Jonathan Knight (politician)
Jonathan Knight (born November 22, 1787 in Bucks County , Pennsylvania , † November 22, 1858 in East Bethlehem , Pennsylvania) was an American politician . Between 1855 and 1857 he represented the state of Pennsylvania in the US House of Representatives .
Career
In 1801, Jonathan Knight moved to East Bethlehem with his parents. He attended the public schools in his respective homeland; then he became a civil engineer. In 1816 he was commissioned by the state government of Pennsylvania to design a map of Washington County there . After that he was the district executive for three years. He was subsequently involved in the surveying of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and the state road from Cumberland ( Maryland ) to Wheeling in what is now West Virginia . Knight was a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1822 to 1828 . He then worked for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad until 1842 . In the meantime he traveled to England, where he found out about the development of railway construction. He later worked in agriculture: he became secretary of the Agricultural Society in Washington County.
Politically, Knight became active as a member of the short-lived Opposition Party in the 1850s . In the congressional election of 1854 he was elected to the US House of Representatives in Washington, DC in the 20th constituency of Pennsylvania , where he succeeded Democrat John Littleton Dawson on March 4, 1855 . Since he was not confirmed in 1856, he could only serve one term in Congress until March 3, 1857 . This was shaped by the events leading up to the civil war .
After his time in the US House of Representatives, Jonathan Knight returned to farming. In 1858, shortly before his death, he applied unsuccessfully to return to Congress. He died on November 22, 1858, his 71st birthday, in East Bethlehem.
Web links
- Jonathan Knight in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)
- Jonathan Knight in the database of Find a Grave (English)
| predecessor | Office | successor |
|---|---|---|
| John Littleton Dawson |
United States House Representative for Pennsylvania (20th constituency) March 4, 1855 - March 3, 1857 |
William Montgomery |
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Knight, Jonathan |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American politician |
| DATE OF BIRTH | November 22, 1787 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Bucks County , Pennsylvania |
| DATE OF DEATH | November 22, 1858 |
| Place of death | East Bethlehem , Pennsylvania |