Armanis F. Knotts
Encyclopedia
Armanis F. Knotts also called A.F. Knotts, was an American politician and lawyer. He was a member of the Indiana House of Representatives
and was instrumental in the foundings of both Gary, Indiana
and Yankeetown, Florida
.
on either February 29, 1860 or January 29, 1856 to Frank D. and Margaret (Bell) Knotts. His father was a farmer and carpenter from Pennsylvania, and his mother, a native of Ohio, was the daughter of an early Irish settler of Ohio.
In 1868, the Knotts family moved to Indiana, settling in Medaryville
in Pulaski County
where he grew up working on the family farm and attending first the local district schools and then Valparaiso University
. In 1870, his mother died, and his father married a woman named Jennie Yates. In 1884, Knotts married Mary Hennessey. In the lates 1880s, after spending several years teaching, Knotts enrolled in a law course at Valparaiso. During his studies, he was elected to be the county surveyor of Porter County
. He held the office for eighteen months, from 1887 until 1888, then resigned after graduating from the law course.
In 1888, he moved to Hammond, Indiana
, where he set up a law practice. He quickly became involved in local politics, and was a strong supporter of the idea of giving Hammond a harbor on Wolf Lake to connect with Lake Michigan, earning the nickname "Harbor Knotts" for his zeal.
He was elected to the Indiana House of Representatives
in 1898 as the joint representative of Lake
and Jasper
counties. As a legislator, he ensured the passage of the Circuit Court bill, which elevated the Superior Court of Hammond to the same level as the Circuit Court, and provided for the building of a new Superior Court House in Hammond. He was served one term and then was elected mayor of Hammond from 1902-1904. While serving as mayor he worked on bringing new industries into Hammond.
Armanis and his brother, Thomas Knotts
, were also heavily involved in the development of the city of Gary, Indiana
. In 1905, the United States Steel Corporation
decided to open a new plant in the Midwest, and chose the current site of Gary for its location. They hired Armanis to act as their lawyer, and he worked to purchase the land for the mill, acting surreptitiously so as not to drive up prices. Soon afterwards the Gary Land Company was set up in order to lay out the town and supervise its construction, with Knotts as its manager.
In 1923, Knotts moved to Florida and founded the town of Yankeetown
.
Indiana House of Representatives
The Indiana House of Representatives is the lower house of the Indiana General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Indiana. The House is composed of 100 members representing an equal number of constituent districts. House members serve two-year terms without term limits...
and was instrumental in the foundings of both Gary, Indiana
Gary, Indiana
Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city is in the southeastern portion of the Chicago metropolitan area and is 25 miles from downtown Chicago. The population is 80,294 at the 2010 census, making it the seventh-largest city in the state. It borders Lake Michigan and is known...
and Yankeetown, Florida
Yankeetown, Florida
Yankeetown is a town in Levy County, Florida, United States. The population was 629 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2004 estimates, the town had a population of 672.-History:...
.
Biography
Knotts was born in Highland County, OhioHighland County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 40,875 people, 15,587 households, and 11,394 families residing in the county. The population density was 74 people per square mile . There were 17,583 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
on either February 29, 1860 or January 29, 1856 to Frank D. and Margaret (Bell) Knotts. His father was a farmer and carpenter from Pennsylvania, and his mother, a native of Ohio, was the daughter of an early Irish settler of Ohio.
In 1868, the Knotts family moved to Indiana, settling in Medaryville
Medaryville, Indiana
Medaryville is a town in White Post Township, Pulaski County, Indiana, United States. The population was 565 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Medaryville is located at ....
in Pulaski County
Pulaski County, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,755 people, 5,170 households, and 3,779 families residing in the county. The population density was 32 people per square mile . There were 5,918 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile...
where he grew up working on the family farm and attending first the local district schools and then Valparaiso University
Valparaiso University
Valparaiso University, known colloquially as Valpo, is a regionally accredited private university located in the city of Valparaiso in the U.S. state of Indiana. Founded in 1859, it consists of five undergraduate colleges, a graduate school, a nursing school and a law school...
. In 1870, his mother died, and his father married a woman named Jennie Yates. In 1884, Knotts married Mary Hennessey. In the lates 1880s, after spending several years teaching, Knotts enrolled in a law course at Valparaiso. During his studies, he was elected to be the county surveyor of Porter County
Porter County, Indiana
Porter County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2010, the population was 164,343. Much of the population growth has to do with the expansion of the Chicago Metropolitan Area eastward into Indiana. The county seat is Valparaiso...
. He held the office for eighteen months, from 1887 until 1888, then resigned after graduating from the law course.
In 1888, he moved to Hammond, Indiana
Hammond, Indiana
Hammond is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. It is part of the Chicago metropolitan area. The population was 80,830 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Hammond is located at ....
, where he set up a law practice. He quickly became involved in local politics, and was a strong supporter of the idea of giving Hammond a harbor on Wolf Lake to connect with Lake Michigan, earning the nickname "Harbor Knotts" for his zeal.
He was elected to the Indiana House of Representatives
Indiana House of Representatives
The Indiana House of Representatives is the lower house of the Indiana General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Indiana. The House is composed of 100 members representing an equal number of constituent districts. House members serve two-year terms without term limits...
in 1898 as the joint representative of Lake
Lake County, Indiana
Lake County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. In 2010, its population was 496,005, making it Indiana's second-most populous county. The county seat is Crown Point. This county is part of Northwest Indiana and the Chicago metropolitan area. The county contains a mix of urban,...
and Jasper
Jasper County, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 30,043 people, 10,686 households, and 8,217 families residing in the county. The population density was 54 people per square mile . There were 11,236 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile...
counties. As a legislator, he ensured the passage of the Circuit Court bill, which elevated the Superior Court of Hammond to the same level as the Circuit Court, and provided for the building of a new Superior Court House in Hammond. He was served one term and then was elected mayor of Hammond from 1902-1904. While serving as mayor he worked on bringing new industries into Hammond.
Armanis and his brother, Thomas Knotts
Thomas Knotts
Thomas Elwood Knotts was the first mayor of the city of Gary, Indiana, serving from 1909 to 1913, after having previously served as head of the Gary town board from 1906 to 1909. He was also Gary's first postmaster...
, were also heavily involved in the development of the city of Gary, Indiana
Gary, Indiana
Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city is in the southeastern portion of the Chicago metropolitan area and is 25 miles from downtown Chicago. The population is 80,294 at the 2010 census, making it the seventh-largest city in the state. It borders Lake Michigan and is known...
. In 1905, the United States Steel Corporation
U.S. Steel
The United States Steel Corporation , more commonly known as U.S. Steel, is an integrated steel producer with major production operations in the United States, Canada, and Central Europe. The company is the world's tenth largest steel producer ranked by sales...
decided to open a new plant in the Midwest, and chose the current site of Gary for its location. They hired Armanis to act as their lawyer, and he worked to purchase the land for the mill, acting surreptitiously so as not to drive up prices. Soon afterwards the Gary Land Company was set up in order to lay out the town and supervise its construction, with Knotts as its manager.
In 1923, Knotts moved to Florida and founded the town of Yankeetown
Yankeetown, Florida
Yankeetown is a town in Levy County, Florida, United States. The population was 629 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2004 estimates, the town had a population of 672.-History:...
.
Legacy
In 1975, Armanis's nephew Eugene Knotts opened the A.F. Knotts Library in Yankeetown, Florida in honor of his uncle.External links
- A. Frank Knotts - Uncle A.F. and the Early Residents of Yankeetown Information on the founding of Yankeetown