John Perrill McKnight was born 21 Mar 1839 in Brown County, Ohio. He married Mary Vanderbelt 31 Jan 1861 in McLean County, IL

Record Source: Illinois Civil War Muster and Descriptive Rolls

Name: John P McKnight 2nd Lieutenant, Co G, 129th Illinois Infantry

Height: 5' 7 Hair: BROWN Eyes: BROWN Complexion: LIGHT

Marital status: Married Occupation: Farmer

Birth Date: Abt 1838 Birth Place: Russelville, Brown CO, OH

Military Age: 23 Remarks: DETAILED AS ADC APR 19, 1864

Residence Place: Chenoa, McLean CO, IL

John and Mary McKnight are listed in Chenoa Township, McLean County, IL with children Henrietta, George, Walter and John in the 1870 census. They move to Kansas about 1871 and are found in the 1880, 1900 and 1910 census records in Hiawatha, Brown County, Kansas. Captain John McKnight died 7 Sep 1917 at Brown County, Kansas and is buried in Hiawatha Cemetery there. Someone posted the following obituary on John’s Find A Grave site in Hiawatha, Kansas.

The Hiawatha Daily World (Hiawatha, KS) Sat Sep 8, 1917.

“McKnight—Capt. John P. McKnight died at his home, 601 North Third street, Friday night. Mr. McKnight had been more or less feeble for several months. Thursday he drove down town and visited with his friends. Friday evening when he retired he seemed in his usual health. When Mrs. McKnight went to call him at 5 o'clock Saturday morning there was no answer. She went to his bed and found him dead. Mr. McKnight, who was more than 78 years old, had had one or two slight shocks, resembling strokes of some sort, several months ago. John P. McKnight was born in Brown county, Ohio, March 21, 1839. He received a common school education and when 13 years of age was offered a position as clerk, which he accepted and held until he reached manhood. He enlisted for service in the Civil war and for nine months was on staff duty with Generals Ward and Harrison. Then he served nine months in the signal corps. Mr. McKnight served three years in the Union army and attained the rank of first lieutenant. After the war he went to McLean county, Ill., where he followed farming and merchandising until he came to Kansas. In the fall of 1870 Mr. McKnight came to Brown county with his family and settled on an unimproved farm three miles north of Hiawatha. There he lived until he moved to Hiawatha in 1890. About six years ago Capt. McKnight sold the old home place to his son, John P. McKnight, Jr. Mr. McKnight was married in Illinois in 1860 to Miss Mary E. Vanderbilt, of Pennsylvania. Mrs. McKnight and nine children survive him. The children are Dr. George C. McKnight, mayor of Hiawatha; Walter Scott McKnight, of Axtell; John P. McKnight, Jr., of Hiawatha; William Elbridge McKnight, of Sabetha; Thomas Edward McKnight, of Auburn; Mrs. Ida Fouke, of Hot Springs, South Dakota; Mrs. Grace Winter, of Topeka; Charles Frank McKnight, of Kansas City, and First Lieutenant Roscoe McKnight, of the forestry department of the United States army. A daughter, Etta, the oldest child, died when but two or three years old. Besides the wife and children Mr. McKnight is survived by ten grandchildren. Mr. McKnight was a member of the Hiawatha Methodist church and of Hiawatha Lodge No. 35, A. F. & A. M., and Mt. Horeb Chapter No. 43, R. A. M. He was a past master of the Masonic lodge. Mr. McKnight was living on the farm north of Hiawatha when Benjamin Harrison was elected president. Mr. McKnight had served on President Harrison's staff in the Civil war. When time came to appoint a postmaster for Hiawatha President Harrison thought of his former lieutenant and tendered the appointment to Mr. McKnight, who had no political backing for the place. Mr. McKnight accepted and from 1890 to 1894 he served Hiawatha as postmaster. Soon after moving to town he built the home on North Third street, where he lived at the time of his death. In the Civil war Mr. McKnight received special mention for gallantry. When Capt. McKnight died, one of the very best of Brown county's many good citizens passed on. Capt. and Mrs. McKnight always have been foremost in public works since coming to Brown county. They have served the county well. But the greatest heritage to be left by Capt. McKnight is his splendid family. Each of the nine children has become unusually useful in the works of this world. The children were taught industry and honesty by Capt. and Mrs. McKnight and they proved apt pupils of foremost teachers. Each of the children is taking a man's or woman's full part. And the best thing that can be said of any man is that he lived well and reared children who live well. This can be said of Capt. McKnight. Brown county folks, and particularly the old timers, will greatly miss Capt. McKnight, who was a lovable man and a most interesting conversationalist. He was one of Brown county's grand old men. The funeral arrangements had not been made Saturday afternoon, but it probably will be held Wednesday. Definite announcement could not be made until Mrs. Fouke and Lieut Roscoe McKnight could be heard from. At last reports Lieut McKnight was in Washington, but by this time he may be on the way to France.”