The Knight surname entered the Fayette village area,  Fayette Co, Iowa in the mid 1850's
Fayette as a town does not exist when John Noble and Jon Knight arrived in 1855 & 1856.  Westfield village over the knoll a 600 yds to the west of 'to be' Main.St, Fayette. had been platted for five years, had a mill, millers, sawyers, post office, a few craftsmen and at least a couple of merchants and farmers living within the village area.  The Fayette plat area was basically barren until just before the construction of the college Seminary building was initiated in 1856, as the start of the first 'boom' years of the Fayette village area.

Emphasis is on the family of Jonathan and Sarah Brown Knight of the Fayette village area.
1855...Jonathan Knight moved the family from the Big Rock area of Kane Co, IL,  into the Westfield (Fayette) plat/village, Fayette Co, IA.   He likely knew others within the couple of dozen families that were living inside the Westfield (Fayette) village area at the time.

1856... Jonathan moved out from Westfield and entered an 80a farm in the Corn Hill neighborhood, 3 1/2mi SE of Fayette, the E1/2 or the SW1/2 of sec 2, Smithfield Township. 

 1856-66...Jonathan Knight farmed and blacksmithed in the Corn Hill area for about ten years while during the same period, setting up a blacksmith and wagon/carriage shop in Fayette village.  In 1866 Jonathan would sell to his brother-in-law Milo Dewey married to his sister Betsey Knight and move permanently into the blacksmith/wagonmaking business and home on lot 1, bk 1, River Addition, at the NW end of Washington St. in Fayette.  Jonathan had been working with John Noble, blacksmith, on a corner of Washington/Water.St since the late 1850's.

1862, by this time Jonathan was in the process of establishing a blacksmith and wagon shop in Fayette village. By 1865, he had moved the family from the farm to Fayette village, where he would operate a wagon making/repair shop, blacksmithing shop and saw/grist mill at the NE end of Washington St next to the Volga River.  Jonathan and sons ran the blacksmith and wagon making shops, mills, coal supply until about 1892/93, when his sons took over the businesses. Jonathan Knight worked and lived NW of the Water/Washington Street intersection from 1862+ until his death in 1906 and is buried at Grandview in Fayette.

The Austin Augustus Knight (b. 1819) family was also in the Fayette village area in the same time frame as Jonathan Knight.  Austin Knight was farming in section 22 of Smithfield Twp. Jonathan Knight would farm in the Corn Hill area, section 2 of Smithfield Twp, 3+ miles to the NE of Austin Knight. DeWitt Chittenden was farming between the two Knight families. I have found no direct connection between the Jonathan and Austin Knight families (bz, 2006, 2010).  Austin Knight married Martha Amelia Chittenden, who was one of DeWitt's daughters.  Dewitt Chittenden was a miller from Vermont and the Chittenden's would become involved with the feed milling operation on East Water St, in the 1900's, after the Knight's.
 

Timeline:

1600’s--The Knight line goes back into early 1600’s Massachusetts.

1814, Curtis Knight, 1794/NH-1854/IN and Betsey Atwood, 1798/NH-1888IN, married in Cornish, Sullivan Co, NH.

1816-1842, Curtis and Betsey had 13 children, all in VT or NH.  

1828—Jonathan Knight, son of Curtis, is born in VT. 

1848—Jonathan Knight (1828-1906) married Sarah Brown (1826-1901) in NH, then move to Thetford, Orange Co, VT. Son Edgar Curtis was born Nov 7, 1840 in Thetford, Orange.Co.VT.

1850--Sometime shortly before the 1850 census Curtis 56 farmer, and Betsey 57, moved the family from Orange Co, VT to the Kaneville area, Kane Co, IL, where Curtis would die in 1854. Seven of children of Curtis and Betsey were still living with parents in Illinois in 1850, Mary Ann 24, Charles 19 blacksmith, George W. 17 farmer, Davis 15, Maria 13, Sarah Ann 10, Harrison, 8. 

1850-- Curtis & Betsey’s son, Jonathan Knight 22/blacksmith ( who is now married to Sarah Brown 23, with a baby son Edgar C.) and brother Charles 19 blacksmith, are living in Thetford, Orange Co, VT. ??Why is Charles 19 showing up both with his father in ILL and brother back in VT. Charles may have moved from VT to IL in time to catch both census takers.?? The Henry Hoyt family is living close to Jonathan in VT.

1850--Fayette County, Iowa census listed about 290 names as possible heads of first families in Fayette County, with about 215 different surnames listed.

1850-1855--The early platted villages in Fayette Co, Iowa were:
West Union-June 1850,
Westfield (just west of the 2000 Hwy150 bridge)-July 1851,
Auburn-1851,
Volga City (Lima)-Oct 1851,
Taylorville-Feb 1852,
West Auburn-Sept 1853,
Centerville (adjoining Taylorsville)-May 1854,
Albany-July 1854, Elgin-Feb 1855,
Fayette (to the south of the 2000 Main St bridge-June1855

1851, Mar—Jonathan Knight moved wife and son Edgar from VT to Kane Co, IL, joining his father Curtis. Numerous families from New England took the migration route to IN and into northern IL, often to Kane Co, IL. From Kane Co, there was significant movement into NE Iowa during the 1850/60’s when more land was taken from the Indian’s and opened above the neutral grounds line in 1849/50.

1851, Jonathan's 2nd child Arthur Knight is born Big Rock, Kane.Co.IL, Aug 17, 1851.
1853, Jonathan's 3rd child Riley Knight is born Big Rock, Kane.Co.IL, Sep 1, 1853.

1854, June,  Brothers John Ezekiel Noble 1823/NY-? and Harvey Sylvester Noble 1825/NY-1857/Fayette, move from NY to the the area near what would be the Main St bridge when Fayette, Iowa was platted a year later in June 1855.  John Noble reportedly built the first log house in 'town (Fayette)'  Brother Robert Delano Noble 1828/Ny-1883/Fayette, arrived from NY, May 1, 1855.  They apparently lived in the same log cabin.  If the Noble brothers arrived and settled near the 'bridge' in 1854 there was literally nobody there.  All the early settlers were over the valley knoll 600yds to the west in the Klock's Island area, which was already a platted village, the Westfield P.O., and had an operational mill, a few craftsmen and a merchant or two.  About 1854, Maxon and one or two others moved to near the bridge area of what would be platted as Fayette in 1855.  It can be speculated that with three Noble brothers in the bridge area there was no work....nothing to do for blacksmiths, carpenters, chairmakers.  Five miles to the east of Wesfield,  in the village of Albany, the Earl grist/flour mill was operating, as was the Lima Mill, a couple of miles downstream and the Marvin Mill, a couple miles upstream.  There was a substantial pioneer industry at Albany/Lima to include furniture/chair manufacturing run off the water power of the Earle and Marvin mills.  In the 1856 census, the three Noble families are in the Albany area and living together in the same structure.  If they really did build a cabin and over-winter in 1854/55 in the Fayette plat the Noble likely moved to Albany in 1855.  In the 1856 census at Albany,  John was listed as a blacksmith, Harvey farming, Robert chair making.  The Albany chair factory was operating by that time utilizing power from the Earle Mill, and upstream was another chair/furniture operation probably associated with the Marvin Mill.  This was the very frontier in the early 1850's with very few whites, most of which were starting farms.  Craftsman and merchants were scarce for a few years, as was the 'sale' of their skills.   Mar/16/2010/bz

Jonathan Knight had arrived from NY in the Westfield plat area either 1855 or 1856, about the same time as Robert Noble.  Jonathan stayed in the Westfield village area until moving to 80a in sec 2 of Smithfield Twp in 1856.  Jonathan Knight may have known the Noble families back in NY and he certainly would have met the Noble brothers in the Albany village area as the Earle Mill would have been the closest mill to his farm.  The Nobles would have moved back to Fayette about 1857 or about the time work began on the college Seminary building and the Fayette village started on its first 'boom' years.  A very early 1858 paper article indicates that John E. Noble and Harvey S. Noble would have had a log blacksmith shop in operation on the NW corner of Water/Washington St by 1857, as Harvey died late in 1857.  Robert Noble at this time was also in Fayette working as a cabinet maker and carpenter, which he would do throughout his life.   John E. Noble probably partnered with Jonathan Noble by at least 1858.

Summer 1855—Jonathan Knight, age 27y, moved the family, including wife Sarah 29y (likely pregnant with Alice Isabel), Edgar Curtis 6y, Arthur 4y, Riley 2y,  either to the area that would be platted Fayette, or to the platted Westfield village area (just west of Hwy 150, and east of Klock’s Island). Jonathan likely worked a few months as a blacksmith in the newly forming village area until moving to 80a, 3+mi SE of Fayette in the Corn Hill area, sec 2, Smithfield.Twp.  Dau Alice would have been born in the Fayette/Westfield valley in 1855.

1855, Jonathan's 4th child Alice Isabel Knight is born in the Westfield (Fayette) village plat area, Fay.Co.IA, Jul 3, 1855.

1856 Census, Johnathan Knight 46, b.abt 1810/IN, if listed as farmer, living with Winslow Sterns (31/VT)  family in the Albany area.  This is not Fayette's Jon Knight b.1828/VT, son of Curtis.

By Spring of 1856—Jonathan 28y, moved to an 80a farm, the E1/2 of the SW1/4 in sec 2, of Smithfield Twp, which was in the area known as the Corn Hill(s) Neighborhood.  Corn Hill was a P.O. and school for area farmers and a few craftsman, 3 ½ miles SE of Main St., Fayette.  Corn Hill was on the old Mission Trail between Brush Creek (Arlington) and Westfield/Fayette.  Jonathan probably practiced blacksmithing for the Corn Hill neighborhood from his farm, and likely was repairing of wagons and carriages. Many of the early wagons, carts, sleds, skids were working structures pulled by oxen rather than draft horses. Blacksmith skills were needed to make/repair heavy chains used by oxen, wheel bands, fasteners, etc.  Many pioneer tools were locally made by smiths.

1856 to 1865/1866—Jonathan farm in the Corn Hill area, 3 ½ mi SE of Fayette. The first season Jonathan built a log barn, which was the first shelter for the family but remained somewhat open to rain and cold. Because of an injury, he was unable to immediately build a house until the following year, so his son Charles Walter was born Feb 1857, in this barn. Jonathan’s other children were 2, 4, 6 years old at the time; Jonathan about 29y, his wife Sarah 31y.   Born on this farm was Charles Walter 1857, John 1859, Horace Edgar 1861, Nellie 1864. Jonathan would move the family into Fayette village before dau Isadore was born in 1866.  Between 1858-1866, Jonathan Knight was also blacksmithing and wagon making on north Washington Street in the Fayette plat.  Between about 1858-1862 with John Noble and then about 1862-1866 in his own shop in lot 1 of River Addition at the NW end of Washington St.

1857, Jonathan's 5th child Charles Walter Knight is born on the sec 2 farm, Corn Hill area, Smithfield.Twp, Fay.Co.IA, Feb 1, 1857.

1858, June, Fayette County Journal, published by C. O. Meyers, at Fayette, June 4, 1858:   J.E. and H.S. Noble---Blacksmiths (John and Harvey), "Water street, upper part of town." "Particular attention paid to horse and cattle (oxen) shoeing." We work first for those that pay the best, and after that we will work for the rest."  (this would have been at the NW corner area of the Water St & Washington St. intersection.

John Ezekiel Noble, b. Apr 27, 1823, Penfield. Monroe.Co.NY.  Son of  Ezekiah Noble 1787/MA-1856/NY & Theodorica Bates 1789/MA-1869/Fayette, IA.   John Noble would become known as the 'Village Blacksmith with his final shop on the SE corner of the Fayette bridge area.  Jonathan Knight remained to build a family blacksmithing/wagonmaking business near the Volga River at the NW end of Washington St, just east of the Noble blacksmith shop.  J.E. Noble came to the Westfield village in 1854, a couple of years before the influx of blacksmiths and builders involved with the college seminary construction.  The Noble family came to MA from England in the 1600's and although many of the Noble line farmed, they were a craftsman family mainly of  blacksmiths and wood-workers.  Harvey Sylvester Noble was J.E. Noble's brother, 1825/NY-1857/Fayette.IA, married to Lydia Matilda Warren 1823/NY-1864/Fayette.IA.  Harvey came to Westfield village with his brother in 1854, where they both farmed and smithed.  Jon. Knight likely joined  J.E. Noble between 1858-1860, at the log blacksmith shop in the Water/Wash. St. area, as Harvey Noble died late in 1857.  Most blacksmith/wagon shops involved at least two blacksmiths and usually more as many tasks required multiple workers.  Often family children were involved and apprenticing/learning the trade.

1858, Local Business Men, from 'Chats:'  The earliest Fayette newspaper view of Fayette, Westfield and Albany, as business centers which I have seen is an old copy of the Fayette county Journal, owned by Mrs. Lida Stranahan. The paper published by C. O. Meyers, at Fayette, June 4, 1858, is as large as the present (1940) Fayette paper, but is more than one-half advertising. Not only local concerns, but many from West Union, Chicago, Dubuque, McGregor and elsewhere were patrons. These were the first Fayette boom days---just after the Seminary had opened. The town of Fayette was only three years old but Westfield and Albany were (several years) older.  (The movement was away from Westfield plat to the Fayette plat as soon as the Seminary was under construction by 1856.  It should be noted that the rails came to Fayette in the mid 1870's so until that time all commerce was by oxen and draft horse pulled freight wagons and sleds pulled from Mississippi River ports of Dubuque and McGregor, then later from rail heads of Manchester to Marion.  Fayette and similar Fayette County villages were fairly isolated until rails came in the 1970's and later.)
The Advertisers---In this old newspaper I find advertisements for the following business concerns at Fayette, Westfield and Albany, form which I (O.W. Stevenson) have taken enough to indicate general lines of business.
Business of Fayette in 1858---
Drs. C.C. Parker and D. Alexander (Charles Parker & Dixon Alexander)---Had their firm office on Washington street (Parker home, middle of east side), between Water and State streets, for the practice of medicine and surgery.
A. E. Sawyer---Watchmaker and jeweler, at No. 56 Main street, who also had a card as Public (notary public).
David C. Sperry---Notary Public.
Joseph Hobson---Notary Public, Collector and land agent. Prairie and timber land and town lots.
R.B. Hayward---Painter, grainer, glazier and paper hanger. Paints and oils. Two doors south of Fayette House.
A.M. Barnard and Co.---Wholesale and retail dealer in dry goods, groceries, clothing, boots and shoes. "At Maxon's old stand on the bank of the Volga. Firm was A.M. Jasen, and W.W. Barnard and J.B. Sperry.
S.E. Pettingill---Manufacturer of boots and shoes. Adjoining Barnard's Store.
I. Templeton and G. Brier---New firm at N. E. corner of Main and Water streets. Dry goods, clothing, groceries, boots, carpeting, mattresses, etc.
E.A. Halleck---Manufacturere and dealer in wagons, carriages and sleighs. Corner of Kind and State streets.
Fayette House---J.D. Gray, Prop. (formerly of Washington House, Dubuque) now open to public "offers accommodations unsurpassed by any hotel in Iowa. A large and commodious barn is connected with the establishment."
Budlong and Norton---"At the old stand" have for sale smoked hams and shoulders and a large lot of pickled pork. Also cast steel plows. Have retired from other mercantile business.
A. Goodrich---Has opened a new meat market, "next door to Barnard's store."
H. Marvin---Lumber for sale at his mill three miles below Fayette, on the Volga (1+mi upstream from Albany, bz/1999).
M. H. Root---Lime at the kiln south of town. Also stone mason and stone quarry available.
E.R.W. Emmons---Manufacturer of boots and shoes. Prices: men's stogies $3.50 and $4.00; kip $4.50 and $5.00. Women's Booties $2.00.
A.R. Field---Land Agent. Office at Fayette House.
B. Rembold---New cabinet shop in Fayette for making tables, chairs, bureaus, bedsteads, stands, secretaries, settees and sofas. Musical instruments made to order and for sale: pianos, melodeons, dulcimers, guitars, accordions, banjos, etc.
E.C. Howe---Big ad. for new store; Hardware, stoves, tinware, etc., features "Emperor Elevated Oven"; "Morning Star Air Eight," warranted "not to cut in the eye, or no sale".
H.W. Waterbury---Drugs, medicines, glass, groceries, books. Etc.
Benj. Burch and Cortez Paine---Fruit and ornamental trees at the Fayette nursery.
J.E. and H.S. Nobel---Blacksmiths, "Water street, upper part of town." "Particular attention paid to horse and cattle shoeing." We work first for those that pay the best, and after that we will work for the rest."
Wm. H. Derby---Harness shop, on Main street, one door north of the new hotel. Manufactures: saddles, harness, trunks, valises, whips, etc. Carriage trimming and repairing.

