J. M. Knox
J. M. KNOX, a large landowner in Perry township, Armstrong county, residing across the line in Parker township, Butler county, is engaged in farming, and has several production oil and gas wells on his property. He was born on the John Guthrie farm, in Perry township, this county, Dec. 20, 1856, and belongs to a family established in this country by his great-grandfather, George Knox, who was from the North of Ireland, whence he went to Scotland, later coming to America. He was twice married, and by his first wife, whose maiden name was Gibson, had two children. After her death he married a Miss Graham, of Clarion county, Pa., by whom he had two sons and one daughter. George Knox settled on the farm where his great-grandson, J. M. Knox, now lives, then known as the Moore place. He died there at the age of eighty-one years.James Knox, one of the sons of George was born on the Moore farm, and there grew to manhood, receiving his education in the locality. He married Rebecca Graham, and to this union were born children as follows; Eliza, who married Andrew Campbell, of Butler county; William, who married a Miss Porter, and lived in Butler and Armstrong counties; George; Nancy Jan, wife of Hon. A. L. Campbell, of Petrolia, Pa., former State senator; Samuel, who married Martha Gibson; and James, twin of Samuel, who died unmarried. The father of this family died, at the home of his son George, at the age of sixty-seven years, and is buried at Parker's Landing. The mother is buried at Petrolia.
George Knox, son of James, was born on the farm now occupied by his son, J. M. Knox, grew to manhood there, and obtained his education in the schools of the vicinity. For a few years he lived on the John Guthrie farm in Perry township, in 1864 buying out the heirs of the old homestead place, where he continued to make his home until his death, April 25, 1893. at the age of seventy-three years. He is buried in the Fairview cemetery in Butler county. Mr. Knox took an active part in the affairs of the locality, serving as road supervisor and school director for several years. In political matters he was a Republican. He married Jane (Steel) Guthrie, widow of William Guthrie, who was drowned in a river in California, while engaged in contracting there. By her first marriage she had the following children: Ann Eliza, wife of Daniel Walker; John, who resides in Perry township; Hugh, Perry township; Nancy, deceased; Samuel, who lives at Millers Eddy, Clarion county; and William, of Sugar Creek township, this county. By her marriage with Mr. Knox she had five children: J. M. mentioned below; Jennie E., widow of James E. Samuel, of East Pittsburgh, Pa.; Nancy, wife of Edgar Say, of near Bruin, Pa.; Mary Eleanor, wife of George Say, of near Bruin; and A. L., who resides on the farm adjoining his brothers in Butler county. Mrs. Knox died April 25, 1903, on the tenth anniversary of her husband's death, and is buried with him in the Fairview cemetery. They were members of the Presbyterian Church.
J. M. Knox attended the Shields and Knox schoolhouses in Perry township, and also a school in Parker township, Butler county. After commencing work he farmed and found employment in the oil fields, as a driller, in time beginning to drill for himself. He now owns six producing gas well, five of the oil wells being located in Perry township. He has large holdings of land, having two farms in Perry township of forty-four and a half and one hundred acres, respectively, another tract of 112 acres, two-thirds of which lies in Perry township and the rest in Parker township, Butler county, and a tract of forty-six acres in Allegheny township, Butler county. He resides on that portion of his 112-acre farm lying in Parker township. Most of the buildings on this property were put up by his father in 1873, though he did some building himself in 1897. Mr. Knox engages in general farming and produces crops above the average, applying his practical methods to every branch of his work. He is an excellent business man, and all of his enterprises have prospered under his thorough management.
On June 25, 1903, Mr. Knox married Mary Barto, of Clarion county, where she was reared and educated. Her father, Daniel Barto, was a well known furnace worker of that section. Mr. and Mrs. Knox have one child, George. Mr. Knox takes no part in public affairs or political matters, but he is a Republican in party connection.
The farm on which Mr. Knox lives was formerly owned by his great-grandfather, who bought it for his sons Thomas and Huston Knox, the latter of whom made his home there. He was twice married, his first union being to a Miss Hutchison, his second to a lady named McCoy. His children were: Washington, who married a Logue, of Clarion county, Pa.; Rebecca, Mrs. McCall, of Clarion county; Elizabeth, wife of Gib. Moore, of Butler; and Peggie, wife of Joseph Graham, of Parkers Landing.
Source: Pages 360-361, Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and Present, J.H. Beers & Co., 1914
Transcribed September 2001 by Linda M. Stitt for the Armstrong County Beers Project
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