R12c On Bank Check Philadelphia

Quote:
Edward Collings Knight
Born: Dec. 8, 1813 Gloucester, N.J.
Died: July 21, 1892 Cape May, N.J.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans 1904

Edward Collings Knight, merchant, was born in Gloucester, N.J., Dec. 8, 1813; son of Jonathan and Rebecca (Collings) Knight, and a descendant of Giles Knight, a Quaker, who came with William Penn from Gloucester, England, in the Welcome and settled in Byberry, near Philadelphia, Pa., in 1683. He became a clerk in a store at Kaighn's Point, N.J., in 1831, and in 1836 removed to Philadelphia, Pa., where with his mother as partner he conducted a grocery business, subsequently known as E. C. Knight & Co. He was part owner of the schooner Baltimore and engaged in the importation of coffee and other products of the West Indies, and in 1846 extended his trade to California, where he owned and equipped the first steamer that navigated the Sacramento river above Sacramento city. He also imported molasses and sugar from Cuba, which he refined. He was president of the Bound Brook railroad, 1874-92, of the Central Railroad of New Jersey, 1876-80, and of the North Pennsylvania railroad for twenty years. As chairman of the board of directors of the Pennsylvania Railroad company he was influential in securing the American Steamship line from Philadelphia, and was elected president of the line. He is credited with having originated the sleeping car, and he organized a company to build cars from his designs and later sold the right to the Pullman Palace Car company. He was presidential elector on the Lincoln and Hamlin ticket in 1860 and a member of the Pennsylvania constitutional convention in 1873. He was president of the Bi-Centennial association in 1882 and active in promoting the celebration of the founding of Pennsylvania by William Penn. In the civil war he equipped two full regiments from New Jersey at his own expense. He died at Cape May, N.J., July 21, 1892.