Luke Knowlton (November 4, 1738 – December 12, 1810) was a political leader of
colonial Vermont, the
Vermont Republic, and the state of
Vermont
Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...
. He served as a justice of the
Vermont Supreme Court
The Vermont Supreme Court is the highest judicial authority of the U.S. state of Vermont. Unlike most other states, the Vermont Supreme Court hears appeals directly from the trial courts, as Vermont has no intermediate appeals court.
The Court ...
, a member of the Governor's Council, and a member of the
Vermont House of Representatives.
Early life
Knowlton was born in
Shrewsbury, Massachusetts
Shrewsbury (/ˈʃruzberi/ ''SHROOZ-bury'') is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Shrewsbury, unlike the surrounding towns of Grafton, Millbury, Westborough, Northborough, Boylston, and West Boylston did not become a ...
on November 4, 1738, the son of Deacon Ezekiel Knowlton (1707–1774) and Susannah Morgan Knowlton (1708–1794). He was educated locally and became a farmer. Knowlton served in the
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the ...
as a private in a
Massachusetts
Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...
militia regiment, and performed duty at
Fort Crown Point
Fort Crown Point was built by the combined efforts of both British and provincial troops (from New York and the New England Colonies) in North America in 1759 at a narrows on Lake Champlain on what later became the border between New York and Verm ...
and
Fort Ticonderoga
Fort Ticonderoga (), formerly Fort Carillon, is a large 18th-century star fort built by the French at a narrows near the south end of Lake Champlain, in northern New York, in the United States. It was constructed by Canadian-born French milit ...
in
New York, and
Fort Number 4 in
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the nor ...
.
Move to Vermont
In 1772 his family relocated to
Newfane, Vermont
Newfane is the shire town (county seat) of Windham County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,645 at the 2020 census. The town includes the villages of Newfane, Williamsville, and South Newfane.
History
One of the New Hampshire gran ...
, a new settlement which at the time contained fewer than 20 families, and he was soon appointed a
justice of the peace.
He was chosen as Newfane's first town clerk when the town was organized in 1774, and he served from 1774 to 1783, and again from 1784 to 1789.
American Revolution
Knowlton had been a
Loyalist in the years leading up to the
American Revolution
The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revoluti ...
, and had received from the British government a land grant in
Sherbrooke
Sherbrooke ( ; ) is a city in southern Quebec, Canada. It is at the confluence of the Saint-François and Magog rivers in the heart of the Estrie administrative region. Sherbrooke is also the name of a territory equivalent to a regional cou ...
,
Quebec
Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...
, but upon moving to Vermont he aligned himself with the
Patriot
A patriot is a person with the quality of patriotism.
Patriot may also refer to:
Political and military groups United States
* Patriot (American Revolution), those who supported the cause of independence in the American Revolution
* Patriot m ...
cause. In 1782, the
Continental Congress authorized the arrest of Knowlton and Samuel Wells of Brattleboro after they came under suspicion of communicating with the British government in Canada and
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
. Knowlton fled to Canada, but he returned to Newfane a year later.
During Vermont's early years, the colonial governments of
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the nor ...
and
New York disputed jurisdiction over Vermont, including the right to sell land grants. Vermont formed its own government, which recognized land titles previously purchased from New Hampshire. After the Revolution, Vermont's independent government worked to obtain statehood, while New York attempted to exert control over Vermont. Knowlton was sent to the
Congress of the Confederation as an emissary of Vermont residents (including Knowlton) who held New York land grants, but became a convert to the cause of Vermont statehood.
Post-Revolution
In 1784, Knowlton was again accused of being sympathetic to the British in Canada, and southeastern Vermonters loyal to New York, led by Francis Prouty, took him from his home by force in the middle of the night, and released him in Massachusetts. He returned to Newfane just as a detachment of militia led by
Stephen R. Bradley was preparing to pursue his abductors and free him. Prouty evaded capture for several months, and was eventually apprehended at his home. He was indicted for burglary, forcibly carrying Knowlton away from his home, and resisting arrest. He was acquitted of the first two charges, and received a fine and a 40-day jail sentence on the charge of resisting arrest.
As a condition of Vermont's entry into the Union in 1791, Vermont paid New York $30,000 (about $760,000 in 2018) to settle claims by holders of land grants purchased from New York, and Knowlton received approximately $250 (about $6,400 in 2018) as compensation for the New York title to his Newfane land.
Knowlton served in the
Vermont House of Representatives in 1784, 1785, 1788, 1789, 1792, 1805, and 1806, and was a member of Vermont's Governor's Council from 1789 to 1800.
