Thomas Knight (1855-1928), the youngest of 11 children of Robert Knight and his wife, Mary (née Dowsil), was born at Aldington in March 1855. He was baptised at St James’ Church, Badsey, on 4th April 1855.
Thomas spent his early childhood years in a thatched cottage in Aldington (knocked down in the 1920s to make way for council housing) where he was to be found at the time of the 1861 census. By 1871, his parents had moved to Vine Cottage, Badsey. Thomas was the only child still living at home in 1871; he worked as a carter.
In 1873, Thomas emigrated to America, following in the wake of his older brother, William, and several other Badsey families. He married Susan, an English girl, on 20th February 1878; they had no children.
At the time of the 1880 Federal Census, William was living at Troy, Geauga, Ohio, with his wife, Susan, his aunt and uncle, William and Elizabeth Howes, his cousin, George Howes, and Charles Harris who was helping on the farm. They lived next-door to David and Felicia Sears, who had also left Badsey for a new life overseas.
When his mother died in 1889, Thomas, jointly with his older brother, William, inherited Vine Cottage, Badsey. As they were both living overseas by this time, they sold Vine Cottage to their sister, Emma Knight.
In 1900 and 1910, Thomas and Susan lived at Trumbull, Mesopotamia, Ohio, not far from their niece, Lizzie (daughter of brother William). In 1920, Susan was working as a servant in Parkman Township, but Thomas’ whereabouts are unknown.
Thomas died in 1928 and was buried at Hillside Cemetery, Trumbull County. Susan was living along in Parkman Township in 1930; she died in Geauga County on 18th December 1939.