LIBERTY KNOWLES  (1784 - 1859)

  Liberty Knowles (1784 - 1859)

  s/o Eleazer Knowles (1737 - 1814)   [Knowles Pro CT 07]

  s/o  Samuel Knowles (1691 - 1772)

  s/o  Eleazer Knowles  (1646 - 1731)

  s/o  Thomas Knowles  (c 1620 - 1648) (died at sea)  [Knowles Pro CT - 03]

  s/o Thomas Knowles  (c 1600 - 1648) (died at sea)

One of the old Knowles family immigration to the new world stories begins ....

About the year 1640, two Knowles brothers (perhaps Thomas and Eleazer, sons of a Thomas Knowles of England), left England for the capes of Virginia.  One of the two sons, Thomas, landed at New Haven, in the colony of Connecticut (among New Haven's earliest settlers).  In the late Winter or early Spring of 1648, Thomas Knowles, the elder and Thomas Knowles, the junior, with others, sailed  from their new home in Connecticut back to their old home in England (probably to retrieve additional family members), and were all lost at sea .... 

This Knowles family story ends and genealogy begins when the grandson of the early Knowles New Haven settler, Eleazer Knowles (b 1737), with sixteen others, organized “for erecting a plantation on Pomperague."  After obtaining the Indian consent, in February 1672, they adopted a brief, model code of laws for its government, and in early 1673 entered upon their new tract of land.  This tract of land since known as ancient Woodbury, whose history, as well as that of the colony of Connecticut, these seventeen men and their descendants were an important part.  Their first coming to the State of New York was in 1756, when, in response to a call for help, one hundred and seventy-six men of Woodbury, among them Thomas Knowles (b 1728), the grandson of Eleazer Knowles, the elder, marched to Fort William Henry, at the head of Lake George.

Eleazer Knowles (b 1737), the younger brother of Thomas, entered the army of the Revolution, was a commissary officer during the War, and in March, 1786, removed his family to Freehold, now Greeneville, in Greene County, New York.  Eleazer's son, Liberty Knowles, was born in that part of old Woodbury now known as Southbury, November 5, 1784.  Liberty Knowles lived his boyhood in Greeneville; was graduated at Williams college; served his law clerkship with Dorance Kirtland, at Coxsackie; was admitted to practice in the supreme court in 1809, and in the same year became a resident of Potsdam, Saint Lawrence County, New York.  In 1811, Liberty Knowles erected a dwelling on the east side of Market Street, now at the head of Depot street, in which he resided until his death, on January 7, 1859.

In 1812, at Richmond, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, Liberty Knowles married Melinda "Lydia", daughter of Paul Raymond and Rachel Stevens, of whom it is said, there is not too much to say; e.g., “she opened her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue was the law of kindness.”  Melinda was known as helping friend to all in need.

Before middle life, impaired health compelled Liberty Knowles to relinquish a successful law practice.  He turned to agriculture, took part in the early experimental building with Potsdam sandstone, engaged in manufacture in the village and upon Grasse river, and was ever ready to lead or follow in whatever would promote the prosperity of the village or the county.  The very large elms of Market and Elm streets were his planting, reluctantly permitted along streets, newly cleared of forest.

The Potsdam town history places Liberty Knowles among the earliest to organize and maintain religious and educational institutions.  Among denominations, he was Presbyterian; politically, a Federalist, a Whig, and anti-slavery when the name subjected one to insult.  Thirty years or more Liberty Knowles was the presiding officer of the board of trustees of Saint Lawrence Academy; he was among the most munificent donors in establishing that institution; and, whenever additional funds were required, was among the ready and generous to respond.  The Saint Lawrence Academy instructors ever found him a kind friend and wise advisor, and many of its pupils were by him aided in an education which otherwise they could not have attained.

The children of Liberty Knowles and Melinda (Raymond) Knowles included Catherine, Judge Henry L(iberty), William Liberty and Augustus.  Direct male descendants of Liberty Knowles are being sought to be Y-DNA tested to establish the genetic profile for this Knowles line.