Joseph Knight Sr. facts for kids

Joseph Knight Sr. (born November 26, 1772 – died February 2, 1847) was a close friend of Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith was the person who started the Latter Day Saint movement. Joseph Knight Sr. gave a lot of help and support to Smith. This support was very important for translating and publishing the Book of Mormon.

Joseph Knight Sr.'s Life Story

Joseph Knight Sr. was born in Oakham, Massachusetts. His family mostly came from England. In 1795, he married Polly Peck. Around the year 1800, they were living in Vermont. Later, in 1808, they moved to Colesville, New York. One of Knight's children was named Newel Knight.

Helping Joseph Smith

Joseph Knight Sr. first met Joseph Smith when Smith was working for another person named Josiah Stowell. Later, Knight hired Smith, who was about 20 years old at the time, to work for him. Joseph Knight Sr. was a successful farmer. He owned four farms, a gristmill (a mill for grinding grain), and two carding machines (machines used to prepare wool).

Knight helped Joseph Smith in many ways. He lent Smith his sled when Smith was trying to marry Emma Hale. The Smiths also borrowed Knight's wagon. They used it to pick up the golden plates from the Hill Cumorah. These plates were important for the Book of Mormon.

Joining the Latter Day Saint Movement

Joseph Knight Sr. is mentioned in a part of the Doctrine and Covenants. This is a book of scriptures for the Latter Day Saint movement. The mention is from May 1829.

Knight was baptized into the Church of Christ on June 28, 1830. This means he officially joined the church. His whole family also joined. This included all his children and their spouses. His sister and three of his wife's siblings also joined with their spouses.

The Knight family formed the first group, or "branch," of the church. This group was called the Colesville Branch. They later sold their homes and farms. They moved together to Thompson, Ohio. There, they settled on a farm owned by Leman Copley. Copley had been a Shaker before joining the Latter Day Saints.

Soon after, Copley left the church. He made the Colesville Saints leave his farm. So, they moved again to Jackson County, Missouri.

Facing Challenges and Moving West

Joseph Knight and his family faced many difficult times. They were forced to leave Jackson County in 1832–33. They eventually settled in Caldwell County, Missouri. They were forced to leave Missouri entirely in the winter of 1838–39. After that, they settled in Nauvoo, Illinois.

The Knight family's experiences showed what many other church members went through. They were forced to move from one place to another. Their personal stories and official statements show the hardships they faced. They lost many things and suffered a lot. This was similar to what many other people in the church experienced.

Joseph Knight was also a member of the Nauvoo Masonic Lodge.

In 1846, the Knights left Nauvoo with most of the Latter Day Saints. They traveled west with the Mormon pioneers. Joseph Knight Sr. died during this journey west. He passed away at Mount Pisgah, Iowa.

Joseph Knight Sr.'s Legacy

The Knight family made many important contributions to the church. They gave a lot of their money and belongings. They also gave their lives for their beliefs. Many in their family died young. This was likely because they were associated with the unpopular Mormon cause.

Historian Larry C. Porter said that Joseph Smith recognized their sacrifices. Smith often praised their loyalty. He called the Knights his "friends" in public and in his personal writings.

Today, a place in Nineveh, New York, is a tourist attraction. This was the former home of Joseph Knight Sr. It is listed as a top thing to do in the city. However, tours have been stopped for a while due to the COVID-19 pandemic.