Biography:

Dr. John Hilliard Knight was born in Chatham Township near Wallaceburg, Ontario on the 2nd of August, 1857.   Dr. Knight was one of 8 children born to Silas Watson Knight and the former Abigail Burnham.  His parents farmed on the Chanel Ecarte, about 3 miles from Wallaceburg.  A sister died in their childhood but Dr. Knight grew up with 6 brothers; Harvey Milton Knight, Charles W. Knight, Adolphus Gustavus Knight, Samuel Knight, Alonzo S. Knight and Silas W. Knight.

After completing high school, Dr. Knight taught school and saved his wages to further his education. Dr. Knight studied medicine at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario and graduated M.D. in 1880. Dr. Knight started his practice in Wallaceburg in 1885. He was a member of the A.F. & A.M. and he was the Medical Officer of Health for the Town of Wallaceburg.

Dr. Knight married Effie Jane “Jenny” Fraser in Wallaceburg on the 28th of July, 1886. Mrs. Knight was born on the 30th of September, 1861 in Port Bruce (Elgin County), Ontario.  She was the 9th of 11 children born to Charles Fraser and the former Jane Campbell.  Although she was born in Port Bruce (Elgin County), she was raised in Wallaceburg.  Mrs. Knight’s father was a tax collector and a land surveyor.  Her siblings were; Sarah Fraser, Anson S. Fraser, Henrietta M. Fraser, Caroline Amelia Fraser, Charles Henry Fraser, John Stocks Fraser, Alexander Campbell Fraser, William Adolphus Fraser, Thomas Herbert Fraser and Minnie Janet Fraser.

Dr. and Mrs. Knight had 3 children, all born in Wallaceburg; Abigail H. Knight was born on the 8th of January 1888, Charles “Fraser” Knight was born on the 4th of June, 1890 and Frederick Rice Knight was born on the 9th of December, 1893.

Dr. Knight advertised his medical practice in Wallaceburg in the 1886 Elgin, Kent, Essex and Lambton County Business Directory and in the 1893 Ontario Business Directory and Gazetteer.

In 1901 the Knight family was living in Ameliasburg, Prince Edward County, Ontario.  Dr. Knight and his family moved to Moose Jaw in Saskatchewan in 1906.  In 1916, the Knight Family resided at 353 Ominica Street West in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.  According to the 1921 census, the family resided at 330 Stadicona Street W. in Moose Jaw.

Dr. Knight died on the 7th of August of 1938 at his home in Moose Jaw.  Mrs. Knight died at her residence on the 29th of August, 1938.  Dr. and Mrs. Knight were buried at Riverview Cemetery in Wallaceburg.

*Dr. Knight’s son Charles “Fraser” Knight graduated from The University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine in 1913.  He was known to be practicing medicine in Dartford, Kent, England in 1938.  His son Frederick Rice Knight served with the Canadian Armed Services during WWI and he served with the United States Army during WWII.

**Mrs. Knight’s brothers, Anson and Alexander both became physicians.  Dr. Alexander Campbell Fraser practiced medicine in Wallaceburg and he also appears on the Chatham-Kent Physician Tribute website.