Richard Knight of Rhode Island

Richard Knight Rhode Island Settler Biographical Sketch

Biographical Sketch: From NEHGR, Jul 1933, Pg 264-5, article by G. Andrew Moriarity, of Bristol, Rhode Island:

"The founder of the family in New England was Richard Knight [** actually, not quite true, as there were other immigrant Knights in New England nmt**], who was at Newport as early as December, 1646. Austin knew nothing earlier than this about him; but there are references to him in the Essex Quarterly Court files at Salem, Mass., that show that prior to his arrival in Rhode Island he had lived at Hampton, N. H., where he had a mill.
Richard Knight, of Hampton, N. H., and Newport, R. I., was living in 1680, but died before Oct 27 of that year. He married first, in England, _________; and secondly, about 1647, Sarah Rogers, daughter of James and Mary Rogers of Newport, R. I. who was living at East Greenwich Feb 23, 1684/5, when she served on a jury of women with respect to the condition of a young woman.
Richard Knight probably came to Hampton, N. H. from Co. Norfolk, England, as most of the earliest inhabitants of Hampton (N. H.) came from that part of England.
On Aug 4, 1640, an agreement was made between the town of Hampton and Richard Knight regarding his building and keeping a mill at the landing there, and 100 acres were granted to him. On Sep 14, 1640 he contracted to build a meeting house. On Jan 29, 1640/1, it was voted that instead of working on the Common Richard Knight was to make a gate for the pound. He was the defendant in a suit brought by Stephen Kent in December, 1641. On Jul 9, 1645, a warrant for his arrest was issued to the constables of Boston, Mass., on account of certain thieving activities of his, and on Sep 9, 1645, Joseph Armetage was ordered by the Court to hold all the goods in his hands of Richard Knight "late of Hampton, now of Rhode Island." (Essex Quarterly Court Files, Vol 1, Pg 88, and History of Hampton.)
In Rhode Island he was a house carpenter by trade, and the items given above show that he practiced the same trade at Hampton. He probably fled to Rhode Island at some time between Jul 8 and Sep 9, 1645, to escape punishment for his misdeeds. This experience seems to have had a salutary effect on him, for thenceforth his life in Rhode Island was, so far as is known, entirely decorous.
Following are events in which he has been found recorded:
Feb, 1646 (?1645/6) Goodman Knight conveyed his house, mill, and 100 acres at Hampton to Christopher Lawson of Boston, Mass.
December, 1646, he brought suit at Newport against William Jeffrey (Acquidneck Quarterly Court Files, printed).
Jan 16, 1647/8 land at Newport was conveyed to him by James Rogers, whose daughter Sarah he married about this time.
Feb 8, 1648/9, he agreed with his wife Sarah not to sell the 40 acres of land bought of James Rogers and Robert Griffin, but entailed it upon her and eldest son by her, who was to have it at the age of twenty years. If he should have no son, then the land was to go over to their eldest daughter, at the age of sixteen years. Moreover, his son in Old England was to have no part in it. (Rhode Island Colonial Deeds, edited by Chapin, Vol 1, Pg 6).
1648/9 he kept the prison in Newport. He was a general sergeant in 1648, 1649, 1650, 1653, 1654, 1657, and 1658.
1655.. His name occurs on the roll of freemen at Newport.
1655.. He was sent to summon the Warwick sachem Pomham before the court on Mar 17, 1655/6.
1656.. He sold land at Newport on Dec 22, 1656 and Dec 5, 1658. In the latter year he was "Water Bailey".
Jan 19, 1663/4, he made, in partnership with Henry Hall, the great purchase of lands at Chippachog, in Westerly and Kingston, from the Indians, which was afterwards known as the Hall and Knight Purchase.
1677.. He appears to have rendered service to the Colony in King Philip's War, for on Oct 31, 1677, he was one of the grantees of the East Greenwich lands, for service in that war. Each grantee received 100 acres
Dec 11, 1679, he, together with his wife and eldest son, John, sold land.
1680.. He was alive as late as 1680, when he was taxed 7 s.
By Oct 27, 1680, he was dead, as on that date his widow petitioned for a confirmation of the lands in Greenwich that he had settled upon her, and this was allowed."
His children, thus forming the main branches of his descendancy, were: an unknown son in England, John, Jonathon, David, Richard, Priscilla, and Rebecca. To the best of my knowledge, the marriages and descendants of the girls are unknown.

Related Links:

Return to the Knight Index at this site.