Business of Westfield (just west of the 2000 Hwy 150 bridge) in 1858---
N.H. Moulton---At Westfield, manufactures and sells breaking plows, cultivators, shovel plows, etc.
Westfield Mill---Brier and Templeton, proprietors; pay highest market prices for wheat. Flour and feed always on hand.
F. Kelly---At Westfield. Tailor. "Prepared to make all kinds of garments in my line in the best style."
Lime for Sale---15c per bu, at Westfield mill-dam.  (which means they are burning lime from two small quarries nearby, one south of the mill run and one north of the Volga near the top of the hill, bz/1999).
P. Cassiday---At Westfield, stone cutter, mason and plasterer.
H.N.Sutton---At Westfield. Dry goods, leather goods, hdwre, crockery, clothing, boots, etc. Also John Deere's Moline plows, and some of home manufacture (Moulton's plows). Wants 5000bu of wheat in exchange for goods (wheat would have been ground at the mill and sold locally, very little corn was grown in the early years, crops were mainly wheat, rye, buckwheat).
Isaac Brier---At Westfield. Has opened a general family grocery and provision store (to coincide with his milling interest).
Luffkin and Colman---At Westfield. Lumber for sale. And sawing done at Westfield steam mill at $7 per M. Sell oak lumber $16 to $18 per M and basswood at $20. Lath $4.50 per thousand (this would have been a tractor driven steam saw mill near the ford below the water mill, near 2000's Hwy 150 bridge.)

Business of Albany (horse campground in 2000) in 1858---
Northern Iowa Cabinet and Turning Shop---At Albany, Iowa, operated by E.E. Chandler, advertises their workmen among the best in the county; announce to citizens of Fayette county, and the rest of the world, they will furnish all kinds of cabinet furniture, bedsteads, bureaus, tables, whiffle-trees, neckyokes, hubs, etc. (Located close to the Earle Mill at Albany, power to turn woodworking tools was produced by the water wheel, bz/1999).
F. (Fleming) Jones---at Albany, has in operation a chair factory and is prepared to furnish on shortest notice chairs of all descriptions, warranted for one year, and delivered at any place within four miles.  (Power supplied by the Marvin Mill., bz/1999).
James K. Kent---at Albany, was still to be found at the old shop. Blacksmith;  horses shod $2.75 per span, or $3.25 on time. All other work for cash in proportion. Oxen shod for $3.25.
Note/bz:  It is at Albany in the 1856 census that the John E. (blacksmith), Harvey S. (farming & probably smithing with John), Robert D. Noble (chairmaker) families were living under one dwelling.  I speculate they arrived in Fayette 1854-1855, build a log structure near the bridge area river fords, but with no work moved down to the Earle Mill area in Albany by late summer 1855, then back to Fayette  late 1856 or early 1857.  Albany (and Lima) were the closest established pioneer industrial areas between between 1850-1858.  Fayette did not exist until the  village plat was laid out in June 1855 and the Seminary (college) building started in 1856.  It is 1856 when the Fayette plat starts to attract more families.

1859, Jonathan's 6th child John Knight is born on the sec 2 farm, Corn Hill area, Smithfield.Twp, Fay.Co.IA, July 13, 1859.

1860 Census, Fayette Co, Iowa
Knight, Jonathan, b. 1830, 30m/Vermont, farming $1800/680 (near Gray, Miller, Patterson, Seeber, Bogart), Smithfield Twp; Sarah (Brown) 30f/Vermont; Arthur 9m/ILL; Riley 6m/Iowa; Alice 4f/Iowa; Charley 3f/Iowa; John 1m/Iowa. (80a farm, E1/2 of SW1/4, sec 2, Smithfield Twp, Fayette Co, Iowa, in the Corn Hill area, 3 ½ miles SE of Main St., Fayette)

1861, Jonathan's 7th child Horace Edgar Knight is born on the sec 2 farm, Corn Hill area, Smithfield.Twp, Fay.Co.IA, Nov 10, 1861.

1862, Jonathan Knight apparently had started to established his initial blacksmith and wagon shop in Fayette village.  It is likely he came from the farm to work with J.E. Noble shortly after 1858, then continued the shop in the same area at the northwest end of Washington St, bz/2006.  An 1894 Fayette Co, Iowa, advertisement booklet indicates 1862, that Jonathan Knight established a ‘firm’ which would be taken over about 1893 by his sons. Jonathan therefore continued his blacksmith/wagon operation from about 1862-1893 near the Volga River, north of Water St, in the Main St area.

1863, Chats with Old Timers:  John Nobel and Johnathan/Jonathan Knight Sr.,  operated a blacksmith shop in 1863 in a small log building that stood off the NW corner of the Water St. and Washington St. intersection, where the Catholic Church now stands (1938, Fayette Leader).

1863, from 'Chats:'  Lewis W. Coates, who came to Fayette at age eight, with his parents, on Nov. 23, 1863, writes about some Fayette business men of 1863. At that time William Derby operated a harness shop south of where the Postoffice is now (in the 1930's the post office was two buildings south of the Bank in 1999,Z). Robert Gaynor operated a butcher shop on the corner where the service station (the DX station in the 1940's-1960's) is south of the city hall (northeast corner of Main and Water streets). I think the building now stands just west of the fox furniture store. Elijah Gregory was operating the Westfield flouring mill at that time---later he had a grocery store just north of where the Bargain store is, I believe (midsection of the west side of the first block of Main street from the Water street corner). Thomas Fowells had a shoe shop on the corner across the street south of the hotel at that time or soon after and "Yankee" White, as we called him, worked there. Scot Waterbury had a drug store on the west side of Main street and his father was postmaster. His father could not speak above a whisper, but regained his speech some years after that.

1864, Jonathan's 8th child Nellie Knight is born on the sec 2 farm, Corn Hill area, Smithfield.Twp, Fay.Co.IA, Mar, 1864.

1864, Nov, H.D. Knight (not sure what Knight this is,  Harvey Sylvester, son of Jonathan is the only one of the correct age with a 'H' first initial to include other Knight lines in the area), bz/2006, 2010) bought from J.L. & Samuel Grannis, lot 4, block 13. This is the only Knight related transaction I could find for bk 13 (the hardware block) from 1856 to about 1920.  Charles Walter Knight bought the hardware store in late 1911 and was operating it by 1912.   It is also the earliest Knight transaction found in bk’s 5, 13, 14.  John Knight, son of Jonathan, owned lot 8 of bk 13, on the SW corner of King/State St,  where he had his home and blacksmith shop. Since Charles Walter Knight, son of Jonathan bought the hardware business in 1911, in lot 4, bk 13,  there are either transactions that I missed, some in other books, or more likely some not recorded in this book, bz/july2006.

1865/66, Jonathan sold his Corn Hill farm to bro/law Milo Dewey and moved family from the Corn Hill farm onto Water/Washington Street in Fayette village to the a blacksmith and wagon making business.  He had already been working as a blacksmith with John E. Noble in the same location/area probably at least 1860 and maybe as early as 1857/58. 

1865, Sept, David Knight bought from John Wilcox, the N40’ of lot 3 & 4, bk 5. (this is likely David A. Knight, b. Feb 20, 1835, Peirmont, Grafton Co, NY, d. May 29, 1913, Wheaton, DuPage Co, IL, husb of Mary Jennings, son of Curtis and Betsey, brother to Harrison and Jonathan Knight, bz)

1865....(1893, Sept 15, Fayette Postal Card:)  We received a call in our office from E.A. Hallock of Pittsburg, PA, who left Fayette 28yrs ago (1865).  He found few here whom he knew.  He is an uncle of J.L. Paine and J.K. Johnson.  E.A. Hallock was a wagon maker in Fayette with a red shop on the SE corner of State and King St's, now (1893) owned by John Knight Jr.

1866, A steam saw mill was working pre-1866, in sec 1, Smithfield Twp, owned by Samuel Hendrickson, 15hp, and sawed great deal of walnut and a little pine (likely red cedar).  This was adjacent to Jonathan Knights farm in sec 2, Smithfield, during the time Jonathan was establishing a blacksmith, wagon shop, then sawmill at the north end of Washington St.

1866, Jonathan's 9th and last child Isadore Knight is born on lot 1, River Addition, NW end of Washington.St, Fayette, Fay.Co.IA, Sep 28, 1866.

1867, Apr, Harrison Knight bought from David knight, N40’ of lot 3 & 4, bk 5.  This is likely Harrison T. Knight, b. Mar 20, 1842, Piermont, Grafton Co, NY, d. Jan 15, 1893, Sullivan Co, MO, husb of Nannnie Tunnell, son of Cutis and Betsey, brother to David and Jonathan Knight.  By 1870, Harrison was working for the RR and in Nebraska.  Harrison would make a final move as a lumber merchant in Milan, Sullivan.Co.MO.

1870, Apr, Jonathan Knight bought from younger brother Harrison Knight, N40’ of lot 3 & 4, bk 5.  This lot area faced the east side of the north end of Main Street, and would be the location of the Interstate Power building/operation in the 1900's.

1870 Census, Fayette Co, IA
Knight, Jonathan, 43m/Vermont, blacksmith in Fayette village, $1200/100; Sarah (Brown) 43f/Vermont; Arther 19m/ILL blacksmith; Billie 17m/Ill, blacksmith; Alice 15f/Iowa; Charles 13m/Iowa; John 11f/Iowa; Horace 9m/Iowa; Nellie 7f/Iowa; Isadore 4f/Iowa

1870 Census, Dubuque, IA
Knight, Riley, 17y, and Arthur, 19y, sons of Jonathan, are working as brick makers and living with Caleb Knapp, a brick maker in Ward 1, Dubuque, Iowa.

1875, May 6, Milo Dewey (bro/law of Jonathan Knight) buys from Wm. Richards,    Lots 1 & 3, Bk One, River Addition (Lot 1 is the location of Jonathan Knight on the 1869 formation plat of River Addtion).

1878 History of Fayette Co, Iowa
Knight, John, blacksmith, Fayette village, Westfield Twp.
Knight, A. (Arthur)., blacksmith, Fayette village, Westfield Twp.
Noble, J.E., blacksmith in Randalia, Center.Twp, Fay.Co.IA.

1878, Jan, Jonathan and son Arthur Knight, bought from Eliz. Burch, ½ of lot 3, bk 14.

1879, Mar, Jonathan Knight bought from son Arthur, ½ of lot 3, bk 14.
　
1880 Census, Dubuque, Iowa
Knight, Charles Walter, 24Iowa, blacksmith, father born VT, mother Ireland; Mary, 24Iowa, parents born Ireland; son Charles, 1Iowa; Horrace Knight, 18IA, brother, laborer/blacksmith.
Knight, John, 23yIA, blacksmith, living in hotel kept by James Quin, Dubuque, Iowa.

1880 Census, Fayette Co, Iowa
...Knight, Jonathan, b. 1829, 51m/VT, blacksmith/wagonmaker, Fayette village; Sarah (Brown) 53VT, father b. NH, mother Canada; Nellie 16f; Isadore 13f. Jonathan and son Arthur appear to be living on east Water St.
...Sons Charles Walter, John, Horace are in Dubuque working as blacksmiths at the Fockler Wagon/Carriage Factory.
...Orson Crissey, 55yNY, wagon maker, is living close to the Knight families. A railroad fireman, engineer, conductor are living in the household, thus Crissey is also running a boarding house. There was an early boarding house on east Water St. between Wash. & North St’s. Doctor Charles C. Parker is living next to Arthur Knight. Dr. Parker lived in the same area of east Water St., between Wash. & North.
...Knight, Arthur, 30m/NH, blacksmith in Fayette village; Jane H., 27f; Eva R. 6f; Maud A. 2f; Emma Hatch 21f, domestic servant.
...Knight, Riley 26m/ILL, farmer, Westfield twp (this would be a couple of miles east of Fayette near George Whitley... Telitha 26f/Iowa; Arthur E. 5m/Iowa; Harry 2m/Iowa; Gertrude 10/12f/Iowa. John Fitzgerald, 23IA, farm laborer. (Riley apparently farmed for a short time east of Fayette, but came back into Fayette to work with his father in the blacksmith shop and wagon factory. He would move to Cedar Rapids and manage a lumber company, then return to farm in the NE corner of Harlan Twp just south of Center Grove Ch.)

1880, Jul, Jonathan Knight bought from Aaron Brown, ½ of lot 3, bk 14. This is Coronal Aaron Brown who led a local company during the civil war. He farmed 160a, SE1/4, sec 31, Westfield Twp, which was a mile south of Eagle Point. It is this farm that Valentine Strayer father of Winifred Strayer Hunt bought in the 1890’s.

1880, Oct, Jonathan and son John Knight bought from Samantha Strong, ½ of lot 3, bk 14.
　
1882 Article
Jonathan Knight and Sons, Wagon Makers and Blacksmiths
Foremost among the manufactures of Fayette is the wagon and blacksmith shop of Knight and Sons (?John, Arthur, Horace?,  Charles is still in Dubuque in 1882). These gentlemen have long been identified with the interests of Fayette and by a continued course of square dealing have built up a good reputation as citizens and workmen. To supply the increasing demand for their wagons they have recently erected a new factory, 27 by 60 ft, two stories in height. The first story is supplied with the best and latest machinery for their business. The second story is used for a paint shop and storage room. They use the best selected lumber in the manufacture of their wagons and buggies. They will compare with any made in the state.

1882?, May, Jonathan and son’s John and Horace bought from Adam & Rachel Fussell, the west 26’ of lot 4, bk 14. 

1862-1882, The Knight & Sons Blacksmith and Wagon Making and steam sawmill/gristmill were in lot 1, bk 1, River Addition and lots 3 & 4, bk 4, Original Plat.   By 1882, lots 3 & 4, bk 14, Original Plot, north of Water St on the west side of Main St has been acquired and a new and for the time/area major two story wagon making shop would be constructed in 1882-1883.  Later in the 1890's, the first Fayette electric power plant/dynamo would be set up to the north of the wagon shop utilizing the static steam engine initially running the power machinery for the wagon shop and  the milling operation on that side of Main St.

1882, Sept, Fayette Postal Card:  Samual Hughes & Lane, Blacksmiths, horse shoeing a specialty (dissolved 1883.)

1882, Oct 17, Fayette Postal Card:  "Why Yes, we said so before, that John E. Noble is the original 'Village Blacksmith,' and whose place of business is at the old stand near the Bridge, Fayette, Iowa.

1883, Apr 24, Fayette Postal Card;  John Knight & Sons have a big hole in the ground nearly walled in for their new shop.

1883, Apr 24, Fayette Postal Card:  The new (wagon factory) building of John (Jonathan) Knight & Sons is up and nearly enclosed, and will make a first class showing on Water Street (NE corner of Water and King) with its frontage 60ft, and two stories in height.  It will be an establishment as Fayette has never had.  It will furnish ample facilities for doing a large amount of carriage and blacksmith work.  It will pay, too, to have just such an establishment in town.  Had every man who ever settled here to do business held his grip as tenaciously as John Knight and put the results in local improvements, Fayette would not present so cheap an appearance in its business buildings.

Steam Power:  A limited number of Static and tractor/mobile steam engines were an early power source using wood as fuel in Fayette County by the the late 1850's.  With the rails coming to Fayette by the mid 1870's steam power would have become accessible by a few businesses and farms.  Static and tractor steam engines would become more common in the 1880's running fodder cutters, feed grinders, shearling machines, water pumps, cream separators, wood sawing machinery, etc.  Machine and blacksmith shops could run forced air blowers, forges, grinder and emery wheels, lathes, clippers, cutters, shapers, etc.  Carpenter, furniture shops circular saw blades, scroll saws, lathes, emery wheels.  Some well off homes/farms evened used them for lighting and water by the 1900.  Printers powered presses, folders, type machinery.  They were used by well drillers, meet cutters.  Steam power, when affordable created significantly reduced hand work and increased production possibilities.

1883, May 30, The Catholic Church of Dubuque buys N 50ft of lot 2, Bk One, River Addition. 

