Robert McKnight (January 20, 1820 – October 25, 1885) was an American lawyer and politician who represented

Pennsylvania's 22nd congressional district Pennsylvania's 22nd congressional district was one of Pennsylvania's districts of the United States House of Representatives. Geography Created in 1833, the district served portions of the city of Pittsburgh. In 1843 the district moved to northwe ...

in the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

from 1859 to 1863.

Early life and education

Robert McKnight was born in

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania, the second-most populous city in Pennsylva ...

. He attended the common schools and a private school at

Xenia, Ohio Xenia ( ) is a city in southwestern Ohio and the county seat of Greene County, Ohio, United States. It is east of Dayton and is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area, as well as the Miami Valley region. The name comes from the Gree ...

. He graduated from

Princeton College Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the ni ...

in 1839.

Career

McKnight studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1842, and joined a law partnership with Henry S. Magraw in Pittsburgh. In 1846, he was hired to be a solicitor for the Bank of Pittsburgh. MnKnight served as a member of the

Pittsburgh City Council The Pittsburgh City Council serves as the legislative body in the City of Pittsburgh. It consists of nine members. City council members are chosen by plurality elections in each of nine districts. The city operates under a mayor-council syst ...

from 1847 to 1849, and was subsequently elected as a Republican to the Thirty-sixth and Thirty-seventh Congresses. He served his district 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 ...

. After his final term in 1863, he resumed the practice of law.

Personal life

McKnight died in Pittsburgh in 1885. He was interred at the

Allegheny Cemetery Allegheny Cemetery is one of the largest and oldest burial grounds in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is a historic rural cemetery. The non-sectarian, wooded hillside park is located at 4734 Butler Street in the Lawrenceville neighborhood, and bou ...

. Early Pittsburgh Pirates owner Denny McKnight was his son.

Gallery

File:RobertMcKnight2.jpg, Robert McKnight, in later years

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:McKnight, Robert 1820 births 1885 deaths Pittsburgh City Council members People of Pennsylvania in the American Civil War Pennsylvania lawyers Politicians from Xenia, Ohio Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania Burials at Allegheny Cemetery 19th-century American politicians 19th-century American lawyers