In 1786 Knowlton was appointed a justice of the
Vermont Supreme Court
The Vermont Supreme Court is the highest judicial authority of the U.S. state of Vermont. Unlike most other states, the Vermont Supreme Court hears appeals directly from the trial courts, as Vermont has no intermediate appeals court.
The Court ...
, but his position was eliminated later that year when the size of the court was reduced. He served as Chief Judge of the
Windham County Court from 1787 to 1793, and again from 1802 to 1803.
In 1786 Knowlton was one of the recipients of land grants and the charter for the town of
Danville. In 1791 Knowlton received from Vermont's government a 10,000 acre land grant (Knowlton's
Gore
Gore may refer to:
Places Australia
* Gore, Queensland
* Gore Creek (New South Wales)
* Gore Island (Queensland)
Canada
* Gore, Nova Scotia, a rural community
* Gore, Quebec, a township municipality
* Gore Bay, Ontario, a township on Manitouli ...
) in
Franklin County as payment for his government service. He later sold this grant to Joseph Baker, who used it to found the town of
Bakersfield.
Death and burial
Knowlton continued to reside in Newfane until his death on December 12, 1810.
He was buried at Newfane Hill Cemetery in Newfane.
Family
In 1760 he married Sarah Holland (1740–1797), also of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. They were the parents of three sons and four daughters.
Calvin Knowlton (1761–1800) graduated from
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College (; ) is a private research university in Hanover, New Hampshire. Established in 1769 by Eleazar Wheelock, it is one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the American Revolution. Although founded to educate Native ...
in 1783, studied law, was admitted to the bar, and practiced in Newfane.
Patty Knowlton (1762–1814) married Daniel Warner, and was the mother of Willard Warner (1797–1847), and the grandmother of
Willard Warner, an officer in the
Union Army
During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...
during the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...
, and a
United States senator
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and powe ...
from
Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = "Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County
, LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham
, area_total_km2 = 135,765 ...
after the war.
Silas Knowlton (1764–1844) married Lucinda Holbrook in Newfane on November 30, 1786, and died in Canada. Silas and Lucinda Knowlton were the parents of
Paul Holland Knowlton
Paul Holland Knowlton (September 17, 1787 – August 28, 1863) was a businessman and political figure in Lower Canada and Canada East.
He was born in Newfane, Vermont in 1787, the son of Silas Knowlton (1764-1844) and Lucinda Holbrook, and ...
, a prominent Canadian businessman and political figure.
Sarah (or Sara) Knowlton was born on May 2, 1767. She married
John Holbrook in Newfane on November 30, 1786. She died on March 22, 1851. They were the parents of
Frederick Holbrook
Frederick Holbrook (February 15, 1813 – April 28, 1909) was an American farmer, businessman, and Governor of the State of Vermont. Active in politics and government, first as a Whig, and later as a Republican, he was most notable for his serv ...
, who served as
Governor of Vermont
The governor of Vermont is the head of government of Vermont. The officeholder is elected in even-numbered years by direct voting for a term of 2 years. Vermont and bordering New Hampshire are the only states to hold gubernatorial elections every ...
during the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...
.
Alice (born July 22, 1769) married Dr. Nathan Stone on April 24, 1788. She died in Newfane on November 14, 1865.
Lucinda was born on August 8, 1771 and married Samuel Willard. They lived in
Sheldon, Vermont
Sheldon is a town in Franklin County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,136 at the 2020 census. It contains the unincorporated community of Sheldon Springs.
Geography
Sheldon, named for Revolutionary War colonel Elisha Sheldon, before moving to Canada. She died on May 4, 1800 and was buried at Sheldon Cemetery in Sheldon.
Luke Knowlton, Jr., was born in Newfane on March 24, 1775. He was a graduate of
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College (; ) is a private research university in Hanover, New Hampshire. Established in 1769 by Eleazar Wheelock, it is one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the American Revolution. Although founded to educate Native ...
who became an attorney and served as a member of the Vermont House of Representatives and
Assistant Judge of Windham County. He later moved to Canada, where he died on September 17, 1855.
Legacy
Knowlton Pond in the
Brighton community of
Island Pond was named for Luke Knowlton, who helped survey and lay out Brighton in the 1780s.
Residents later renamed Knowlton Pond to Island Pond, the name by which it continues to be known.
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Knowlton, Luke
1738 births
1810 deaths
People from Shrewsbury, Massachusetts
People from Windham County, Vermont
Justices of the Vermont Supreme Court
Vermont state court judges
People of Massachusetts in the French and Indian War
People of pre-statehood Vermont
People of Vermont in the American Revolution
Members of the Vermont House of Representatives
Burials in Vermont