James
Hart McKnight
(1856-1945)
James
Hart McKnight
was born on March 3, 1856 in Fayette County, PA, the son of William and Mahala (Minerd)
McKnight. He was called "a great horse fancier" and "a
raiser of race horses."
As a teenager, in about 1871, James and his parents moved to Washington Twp., near Fayette City, Fayette County. He lived there the rest of his life.
On
Dec. 6, 1877, he married Adaline Stephens (1852-1931), daughter of Levi B. and Mary (Griffith) Stephens. They had no
children, but raised several nephews and nieces on their farm. Adaline is seen
at left with a prized chicken.
James is profiled in Volume III of Nelson's 1920 Biographical Dictionary and Historical Reference Book of Fayette County. The book calls him "a prominent farmer and one of the representative citizens of Washington township..." His obituary said he was "one of the leading farmers of Fayette County." He retired in the late 1930s or early '40s.
James
is seen here with two of his prized horses.
In 1886, at the request of friend Melvina Reeves, James and Adaline loaned her $700 so she could start a merchandising business. When neither Melvina or her husband James repaid the loan, the McKnights sued for $2,000 damages. The outcome is not known.
James and Adaline were members of the Little Redstone Methodist Church. They are said to have helped finance the rebuilding the church after a fire.
Sadly, Adaline died of a heart attack at age 79 on Feb. 17, 1931, at home.
James
survived his wife by 14 years. In
his later years, nieces Mary E.
(McKnight) Prewett and Hallie McKnight "made their home with
him."
James
died on July 1, 1945, and was buried with Adaline at the cemetery of the Little
Redstone Methodist Church (seen here).
At the funeral, Elizabeth and Grace Prewett sang "We will Say Good Night Here, But Good Morning Up There." Elizabeth and Wilda Stephens sang "The Beautiful Garden of Prayer." His pallbearers were his grand-nephews -- Harry, David and Arthur Prewett, Albert Folkens, Charles Rossell and William Radcliffe.
Copyright © 2000-2001, 2003, 2005 Mark A. Miner