Guide to the William F. Knox Papers, 1849-1865 DAR.1949.02
- Repository
- ULS Archives & Special Collections
- Title
- William F. Knox Papers
- Creator
- Knox, Philander C. (Philander Chase)
- Creator
- Knox family
- Creator
- Knox, William F. (William Francis)
- Collection Number
- DAR.1949.02
- Extent
- 1.25 Linear Feet (3 boxes)
- Date
- 1827-1915
- Abstract
- William F. Knox, born in Connellsville, Pennsylvania, in 1831, was a prominent physician in McKeesport, Pennsylvania. The letters in this collection, nearly all of which are between family members, span most of William's adult life, from his years as a student at Allegheny College and the University of Pennsylvania, to becoming a founding member of the Allegheny Medical Society. Correspondence dating from the Civil War years is especially notable, as it reveals that William, with help from his father, avoided the draft, while his brother, Samuel B.P. Knox, served in the Union army as a field surgeon. Also contained in the collection are a number of newspaper clippings charting the political career of William's younger brother, Philander Chase Knox, who served in the presidential cabinets of McKinley, Roosevelt, and Taft. Digital reproductions of the collection are available online.
- Language
- English .
- Publisher
- ULS Archives & Special Collections
- Address
- University of Pittsburgh Library System
Archives & Special Collections
Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Business Number: 412-648-3232 (Thomas) | 412-648-8190 (Hillman)
Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist
URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Existence and Location of Copies
Digital reproductions of the collection are available online.
Biography
William F. Knox, born in Connellsville, Pennsylvania, in 1831, became a prominent physician in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, and a founding member of the Allegheny Medical Society. His mother, Sarah Knox, died in 1833, leaving his father, David Knox, to look after the family. William's family continued to grow following his father's marriage to Rebekah Page. The couple had eleven children, one of whom, Philander Chase Knox, would become a distinguished lawyer and politician, working for Carnegie Steel Company and serving in the presidential cabinets of McKinley, Roosevelt, and Taft.
William chose to pursue a career in medicine, attending medical school at the University of Pennsylvania after receiving his bachelor's degree from Allegheny College. Upon graduating with his medical degree in 1854, William began practicing medicine in Snowden Township (now known as South Park Township), Pennsylvania, but relocated to McKeesport the following year. In 1856, he married Elizabeth Kiddoo, and together they had six children, though only three would survive childhood. Following Elizabeth's death in 1872, he married Mary Paul Miller. In 1865, William and fellow physicians organized the Allegheny Medical Society, where he served as president in 1889. William F. Knox died in McKeesport on November 12, 1915.
Scope and Content Notes
Nearly all of the correspondence in this collection is from friends and family, leaving the details of William's professional life somewhat a mystery. The letters reveal the Knox family to be quite close-knit, despite its size and disparity in age between William and his younger siblings. David Knox sent numerous letters to his son offering advice on school and finances, as well as news of life in Brownsville, Pennsylvania. Later, as a father himself, William also sent letters filled with parental advice to his daughters. Some of the letters suggest William was something of a role model for his younger brothers. One of them, Samuel B. P. Knox, followed William into the field of medicine, and at times requested advice from his older sibling.
The Civil War is a prominent theme in the collection. The letters dating from this time reveal David's concerns that William, who was thirty and raising a family, might be drafted by the Union army. They discussed a number of strategies to avoid this possibility, finally deciding that William should pay 300 dollars (provided to him by his father) to procure a deferment from the draft. William's half-brother Samuel volunteered to serve in the War as a field surgeon and wrote a series of letters addressed to David (who apparently forwarded them to William) during his stint with the 49th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry describing his experiences in the battlefield. The Regiment fought in a number of engagements, including the Battle of Fredericksburg. Some of Samuel's letters were hurriedly written in spare moments on the battlefield, providing a running commentary on some of the fighting. In several of the letters, Samuel recounts treating wounded Union army soldiers, as well as captured members of the Confederate army.
Also contained in the collection are some of William's school work from his time at Allegheny College, notices for lectures at the University of Pennsylvania, legal documents, and numerous newspaper clippings concerning the political career of Philander Chase Knox.
Arrangement
The arrangement of this collection consist of two series.
Access Restrictions
No restrictions.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Mrs. Albert McHarg Hayes (see Elizabeth Knox Irwin) to the Darlington Memorial Library in 1949.
Custodial History
This collection was located in the Darlington Memorial Library in the University's Cathedral of Learning until 2007 when it was moved to the ULS Archives Service Center for processing, storage, preservation and service. However, it remains in the custodianship of the ULS Special Collections Department.
Previous Citation
William F. Knox Papers, 1829-1863, DAR.1949.02, Darlington Collection, Special Collections Department, University of Pittsburgh
Preferred Citation
William F. Knox Papers, 1829-1863, DAR.1949.02, Darlington Collection, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Matt Strauss in April 2007.
Copyright
No copyright restrictions.
Related Material
Samuel B. P. Knox Papers, Wyles SC 402, Department of Special Collections, Davidson Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.
Subjects
- University of Pennsylvania. School of Medicine
- Allegheny College (Meadville, Pa.)
- Knox, William F. (William Francis) -- Correspondence
- Knox family -- Correspondence
- McKeesport (Pa.) -- Genealogy
- Pennsylvania -- History -- 1775-1865
- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Personal narratives
- Family papers
- Physicians -- Pennsylvania -- McKeesport