Person:Wilbur Knight (6)

BIOGRAPHY: The Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans: Volume VI K. Knott, James Proctor

KNIGHT, Wilbur Clinton, geologist, was born in Rochelle, Ill., Dec. 13, 1858; son of David A. and Cornelia E. (Jones) Knight, and grandson of Hezekiah T. and Anna A. (Angel) Knight. He graduated from the University of Nebraska, B.S., 1886, A.M., 1893; was assistant territorial geologist of Wyoming, 1886-87; manager and superintendent of mines in Colorado and Wyoming, 1888-92; was elected professor of mining at the University of Wyoming in 1893; professor of mining and geology, curator of the museum and geologist of the experiment station at the University of Wyoming in 1894; was appointed state geologist in 1898, and directed the Union Pacific scientific expedition through the fossil fields of Wyoming in 1899. He was married, Oct. 16, 1889, to Emma E. Howell. He was elected a fellow of the Geological Society of America in 1897, a member of the National Geographic society in 1898, and of the American Institute of Mining Engineers in 1899. He is the author of many scientific papers and of contributions to scientific journals. He died in Laramie, Wy., July 30, 1903.

The fossil genus Knightia is named after the first Wyoming State Geologist Wilbur Clinton Knight

Current Research Projects at the Tate Museum Reported by Russell J Hawley, Education Director, Tate Museum

After 100 years the final resting of the giant pliosaur Megalneusaurns rei was rediscovered in Fremont County, Wyoming. Parts of this animal, most notably two large complete forelimbs were collected by Wilbur Knight in the late 1890's and has been on display in the Tate Museum. We are hoping that a good portion of the animals is still in the ground as some large congealed "balls" containing thousands of cephalopod hooklets were found at the site. These are believed to be the pliosaur's stomach contents.

2306837 Knight, Wilbur Clinton 1858-1903 Biographical Dictionary of American Science. The seventeenth through the nineteenth centuries. By Clark A. Elliott. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1979.(BiDAmS) Biographical Index to American Science. The seventeenth century to 1920. Compiled by Clark A. Elliott. Bibliographies and Indexes in American History, no. 16. New York: Greenwood Press, 1990.(BiInAmS) The Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans. Brief biographies of authors, administrators, clergymen, commanders, editors, engineers, jurists, merchants, officials, philanthropists, scientists, statesmen, and others who are making American history. 10 volumes. Edited by Rossiter Johnson. Boston: The Biographical Society, 1904.(TwCBDA) Who Was Who in America. A component volume of [Who's Who in American History.]. Volume 1, 1897-1942. Chicago: A.N. Marquis Co., 1943.(WhAm 1)

DEATH: The American Geologist Vol. XXXIII January, 1904 No. 1 Wilbur, Clinton Knight By S. W. Williston

