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Below is a family biography included in The History of Benton County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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James C. Knott, groceryman, of Bentonville, Ark., was born in Bedford County, Tenn., in 1855, and is the son of John and Harriet (Steel) Knott. The father was born in Bedford County, Tenn., in 1808, and was of Irish origin. He grew to manhood in his native State and county, was married there and there lived until 1859, when he moved to Benton County, Ark., and settled six miles south of the county seat. In 1862 he sold out and moved to Pike County, Ark., but moved from there, in the spring of 1865 to Hempstead County, Ark. where he died in August of the same year His wife was born in Bedford Countv, Tenn., in 1815, and after the death of her husband she moved back to Pike County, Ark., and in the spring of 1866 she returned to Benton County, of the same State, bought a farm of 186 acres, five miles southwest of Bentonville, near the former place of residence, and is now living. She is the mother of five children who lived to be grown; Frank, who died in 1886, at the age of forty-five; Bettie, who was born in 1843, and who is now deceased; John, who is salesman for his brother, James C., and who was born in Bedford County, Tenn., in 1848, was twelve years old when his parents came to Arkansas, was reared on a farm, and in 1873 married Miss Mattie Jackson, daughter of J. E. W. Jackson, and a native of Benton County, Ark., born 1855; they are the parents of three children, Arthur, Elma and Virgil; Eliza J., wife of A. W. Hutchinson, who resides in Pike County, Ark., and James C. The last named was but four years old when his parents moved to Benton County, Ark., and was but ten when his father died. At the age of fifteen he left the parental roof, and commenced to fight the battle of life on his own responsibility. He attended school during the winter seasons, for two years in the country schools, and then attended two years at Bentonville. The following three years he clerked for William A. Terry, and in 1877 he engaged in the grocery business for himself at Bentonville. He commenced on a small scale, but by his good, business ability and honesty he arose year by year, until he has one of the largest and best stocks of groceries in Bentonville. He has one room 23x102 feet, and an L 20x40 feet. In 1880 he married Miss Ella Peel, a native of Boone County Ark., born 1857, and the daughter of John W. Peel. They have two children: Ada and Eugene. Mr. Knott is a Democrat in politics.

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This family biography is one of 240 biographies included in The History of Benton County, Arkansas published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Benton County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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