William F. Knote
Four Generations of Grant County Citizens
William F. Knote of Swayzee: His daughter Mrs. Eva Morrison of Green Twp.:
Her son, Glen Morrison of Sims Twp. and his daughter, Wilma Morrison.
A resident of Grant County for sixty-five years, Mr. Knote was about six years old when the family took up its residence in this county. He grew to manhood in this vicinity, received his education in one of the old log school houses, was a loyal and efficient soldier of the Union during the war, and since his military career came home and made himself a successful factor in agriculture, establishing a fine farm home in Green Township, and is now enjoying the fruits of a wells pent career at his home in Swayzee. He still owns farm property in Grant county, and along with his business accomplishments has also done his share of public service.
William F. Knote comes from Rush County, a county which furnished so many sterling citizens to Grant County. He was born there November 27, 1842, a son of Peter and Mary (Brooks) Knote. The father was a native of Pennsylvania, and the mother of Ohio. They were married in Franklin County, Indiana, and in 1848 settled in Grant County, where the father entered land direct from the government in Green Township. He was one of the pioneers, and his labors served to make Green Township a better place for white men to live. Both parents were active members of the Christian Church, and the father was for many years an elder in his congregation, having been appointed to that office upon the organization of the church and remained an elder until his death. There were nine children in the family, and three are now living, with William F. as the eldest. George Knote is a retired farmer at Swayzee and Benjamin F. Knote is a carpenter and contractor whose home is in Kansas City, Kansas.
Soon after the family was established in Grant County William F. Knote began attending the log school house situated nearest to the family home. It was a rude structure, with its slab benches and primitive facilities for educational work. He continued to attend school, and to work on the home farm in Grant County, until he was about nineteen years old. In the meantime the great Civil War made all usual occupations and vocations seem trivial, and the flower of the young manhood in both north and south were being drawn into the Army. Young Knote with equal patriotism left school, the farm and home, and on August 21, 1862, enlisted in Company H of the One Hundred and First Indiana Infantry. As a soldier in the Army of the Cumberland he served until his final discharge on June 25, 1865, after the conclusion of war. He was twice wounded, the first time at Milton, Tennessee, and later at Buzzard's Roost in Georgia, during the Atlanta campaign. He began as Corporal in his company, and six months later was made Sergeant, in which capacity he served until the close of the war.
Returning to Green Township he began his career as a renter, later bought land and finally became owner of two hundred and sixty acres of the fine soil of Green Township. His own labors were chiefly responsible for making this a highly improved farm, and from it he provided liberally for himself and family.
In 1865, soon after returning from the Army, Mr. Knote married Mary Arhart. Mrs. Knote died November 14, 1911. Eva, the oldest child of William F. and Mary Arhart Knote, was reared and educated in Grant County, and is now the wife of S. D. Morrison of Green Township. Mr. and Mrs. Morrison have two children, Glen and Lloyd; Glen married Lora Kelly and they have one child, Wilma Morrison, who is a great-granddaughter of William F. Knote.
Rena, the second child of William F. and Mary Arhart Knote, is a graduate of the common schools and is the wife of Charles Read of Upland, Indiana. They are the parents of three children, Carl, Mary and Helen.
On October 10, 1912, Mr. Knote married Mary Pennington. Mrs. Knote was reared in Southern Indiana.
In 1898 Mr. Knote transferred his residence to Marion, Indiana, and has since not been actively identified with farming. His home in Marion was at Gallatin and Sixteenth Streets. In January, 1910, he left the county seat and moved to Swayzee, where he built an attractive frame residence on Main Street, and has a modern home in which to spend his declining years. He is a member of the Christian Church and is serving as a Deacon in that denomination. Fraternally he belongs to Swayzee Lodge No. 625, I. O. O. F., and has taken a very active part in Grand Army circles, his present membership being with Edmund Lenox Post No. 408. He has served the post as Commander for four terms, and was Commander of the General Shunk Post at Marion for one term. In politics a Democrat, he gave one term of service as Trustee of Green Township from 1887. He has been one of the leaders in the party in this section of Grant County for a number of years.
Source: Centennial History of Grant County Indiana 1812-1912. The Lewis Publishing Co., 1914, page 786.