Nehemiah R. Knight
Encyclopedia
Nehemiah Rice Knight was a United States Senator from Rhode Island
. Born in Cranston
, he attended the common schools. In 1802 he was a member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives
; he moved to Providence
and was clerk of the Court of Common Pleas from 1805 to 1811 and clerk of the circuit court
from 1812 to 1817. He was also collector of customs
for the same period. He was the ninth Governor of Rhode Island from 1817 to 1821 and president of the Roger Williams Bank from 1817 to 1854.
Knight was elected in 1821 as a Democratic-Republican
to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of James Burrill, Jr.
; he was reelected in 1823 as a Crawford Republican, in 1829 as an Anti-Jacksonian, and again in 1835 as a Whig
, and served from January 9, 1821, to March 4, 1841. While in the Senate he was chairman of the Committee to Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses (Twenty-second, Twenty-third and Twenty-sixth Congresses) and a member of the Committee on Manufactures (Twenty-fourth Congress). Knight retired from public life and was a delegate to the State constitutional convention
in 1843. He died in Providence in 1854; interment was in Grace Church Cemetery.
Nehemiah Rice Knight's father, Nehemiah Knight
, had been a U.S. Representative from Rhode Island.
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
. Born in Cranston
Cranston, Rhode Island
Cranston, once known as Pawtuxet, is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. With a population of 80,387 at the 2010 census, it is the third largest city in the state. The center of population of Rhode Island is located in Cranston...
, he attended the common schools. In 1802 he was a member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives
Rhode Island House of Representatives
The Rhode Island House of Representatives is the lower house of the Rhode Island General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. State of Rhode Island. It is composed of 75 members, elected to two year terms from 75 districts of equal population. The Rhode Island General Assembly does not have...
; he moved to Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
and was clerk of the Court of Common Pleas from 1805 to 1811 and clerk of the circuit court
Circuit court
Circuit court is the name of court systems in several common law jurisdictions.-History:King Henry II instituted the custom of having judges ride around the countryside each year to hear appeals, rather than forcing everyone to bring their appeals to London...
from 1812 to 1817. He was also collector of customs
Customs
Customs is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting and safeguarding customs duties and for controlling the flow of goods including animals, transports, personal effects and hazardous items in and out of a country...
for the same period. He was the ninth Governor of Rhode Island from 1817 to 1821 and president of the Roger Williams Bank from 1817 to 1854.
Knight was elected in 1821 as a Democratic-Republican
Democratic-Republican Party (United States)
The Democratic-Republican Party or Republican Party was an American political party founded in the early 1790s by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Political scientists use the former name, while historians prefer the latter one; contemporaries generally called the party the "Republicans", along...
to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of James Burrill, Jr.
James Burrill, Jr.
James Burrill, Jr. was a Federalist-party United States senator representing the state of Rhode Island. He served in the senate from 1817 until 1820...
; he was reelected in 1823 as a Crawford Republican, in 1829 as an Anti-Jacksonian, and again in 1835 as a Whig
Whig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
, and served from January 9, 1821, to March 4, 1841. While in the Senate he was chairman of the Committee to Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses (Twenty-second, Twenty-third and Twenty-sixth Congresses) and a member of the Committee on Manufactures (Twenty-fourth Congress). Knight retired from public life and was a delegate to the State constitutional convention
Rhode Island Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations is a document describing the structure and function of the government of the U.S. State of Rhode Island.-History:...
in 1843. He died in Providence in 1854; interment was in Grace Church Cemetery.
Nehemiah Rice Knight's father, Nehemiah Knight
Nehemiah Knight
Nehemiah Knight was a United States Representative from Rhode Island. Born in Knightsville within the town of Cranston, now a suburb of Providence. He attended the common schools, engaged in agricultural pursuits, and was town clerk from 1773 to 1800...
, had been a U.S. Representative from Rhode Island.
External links
- Nehemiah R. Knight at Find A GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...