Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Knight, Samuel (1759-1827)
KNIGHT, SAMUEL (1759–1827), vicar of Halifax, where he was born on 9 March 1759, was son of Titus Knight by a second marriage. His father, an independent minister at Halifax, came under Lady Huntingdon's influence in 1762, became minister of a methodist chapel in 1763, and for two months yearly assisted Whitefield at Tottenham Court Chapel and elsewhere. He died 2 March 1793 (see Life of Lady Huntingdon, ii. 285–7). The son, after attending Hipperholme grammar school, entered Magdalene College, Cambridge, as a sizar in 1779, graduated B.A. as seventh wrangler in 1783, and was elected fellow. In April 1783 he was appointed curate of Wintringham, Lincolnshire, and took pupils. He proceeded M.A. in 1786. In 1794 he was presented to the vicarage of Humberstone, Lincolnshire, but continued to reside at Wintringham, where he received pupils into his house, and became also curate of Roxby, a neighbouring village. In 1798 he obtained the perpetual curacy of Holy Trinity, Halifax, being the first to fill that office, and removed thither with his pupils. In December 1817 he was instituted to the vicarage of Halifax. He died on 7 Jan. 1827. Knight was author of: 1. ‘Forms of Prayer,’ 12mo, York, 1791, which passed through sixteen editions during his lifetime. 2. ‘On Confirmation,’ 12mo, York, 1800 (four editions). His ‘Sermons and Miscellaneous Works,’ 2 vols. 8vo, Halifax, 1828, were edited by his son James (see below), with a memoir by another son, the Rev. William Knight. Prefixed is his portrait, engraved by W. T. Fry.
The son, James Knight (1793–1863), was scholar of Lincoln College, Oxford, from 1812 to 1815, graduated B.A. 1814, and proceeded M.A. 1817. He was appointed perpetual curate of St. Paul's Church, Sheffield, in 1824, and resigned the living in 1860. He died at Barton-on-Humber 30 Aug. 1863. He wrote: 1. ‘Discourses on the principal Parables of Our Lord,’ 1829. 2. ‘Discourses on the principal Miracles of Our Lord,’ 1831. 3. ‘Discourses on the Lord's Prayer,’ 1832. 4. ‘A Concise Treatise on the Truth and Importance of the Christian Religion.’
[Memoir referred to; Gent. Mag. 1827 i. 282, 1863 ii. 515, 660; Darling's Cycl. Bibl. 1741; Foster's Alumni Oxon.]