Bio – Harvey Watson Knight

Biography – Harvey Watson Knight

By Don Taylor

Harvey Watson Knight was the fourth husband of my great-grandmother, Ida Barber.

Harvey was born on 4 March 1873 in Canada as the third child of Harvey Milton and Mary F. Harsen Knight. He immigrated to the United States in 1884 and was naturalized in 1894. Harvey married Ida Barber (Fisher) (Holdsworth) (Montran?) on 27 August 1910 in Detroit.

In 1910, Harvey was a “boarder” with Ida Barber Holdsworth her daughter Madona Holdsworth. And her mother Sarah Barber. Harvey and Ida Barber (Fisher) (Holdsworth) (Montran?) were married on 27 August 1910.

On 20 Nov 1915, Harvey and Ida celebrated the birth of a son, Harvey Milton Knight.  He was clearly named after Harvey’s father. Sadly on 25 September 1916, Harvey Milton died of accidental poisoning of Mercury dichloride.

In September 1918, Harvey registered for the WW1 draft; he lived at 628 Lawndale Ave., Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan. He worked as an engineer for Ireland Matthews at Beard & Chatfield Aves, Detroit, Michigan. He is described as Medium height, grey eyes, and black hair.

In 1920, he and Ida still lived at 628 Lawndale, Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, USA (Ward 20). He was working as an engineer at an auto shop.

In 1930, his address is 1456 Lawndale, Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, USA. It does not appear that he moved though. Most of his neighbors are the same as in the 1920 census, so it appears that the street numbering was changed. He still worked as an Engineer at an Auto Factory.

He remained in the same house in 1935 and 1940 where he worked as a Stationary Engineer at an auto body plant.

Knight Marker at Woodmere Cemetery, Detroit, MI.

His mother passed in 1941. I don’t know when his father passed.

Harvey died at the Ypsilanti State Hospital, Washtenaw, Michigan, USA on 19 May 1942. He is buried with his wife Ida Mae and his son, Milton in Plot 154, Oak Ridge Section, Woodmere Cemetery, Detroit, Wayne, Michigan.