  In the death of Wilbur Clinton Knight at the early age of forty four, science has sustained a loss, which can only be truly appreciated by those who knew him best. A man of rigorous rectitute of  character, enthusiastic to a greater degree than is common among scientific men even, tireless in activity, and sincerely devoted to science because of the love of science, the results of the work he accomplished in the comparatively few years of  his mature powers will be known best only to the university which he served so well, and to those friend elsewhere who came into close relationship with him. It was my pleasure to be a frequent correspondent of Dr. Knight for nearly ten years, and to have spent weeks with him in camp and at his own fireside. The news of his death came as a shock while on my way to visit him in Laramie in response to a most generous invitation. I had long since learned to trust him implicitly as an upright gentleman and as a friend.
  Professor Knight, the son of a farmer, was born at Rochelle, Illinois, Dec. 13, 1858. His father, David A. Knight, removed while yet the son was a boy to a farm near Lincoln, Nebraska, then near the limits of civilization on the plains. Pioneer life developed in the son those traits which have brought success to many another western lad, self reliance, vigor of purpose and of body, energy and ambition. The naturalist was born in the country boy, and those keen powers of observation for which he was distinguished were trained as perhaps nothing else would have trained them. The fauna and flora and geology of  his prairie home surroundings became familiar to him in a way that shaped his whole future life. While the larger part of his attention in later years was devoted to geological and chemical pursuits, I have reason to believe that, could he have been left free to follow his own inclinations, he would have preferred to give his life to purely paleontological and stratigraphical studies, and he never fully reconciled himself to his limitations.
  He graduated at the University of Nebraska in 1896, in the scientific course. He left his country home, where there was little stimulus for intellectual life, to enter college at an age when most young men graduate, and worked his way through his course by setting type at night time. Immediately after his graduation, he went to Wyoming to serve as an assistant geologist on the territorial survey. In this position, and as an assayer and superintendent of mines of Colorado and Wyoming he served until called to the professorship of Geology and Mining at the newly founded University of Wyoming, at Laramie, in 1893, a position which he held uninterruptedly, with the added duties, concurrently or successively, of geologist of Wyoming experiment station, curator of the State Museum, state geologist, and principal of the School of Mines of the State University, until his death from peritonitis, July 28 of the past year. He received the degrees of M.A. and Ph. D. from his alma mater in 1893 and 1901, and had also spent some time in graduate study at the University of Chicago. He was for years a fellow of the Geological Society of America, and was a member of the Institute of Mining Engineers, of the National Geographic Society, and of other societies.
  During the ten years of his incumbency of the professorship at the University of Wyoming, professor Knight found time, notwithstanding the multiplicity and arduousness of his labors, to publish many valuable contributions to geological and paleontological science, a list of which, as compiled by his colleague,  professor A. Nelson, will be found appended herewith. Indeed those who knew him can only be surprised at the tireless and incessant activity which enabled him to accomplish so much of real value. But his publications tell only a part of what he did, and that too oftentimes the most meager means at his command and amid discouragements which few can appreciate. Almost isolated from companionship with scientific men in his own field of work, with but little literature and means for comparative studies, his work was largely that of a pioneer, preparing the way for others. He found time among other things to bring together collections in paleontology of which any university might be proud. More than fifty tons of valuable fossils, chiefly vertebrates, were obtained for the university by his patient effort, and some of those young men whom he helped to train are now gaining reputations for themselves in paleontology. Only a few months before his death he published an excellent extended list of the birds of Wyoming, based upon material largely the result of his own labors.
  The larger part of his published papers, it will be seen, were devoted to economic geology, and the state owes him a dept of which I trust it feels fully conscious. Nevertheless, he published not a few papers of value on the stratigraphy, paleontology and natural history of Wyoming. In stratigraphic geology his chief services were in the more accurate mapping of parts of the state, in the recognition of the Lower Permian, in the recognition of the so-called Triassic or Red-beds as being, in part at least, of Permian age, in the more accurate determinations of the Jurassic horizons, etc. In paleontology he described a number of new forms of plesiosaurs, ichthyosaurs, fishes, etc. Much of the material which he accumulated is new to science and of much interest, and it is unfortunate that he did not have the time and opportunity to study this material more fully. His limitations were those of a pioneer state-multiplicity of things to do, and the lack of means which can only be brought together by time. And his merits are largely those of a pioneer, merits which are not often appreciated at their full value by the laboratory scientist.
  As to his personal character, I am permitted to quote from a letter from a mutual friend, and colleague of professor Knight for ten years,  professor E. E. Slosson:
  "Professor Knight habitually overworked himself day and night; he was not strong in constitution. He built his own assay furnaces, put up partitions and desks and bought his own books when appropriations were insufficient, as they must always be in a new university. He was unfailingly courteous and kind hearted in his relations with others, never wounding feelings and unselfishly doing more than his share of the duties which came his way. He was outspoken against shams and pretensions of all kinds, and his opposition to the present methods of exploiting mines in the west often brought down upon him the displeasure of promoters, and caused efforts to be made to force him out of his position. His assays were fearless and honest. He was tempted at times by offers of large salaries to go into mining work, but he refused them always because of his love of science."
  All this I can corroborate. It was a few weeks before his death he wrote me he been sadly tempted to accept an excellent position in mining work with a salary of five thousand dollars a year, but he could not abandon his scientific work. The State had learned to trust him for his ability and fearless integrity, and he might have had many opportunities in business life had he desired. The appreciation of scientific merit comes slowly in the western states unless it leads immediately to the almighty dollar, and he who loves science for science's sake is usually regarded outside of his immediate circle of friends, with a feeling of mild contempt. More than anywhere else, I think, newspaper notoriety is necessary in the west to give fame to the "scientist." But professor Knight was not that kind of a man, and this must be taken into account in correctly appreciating his character. Nevertheless, after many years Wyoming did appreciate him, as was evident by the universal regret at his demise.
  Professor Knight was married in 1889 to Miss E. Emma Howell, who survives him with four children. That his home life was a happy one I can certify from personal knowledge.
  Professor Knight gave his life unselfishly and freely, without the recompense he deserved, and amid many discouragements, to his adopted State. His period of highest usefulness was only fairly begun, and his university had learned his real worth; his colleagues have only the kindest and most sincere words of appreciation for him as a man and as a teacher.
  The State of Wyoming could do no better service to the youth of the state, no greater honor to itself than by erecting a fitting and lasting memorial at the university where he worked so faithfully, to the memory of professor Wilbur Clinton Knight, a sincere and faithful man, and an earnest student.

