pierre Knight 27 September 1886 Grand Isle County, Vermont

That I have been well and personally acquainted with O.P. Knight for 45 years and that I have lived within ¾ of a mile of Mr. O.P Knight ever since he was a child. I am the widow of the late Dr. Elijah Haynes never knew of him being sick until after he enlisted and went into the army and was confined in Libby Prison and when he was brought from there he looked more like a ghost than the strong healthy man he was when he enlisted. Dr. Haynes was called to visit him, he found him in a shattered condition, both body & mind being in a fearful state a perfect wreck of the once strong man he was at the time of enlistment, other physicians were called, after he was able to be around he was confined to crutches for awhile and his right limb has always troubled since, and at times badly he has been obliged to resort to crutches at different times since, I have seen him well to all appearances physically, but the broken constitution, the shattered nerves are wounds not on the surface they hurt deep within concealed from mortal eyes, his right limb he has always…..

No. 373176

War Department ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE Washington June 26, 1882

GENERAL AFFIDAVIT

23 September 1886 Franklin County, Vermont

Affidavit of Warner Gibbs

    I first became aquainted with Orris P. Knight in the fall of 1861, we was a member of the same squadron at that time in the 1st Vermont Cavalry with myself, we, both of us were taken prisoner in an engagement with the enemy at Middleton,Va. May 24, 1862 and were marched to Lynchburg, Va. Where a number of months were spent in the rebel prison there. Orris P. Knight fell sick and went into a tent, on the fair grounds where we were confined, used as a hospital. In July I think it was, I left the prison at Lynchburg for Bull Island near Richmond, Va., with those able to be moved, Knight was left behind at Lynchburg in the tent hospital. He was a very sick again an those of us who went away thought him dead. He did not overtake us while in Virginia, and when I reached Annapolis late in September of 1862 I wrote to a newspaper in Vermont and reported Knight as dead. Afterward I saw Knight in October or November, 1862, at Washington D.C.  Who had come in  afterward, his health was very poor he was regarded as completely used up, was discharged at Washington D.C., did not return to regiment again. When I last saw him he was on crutches at Washington.

   I was 1st Sergeant in Company B 1st Vermont Cavalry

/s/ Warner Gibbs

Statement of Edward Kellogg on the application of Orris Pierre Knight for Invalid Pension for service during the Civil War.... 27 September 1886 Franklin County, Vermont

That I have been intimitly acquainted with said Orris P. Knight for upwards of thirty years. Just after the time of his enlistment in the U.S. Service he was a healthy potent man...I never knew Orris to be sickly until after he enlisted. In October 1862 I went to Washington, D.C. Having heard of his return from the Rebel Prison found him at Mount Pleasant Hospital Washington D.C. I found him in a very bad condition. His right leg was very lame had to walk on crutches and he was troubled with chronic diarrhea. He was soon discharged and came home with me and he staid at my house about one week before he...to his home on North Hero, Vt. and that Dr. John B....attended him while he was at my house. After he got rested I took him in a small boat across the lake to his home. I had a man by the name of Jed Bessett help me get him in and out of the boat and that he has been troubled with that same leg ever since and that I have seen him as often as once or twice a year ever since and I think he is incapacitated for....manual labor at least one half that he cannot perform more than one half the...of an able bodied man.

/s/Edward Kellogg

Statement of Charles Hyde on the application of Orris Pierre Knight for Invalid Pension for service during the Civil War.... 31 August 1886 Grand Isle County, Vermont

   I never knew him to be attended by any physicians before he went into the army, nor was he sick or lame before that time to my best knowledge. I live within one and a half miles from him and have for over thirty years. He was before he went into the army a very strong healthy man. I saw him when he came out of the army direct from rebel prison a physical wreck. I know he was attended by physicians for lameness and knew him to be sick in bed at different times with lameness or rheumatism in right leg. I cannot give dates of the attack but I think one of his worse days was in 1880 or so was sick for nearly three months not in bed all the time but confined to the house.

    I have often heard him complain of his lameness, he did not work for me.

    Some days he is able to do as much as most any man and at other times he is wholly unable to work at all, should say he is able to work one half the times on the average.

Statement of Jed Bessette on the application of Orris Pierre Knight for Invalid Pension for service during the Civil War.... 23 September 1886 Franklin County, Vermont

    That I was well acquainted with the said Orris P. Knight and knew him well having lived very near to him for years before he enlisted and knew him to be there a tough, rugged man before he enlisted. I never knew of him having anything the matter with him before that time.

    That when he was discharged and returned home in Oct.,1862 I rowed him across the lake fro St. Albans to North Hero. He was sick and very lame in the right leg and walked on crutches. We had to lift him in and out of the boat. He was very poor and emaciated and he had no hair on his head. And that I have seen him practically every year since-say eight or ten times a year since and that he has been lame and complained of trouble in his right leg. That in my opinion he is not capable of manual labor but does one half what is….one half the labor of an able bodied man.

/s/ Edward Kellogg

His Jed X Bessette Mark

CENSUS: 1860 United States Federal Census Name: Orris Knight Age in 1860: 18 Birth Year: abt 1842 Birthplace: Vermont Home in 1860: North Hero, Grand Isle, Vermont Gender: Male Post Office: North Hero Value of real estate: View image Household Members: Name Age Augustus Knight 62 Wealtha Knight 56 John Knight 26 Agnes Knight 22 Orris Knight 18 Beach Knight 17 Source Citation: Year: 1860; Census Place: North Hero, Grand Isle, Vermont; Roll: M653_1318; Page: 634; Image: 83.

1870 United States Federal Census Name: Orris Knight Estimated birth year: abt 1841 Age in 1870: 29 Birthplace: Vermont Home in 1870: North Hero, Grand Isle, Vermont Race: White Gender: Male Post Office: North Hero Farmer - Augustus Knight living with them Source Citation: Year: 1870; Census Place: North Hero, Grand Isle, Vermont; Roll: M593_1621; Page: 40; Image: 81.

1880 United States Federal Census Name: Orris P. Knight Home in 1880: North Hero, Grand Isle, Vermont Age: 38 Estimated birth year: abt 1842 Birthplace: Vermont Relation to head-of-household: Self (Head) Spouse's name: Mary Father's birthplace: Vermont Mother's birthplace: Vermont Occupation: Farmer Marital Status: Married 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 The infant Knight is most likly Hardy Jay Knight B:25 Nov 1880 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: Orrie Knight Home in 1900: North Hero, Grand Isle, Vermont Age: 58 Estimated birth year: abt 1842 Birthplace: Vermont Relationship to head-of-house: Head Spouse's name: Sarah L Race: White Occupation:Farmer Household Members: Name Age Orrie Knight 58 Sarah L Knight 47 Lennie A Knight 7 Hardy J Knight 20 Edward Parker 19 Source Citation: Year: 1900; Census Place: North Hero, Grand Isle, Vermont; Roll: T623 1691; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 125.

1910 United States Federal Census Name: Orris P Knight [Orvis P Knight] Age in 1910: 69 Estimated birth year: abt 1841 Birthplace: Vermont Relation to Head of House: Head Father's Birth Place: Vermont Mother's Birth Place: Vermont Spouse's name: Sarah A Home in 1910: North Hero, Grand Isle, Vermont Marital Status: Married Race: White Gender: Male Household Members: Name Age Orris P Knight 69 Sarah A Knight 57 Lonnie A Knight 17 Harry Dodds 16 Source Citation: Year: 1910; Census Place: North Hero, Grand Isle, Vermont; Roll: T624_1615; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 122; Image: 152.