1886, Jan 12, Walter Eugene Hunt bought from F.H. Duncan?, lots 1 & 2, bk 14. These two lots are on the east end of bk 14, while the Knight’s blacksmith and wagon making shop was on the west side. This was a furniture and undertaking business on the NW corner of the Water/Main intersection.  They made the furniture and caskets at the location with building and storage also between the corner store and wagon shop.  One could assume at least for awhile that the steam Knight steam engine power was also used to operate some of the early woodworking machinery much as furniture making near water mills.   W.E. Hunt, my gggrandfather (bz) would run the furniture-undertaking business until about 1896, when he would buy and operate a successful dairy farm a mile south of Fayette, now cut in half by Hwy 150. The old Butter’s house of the 1950’s+ was the farmstead area.

1888...Chats with Oldtimer's, 1940:  THE Fayette HARDWARE STORE. The first Fayette business man of whom I (O.W. Stevenson, attorney) have any personal memory is J.E. Budd. In the summer of 1888 we lived one mile west, across the fields, from the Q.C. Babcock farm in Smithfield township. One hot afternoon, after he had tied a package of nails for father at J. E. Budd and Montgomery's Hardware, the dignified, but pleasant, and long black-bearded Mr. Budd handed me a dime and asked me, when I got home, to go over and tell the Babcock's that the Budd's were coming out next Sunday for dinner. This is the first money I have any recollection of earning. During the years since 1888 there have been many times when Budd, Montgomery, or Latimer, or Young, or Knight have tied a package of nails for me at that old counter or at the new one on about the same spot. More than once as I watched them I have thought of kindly old Mr. Budd and felt a bit of the thrill that dime gave me, in 1888. Fifty years later J.E. Budd's son, John, gave me another pleasant thrill when he sent me a letter telling of fisherman, Jim Tobin, the Liberty Poles, and some other things.

1889, Jan, O.M. Beach, blacksmith, bought from Jonathan Knight, 1/3 of lot 4, bk 14.

1889, Jan, Horace Knight bought from father Jonathan Knight, 1/3 of lot 4, bk 14.

1889, Aug, Jonathan’s sons John and Horace Knight bought from O.M. Beach, blacksmith,1/3 of lot 4.

1890, Nov 24, Fayette Postal Card:  John Noble's blacksmith shop had a touch of fire,  but it was controlled before it got very far.  Whenever that rookery (building) does go up it will be a sorry time for the wooden row (of buildings) between that (blacksmith shop on the east side of Main St, near the bridge) and (the intersections of) Water Street (and Main Street).

1891, Feb 27, Fayette Postal Card:  Dick Noble has come up from Oelwein to help in the blacksmith shop since George has been disabled.  George, son of John E., must have taken over the blacksmith shop by the bridge from his father by this time.

1891, Apr 3, Fayette Postal Card:  Horse Shoeing.  Dick Noble has returned to Fayette and taken charge of the blacksmith shop by the bridge, and is prepared to do your horse-showing and other work on demand.  (Likely son of George.).

1891, May 15, Fayette Postal Card:  Charles Knight came up from Dubuque to look after machinery matters at the Water Street shops and mills.

1891, Jul, Charles Walter Knight, bought from father Jonathan and brother Horace, 1/3 of lots 3 & 4, bk 14.

1891, Nov 13, Fayette Postal Card:  Not many of our people have visited the new roller mills of Knight Bro's and consequently do not realize the extent and importance of the plant.  It far surpasses anything ever located in this region of the Volga valley.  It will doubtless be the means of establishing a market for grain, flour, feed (a market for local farmers' grain to be milled and flour or feed shipped by rail)....Knight Brother's hereby announce to the public that they are ready to buy buckwheat, corn and oats and pay the highest market price in cash.  Also that they have engaged Mr. Phil Douse, formerly of the Elgin Mills and one of the oldest and best millers in the country to run their mills, and confidently expect to give satisfaction.

1892, Jul 22, Fayette Postal Care:  Graf & son have a foundation in for a 40ft addition to their hardware store.  Horace Knight has recently come into possession of a 2hp marine engine and boiler. 

1892, Sep 2, Fayette Postal Care:  Graf & Son, dealers in heavy and shelf hardware and farm machinery, Fayette, Iowa.

1892, Dec 30, Fayette Postal Card:  Knight Bros. have done considerable sawing the past two weeks, as well as grinding buckwheat and feed.  They have ordered a new saw and will be there by enabled to do better execution in the future.

1893, Jan 6, Fayette Postal Card:  That new steam engine at the Knight Bros. will be doing duty soon.  We will go over and hear her exhaust.

1893, Sept 15, Fayette Postal Card:  We received a call in our office from E.A. Hallock of Pittsburg, PA, who left Fayette 28yrs ago (1865).  He found few here whom he knew.  He is an uncle of J.L. Paine and J.K. Johnson.  E.A. Hallock was a wagon maker in Fayette with a red shop on the SE corner of State and King St's, now owned by John Knight Jr.

1894, Apr 12, Fayette Postal Card:  The Fayette council moved that a franchise for an electric light plant to Knight Bros., to operate 15 yrs, for the purpose of lighting the city, etc,., be granted.

1894, Apr 26, Fayette Postal Card Ad:  Montgomery & Latimer, Hardware, Tinware and implements at lowest prices for case. We will match prices and give you better goods.

1894, Apr 26, Fayette Postal Card:  Fayette Ordinance.  Granted to the Knight Brothers' Electric Light and Power Company, the right to construct, operated and maintain electric works in Fayette and providing lighting, power and other purposes for Fayette for a term of fifteen years (1895-1910).   They may operate under the corporate name of their chose.  The use of the streets, alleys and public grounds is granted for the placing of poles and other appliances with the least possible obstruction under the direction and control of the Town Council.  Equipment is to be first class and maintained.  Rates reasonable with other town of similar size.  To encourage the company and acquire better lighting than provided by the coal oil lamps the town will use and pay for no less than two lights of 2000 candlepower each and 32 incandescent lamps of 32 candlepower each.  The two lights will be suspended at the intersection of street crossings as designated by the Town Council but not more than two blocks apart by the wires carrying the lamps.  The lighting term will be for ten years.  Lights will be on from early candle light until midnight of each day  The Company may make contracts for commercial and resident lighting.  April 17, 1894, Mayor J. W. McLean, Recorder R. G. Rich.  Company:  John Knight, Horace Knight, Charles Walter Knight.

1894, April 26, Fayette Postal Card:  John Knight Jr. moved his house onto a new cellar.  A west front addition is to go up.

1894, May 3, Fayette Postal Card:  Knight Bro's received a car load of wagon stock on Monday.  It looks as though they expect business.

1894, June 7, Fayette Postal Card:  Knight Bros. have make some progress in getting a room ready for an (electric) dynamo.  They will overhaul and relocate their (static steam) engine and boiler room, put in another boiler and engine of larger capacity.  In two months you will not know the place in the lower story of their building.

1894, July 26, Fayette Postal Card:  In 'sauntering around" Saturday we discovered that Knight Bro's had sunk a hole in their engine room about nine feet deep and were filling it with solid masonry (limestone blocks) as a base for their new (steam) engine that is to run their mill (buckwheat & feed) machinery and (electric) dynamo.  There was also revealed to our admiring gaze a Gardner double cylinder steam pump for supplying feed-water (from the Volga River) to the boilers, and which is on of the smoothest pieces of machinery which we have seen for several months if not longer.  If the balance of the machinery to come is as well up to grade, it will be a plant Fayette can in future 'point to with pride.'

1894, Sept 13, Fayette Postal Card:  Knight Bros. have sent away some of the rollers to their mills to be sharpened so they they will be as good as new when the buckwheat season opens.  The Knight Bro's have plenty of speculators these latter days.  Everybody wants to see the new engine run and watch every new development and attachment to the electric light plant.  An iron pulley that had been laggered with wood to the depth of eight or ten inches, while being turned off, at Knight's shop, Tuesday afternoon, could not stand the centrifugal speed and so let fly a segment, which made a scattering among gawkers, excuse us, we mean spectators.  No one was seriously hurt, but John Knight was touched hard enough to remember the circumstance next day.

1894, Oct 11, Fayette Postal Card:  Tuesday night the Knight Bros. turned the arch lights on to please the band boys who played all around town wherever there was a light.

1894, Oct 18, Fayette Postal Card:  Knight Bro's.  Do you want your horses shod?  A new wagon or the old one repaired?  Do you want your grain ground by rollers?  Do you want an electric light in your house?  We are right in it on all the above lines.   Fayette bill for lights from the Knight Bros was $32.10.

1894, Dec 13, Fayette Postal Care:  Knight Bros. contracted to put in 5000 lights in the new court house in Minneapolis.
　
1894 summary of Fayette Co, Iowa Advertisement Booklet regarding the Knight Bros.
Fayette has located in her midst a veritable bee hive of industry in the establishment of Knight Bros. (Charles, John, Horrace), who conduct a flour and saw mill and first-class blacksmith and repair shop. The mill is equipped with the very best and latest improved roller mill machinery. A twenty-five horse power boiler (static steam engine) and eighteen horse power engine (on wheels, tractor style) are used to operate the flour and saw mills. The firm is successor to their father (Jonathan) who established this enterprise in Fayette in the year 1862 and conducted it up to one year ago,  The ‘firm’ was taken over about 1893, or about a year after Charles Walter returned from working at the Fockler Company in Dubuque.  When the present firm took the management and added to the blacksmith and repair shop the two industries enumerated above. Mr. Charles Walter Knight up to the time of forming this partnership with his brother was engaged with the Fockler Bros. (Carriage Company), of Dubuque, a position he held for seventeen years (abt 1874/75 to abt 1891/92).  The manufacture of buckwheat, graham flour and corn meal is here made a specialty. (This would not be a ‘white’ flour mill but more of a whole grain mill grinding a coarser type of flour/grist. Flour mills were multistory and required bolts or fine sieves to  filter/grade the flour. The Knight mill would also have been grinding feed for livestock.)
　
1896 Plat
Knight, R. (Riley) sec 2, Harlan Twp. (Arthur Knight would own farm sec 2,  in 1912).

Sept 1897, brothers John and Horace Knight bought from brother Charles Walter’s widow (this has to be an error in the transaction book, as Charles was still alive), 1/3 of lots 3 & 4, bk 14.

1897 Articles
Charles Hoyt and Charles Knight became exclusive owners of the electric light plant and mill having before been operated by the Knight Brothers (John & Horace). The building remains the property of John and Horace Knight, who will continue their wagon and blacksmith business which they have been obliged in the past to somewhat neglect to attend to work in the mill. Hereafter John and Horace will be found ready at all times to do any and all work in their line that may come to them, promptly and at fair prices. The new firm of Knight and Hoyt will make a good team, and keep the electric lighting and milling up to the time. We wish the new firm of Knight and Hoyt, and the old firm of the Knight Brother’s success.
Through a deal Wed, Sept 29, 1897, Charles Knight and Charles Hoyt became sole owner of the Fayette electric light plant and roller mill. They intend in the near future to place some burrs for grinding feed and use the rollers for buckwheat alone. Charlie Knight is a man well liked in this community. He was formean in C. Fockler and Co.’s Carriage and Buggie manufacturing plant at Dubuque for 15 years. Through Charles the light plant was started in Fayette. Charlie Hoyt is well known by people near Maynard and we can say that the firm of Knight and Hoyt are a first class firm and all who deal with them will be used right. John and Horace Knight retained the blacksmith shop which they will still run.

1897, May 13, Fayette Postal Card:  Graf & Sons, Remember, the place to buy all kinds of Hardware. Protect your house and add to its appearance by giving it a good covering with some of our paint.  We carry a large stock of find paints and oils.  Prices right.  You can get the best terms on everything in Farm Implements by coming to us.  We will sell you all kinds of Farm Machinery.

1897, Oct 21, Fayette Postal Card:  The buckwheat crop is good this year and as a consequence the roller mills of (Charles Walter) Knight & (Charles) Hoyt are running from early in the morning till late in the afternoon, when the (steam) power has to be transferred to the electric lights.  They are grinding between 300-400 bushels of buckwheat every day not, and there is enough buckwheat in this part of the country to keep at least one more mill busy.  It is said that a good deal of the buckwheat grinding that used to go to Hazelton is not brought to Fayette; yet considerable finds its way to the Hazelton mills from the country north of Oelwein.  This need not be the case from necessity, as Fayette has better roller mills than can be found elsewhere in this region, one of the very latest improved have just been placed in position here.

1897, Dec 30, Fayette Postal Card:  Chas. Knight is now clerking in Baker's store, as the rush at the buckwheat mill is over.

1898, May 5, Fayette Postal Card:  Fayette, bills paid, to Knight & Hoyt, for street lights, $59.75.

1898, Jul 7, Fayette Postal Card:  A pair of burglars entered the houses of Horace Knight & Mrs. Davis last Friday morning, but we understand secured nothing of consequence in either place.

1898, Jul 28, Fayette Postal Card:  J. H. Humiston has the foundation laid for his new house on the former A.A. Canfield property adjoining Horace  Knight's on the north.

1898, Aug 4, Fayette Postal Card:  Fayette to Knight & Hoyt, street lights, $61.50.  Montgomery & Latimer, Implements, Vehicles, Stoves and some Hardware. 

1899, Jan 19, Fayette Postal Card:  John Noble is said to be very sick.

1899, Feb 2, Fayette Postal Card:  John E. Noble, called "The Village Blacksmith," died at his home Sat, Jan 28, 1899. When I (editor Cole) arrived in Fayette, July 1856, John Noble was a sturdy young blacksmith with a log shop and residence located on and adjoining lots now (1899) occupied by C.E. Hulbert's residence.  For 42yrs he made blacksmithing his sole business, always at work when anything was to be done.  Of late years he has been quite feeble, especially winters.  The past three winters there were periods of sickness from which his recovery was doubtful. 

1899, June 22, Fayette Postal Card:  Knight and Hoyt, Do you want your grain ground by rollers?  Do you want an Electric Light in your house?  We are right in it on all the above lines.

1899, Nov 2, Fayette Postal Card:  The old laundry building, built in 1856, twice moved and occupied as a grocery, drug store, saloon, wagon shop, and perhaps a half dozen other enterprises in the past 43 years is being taken down in small pieces and carted over the river to be reconstructed in some other form and purposes.

1899, Dec 21, Fayette Postal Card:  New 1200 Light Dynamo.  Last Sunday Charles Knight went to Chicago, starting on the stock train out of Fayette, and investigated a number of electric dynamos.  He has not returned and informed us he purchases a new 1200-light dynamo of the inductor type,  which will be here in about two weeks.  It is yet in the process of construction.  This will give the Knight and Hoyt plant a capacity of 1800 lights, and when a new 100 hp steam engine and boiler have been installed, which will be done later, there will be practically two power plants, and the town will not be without an abundance of light.  This piece of enterprise on the part of Knight & Hoyt ought not to go unrewarded.  The new machine is very expensive and the boys ought to be patronized by all who use light.

1900, Jan 4, Fayette Postal Card:  The new dynamo recently purchased by Knight & Hoyt has not yet arrived, although it is expected daily.  It will be placed in position as soon as it comes, probably on the foundation now occupied by the one now in use.  Arrangements will be made later so that both dynamos may be used at once, if necessary, and they will probably be located in a new building.

1900 Census, Fayette village
....Near the ‘Knight’s Hardware’ lot 4, block 13.
Knight, Jonathan, b. 1828 VT, 71m, married 51y; Sarah (Brown) 73y/VT, b. 1826. Jonathan is living on Main St, listed next to the Hartman’s. This would either be over the Hartman Merchantile or at lot 4 of bk 13, which is the lot location of the Knight’s Hardware of the 1900’s. That lot was bought by H.D. Knight from J.L. & Sam Grannis, Nov 1864, which is the earliest purchase by a Knight family I could find for blocks 5, 13, 14, Fayette.

....Near the milling operaton in block 5.
Knight, Charles Walter, cannot read occupation, but assume lists blacksmith, b. 1857/Iowa; Joanna P., b. 1869/Iowa; Hazel K., b. 1886/Iowa; John L., b. 1889/Iowa. Charles Walter with his father was involved with the milling operation in block 5, so were living near this location in 1900.
Near the blacksmith shop by the Volga, block 14.
Knight, Horrace, b. Nov 1861/Iowa/38y, wagon maker in Fayette; Mary J. b. Nov 1860/Iowa/39y; James R., b. Oct 1883/Iowa/16y; Edith M., b. June 1886/Iowa/12y; Earle W., b. Feb 1888/Iowa/12y; Albert, b. May 1890/Iowa/10y; Norma, b. May 1892/Iowa/8y; Doris, b. May 1894/Iowa/6; Harold, b. July 1896/Iowa/3y; Louis, b. July 1899/Iowa/1y. George B. Serwood(?) blacksmith family, living next door, with another blacksmith close but name is unreadable. This appears to the traditional blacksmith area in lots 3 & 4 of block 14, in Fayette. The same area as Woolridge’s Blacksmith Shop in the 1950’s.