CENSUS: 1880 United States Federal Census Name: Wilber C. Knight Home in 1880: Sicily, Gage, Nebraska Age: 21 Estimated birth year: abt 1859 Birthplace: Illinois Relation to head-of-household: Son Father's name: David A. Father's birthplace: New York Mother's name: Cornelia E. Mother's birthplace: New York Occupation: Farmer Marital Status: Single Race: White Gender: Male Household Members: Name Age David A. Knight 45 Cornelia E. Knight 45 Wilber C. Knight 21 Emma L. Knight 19 Hattie A. Knight 15 Ella C. Knight 9 Homer A. Knight 6 Howard O. Knight 6 Source Citation: Year: 1880; Census Place: Sicily, Gage, Nebraska; Roll: T9_749; Family History Film: 1254749; Page: 105.4000; Enumeration District: 349; Image: 0458.

1900 United States Federal Census Name: Wilson Knight Home in 1900: Laramie Ward 2, Albany, Wyoming Age: 39 Estimated birth year: abt 1861 Birthplace: Illinois Relationship to head-of-house: Head Spouse's name: Emma E Race: White Occupation: Wyoming State Geologist Household Members: Name Age Wilson Knight 39 Emma E Knight 34 Florence Knight 9 Howell Knight 7 Everett Knight 6 Carry Nelson 20 Source Citation: Year: 1900; Census Place: Laramie Ward 2, Albany, Wyoming; Roll: T623 1826; Page: 11A; Enumeration District: 8.

OBITUARY: The New York Times Published: July 30, 1903 Death List of A Day Dr. Wilbur Clinton Knight. Laramie, Wyoming, July 29.-Dr. Wilbur Clinton Knight, Professor of Geology and Mining Engineering at the University of Wyoming, and curator of the State Museum, is dead of peritonitis. Dr. Wilbur Clinton Knight was born at Rochelle, Ill., in 1858, and was graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1886. He was made Assistant Territorial Geologist of Wyoming the same year. He was Superintendent of Mines in Colorado and Wyoming, 1888-93. The following year he assumed the position of Professor of Geology and Mining Engineering at the University of Wyoming, which he held up to the time of his death. Since 1897 he had also been State Geologist of Wyoming. He was a Fellow of the Geological Society of America, and a member of the American Institute of Mining Engineers and of the Geographical Society of America.

MEDIA: D0046 - Wilbur Clinton Knight http://ahc.uwyo.edu/exhibits/knight/index.htm