Bio
Jesse Knight, born in 1845 near Nauvoo, Illinois, was the son of Newel and Lydia G. Knight, early converts to the Mormon faith. In 1850, he traveled with his widowed mother to Salt Lake City and later settled in Provo, Utah.
There, Knight grew up working as a teamster and was exposed to the rugged lifestyle of mining and cattle towns. In 1869, he married Amanda McEwan, with whom he had five children. After years of ranching and herding in Utah’s Tintic region, Knight found success in mining, discovering the Humbug Mine in 1896. His discovery yielded around $13 million in ore, making him a prominent figure in Utah’s mining industry.
Knight donated substantial funds to Brigham Young University.
Known as “Utah’s Great Commoner,” Knight contributed to numerous ventures, including founding towns, financing sugar companies, and supporting Provo Woolen Mills. By the time of his death in 1921, he had invested his wealth extensively to benefit others, leaving behind a legacy of service and philanthropy, though little money remained.