...Near the blacksmith &/or wagonmaking, lot 8, block 13
Knight, John, blacksmith, living close to Arthur Knight, b. 1860/IA; Rose A., b. 1860/IA; Mabel K., b. 1888/IA. Another blacksmith, Oscar M. Beach is living close.
...Knight, Arthur, blacksmith, living close to John Knight, b. 1852/ILL; Catherine V., b. 1852/IA; Ella F., b. 1885/IA; Mary E. b. 1884/IA; Sarah V., b. 1887/IA; Daniel J., b. 1891/IA
Note: It appears John and Arthur are living close to the Main Street business, which would indicate they are likely set up at lot 8, of block 13, which is the SW corner of the block. John’s dau Mable would live in the house on the corner the SW corner of bk 8. In 2000+, this is across the street or north of the Fayette Library. It was just east of the house that Kip Knight, FHS’1959, was told the 2000+ owner found a well filled with old wagon axels/parts.  The John Knight Blacksmith shop would have been an outbuilding moved down from the furniture/undertaking business one block north on the NW corner of Main & Water, bz/2010.

1900, Feb 8-Fayette Postal Care:  Geo. Hoover has stored some of his goods in the Racket Store (basket ware, in the Cleveland Block of buildings just north of the Fayette House hotel, i.e.Davis Drug store area) and some at Montgomery & Latimer's hardware store.

1900, Aug 30, Fayette Postal Card:  Frank Baker, Clare Goodyear, Charles Knight and George Davis returned Sat. evening from a week's outing at Clear Lake.  They were fortunate enough to attend the Hobo Convention at Britt and report some lively times among the tourists of tomato can fame.

1900, Sept 6, Fayette Postal Card:  Knight & Hoyt, $5 for wiring and light stage for the Harvest Home Picnic at Klock's Island.

1900, Nov 22, Fayette Postal Card:   This is a busy season of the year at the buckwheat mill of Knight & Hoyt.  Several large orders for flour are now in and the mill is running continually to keep up with the rush, which exceeds that of any season known for years.

1901, Sept 12, Fayette Postal Card:  John Knight Sr. is having a new house built on his acre in the old race track to replace the one burned.  (This was the area to the south of the road to Wadena, north of the RR tracks and Rueben Wrench Hunt's farm, east of Reuben Hunt Sr's brick house, bz/2010.)

1903, Apr 23, Fayette Postal Card:  Montgomery & Latimer Sell.  Long established  hardware business got to Webster Bros. & Kieron.  Last week occurred the sale of one of the oldest business establishments in Fayette, when the hardware store of Montgomery & Latimer passed into the hands of the Webster Brothers & Kieron, of Waucoma, who will conduct the business under the management of their agent, F. A. Hoyt.  R. Z. Latimer will remain in active charge of the business, and will be assisted for a few weeks by James Zoller of Waucoma, who helped in invoicing the stock.  It is understood that the building will undergo extensive repairing, and that the stock will receive large additions.  Charles Dickson will have charge of the tine shop, operating it independently.  The original firm name was Sperry, Montgomery & Co., up to 1871, when D.D. Sperry sold to Sperry & Montgomery.  In the fall of that year R. Z. Latimer went into the store as tinner, since then being associated with the business in one capacity or another for the entire time, over 32 years.  About five months later, C. W. sperry sold to J. E. Budd.  In Feb, 1888, Morgan Montgomery died, and his son F.L. Montgomery, with R. Z. Latimer, took his interest in the store.  In the spring of 1893, Mr. Budd retired, and the business has been conducted by Montgomery & Latimer up to the present time (1903).   An interesting feature of the change is the fact that in going over the books a great stack of books and documents was fond in the little back office which has not been used as an office for years, and on investigation they were found to date back to the beginning of the business.  All receipts, weighting brills, freight bills, etc., have been preserved all these years and are a mute record of what has been done during the past 32 years.

1903, Sept 24, Fayette Postal Card;  A new cement walk is in front of the Graham barber shop and Webster Bro's hardware store.

1904, Feb 25, Fayette Postal Card;  The Webster Brothers have purchased the Kieron interest in the hardware store.

1904, Apr, Horace Knight brought from his brother, ½ of lots 3 & 4, bk 14.

1904, Apr 28, Fayette Postal Card; F. A. Young has purchased the Wheeless harness stock, and moved it into the hardware store. 

1904, May 5, Fayette Postal Card: Austin Knight and his mother were over from Maynard.  John Knight Jr, has his blacksmith shop on State Street, next and west of the Loomis Store, nearly ready for business.  The stone forge and brick chimney are built, a new plank floor put in, etc.  Later the building will be painted, and it will be centrally located and present a respectable appearance.

1904, May 19, Fayette Postal Card:  John Knight Jr. has fitted up his blacksmith shop with the finest layout of fixtures and machinists' tools.  His collection of taps and dies is as nice as a Corliss engine.   George Noble, of West Union, has moved back and gone into the blacksmith business in the brick shop previously occupied by Arthur Knight.  (George Noble, the son of John Noble, the 'Village Blacksmith' and whom Jon/John Knight Sr. worked with starting in the late 1850's, in the log shop on a corner of Water/Washington St's.  Like John Knight Jr., George Noble apprenticed and worked with his father.  ??Location of brick shop mentioned??, bz/2010).  The placing of hitching posts on the end of the street west of the Horace Knight blacksmith shop was decided upon and will accommodate many teams (this shop would be at the north end of Main St, east side, between Water St and the bridge, 2010/bz).

1904, Aug 4, Fayette Postal Card:  John Knight Sr has purchased the building used as a warehouse by J.M. Edmunds, and will use it as an extension of his blacksmith shop, which has been too small to meet all his needs.  (This building stood between Woolridge's Blacksmith Shop and the large brick building on the NW corner of Water and Main St, both still standing in the early 2000's. The building was used as a furniture manufacturing building for the furniture/undertaking undertaking business in the corner brick building ran early by Fox, then Walter Eugene Hunt and finally Edmunds until the brick building changed function becoming a John Deere Implement dealership ran by Billie Paul.  The frame warehouse mentioned remained but was later replaced by a frame home now gone, 2010/bz).
　
1904, Dec 1, Fayette Postal Card;  An extra fine sack of buckwheat flour from the C. W. (Charles Walter) Knight's mill reminds us that we are getting toward winter pretty fast.  The buckwheat crop this year is good in quality but the acreage was not so large as in some seasons.  Mr. Knight has made four shipments of flour to Dakota, and the market demand runs ahead of the supply.  (This mill in either the one in lot 3, bk 5 or back of that lot in bk 1, River Addition or perhaps by 1904 just to the north of the Jon Knight Wagon Shop in lot 4, bk 14, Wooldridge shop area, bz/2010).

1905, Mar, Charles Walter Knight bought from J.M. Edmunds, E40’ of lot 3. (this is Charles Walter Knight, b. Feb 1, 1857, Smithfield Twp, Fayette Co, Iowa, d. Jun 14, 1836, Fayette village, Westfield Twp, Fayette Co, Iowa, husb of Mary K. Morris, son of Jonathan and Sarah.

1905, Mar 30, Fayette Postal Card:  If you want your corn ground cob and all (for cattle/hog/chicken feed), Give C.W. (Charles Walter) Knight's new mill a call.  I will grind it coarse or fine.  Just to suit my customer's line.  Wed & Sat's are the days I grind.  Now don't forget this; do you mind? 
1905, Mar 30, Fayette Postal Card:  John Knight Jr. has received an order for a new dray (heavy cargo carrying wagon) for a man in Hartford, S.D.  The order came through the hands of R.W. Hunt (Reuben Wrench, son of Reuben Sr.  Order was likely from the Amos Hunt family in S.D.  It would have been shipped by rail to SD, bz/2010).  The dray  will cost $140, and naturally will be a good one.  John Knight Jr. has recently installed a machine for cutting tenons on the outer end of spokes so they fit as close as a duck's foot in the mud, and as true in line as machinery can make anything.  He is as proud of the machine as a school girl with a new piano.

1906, Jul 19, Fayette Postal Card:  F.E. Sanders is working on a set of 16 truck wheels for W.B. Aylesworth.  The wheels will have an 8in wide tread and are provided with heavy spikes which are made to order by Mr. Sanders.  The iron work will be done by G.B. Servoss and the hub setting by Horace Knight.   (These are large wheels used to move buildings and very heavy structures.  The Aylesworth family was and still is a  major mover of buildings and heavy equipment, bz/2010).

1907, Jun 20, Fayette Postal Card:  For Sale. Brick house, hollow walls to prevent cold and dampness.  Nine rooms, two halls and stairways.  five closets, wood-house/shed, cellar with cement floor, two wells, half block land, 156x266ft, fruit trees, berries, barn 20x30, carriage room, stalls, two brick lined grain bins.  For information call on or address Chauncey E. Hulbert, Fayette, IA.  Must be sold to close an estate.

1908, Oct 1, Fayette Postal Card:  Ed Knight has purchased the Miller house on Water St, adjoining Dr. McLean's residence on the east.

1909, Feb, C.W. Knight bought from Wm. Ross, S36’ of lot 4.

1909, May 13, Fayette Postal Card:  New Building for Main St.  Work was begun last week at remodeling the Graf building adjoining the hardware store on the south.  It was the intention to repair it and use it for the Shafer barber shop, but it has been found in such bad condition, that it was not worth the expenditure of more money, therefore, it will be pulled down entirely and a new building put up.  There is a possibility that the lot may be purchased for the new bank building it a new one does not go up.  Graf brothers will have it built.

1909, Sept 16, Fayette Postal Card:  C.W. Knight, dealer in hard/soft coal.  All orders promptly delivered.   Coal bins at the mill.  Grinding every day.  Craig Johnson of Wadena is working in John Knight's blacksmith shop.

1910, Jun 9, Fayette Postal Card:  The Riley Knight farm (between Fayette and Maynard, across the road from the Center Grove Church or in the Twin Bridges area) has been sold.

1910, Oct 7, Fayette Postal Card:  Graf Bro's are to have a new hardware ware house across the alley from John Knight's shop.  Cement floor, 24x50ft, story and half high, walls wood, covered with iron.  (This must be the 'tin' building at the south end and on the east side of the alley down the Main/Water/King/State St alley.  Which means John Knight Jr did have a shop just east of his house, bz/2010).

1910 Census, Fayette village
...Knight, John, 50y, blacksmith, listed living at the northern end of Washington St (??); Rose A., 50y; Mabel R., 22y, teaching music.
...Knight, Charles Walter, 53y, living on Main St, superintendent of city water works; Anna, 41y; LeRoy, 20y; Arlie A., 1y. George Nobel, blacksmith is close. The original water tower was located on the north portion of lot 3 & 4, the same location as the original Knight mill/shop.
...Knight, James Edgar, miller at Knight’s Grist Mill, living on Water Street, 28y, (‘ED,’ son of Charles Walter); Elizabeth, 24y; James C., 5y.

1910, Mar, C.W. knight sold to F. R. Burget, ½ interest in E40’ of lot 3.

1911, Jan 26, Fayette Reporter:  C. W. Knight has purchased the Crandall property.

1911, Feb, C.W. Knight sold to F.R. Chittenden, ½ interest in E40’ of lot 3.

1911, Nov 16, Fayette Reporter:  The building now used by John Knight as a blacksmith shop stood where the north part of Fox Furniture Co's store now stands, and was A.E. Winroot's printing bulding.

1911, Dec 11, Ad in Fayette Reporter:  The New Hardware.  Having completed the deal for the F.A. Young Hardware business and property, I (Charles Walter Knight) wish to announce that I expect to continue the entire business except repairing of harness.  I have on hand a large stock of Stoves and Horse blankets and will continue to sell them at the Very Low Prices at which they recently have been offered.  The entire stock of hardware and harness is practically complete and anything you may wish in that line we will be pleased to supply at most reasonable rates.  I also expect to keep enough help so that I can respond to all calls for electrical work until my year is out.  C. W. Knight  (Charles Walter 1857-1936, son of Jonathan Knight and Sarah Brown, father of James Edger who would partner and take over the hardware business).

1911, Dec 11, Ad in Fayette Reporter:  The New Hardware.  Having completed the deal for the F.A. Young Hardware business and property, I (Charles Walter Knight) wish to announce that I expect to continue the entire business except repairing of harness.  I have on hand a large stock of Stoves and Horse blankets and will continue to sell them at the Very Low Prices at which they recently have been offered.  The entire stock of hardware and harness is practically complete and anything you may wish in that line we will be pleased to supply at most reasonable rates.  I also expect to keep enough help so that I can respond to all calls for electrical work until my year is out.  C. W. Knight  (Charles Walter 1857-1936, son of Jonathan Knight and Sarah Brown, father of James Edger who would partner and take over the hardware business).

1911, Dec 21, Fayette Reporter:  Buy gloves and mittens at Young's Hardware.

1911, Dec 21, Fayette Reporter:  Buyer found for F. A. Young Hardware.  O.W. Stevenson, administrator of the estate of Frank A. Young, deceased, has made a sale of the Young store building and stock of hardware and harness to C. W. Knight.  Mr. Knight expects to continue the business and before long to replace the present building with a modern structure.  The new proprietor is too will known to need an introduction to Fayette people even if the fact that we are just going to press did not prevent.

C.W. (Charles Walter) Knight

1912 Plat, Knight, Arthur (son of Riley), sec 1 & 2, Harlan Twp. (owned by UIU in 1938).

1912, Oct 31, Fayette Reporter:  Hardware of all kinds.  C. W. Knight.  Stoves, hard and soft coal heaters, Garland and Laural ranges and cooking stoves.

1912, Dec 26, Fayette Reporter:  George Spatcher and wife of Smitfield moved into the Knight building over the Graham harness shop.

1913, Dec, C.W. Knight sold to George Reid, S36’ of lot 4.

1914, Jun 24, West.Union.IA paper:  Fayette news, Jun19---We forgot to tell last week about the fire in the C.W. Knight Hardware during the storm Saturday morning, Jun 13, 1914.  The fire started in the attic and as there was a little fire in the furnace, they think it might have started either from the chimney or from spontaneous combustion, but it is now understood that it came from lightning.  The fire burned through the roof and burned a large part of the stock on the second floor.  The goods on the first floor were carried out, the chief damage to them being from the water.  The building was insured for $600 and the stock for $2000, in four different companies.  Mr. Knight's plans for the future are not definite, but he expects to rebuild after everything has been adjusted.

1914, Nov 12, Fayette County Leader:   Building Nearly Ready.  C. W. Knight expects to move into the new hardware store building this week.  The new store is so near completion he expects to move his hardware stock, or at least a part of it this week.  The front was set in place by F. E. Sanders and son last week, and Mr. Knight has been putting in the electric light fixtures this week and getting ready for the move.  The outside measurements of the new building are 32x100 feet.  It is divided into two rooms, the front one being 36x57 inside, and the back one 30x43 inside.  The front room is to be used for the best stock and the rear one for storage.  The storage room has a cement floor, while the other is floored with hard pine, and has a steel ceiling, which is yet to be painted.  The interior walls are to be suitably tinted and four big electric lights with about 800 candle power each will light it.  These lights are of a new type and are entirely new in Fayette.  In addition to these lights there will be smaller lights for desks, etc.  The room has a twelve-foot ceiling.  The store fixtures with the exception of some used in the old building will be new.  The building is heated by an Underford furnace which is located under the store room, the collar being underneath this part only.  Water will be supplied from the city plant.  The walls are of Clermont tile brick and were laid by John Ellers of Oelwein.  The wood work was done by F.E. Sanders, the cement work by the Fayette Cement Block Co., and the roof was put on by R. Z. Latimer, it is of the old style tin, which is much thicker and more durable than the ordinary put out at the present time.  This addition to the business places on Main street is a welcome one and improves it wonderfully.  Three new business houses have gone up on this street the past season and all of them are a credit to the town and their owners.

1914, Dec 3, Fayette County Leader:  Charles Knight, Jr, 9y old son of Ed Knight, suffered a bad accident Tues. night.  While running he tripped and fell, dislocating his left hip, throwing the ball completely out of the socket.  he was picked up by this playmates and taken in a little wagon to the Knight hardware store.  From there he was carried to the office of Dr's. McLean and given attention.

