Knight, George A.

KNIGHT, CONNOLLY, COFFEY

Posted By: Volunteer Transcribers
Date: 1/28/2003 at 14:02:06

GEORGE A. KNIGHT

George A. Knight, conductor on a fast freight running between Boone and Clinton, and a highly esteemed citizen of the latter place, was born on the 3d of June, 1865, in Whiteside county, Illinois, his parents being George H. and Catherine (Connolly) Knight. The father is a native of the same county and a son of William Knight, who has been a resident of Clinton, Iowa, since 1885, and is now eighty-four years of age. He brought to this place the first steam ferry run between Lyons and Fulton. By occupation he was a farmer. About 1866 the father of four (sic) subject entered the employ of the Chicago & Northwestern Railway, and as an agent and trainman he remained in the service of the company for some years. He was subsequently engaged in the hotel business in Belle Plaine, Iowa, and now owns and operates a small farm near Boone. His wife died at that place in April, 1898, aged sixty-two years. They were the parents of six children, of whom one died in infancy. Those living are George A., the subject of this biography; Sarah, who is clerking in a dry goods store in Boone; Frank, a resident of that place, who was formerly in the employ of the Chicago & Northwestern Railway Company; Thomas, who is now in the railway service in Montana and has traveled quite extensively; and Charles, who is now clerking in a grocery store in Boone, Iowa. The children were principally educated in Maquoketa, this state, while the father was agent for the Chicago & Northwestern Railway at that place.

George A. Knight attended school until thirteen years of age, and then followed various occupations for some time. He spent four years with his father on a farm in Kansas, and at the age of eighteen accepted a position as brakeman on the Chicago & Northwestern Railway. In October, 1885, he was promoted to conductor, his run being between Belle Plaine and Boone for some time, while he made his home in the latter place. Since the division was changed his run has been between Clinton and Boone, and he is now conductor on a fast freight. He has been very fortunate in that he has met with but one accident since he went upon the road.

On the 28th of November, 1894, Mr. Knight was married in Boone to Miss Nora Coffey, who was born in Ireland and came to this country when thirteen years of age. They now have four children, namely: Leonard, J. Harold, Catherine and Basil. The family removed to Clinton in April, 1901. Mr. Knight is a charter member of Link Lodge, No. 226, Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen, at Belle Plaine, and served as its master two years. There are only two of the charter members of that organization left.
Source: The 1901 Biographical Record of Clinton Co., Iowa, Illustrated published: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1901.