James McKnight, Esq.

In Beverly the facilities for education were limited in those days, and Jas. McKnight never went to school in Canada over a year.  He had, however, attended a good school in the north of Ireland for about three years. His natural ability has, however, supplemented his education very largely.  After helping his father until he was of the age of 24 he went to work in a saw mill, and paid the first $80 earned as part payment on the property he now owns in Windham, which he considers to have been a very lucky investment.  In 1847 he married Sarah, daughter of Daniel Wray, Esq., of Beverly, also a settler from Ireland, County Antrim, but did not settle in Windham until 1855. In that year he began his career of lumbering, building, and manufacturing which has made him so wealthy. He now owns 850 acres in the vicinity of the mill, most of it still covered with excellent pine.  He cuts annually nearly 2,000,000 feet, and has good facilities for shipping by C.S. and P.D. & L.H. Railways. He also owns a farm of 400 acres in Charlotteville, known as the Mayor McCall farm, and some town property in St. Thomas.  Mr. McKnight has seven sons and two daughters living. Margaret was recently married to Rev. Peter Nicol of Vaughan.  In 1875 Mr. McKnight was the candidate chosen by the Conservatives of the North Riding of Norfolk for the Ontario Legislature.  He was, however, defeated by 119 majority.

Mr. McKnight is a liberal friend of education, and has filled various positions of trust in his township. Heaven seems to have smiled very kindly on him and his family for many years.  But probably his good fortune is only another illustration of the Roman saying that "Apples fall for those who are under the tree."