1914, Dec 24,  Fayette County Leader:  Harley Miller, of Anita, Iowa, came Friday and is helping his uncle, C. W. (Charles Walter) Knight, get settled in his new hardware store building.

1915, Jan 14, Fayette County Leader:  New Shelving.  The shelving for C. W. Knight's new hardware store has been made and put in place the past week.  This work is the product of F. E. Sander's shop and lines nearly the entire south side of the building.  There are about 180 drawers in the outfit, and the balance is shelving, with the exception of three compartments at the front, one of which is to be used for a gun rack and the others for tools.  These ware to be fitted with glass doors.  The work is a substantial kind and gives the room a very attractive appearance.

1915

1916, Feb 17, Fayette County Leader:  The Graf hardware store has been given an interior coat of paint during the past week, D. J. Rosebook doing the work.

1917, Jun, Interstate Power bought from Miller, Hass, Keiser, W20’ of lot 3, plus N40’ of lot 4 and N44’ & S80’ of lot 4.

1919, Nov 20, Fayette County Leader:  The Rural Improvement Club will have an all-day bake sale at Knight's hardware store on Saturday.  (Fayette area bake sales would be hosted at Knight's Hardware until the end of the business.)
　
1920 Census, Fayette village
...Knight, Charles Walter, living on Main Street, retail hardware merchant, 62; Anna, 50; Agalia A., 10f. Emily Whitney, 92/Ontario, Can., mother-in-law.
...Knight, James Edgar, 38, (‘ED,’ son of Charles Walter)retail salesman hardware store, living on Water Street a couple of blocks east of the ‘feed mill,’ now being run by Frank R. Chittenden; Ida E., 33/Wisc, parents German; James C., 15y; Carlton W., 6y.
...Knight, John, 60y, blacksmith shop, living on King Street; Rose A., 60; Mabel K., 31, music teacher. Living next door, Harvey E. Zbornik, 25, garage mechanic; May Ella, 25; Dolye B., 5; Layton R., 3; Theo Marcus, 11/12.

1924, Dec 4, Fayette Leader:  To John Knight, $8.80, repair work, City of Fayette.

1925, Nov 19, Fayette Leader:  I (Jack Starr) am no longer running the Benver blacksmith shop, having taken a position as horseshoer at the John Knight shop. 

1927, Jul 7, Fayette Leader:  John Knight $9.70, repair work, City of Fayette.  C.W. Knight $239.52.

1928, Jan 19, Fayette Leader, John Knight .75 blacksmithing, City of Fayette.

1929, Feb 21, Fayette Leader, John Knight $3.75, blacksmithing, City of Fayette.

1929, Sep 19, Fayette Leader,  John Knight, $4.45, C.W. Knight, culverts, $45.05, City of Fayette.

1930, Mar 6, Fayette Leader, John Knight, blacksmithing, $1.90.  C.W. Knight, lamp posts & hoods, $68.19.

1930 Census, Fayette village
...Knight, Charles Walter, living on Main St, proprietor of hardware store, 73; Anna 61; Azalia A., 21.
...Knight, John Edgar, 48, (‘ED,’ son of Charles Walter) living on Water St., salesman retail hardware store; Ida E., 44/Wisc; Carlton W., 16.
Knight, John, 70, blacksmith, living on King Street; Rose A., 69; Mabel, K., 42, music teacher.

1930

1937, Mar 18, Fayette Leader:  John Knight who has been confined to his home for some time is slowly improving.   Fresh stock of paints, reasonable prices.  Waulity hardware, washers, ranges. Knight's Hardware.

1937, May 20, Fayette Leader:  Obit;  John Knight Jr. spent 55 years in one line of work in Fayette, blacksmithing.  He was born July 13, 1859 in Smithfield Twp (sec 2), the 6th child of Jonathan and Sarah (nee Brown) Knight, and died at his home May 16, 1937 (on the NE corner of King and State St's).   He received his education in the public schools of Fayette, later going to Dubuque where he worked in the John Fockler Buggy Factory.  He met and later married Rose Brady of Dubuque, Nov 2, 1881.  They had two children, a son died in infancy and a daughter, Mabel.  He returned to Fayette to make their home, entering the blacksmith business with his father.  He is survived by his wife and dau;  bro. Horace of Mt. Nebo, Saskatchewan, Canada;  sister Nellie King of Calif; sister Isa Allen Hawley of Hollywood. 

Knight's Hardware 1939, west side of Main St

1939, Oct, Frank Chittenden sold to Dewitt Chittenden (son of Frank) & Mabel Dury, E40’ of lot 3, bk 5 (mill property on Water St).

　
1945, Apr 04, Fayette Leader;  New Blacksmith Shop Building to Replace (Knight) Landmark.  Preparations were made Monday for the removal of another building which dates back for many years---the one occupied for the past ten years (1935-1945) by Lyle A. Wooldridge's blacksmith shop.  It is believed that it was built 65 or  more years ago.  A new shop is to be erected on the site, with the hope that it can be completed in about four weeks.  Part of the foundation will be new, the floor will be of cement, and the walls of hollow tile.  The present copper bearing roofing will be used.  The structure will be 27 by 42 feet in size, one story high.  The old building was erected by Johnathan Knight, grandfather of Ed Knight, and Horace and John Knight, who operated a wagonmaking and blacksmith shop in which there were two forges.  Years later, Charles Knight installed Fayette's first electric light plant there, and still later Charles Hoyt entered into partnership with Charles Knight in operation of the electric plant.  Mr. Wooldridge states that during the period of construction some classes of his work cannot be done, but he will be prepared to care for welding and repair jobs. 

1949, June 25, Fayette Leader;  Another landmark is going down.  The frame structure on the SE corner of King and State Streets, east of the Grade School, is being torn down.  It will be replaced by a Lutheran Church built from lumber already in Fayette form a structure located about six miles from Strawberry Point.  Early Fayette residents will remember that once there was a brick residence on this corner, and later torn down.  The present frame structure was later built and occupied by Knight Bros. Wagon and Blacksmith Shop, then some years back as a grocery store by C. A. Lund.

1955

1957

1959

CENSUS DATA
1860 Census, Fayette Co, Iowa
...Knight, Jonathan, b. 1830, 30m/Vermont, farming $1800/680 (near Gray, Miller, Peterson, Seeber, Bogart), Smithfield Twp; Sarah (Brown) 30f/Vermont; Arthur 9m/ILL; Riley 6m/Iowa; Alice 4f/Iowa; Charley 3f/Iowa; John 1m/Iowa. (80a farm, E1/2 of SW1/4, sec 2, Smithfield Twp, Fayette Co, Iowa, in the Corn Hill area, 3 ½ miles SE of Main St., Fayette)
...Knight, J.W.., b. Ohio/1830, 30ym, lumberman, Pleasant Valley Twp, Elgin P.O.
$700/250; Sarah Lott 28fOhio; J.M. Lott 30m/Indiana, Augusta Lott 7m/Iowa; Olive M. Lott 3f/Iowa; Charles W. Knight 6m/ILL.
...Knight, G.W., b. 1808, 52m/NH, merchant, West Union village; M.A. 35f/England; G.H., 2f/Iowa.
...Knight, Jonathan, b. 1809, 51m/Ohio, Westfield Twp, Westfield P.O., farmer $800/400 (near Chauncey Smith, Silas Landas, R. Wilber, John Fauser, the Albany area, bz); Adaline 34f/Ohio ; George 5m/Iowa ; Charley 3m/Iowa.
　
1870 Census, Fayette Co, Iowa
...Knight, Jonathan, 43m/Vermont, blacksmith in Fayette village, $1200/100; Sarah (Brown) 43f/Vermont; Arthur 19m/ILL blacksmith; Billie 17m/Ill, blacksmith; Alice 15f/Iowa; Charles 13m/Iowa; John 11f/Iowa; Horace 9m/Iowa; Nellie 7f/Iowa; Isadore 4f/Iowa
Noble, John, 67m/NY, blacksmith (near SE corner of bridge) living adjacent (west) to Jon. Knight family; Sarah 49f/NY; Amanda 20f/NY; Ellen 17f/NY; Charles 15m/Iowa; Florence 12f/Iowa; George 8m/Iowa.
...Walker, Erastus(sp), 18m/ILL, blacksmith, living close to Knight and Noble with mother Bridget Walker 38f/Ireland and his 7 or 8 other siblings.
Knight, Riley, 17y, and Arther, 19y, sons of Jonathan, are working as brick makers and living with Caleb Knapp, a brick maker in Ward 1, Dubuque, Iowa.
...Knight, George, 67m/NH, Grocer, Clermont village; M.A. 43f/England; Georgianna 12f/Iowa; Carry 8m/Iowa; Isabblea 6f/Iowa.
...Knight, E.M., 30m/NY, Grocer, Clermont village; Jennie 20f/Penn; Lulu11f/Iowa; J.W. ??, 20m/NY, Jeweler.
...Knight Augustus, b. 1820, 50m/Penn, farming $1100/650, Smithfield Twp, Fayette P.O.; Cynthia 40f/Penn; James 26m/Penn farming with father; Alfa 24m/Penn, farming with father; Daniel 17m/Wisc; Eugene 15m/Wisc; Ada 13f/Wisc; Austin 12m/Wish; Mary 10f/Wisc; Emma 4f/Wisc.
...Knight, Jonathan, 61m/Ohio, Grocer in West Union, $1000/600; F.A., 37f/NY; George 15m/Iowa; C.P. 14m/Iowa; M.E. 11m/Iowa.
...Knight, J.W., 37m/Ohio, Carpenter in West Union; A.W., 28f/Wisc; C.W., 16m/ILL; A.W., 7m/Iowa; F.L., 3m/Iowa; O.M., 2m/Iowa; Eliz Red, 53f/ILL, homekeeper; Caroline Red, 23f/Wisc, seamstress.
...Knight, Austin, 50/PA, farmer $11000/9650, Smithfield Twp, Seaton P.O., Cynthia, 40/PA; James, 26/PA, farmer; Alba, 24m/PA; Daniel, 17/Wis; Eugene, 15/Wis; Ada, 13/Wis; Austin, 12/Wis; Mary, 10/Wis; Emma, 4/Wis.
　
1878 History of Fayette Co, Iowa
...Knight, John, blacksmith, Fayette village, Westfield Twp.
...Knight, A. (Arthur)., blacksmith, Fayette village, Westfield Twp.
　
...Knight, J.W. farmer, sec 25, West Union Twp.
...Knight, A.A. (Austin A.), farming sec 15, Smithfield Twp, P.O. Fayette. Knight, A.A., on first Circuit Court petit jury, 1869. In 1874, was a Smithfield Twp. trustee.
...Knight, Alba (son of Austin A.), Smithfield Twp, P.O. Fayette
...Knight, M., farming sec 26, Bethel Twp, P.O. Hawk Eye.
...Knight, G.W. grocer, Clermont village, Clermont Twp.
　
...Knight, John, enlisted 9th Iowa Inf., Co, F., Sept 5, 1861, wounded at Battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas, Mar 7, 1862; died of wounds Aug 15, 1962. (?? What John Knight is this?)
...Knight, John Wesley, transferred from Co. H, 38th to Co. H, 34th Iowa Inf. on Dec 31, 1864.
...Knight, John and Eliza, Spring of 1854, enrolled themselves in the West Union Circuit of the ME Church.

1880 Census, Dubuque, Iowa
...Knight, Charles Walter, 24Iowa, blacksmith, father born VT, mother Ireland; Mary, 24Iowa, parents born Ireland; son Charles, 1Iowa; Horace Knight, 18IA, brother, laborer/blacksmith.  (son of Jonathan & Sarah Brown Knight)
...Knight, John, 23yIA, blacksmith, living in hotel kept by James Quin, Dubuque, Iowa.  (son of Jonathan & Sarah Brown Knight).

1880 Census, Fayette Co, Iowa
...Knight, Jonathan, b. 1829, 51m/VT, blacksmith/wagonmaker, Fayette village; Sarah (Brown) 53VT, father b. NH, mother Canada; Nellie 16f; Isadore 13f. Jonathan and son Arthur appear to be living on east Water St. Sons Charles Walter, John, Horace are in Dubuque working as blacksmiths at the Fockler Wagon/Carriage Factory. Orson Crissey, 55yNY, wagon maker, is living close to the Knight families. A railroad fireman, engineer, conductor are living in the Crissey household, thus Crissey is also running a boading house. There was an early boarding house on east Water St. between Wash. & North St’s. Doctor Charles C. Parker is living next to Arthur Knight. Dr. Parker lived in the same area of east Water St., between Wash. & North until building the house across the Volga River from the north end of Washington St.
...Knight, Arthur, 30m/NH, blacksmith in Fayette village; Jane H., 27f; Eva R. 6f; Maud A. 2f; Emma Hatch 21f, domestic servant.
...Knight, Riley 26m/ILL, farmer, Westfield twp (this would be a couple of miles east of Fayette near George Whitley.; Telitha 26f/Iowa; Arthur E. 5m/Iowa; Harry 2m/Iowa; Gertrude 10/12f/Iowa. John Fitzgerald, 23IA, farm laborer. (Riley apparently farmed for a short time east of Fayette, but came back into Fayette to work with his father in the blacksmith shop and wagon factory. He would move to Cedar Rapids and manage a lumber company, then return to farm in the NE corner of Harlan Twp.)
...Knight, Charles, 25m/ILL, farmer, Westfield Twp; Anna 21f/Wisc; Ruby 3f/Iowa; Pearl 1f/Iowa.
...Knight, Austin, 23m, student at UIU, boarding with Wm. Harrison family in Fayette village.
...Knight, Clarence 35m/ILL, farm laborer, Westfield Twp, parents b. Vermont; Julia 28f/Wisc; Grace 2f/Iowa.
　
1885 Census, Fayette Co
...Knight, Austin A., Sr; 63/PA, farming, sec 22, Smithfield Twp; Cynthai A., 61/PA; James, divorced, 40/PA, farming; Emma 19/Wis.
　
1900 Census, Fayette village
....1900, Near the ‘Knight’s Hardware’ lot 4, block 13.
Knight, Jonathan, b. 1828 VT, 71m, married 51y; Sarah (Brown) 73y/VT, b. 1826. Jonathan is living on Main St, listed next to the Hartman’s. This would either be over the Hartman Merchantile or at lot 4 of bk 13, which is the lot location of the Knight’s Hardware of the 1900’s. That lot was bought by H.D. Knight from J.L. & Sam Grannis, Nov 1864, which is the earliest purchase by a Knight family I could find for blocks 5, 13, 14, Fayette.
　
...1900, Near the milling operation in block 5.
Knight, Charles Walter, cannot read occupation, but assume lists blacksmith, b. 1857/Iowa; Joanna P., b. 1869/Iowa; Hazel K., b. 1886/Iowa; John L., b. 1889/Iowa. Charles Walter with his father was involved with the milling operation in block 5, so were living near this location in 1900.
Near the blacksmith shop by the Volga, block 14.
...Knight, Horrace, b. Nov 1861/Iowa/38y, wagon maker in Fayette; Mary J. b. Nov 1860/Iowa/39y; James R., b. Oct 1883/Iowa/16y; Edith M., b. June 1886/Iowa/12y; Earle W., b. Feb 1888/Iowa/12y; Albert, b. May 1890/Iowa/10y; Norma, b. May 1892/Iowa/8y; Doris, b. May 1894/Iowa/6; Harold, b. July 1896/Iowa/3y; Louis, b. July 1899/Iowa/1y. George B. Serwood(?) blacksmith family, living next door, with another blacksmith close but name is unreadable. This appears to the traditional blacksmith area in lots 3 & 4 of block 14, in Fayette. The same area as Woolridge’s Blacksmith Shop in the 1950’s.
　
...1900, Near the blacksmith &/or wagonmaking, lot 8, block 13
Knight, John, blacksmith, living close to Arthur Knight, b. 1860/IA; Rose A., b. 1860/IA; Mabel K., b. 1888/IA. Another blacksmith, Oscar M. Beach is living close.
...Knight, Arthur, blacksmith, living close to John Knight, b. 1852/ILL; Catherine V., b. 1852/IA; Ella F., b. 1885/IA; Mary E. b. 1884/IA; Sarah V., b. 1887/IA; Daniel J., b. 1891/IA
Note: It appears John and Arthur are living close to the Main Street business, which would indicate they are likely set up at lot 8, of block 13, which is the SW corner of the block. John’s dau Mable would live in the house on the corner the SW corner of bk 8. In 2000+, this is across the street or north of the Fayette Library. It was just east of the house that Kip Knight, FHS’1959, was told the 2000+ owner found a well filled with old wagon axels/parts.

1910 Census, Fayette village
...Knight, John, 50y, blacksmith, listed living at the northern end of Washington St (??); Rose A., 50y; Mabel R., 22y, teaching music.
...Knight, Charles Walter, 53y, living on Main St, superintendent of city water works; Anna, 41y; LeRoy, 20y; Arlie A., 1y. George Nobel, blacksmith is close. The original water tower was located on the north portion of lot 3 & 4, the same location as the original Knight mill/shop.
...Knight, James Edgar, miller at Knight’s Grist Mill, living on Water Street, 28y, (‘ED,’ son of Charles Walter); Elizabeth, 24y; James C., 5y.
...Knight, Alba, 64, retired; Laurinda S., 55; Floyd H., 24, house carpenter; Bertha M., 28; Harold S., 7/12.
...Allen, Charles F., 50; Isadore Allen, 43; Norma E. Knight, 17; Doris A. Knight, 15.

1920 Census, Fayette village
...Knight, Charles Walter, living on Main Street, retail hardware merchant, 62; Anna, 50; Agalia A., 10f. Emily Whitney, 92/Ontario, Can., mother-in-law.
...Knight, James Edgar, 38, (‘ED,’ son of Charles Walter) retail salesman hardware store, living on Water Street a couple of blocks east of the ‘feed mill,’ now being run by Frank r. Chittenden; Ida E., 33/Wisc, parents German; James C., 15y; Carlton W., 6y.
...Knight, John, 60y, blacksmith shop, living on King Street; Rose A., 60; Mabel K., 31, music teacher. Living next door, Harvey E. Zbornik, 25, garage mechanic; May Ella, 25; Doyle B., 5; Layton R., 3; Theo Marcus, 11/12.
...Knight, Mary, 65, widowed, living with sister Nancy M. Potter, 49, on Jones Street, listed truck gardener.
...Knight, Floyd H., 33, working for Standard Oil, living on Union St; Bertha M., 38; Harold P., 10; Viola M., 2; Clara A. Welch, 51, lodger; Hattie I. Welch, 13, lodger. William H. Welch, 45, family living next door.
　
　
1930 Census, Fayette village
...Knight, Charles Walter, living on Main St, proprietor of hardware store, 73; Anna 61; Azalia A., 21.
...Knight, John Edgar, 48, (‘ED,’ son of Charles Walter) living on Water St., salesman retail hardware store; Ida E., 44/Wisc; Carlton W., 16.
...Knight, John, 70, blacksmith, living on King Street; Rose A., 69; Mabel, K., 42, music teacher.
...Knight, Mary, 76, living with sister on Jones St; Nancy M. Potter, 60, gardener.
 

Plat Maps

1856-1866..Jonathan Knight, 1828-1906, the blacksmith/hardware family settled in sec 2 of Smithfield Twp.  By the mid 1860's Jonathan Knights bro/law Milo Dewey bought the sec 2 farm and Jonathan had established his blacksmith/wagon shop and moved into Fayette village did he also own this farm in Center Twp?? or is this another Jonathan Knight. The 1870 census shows a Jonathan in West Union twp, and our Jonathan in Fayette village.?)

1868 Plat
Jonathan Knight, 80a, W1/2 ofthe NW1/4, sec 15, Center Twp; Randalia would be platted in the SE corner of sec 15 by the mid 1870’s.  By the 1879 Plat, this farm was sold to William Watts.  This is is another Knight line in Fayette Co, Jonathan 1809/OH-1872/West Union.IA.  He started farming near Albany, then to Center.Twp and by 1870 moved into West Union as a grocer.

1879 Plat
A.A. Knight, (Austin Augustus 1819/PA-1897/Fay.Co.IA, another Knight line), sec 15 & 22, Smithfield Twp.
C.M. Knight, sec 5, Fairfield Twp.
J.W. Knight, sec 25, West Union Twp.
M. Knight, sec 26, Bethel Twp.

1896 Plat
Knight, A.A., (Austin Augustus 1819/PA-1897/Fay.Co.IA, another Knight line), sec 15 & 22, Smithfield Twp. (sold by 1912 plat)
Knight, C.M., sec 22, Smithfield Twp. (sold by 1912 plat)
Knight, R. (Riley) sec 2, near Center Grove Church, Harlan Twp. (Riliey's son Arthur Knight would own in 1912).  Sons of blacksmith Jonathan 1828-1906. 

1912 Plat
Knight, Arthur (son of Riley), sec 1 & 2, Harlan Twp. (owned by UIU in 1938).

Land Transactions, Bk’s  5, 13, 14, Fayette village

1865, Sept, David Knight bought from John Wilcox, the N40’ of lot 3 & 4, bk 5. (this is likely David A. Knight, b. Feb 20, 1835, Peirmont, Grafton Co, NY, d. May 29, 1913, Wheaton, DuPage Co, IL, husb of Mary Jennings, son of Curtis and Betsey, brother to Harrison and Jonathan Knight). In 1860 David was farming in Kane.Co.IL with mother and siblings Mariah, Sarah, Harrison.  All of the Knight sons of Curtis apparently had smithing and wagonmaking skills.  It can be speculated that Jonathan Knight has been establishing a blacksmith shop at the very SW end of Washington Street, along the Volga River, in about the 1860-1863+ time frame, on lot 1, bk 1, River Addition to Fayette, which was platted about 1865.  David Knight likely had been encourage by his older brother Jonathan Knight to come from Kane.Co.IL to look at setting up or being part of a smithing/wagon or milling operation at Fayette, IA.  Or David's younger brother Harrison who was living with David at the time, may have been in Fayette with or without David and getting involved in smithing with Jonathan, as Harrison would buy David's Fayette lots.  David likely continued the farming in Kane.Co.IL  as he was farming their until moving/retiring into Naperville.DuPage.Co.IL,  (bz, 2006, 2010).


1867, Apr, Harrison Knight bought from David knight, N40’ of lot 3 & 4, bk 5. (this is likely Harrison T. Knight, b. Mar 20, 1842, Piermont, Grafton Co, NY, d. Jan 15, 1893, Sullivan.Co.MO, husb of Nannnie Tunnell, married Sullivan.Co.MO, son of Curtis and Betsey, brother to David and Jonathan Knight. 2006/bz).  By 1870 Harrison apparently was working as a blacksmith for the RR and would be in Neb, then by 1880 settling in Milan, Sullivan.Co.MO as a lumber merchant until he died in 1891.  Harrison sold his lots to bro. Jonathan in 1870.

1870, Apr, Jonathan Knight bought from Harrison Knight, N40’ of lot 3 & 4, bk 5. (this is Jonathan Knight, b. Jun 25, 1828, Northfield Twp, Washington Co, VT, d. Sept 20, 1906, Fayette village, Westfield Twp, Fayette Co, Iowa, husb of Sarah Brown, son of Curtis and Betsey, brother of David and Harrison. In the 1880 Census Jonathan is listed as blacksmith and wagonmaker.  Jonathan in about 1855, came from Kane.Co.IL,  to farm 80a, sec 2, Smithfield.Twp, Fayette.Co.IA.  By the early 1860's he would be setting up a blacksmith shop at the NW end of Washington St, along the Volga River, and just north of lots 3 & 4, bk 5.  He likely encouraged younger brother Harrison to come to Fayette by about 1865 as this was the time bro. David bought the N end of lots 3 & 4, bk 5.  Harrison had been living on the farm with David in Kane Co, IL, and listed as a blacksmith in 1860.  David likely had a good farming operation going by this time so he may have come to Fayette just to buy some lots for Harrison near bro. Jonathan.  David may have spent some time in Fayette but likely his mother.  By. 1870, Jonathan Knight and Sons were operating a blacksmith and wagon shop plus steam sawmill and grist mill at the NW end of Washington St to include the N 40 feet of lots 3 & 4, bk 5.

1905, Mar, Charles Walter Knight bought from J.M. Edmunds, E40’ of lot 3, bk5. (this is Charles Walter Knight, b. Feb 1, 1857, Smithfield Twp, Fayette Co, Iowa, d. Jun 14, 1836, Fayette village, Westfield Twp, Fayette Co, Iowa, husb of Mary K. Morris, son of Jonathan and Sarah.
1909, Feb, C.W. Knight bought from Wm. Ross, S36’ of lot 4, bk 5.
1910, Mar, C.W. knight sold to F. R. Burget, ½ interest in E40’ of lot 3, bk 5.
1911, Feb, C.W. Knight sold to F.R. Chittenden, ½ interest in E40’ of lot 3, bk 5.
1913, Dec, C.W. Knight sold to George Reid, S36’ of lot 4, bk 5.
1917, Jun, Interstate Power bought from Miller, Hass, Keiser, W20’ of lot 3, plus N40’ of lot 4 and N44’ & S80’ of lot 4

1939, Oct, Frank Chittenden sold to Dewitt Chittenden (son of Frank) & Mabel Dury, E40’ of lot 3.

Summary for block 5:
1870, Jonathan (father) bought N 40ft of lots 3 & 4, bk 5.
1905, son Charles Walter bought  E 40ft of lot 3, bk 5.  T
1909, Charles buys S36’ of lot 4, bk 5. 
1910-1913, Charles sells out in lot 3 & 4, bk 5. .
1915/1916, Charles buys the hardware business on Main St, in bk 13.

...In 1950 +/-, the DX station was on the south portion of lot 4, the Wilke and Wilke feed store/mill on lot 3, lot 2 was open, and the Catholic Church on lot 1. Frank and son DeWitt Chittenden had the feed store before the Wilke’s, and Charles Knight before the Chittenden’s.
...Starting in 1865, the David and Harrison Knight, apparently the younger brothers of Jonathan, would own the northern portion of lots 3 and 4, the portion closer to the Volga River.  Jonathan already was in the process of setting up a blacksmith shop northeast of the lots at the NW end of Washington St.   David Knight bought the N40’ of lots 3 & 4 in 1865 from John Wilcox. Fayette was platted in 1855. There is reference to a mill, which would have been run by a stream 'tractor,'  in Fayette (near the present bridge) by the late 1850’s,  however I am in doubt of that report as of Mar/2010/bz.

We know a mill was run by the Knight’s. It is possible that David and Harrison Wilcox had set up a mill on the north end of lots 3 & 4. This was not a water mill as there is no indication there ever was a mill dam and water wheel at Fayette, only out at Westfield (Klock’s Island area).  Jonathan Knight was still out on the farm in sec 2 of Smithfield until the mid 1860's, however he was in Fayette working as a blacksmith by 1862, and probably immediately upon arrival as he stayed in the Westfield/Fayette village a few months before moving to the farm in Smithfield.  Knowing other blacksmiths and surname from the east was likely the draw to the Fayette valley at its very beginnings. 

...There is reference to an early steam mill operating in the Grannis Canyon (Creek) area by about 1857/58.  By the late 1850's a few steam tractor engines were being brought into Fayette County by oxen teams from the Mississippi River ports of Dubuque or McGregor and set up to supply power for mills and also could be used to power blacksmith and woodworking machinery.  The location along the Volga north of Water Street in Fayette would have been the logical location for steam engines as large amounts of water are needed.   Plus there were river fords at the ends of Mechanic, King, Main and Washington Streets from the north side of the Volga.  The first bridge was installed in 1865, at the north end of Main St.
...The first Fayette mill would have been a saw mill, and a burr for grinding grist or coarse grinding meal/flour. Buckwheat would also have been ground. Later both a burr mill and roller mill would be operational.    Most early grist mills also ran a saw blade. In the case of a steam mill, a circular saw blade. Water mills due to the power/speed of the wheel almost never ran a circular blade but instead used a typical linear saw blade with a back/forth motion. The Westfield mill throughout its history from 1850 to the early 1900's was a water mill and was in the early years producing both grist and lumber.  Then turning to woolen carding and flour production.   The Fayette steam mill area would have the potential to cut a larger quantity of timbers and boards in the early years although it is normally thought of as a grist feed and buckwheat mill.
...The north portion of lots 3 & 4 continued to be owned after 1870 by ‘father’ Jonathan Knight, who in the 1880 Census is listed as a blacksmith and wagon maker.

...In 1905, Charles Walter Knight bought the east portion of lot 3 (where Wilke’s Feed Mill/Store was located in the 1950’s), then in 1909 he bought the south portion of lot 4 (where the DX station was located in the 1950’s). Until this time, apparently the milling operation was operated off the north portion of lots 3 & 4, with the sawmilling likely north in lot 1, bk 1, River Addition or the original area of Jonathan's wagon shop.  At some point in time, there must have been a move to a feed store/mill operation on the east portion of lot 3.  In the early 1880's Jonathan built a major two story wagon ship one block west where the Woolridge Blacksmith Shop was located in 1950+/-.   To the north of the new wagon factory would be located a static (stationary) steam engine which was used to supply power for the wagon shop power tools.  It is  in this area that son Charles Walter Knight set up the first electric dynamo by the early 1890's and supplied power to the town for street lights and to individual customers.

...By 1911, Charles Walter Knight had sold the milling/feed store operation to Burget and Chittenden. Chittenden families would operate the feed store into the 1940’s, with the power for the mill/grinding moving from steam to early kerosene/gasoline engines and finally to electrical motors.

 

Block 5, Original Plat, Fayette, Fayette County, Iowa

1915 Plat; by this time a few log and early frame structures would have been either gone or replaced.
In the latter 1800's the area of lots 1&2 was generally occupied by blacksmiths, merchants, mechanics.
The early businesses were facing Main St in lot 4.  Next to the river was a blacksmith area of both John Noble and Jonathan Knight & Sons.
Jonathan Knight and Sons wagon & blacksmith shop, saw/grist mill was from Bk 5 to the Volga River.
The Maxson general mercantile, the first store in the Fayette plat was along lot 4.  They moved up from Westfield village about 1855/56.
A harness/leather maker was often in the middle of lot 4.  The corner was a blacksmith shop/mechanic, later filling station.
  The Knight's had their first electric dynamo on the N end of lots 3 & 4.  A feed mill developed in lot 3, facing Water St.

Block 5
The location of the first merchants/craftsmen in the Fayette plat.
Historically block 5 can be looked at as lots 1 & 2 (east) and lots 3&4 (west).
Lot 1 would be the location of the Noble brothers first log blacksmith shop in the mid 1850's.  John Noble was joined by Jonathan Knight by the late 1850's.
Lot 4, north end,  would be the location of Noble's blacksmith shop next to the bridge.
Just to the north of block 5, River Addition, block one was platted in 1865.  This would be the location of Jonathan Knight and Son's original blacksmith and wagon shop, plus steam driven saw/grist/feed mill.

Lots 1&2, block 5,  blacksmith and mechanic area.
1855, June, platted by Samuel Robertson
1855, June, bought by Artimus Dodge
1856, Sept, bought by Silas Lamb & L.C. Hammond
1857, Feb, bought by Silas Lamb
1876, June, bought by Sidney Cobb
1882, Aug, bought by Rev John Hennsey
1911, bought by Catholic Church
1969, bought by Robert Lambert

Lots 3&4, block 5, between 1855-1865, remained undivided.
1855, June, platted by Samuel Robertson
1855, Sept, bought by Jonathan H. Maxon
1856-1858, back/forth, Leander C. Hammond, Jonathan H. Maxon, Eber C. Byam, Silas Lamb,Leroy Templeton.
1858, Oct, bought by Henry r. Buell, Henry L. Hill, Gilbert L. Granger.
1862, Jan, bought by John Hill
1864, Apr, bought by John S. Wilcox.

Lots 3&4, block 5, between 1865-1878, north 40ft of lots 3 & 4 sold as unit.  Nest to the Volga River and adjacent to block one of River Addtion and to Jonathan Knight's wagon shop lot area to the east.  This was part of the Knight milling and later their first electric dynamo location which extended south to Water St through lot 3.
1865, Sept, bought by David A. Knight (brother of Jonathan).
1867, Apr, bought by Harrison Knight (brother of Jonathan & David A.)
1870, Apr, bought by Jonathan Knight (sold Feb 1875)
1875, May, bought by Charles Lane
1878, May, bought by W. A. Hoyt.

Lots 3 & 4, bk 5, starts to be subdivided.

Lot 3, east 40ft, bk 5,  the Feed Mill area.
1904, Mar, bought by Charles Walter Knight from J.M. Edmunds
1910, Mar, L.E. Burget bought 1/2 interest from C.W. Knight.
1910, Feb, Frank R. Chittenden bought the other 1/2 interest from C.W. Knight.  Frank Chittenden & son Dewitt ran the mill.
1939, Oct, mill area owned by Charles Potter, sold by Frank Chittenden's offspring.
1945, Dec, mill sold to Loren F. Wilke.  Became known as Wilke's Mill and Feed.  Ran by Loren Wilke & son Kenneth.
1964, April, Kenneth Wilke took ownership of the mill property.
1972, July, Robert & Dorothy Lambert bought the mill.

Lot 4, south 36ft, bk 5, NE corner of Main & Water St, garage & filling station area.
1913, Dec, George S. Reid bought from C.W. Knight.
1916, Dec, bought by John M. Davis & Martin Cronk.  Martin Cronk farmed in Smithfield.Twp.
1919, Sept, John M. Davis bought full ownership. John M. Davis was a farmer in Smithfield.Twp.
1944, June, owned by Florence Davis Stranahan.  Dau of John M. Davis.
1963, Mar, bought by O.W. Jackson
1975, Dec, bought by Town of Fayette.

Lot 3, west 20ft, bk 5
1876, Mar, Gilbert Nichols bought (S 80ft of lot 3 and S 36ft of lot 4).
1903, Town of Fayette bought (lot 4, N40ft & N20ft of S56ft) & (lot 3, N24ft of S89ft).

Power Company, W20ft of lot 3 & N40ft of lot 4 & N44ft of S80ft of lot 4. bk 5
1917. Turkey River Power System at Clermont incorporated as the Northeastern Iowa Power Company.
1917, June, Northeastern Iowa Power, bought W20ft of lot 3 & N40ft of lot 4 & N44ft of S80ft of lot 4.
1922, Sept, new water wheel & generators installed at Northeastern Power Co, in Clermont.
1922, new generator installed at NE Power plant at the Volga City dam.
1928, Feb, Central State Power, bought parts of lots 3 & 4, from 76' N of SW corner lot 4, th E 80ft, th N 44ft, th W 80ft, to Main St, th S 44ft to org.
1944, Nov, Interstate Power, bought, as above.
 

　
Block 14, the Blacksmith & Wagon Making Shop
The lots are numbered 1-4, running east to west from Main St, along Water Street. Lots 1 & 2, would be the furniture, undertaking business. Lots 3 & 4, the Knight’s blacksmith and wagon making shops.
Quick summary for block 5 (on Water St, east of Main):
1870, Jonathan buys N40’ of lots 3 & 4, bk 5.
1905, son Charles Walter buys E40’ of lot 3, bk 5.
1909, Charles buys S36’ of lot 4, bk 5.
1910-1913, Charles sells out in lot 3 & 4, bk 5.
1915/1916, Charles buys the hardware business on Main St, in bk 13.
Block 5, is the location of Jonathan’s initial blacksmith and wagon making business, and also would be the location of the steam grist mill, and later Charles’ electric generator. Knight family notes/letters/obits indicate the generator was at the block 14 location but likely is in error, as Charles never owned any of block 14. Charles does not buy into block 5 until he returns from his years in Dubuque. The 1882 paper article indicates Jon and sons, apparently John, Arthur and Horace build a new two story wagon factory on the lots acquired in the 1878-1882 time frame in block 14.

Quick summary for block 14 (on Water St, west of Main):
1878, Jonathan and son Arthur buy ½ of lot 3, bk 14.
1879, Arthur sells to Jon his interest in lot 3, bk 14.
1880, Jon buys the remaining ½ of lot 3, bk 14. Son John has part ownership 1/3 of lot 3.
1882+, Jon with sons John & Horace buy W26’ of lot 4, bk 14.
1889, John & Horace take over W26’ of lot 4, bk 14.
Block 14, would have been the location for the new wagon factory build by Jon Knight and sons Arthur, John, Horace in 1880+.
　
Jan 1878, Jonathan and son Arthur Knight, bought from Eliz. Burch, ½ of lot 3, bk 14.
Mar 1879, Jonathan Knight bought from son Arthur, ½ of lot 3, bk 14.
Jul 1880, Jonathan Knight bought from Aaron Brown, ½ of lot 3, bk 14. This is Coronal Aaron Brown who led a local company during the civil war. He farmed 160a, SE1/4, sec 31, Westfield Twp, which was a mile south of Eagle Point. It is this farm that Valentine Strayer father of Winifred Strayer Hunt bought in the 1890’s.
Oct 1880, Jonathan and son John Knight bought from Samantha Strong, ½ of lot 3, bk 14.
May 1882?, Jonathan and son’s John and Horace bought from Adam & Rachel Fussell, the west 26’ of lot 4, bk 14.
Jan 12, 1886, Walter Eugene Hunt bought from F.H. Dunian?, lots 1 & 2, bk 14. These two lots are on the east end of bk 14, while the Knight’s blacksmith and wagon making shop was on the west side. This was the furniture, undertaking business on the NW corner of the Water/Main intersection. W.E. would run this business until about 1896, when he would buy and operate a general dairy farm a mile south of Fayette, cut by Hwy 150 in 2000+. The old Butter’s house of the 1950’s+ was the farmstead area.
Jan 1889, O.M. Beach, blacksmith, bought from Jonathan Knight, 1/3 of lot 4, bk 14.
Jan 1889, Horace Knight bought from father Jonathan Knight, 1/3 of lot 4, bk 14.
Aug 1889, Jonathan’s sons John and Horace Knight bought from O.M. Beach, blacksmith,1/3 of lot 4.
Jul 1891, Charles Walter Knight, bought from father Jonathan and brother Horace, 1/3 of lots 3 & 4, bk 14.
Sept 1897, brothers John and Horace Knight bought from brother Charles Walter’s widow (error, as Charles was still alive), 1/3 of lots 3 & 4, bk 14.
Apr 1904, Horace Knight brought from his brother John, ½ of lots 3 & 4, bk 14.
 

Block 13, the Hardware Block, bounded by Main, Water, King, State St’s.
Nov 1864, Horace D. Knight bought from J.L. & Samuel Grannis, lot 4, block 13. This is the only Knight related transaction I could find for bk 13 from 1856 to the 19teens. It is also the earliest Knight transaction found in bk’s 5, 13, 15. We know that John Knight, son of Jonathan, owned lot 8 of bk 13, where he had his home and blacksmith and wagon shop. Also Charles Walter Knight, son of Jonathan bought the hardware business in or near, lot 4, bk 13. Thus there are either transactions that I missed, some in other books, or more likely some not recorded in this book, bz/july2006.
 

Burials
(last worked on 2002)
Grandview Cem, Fayette village.
Knight, Jonathan, b. Jun 25, 1828, d. Sept 20, 1906, 78y2m26d, husb of Sarah Brown, sec C, lot 314.
Knight, Sarah Brown, b. Nov 7, 1826, d. June 2, 1901, 74y6m25d, wife of Jonathan, sec C, lot 314.
Knight, Arthur, Aug 17, 1851-Mar 4, 1928, father, son of Jon. & Sarah, sec E, lot 162.
Knight, Katherine V., Sep 13, 1852-Apr 11, 1920, wife of Arthur, sec E, lot 162.
Knight, Charles, Walter, Feb 1, 1857-Jun 14, 1936, son of Jon. & Sarah, husb of Mary K. Morris, sec C.
Knight, Mary K. Morris, Sept 27, 1855-Nov 11, 1894, wife of Charles Walter, b. Dubuque, sec A. lot 256.
Knight, (Sarah) Irene 14, 1890-Ma 24, 1892, dau of Charles Walter & Mary, sec A.
Knight, John LeRoy, 1889-1911, son of Charles Walter & Mary, sec A, lot 256
Knight, Matie (Mary Thericia), Jan 29, 1884-Oct 28, 1889, dau of Charles Walter and Mary, sec A.
Knight, Azalia, Mar 13, 1909-Apr 22, 1996, sec C, dau of Charles Walter & Joanna Crandall (2nd wife).
Knight, James Edgar, 1881-1956, (son of Charles Walter) sec H.
Knight, Maxine Burritt, no dates, sec H.
Knight, Carlton Walter, husb of Hazel, (son of James Edgar) sec H.
Knight, Hazel Katherine, 1886-1984, wife of Carlton, sec H.
　
Knight, John, July 13, 1859-May 16, 1937, father, son of Jon. & Sarah,sec C. lot 314.
Knight, Rose (Rosanna) A. (nee Brady), Nov 9, 1859-Nov 13, 1941, wife of John, mother, sec C, (lot 314).
Knight, Adam, d. May 20, 1884, infant s. of John & Rose, sec A.
Knight, Mable, Mar 14,1888-Sep 21, 1957, dau of John & Rose, sec C.
Knight, Melzer R. (Riley), d. Aug 13, 1885, 2y21d, son of Riley (Riley is buried at Long Grove Cem, in Maynard, IA), sec A (infant plot)
Knight, Ralph J. (Jonathan), d. Aug 16, 1874, 8m16d, son of Riley (Riley is buried at Long Grove Cem, in Mayard, IA), sec A (infant plot)

Knight, Daniel Jonathan, Nov 19,1890-Jan 29, 1941, son of Arthur & Katherine, sec E.
Knight, D. Jay, Jun 1, 1926-May 25,1933, son of D.J. & Lizzie, sec E.
Knight, infant, Jan 26, 1922-Jan 27, 1922, dau of D.J. & Lizzie, sec E.
　
Knight, Austin A., d. May 29, 1897, 77y8m10d, father, Civil War, sec B, lot 215.
Knight, Cynthia M., d. Oct 21, 1907, 84y3m26d, wife of A.., mother, sec B, lot 215.
Knight, Jas. M., d. May 4, 1886, 43y6m16d, Co. G, 46th Wis Vol Inf, C. War, sec B, lot 215.
Knight, Julia, d. July 7, 1886, 35y9m, mother, sec B, lot 216.
.
Knight, Joanna, 1869-1960, sec C.
Knight, Floyd, 1886-1940, sec G.
Knight, Bertha, 1881-1948, wife of Floyd, sec G.
Long Grove Cem, Maynard village, Harlan Twp, Fayette Co, Iowa
Knight, Riley, Sept 1, 1853-Mar 13, 1926, sec 1, lot 206.
Knight, Talitha Cumi (nee Farr) (Alice), Apr 11, 1853-Dec 13, 1914, wife of Riley, sec 1, lot 206.
Knight, Harry James, July 4, 1877-Oct 18, 1931, son of Riley & Talitha, sec 1, lot 206.
　
　
Knight, Arthur E. (Eugene), 1875-Sept 27, 1966, 91y, (son of Riley & Talitha),husb of Mabel J. Stewart, sec 7, lot 106.
Knight, Mabel J. (nee Stewart),1874-Jun 15, 1958, 84y, wife of Arthur Eugene, sec 7, lot 106.
Knight, Stella Brooks, Oct 20, 1900-Jan 4, 1970, 69y, dau of Arthur E. & Mabel J., sec 7, lot 106.
Knight, Carl Stewart, Oct 1, 1905-Mar 2, 1976, 70y, son of Arthur E, & Mabel J., sec 7, lot 106.
Knight, Austin A., 1858-1931, father, sec 2.
Knight, Martha Amelia, Aug 16, 1857-mar 8, 1941, wife of Austin A., mother, sec 2.
Knight, Eugene C., 1885-Apr 27, 1972, 86y, sec 2, lot 275.
Knight, Inez L., Nov 18, 1885-Apr 30, 1920, sec 2, lot 275.
　
Dunham Grove Cem, sec 12, Center Twp, Fayette Co, Iowa
Knight, Blanche Foot Bacon, Oct 3, 1888-July 30, 1975, wife of Eugene C., lot 148.
Knight, Lurinda, Sept 19, 1854-Jan 30, 1915, wife of Alva, lot 142.

West Union Cem, Union Twp, Fayette Co, Iowa
Knight, Adaline B., 1825-Apr 19, 1861, wife of Jonathan, Old Yard, block 3, row 3, marker 12.
Knight, Bruce K., Oct 9, 1899-Sept 23, 1895, son of Walt & Mary, 1st Add, bk 7, row 15.
Knight, Elsie M., 1895-Sep 30, 1973, wife of Harry C., 3rd Add, bk 3, row 3.
Knight, Fred G., Aug 18, 1881-Aug 15, 1968, husb of Malvina, father of Garland, Bessie, Robert, 2nd Add, bk 1, row 5.
Knight, Harry C., 1890-Mar 6, 1978, husb of Elsie M., 3rd Add, bk 3, row 3.
Knight, Jonathan, 1809-may 5, 1872, husb of Adaline B., vet marker, Old Yard, bk 3, row 3.
Knight, Mary A. May, Apr 23, 1825-Jan 18, 1909, wife of George W., location not given.
Knight, Melvina (nee Hoover), 1884-1985, wife of Fred, 2nd Add, bk 1, row 5.
Knight, Paul R., 1907-abt Sept 6, 1923, 2nd Add, bk 1, row 5.
Knight, Tabitah, ??-Mar 9, 1898, 2nd wife of Jonathan, Old Yard, bk 3, row 3.

Elgin Cem, Pleasant Valley Twp, Fayette Co, Iowa
Knight, Alice Red, Oct 19, 1843-Aug 7, 1911, sec O, lot 100.
Knight, J. Wesley, July 16, 1830-July 7, 1915, Co. H, 38th Iowa Vol., sec O, lot 100.
God’s Acres, Clermont, Clermont Twp, Fayette Co, Iowa
Knight, Mary?, ??-Mar 9, 1898, wife of Tobetha A.

Summarized biographical material:
(last worked with 2006)

Jonathan and Sarah Brown Knight family
Son of Curtis and Betsey Atwood Knight, of New Hampshire.
Born June 25, 1828, Northfield, Washington Co, VT.
Died Sept 20, 1906, Fayette village, Westfield Twp, Fayette Co, Iowa.
Buried, Grandview Cem, sec C, lot 314, Fayette village, Iowa.
Married Sarah Brown, Aug 29, 1848, in N. Haverhill, Grafton, NH.
Sarah was born Nov 7, 1826, Thetford, Orange Co, VT; died June 2, 1901 at Fayette village, Iowa. She is buried next to Jonathan at Grandview Cem, sec C, lot 314, Fayette village.
They would have nine children, 3 girls and 6 boys. Edgar Curtis 1849-1851 was the first. The other eight children lived to adulthood and grew in Fayette village, Iowa, and/or Jonathan/Sarah’s initial 80a farm in sec 2 of Smithfield Twp., in the Corn Hill area near Fayette village.
Children were: Arthur, 1851-1928; Riley, 1853-1926; Alice Isabel, 1855-1903; Charles Walter, 1857-1936; John 1859-1937; Horace Edgar 1861-1947; Nellie 1864-1944; Isadore, 1866-1960.
After marriage in 1848, Jonathan and Sarah moved to the Thetford area, Orange Co, VT.
Abt. 1850, the couple moved from VT to Big Rock area, Kane Co, ILL.
Summer of 1855, family moved to un-plated Fayette village area.
By Feb of 1857, Jonathan moved to 80a farm, E1/2 of SW1/4, sec 2, Smithfield Twp, Fayette Co, Iowa, in the Corn Hill area, 3 ½ miles SE of Main St., Fayette.
Jonathan first built a barn, which was the first refuge for the family, open to rain and cold.
Because of an injury, he was unable to build a house, so his son Charles Walter was born in this barn. Jonathan’s other children were 2, 4, 6 years old at the time; Jonathan about 29y, his wife Sarah 31y.
Abt. 1865, moved from the Corn Hill farm to the Water and Main Street area of Fayette village to set up a blacksmith and wagon making shop.
1882 Article
Jonathan Knight and Sons, Wagon Makers and Blacksmiths
Foremost among the manufactures of Fayette is the wagon and blacksmith shop of Knight and Sons (?John, Arthur, Horace? Charles is still in Dubuque in 1882). These gentlemen have long been identified with the interests of Fayette and by a continued course of square dealing have built up a good reputation as citizens and workmen. To supply the increasing demand for their wagons they have recently erected a new factory, 27 by 60 ft, two stories in height. (??Is this on bk 5 or bk 14??) The first story is supplied with the best and latest machinery for their business. The second story is used for a paint shop and storage room. They use the best selected lumber in the manufacture of their wagons and buggies. They will compare with any made in the state.
　
John Knight
Son of Jonathan and Sarah Brown Night
Born on 80a farm, E1/2 of SW1/4, sec 2, Smithfield Twp, Fayette Co, Iowa, in the Corn Hill area, 3 ½ miles SE of Main St., Fayette.
Sixth child of nine.
Educated in Fayette.
Went to Dubuque, worked in John Fockler Buggy Factory.
Married Rosanna Brady of Dubuque, Nov 22, 1881, in Dub. Cath. Cathedral.
Rose was dau of Bernard & Katherine Brady of Dub.
After marriage in late 1881, moved back to Fayette
Established home SE corner of King & State Street; lot 8 of block 13. This area would have been immediately in the ‘center’ of the business and activity area of Fayette. The Fayette House Hotel was a half block east. A livery was just across the street. The Knight Brother’s Blacksmith and Wagon Making Business one block directly north on Water St. The Knight Grist Mill and Feed business a block plus to the NE on Water St.
Remained at the Fayette home location the remainder of their life.
Two children, son died in infancy.
Dau. Mabel lived in the home location the remainder of her life. Was a music teacher.
John entered the blacksmith business with his father Jonathan.
Blacksmith for 55 years.
John’s last shop where he worked many years, was on lot 8, block 13, just east of his house, in Fayette, which would be next to the alley through bk 13, and facing State St. In 2000+, that would be across the street, north of the Fayette Library. A beautifully kept lawn with flowers was between the shop and house.
John Knight died Sunday Morning, May 16, 1937; burial in Grandview Cem, Fayette, IA.
John’s wife, Rose Brady Knight, was born Nov 9, 1859, in Dubuque.
She attended school in public & parochial schools of Dub.
A devout member of the Catholic Ch.
Rose died Thurs. Evening, Nov 13, 1941, at the family home in Fayette; burial next to John in Grandview Cem, at Fayette.
Dau. Mabel would remain living in the family home until her death.
pg.973, Dubuque Co, Iowa, bios.
CHARLES FOCKLER & BRO., manufacturers of the Key City Carriage Tops, No. 42, 44 and 46 Main st., Dubuque; are natives of the State of Pennsylvania; they came to Dubuque in 1860; Chas. Fockler, the senior member of the firm invented the adjustable buggy tops in 1876, and the following year established the business; the business increasing, his brother and present partner became associated with him- he has studied law, and graduated from the Law Department of the University of Michigan in 1870, and practiced law in this city until he became interested in the business with his brother. They were the first to manufacture the adjustable buggy top in this country; and from the small beginning they have rapidly extended their business, have distanced all competitors and are the largest manufacturers of their goods in this country; they occupy three stores of three stories each and are now crowded for want of room. The timber used in their business is selected and bought in Indiana, and consists of the second growth of ash; they cut it up with their own machinery there. They have a steam room where the bows are bent and a drying-room; shops where the ironwork is made; enameling-room, paint-rooms and trimming-rooms; they employ about fifty to seventy-five hands an are unable to fill their orders, being largely ordered ahead; they ship their goods, the adjustable buggy top and the carriage extension tops, to every State in the Union, and have a large trade on the Pacific Coast, and their trade is constantly increasing. They have one of the largest and most important industries in the city. Charles has charge of the manufacturing department, and his brother, L. Fockler, has charge of the office and finances of the firm.
Nebraska History
LINCOLN CARRIAGE TOP CO., Corner Twelfth and Nance Streets.--This growing industry began its career in 1877, in East Dubuque, Illinois, and was the first established factory of its kind in the United States. Desiring better railroad facilities, and considering Lincoln a more favorable manufacturing point, the business was removed here a year ago. The premises consist of a half block of ground on which stands the main building, a handsome two-story brick, and the engine room a one-story brick, both of which are supplied with the most improved machinery known in the manufacture of buggy and carriage tops, cushions and backs. Forty workmen are employed. The tops, cushions and backs are made in a number of different grades, several thousands being turned out annually, and the trade extends from the Mississippi to the Pacific coast. Mr. Lewis Fockler, the founder and manager of the company, is a gentleman thoroughly conversant with all the details of his business.
　
Arthur Knight
Son of Jonathan and Sarah Brown Knight.
Born Big Rock, ILL, Aug 17, 1851; died Randalia, Fayette Co, IA, Mar 4, 1928.
Funeral services at the Meth. Ch, in Fayette; burial, Grandview Cem, Fayette village.
Baptized, Methodist.
Parents moved to Fayette Co, Iowa, in 1854.
Spent life in Fayette Co, except for short residence in Wessington Springs, SD, and East Dubuque, ILL.
Educated in the Fayette area. Enjoyed nature, fishing, hunting.
Tutored by father Jonathan in the blacksmith trade in Jonathan’s Blacksmith Shop.
Arthur also learned the bricklayer’s trade, which he followed for several years, but practiced blacksmithing for 50+ years, 35 of which were spent in his blacksmith shop at Randalia. The shop being his ‘haven of rest,’ to which his feeble form tottered until about a week before his death.
Arthur married Jane Gardner of Fayette Co, Jan 4, 1873, had two children in Fayette, Eva R. and Maude. Arthur and Jane apparently divorced about the fall of 1880. Jane was born 1853; died 1936.
Arthur married Katherine Smith of Dubuque, July 4, 1882. She would die April 11, 1920. Funeral services were at the Fayette Catholic Church; burial at Grandview in Fayette.
Arthur and Katherine would have four children: Elizabeth, Mrs. James Posey of Wessington Springs, SD; Nellie, Mrs. Carpenter of Randalia; Sadie, Mrs. Jacob Ponsar of Maynard; Daniel J. of Randalia (at the blacksmith shop). His brother John also was in Dubuque working in a wagon factory at Dubuque, and married Rose Brady of Dubuque in Nov, 1881, then returned to the smith trade in Fayette the remainder of his life. Likely brothers John and Arthur went to Dubuque to work, utilizing their blacksmith skills learned from their father Jonathan at Fayette.
Riley Knight
Son of Jonathan and Sarah Brown Knight.
Born Big Rock, ILL, Sept 1, 1852.
In 1854, parents came to the unplated Fayette village area.
Shortly moved to farm south of Fayette in Smithfield Twp, for several years (1854/55 to the abt. 1864/65. In the 1860 census, the Jonathan Knight family is shown between Abraham Patterson and N. Seber. On the 1868 plat map, those two are farming in sec 2 of Smithfield, and the farm between is owned by M. Dewey. Thus it is likely the Jonathan Knight from about 1855 to about 1865+/- was 80a, the E1/2 of the SW1/4 of sec 2, Smithfield Twp, Fayette Co, Iowa. The farm was in the Corn Hill area, 3 ½ miles to the SE of Main Street Fayette.
Jonathan moved the family back to Fayette sometime in the early/mid 1860’s.
Riley attended Fayette public school, and took a Commercial course at UIU.
Dec 19, 1872, he married Talitha Farr, who came to Fayette village in 1862 with her parents James and Electra Farr.
For a time the couple lived near Fayette (farming east of Fayette), later moving (to Cedar Rapids, where Riley managed a lumber company.
Several years later Riley brought the family back to a farm near Center Grove Ch/Cem, 49a, in the NE corner of sec 2, Harlan Twp, Fayette Co, Iowa. This would be ¾ mi. east of what would be known as the ‘Twin Bridges’ area, 4mi to the SW of Main St., Fayette or 3mi. NxNE of Maynard, Iowa.
Riley took a major interest in the United Brethren Ch and Sunday School.
In later years Riley moved into Maynard where he resided until his death.
Riley and Talitha had nine children. Three died in infancy.
The couple is buried at Long Grove Cem, in Maynard.
Charles Walter Knight
Son of Jonathan and Sarah Brown Knight.
Born on 80a farm, E1/2 of SW1/4, sec 2, Smithfield Twp, Fayette Co, Iowa, in the Corn Hill area, 3 ½ miles SE of Main St., Fayette
Educated in Fayette public schools; took course in Hurd’s Business College of UIU.
In teens, went to Dubuque, employed by John Fockler in manufacture of buggies. Became efficient, promoted foremanship of the plant. For 20 years on of the chief factors of the success of the firm.
Married Mary Morris, April 29, 1877; seven children she died Nov 11, 1894.
Married Anna Crandall, of West Union, IA, Sept. 30, 1897. One dau. Azalia, who graduated UIU, taught at Bennett, IA, several years.
After the experience in the Dubuque Carriage/Buggie manufacturing plant, Charles Walter located back to Fayette, conducting a general miling plant with his brothers (John, Arthur, Horrace?, on Water Street (lot 3, bk 5).
Moved from Dubuque back to Fayette in 1891/92(?).
Charles Walter intalled the city electric light system, becoming virtually the city engineer because of his insight and ingenuity.
Since about 1915/16, Charles has operated the Knight’s Hardware Store on North Main Street, in Fayette.
Article, 1965, West Union paper: The location of Knight’s Hardware had operated as a hardware store continually since abt. 1856, when it was started by Budd & Montgomery. Charles took his son James Edgar (Ed) Knight in as a partner. Ed bought his father’s interest in 1932. In 1936 Ed’s son Carlton joined the business. Carlton took his son Jon into the business in 1963. Charles’ brothers Art (Arthur), Riley, Horace had operated a wagon factory in Fayette for a number of years. Charles ran Fayette’s first electric light plant, among many other activities. Old timers tell of Charles carrying the light plants dynamo (generator) out of danger of flood water on his won back, when the Volga River once threatened the light plant, located where Woolridge’s blacksmith shop stands (lot 3 &4, bk 14).
Charles was a member of the M.E. Church of Fayette.
Charles is buried with other members of his family in Grandview Cem, at Fayette.
1897 Articles
Charles Hoyt and Charles Knight became exclusive owners of the electric light plant and mill (on Water Street, lot 3 & 4 of bk 5), having before been operated by the Knight Brothers (John & Horrace). The building remains the property of John and Horrace Knight, who will continue their wagon and blacksmith business which they have been beenobliged in the past to somewhat neglect to attend to work in the mill. Hereafter John and Horrace will be found ready at all times to do any and all work in their line that may come to them, promptly and at fair prices. The new firm of Knight and Hoyt will make a good team, and keep the electric lighting and milling up to the time. We wish the new firm of Knight and Hoyt, and the old firm of the Knight Brother’s success.
Through a deal Wed, Sept 29, 1897, Charles Knight and Charles Hoyt became sole owner of the Fayette electric light plant and roller mill. They intend in the near future to place some burrs for grinding feed and use the rollers for buckwheat alone. Charlie Knight is a man well liked in this community. He was formean in C. Fockler and Co.’s Carriage and Buggie manufacturing plant at Dubuque for 15 years. Through Charles the light plant was started in Fayette. Charlie Hoyt is well known by people near Maynard and we can say that the firm of Knight and Hoyt are a first class firm and all who deal with them will be used right. John and Horace Knight retained the blacksmith shop which they will still run.
Article from an 1894 Advertisment Publication regarding Fayette Co, Iowa
Knight Bros.
If there is one thing more than another that adds to the commercial growth and prosperity of a city it is her manufacturing industries. Fayette has located in her midst a veritable bee hive of industry in the establishment of Knight Bros., who conduct a flour and saw mill as well as a first-class blacksmith and repair shop. There is nothing that will draw the farmers patronage better than a flour mill, and especially is this the case when the first class work such as it turned out by this establishment awaits their coming. The mill is equipped with the very best and latest improved roller mill machinery and is operated by gentlemen who understand the work in its every detail. Toll is taken for work or case, as best suits the convenience of the customer. The products of this mill find a ready sale as its output is known as well as its quality. The gentlemen also operate a saw mill where lumber of any desired dimension is cut. That this enterprise is duly appreciated is evidenced from the patronage they receive. The blacksmithing and repair department cuts no small figure in the makeup of this firm’s business. They are prepared to do all kinds of work in this line promptly, in a thorough, workmanlike manner, and that which is best of all—bottom prices. A twenty-five horse power boiler and eighteen horse power engine are used to operate the flour and saw mills. (A 25hp static/stationaly steam boiler/engine operated the flour/feed mill. An 18hp steam engine on wheels operated the saw mill. bz). The firm are successor to their father (Jonathan) who established this enterprise in Fayette in the year 1862 and conducted it up to one year ago, (The ‘firm’ must have taken over about 1893, or about a year after Charles Walter returned from working at the Fockler Company in Dubuque, bz) when the present firm took the management and added to the blacksmith and repair shop the two industries enumerated above. Mr. Charles Walter Knight up to the time of forming this partnership with his brother was engaged with the Fockler Bros. (Carriage Company), of Dubuque, a position he held for seventeen years (abt 1874/75 to abt 1891/92). Both gentlemen (This indicates Charles Walker Knight and one other brother. Which brother?? Bz) of this establishment are pleasant and agreeable in their manners, gentlemen with whom it is a pleasure to do business. With the push, energy and enterprise which they have displayed in the past year, in the future, they are bound to succeed and increase their business. The farmers are the ones who more than any one else appreciate an establishment of this character and are given it their undivided support. The manufacture of buckwheat, graham flour and corn meal is here made a specialty. (This would not be a ‘white’ flour mill but more of a whole grain mill grinding a coarser type of flour/grist. The mill would also have been grinding feed for livestock. Before the grain and saw mill talked about in this advertisement, Jonathan Knight and one or more of his son’s were operating a mill, blacksmith shop, wagon making business, at this location, bz).
　
　
Horace Knight
Son of Jonathan and Sarah Brown Knight
Born, 80a farm, E1/2 of SW1/4, sec 2, Smithfield Twp, Fayette Co, Iowa, in the Corn Hill area, 3 ½ miles SE of Main St., Fayette.
Married Mary Jane Saul, dau of Mary & James Saul of Dubuque, Iowa.
After marriage moved back to Fayette, where eight children were born.
In Mar 1910, moved family to large farm 3mi from Mt. Nebo, Saskatchewan, Canada, until death Dec 29, 1947. Town of Mistawasis and Hawkeye were nearby. The ‘community’ where he moved was often referred to as Knight’s Settlement when he first moved there.
Mary Jane, his first wife died Aug 25, 1915.
Horace remarried Mrs. Eliz. McCullum, a widow from Ontario, who is buried in Ontario. They had no children.
Like his brothers, Horace was a very active person, a jack-of-all-trades. He was also an active reader.
While in Fayette, Iowa, Horace was in the wagon and blacksmith business with his brother John, (?Arthur, Charles?bz).
In Canada, Horace farmed but also built a blacksmith shop on his property to service local people. He was postmaster for 14 years, with the first post office at his home. With his son Earl, they had a store in Mt. Nebo. In later years he would walk the 3 ½ miles to Mt. Nebo. In Jan of 1947, Horace wrote, " I can work all day in the blacksmith shop and the time passes faster. Harold and family are living on the place (farm). I have one room."
Horace died Dec, 29, 1947, age 86, as the result of several strokes.
Nellie Knight
Daughter of Jonathan and Sarah Brown Knight
Born, 80a farm, E1/2 of SW1/4, sec 2, Smithfield Twp, Fayette Co, Iowa, in the Corn Hill area, 3 ½ miles SE of Main St., Fayette
Attended Fayette public school. Two years at UIU, in Fayette. Took work in art. Member of Zeta Alpha Society.
First marriage, Willis Fremont Jameson, son of Robert L. & Frances Marietta Jameson of Wiota, Cass Co, IA, on Oct 14, 1885. Met Willis while visiting sister Alice Knight Miller, wo was living near Wiota and Witneyville, IA. Nellie visited several time and became well acquainted with Willis. They lived for a time in Cass Co, IA, where Florence was born. Fall of 1888 moved to Cedar Rapids, IA. Willis employed by the Fay Brothers Lumber Co, being foreman for many years.
Nellie and Will had five children: Florence Isadore, Frances Marietta, Dolly (died, wk old), Curtis Russell, and Muriel Virginia.
Will died of apoplexy, Aug 6, 1813, in Cedar Rapids, buried Linwood Cem, CR.
Nellie’s second marriage was to John R. King of CR, on Dec 27, 1919. John was a telegraph operator and depot agent for 25yrs; later a paiter and interior decorator. John died May 27, 1931, in Golden, ILL.
Nellie died July 1, 1944, at the home of dau. Muriel Jameson Logan, Alhambra, CA; buried San Gabriel Cem, CA. She had a light stroke in 1927. Nellie was a member of the United Brethren Ch., but attended the Methodist Ch, in CA. Like all of the Knight family she was active and fun, enjoying horse back riding.