History of Cape May, (Cape May County) New Jersey United States of America

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Biographies:

Edward Collings Knight, merchant, was born in Gloucester, N.J., Dec. 8, 1813; son of Jonathan and Rebecca (Collings) Knight, and a descendant of Giles Knight, a Quaker, who came with William Penn from Gloucester, England, in the Welcome and settled in Byberry, near Philadelphia, Pa., in 1683. He became a clerk in a store at Kaighn's Point, N.J., in 1831, and in 1836 removed to Philadelphia, Pa., where with his mother as partner he conducted a grocery business, subsequently known as E. C. Knight & Co. He was part owner of the schooner Baltimore and engaged in the importation of coffee and other products of the West Indies, and in 1846 extended his trade to California, where he owned and equipped the first steamer that navigated the Sacramento river above Sacramento city. He also imported molasses and sugar from Cuba, which he refined. He was president of the Bound Brook railroad, 1874-92, of the Central Railroad of New Jersey, 1876-80, and of the North Pennsylvania railroad for twenty years. As chairman of the board of directors of the Pennsylvania Railroad company he was influential in securing the American Steamship line from Philadelphia, and was elected president of the line. He is credited with having originated the sleeping car, and he organized a company to build cars from his designs and later sold the right to the Pullman Palace Car company. He was presidential elector on the Lincoln and Hamlin ticket in 1860 and a member of the Pennsylvania constitutional convention in 1873. He was president of the Bi-Centennial association in 1882 and active in promoting the celebration of the founding of Pennsylvania by William Penn. In the civil war he equipped two full regiments from New Jersey at his own expense. He died at Cape May, N.J., July 21, 1892.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Frank Willing Leach, lawyer and editor, was born in Cape May, N.J., Aug. 26, 1855; son of the Rev. Joseph Smailidge and Sophia (Ball) Leach; grandson of Lemuel and Elizabeth (Smallidge) Leach, and a descendant of Giles Leach. He studied law with his brother, Col. Josiah Granville Leach, in Philadelphia, and was admitted to practice in 1877. He served the Republican party as secretary of state and national conventions, and as secretary and chairman of executive committees, 1881-96, and the city of Philadelphia as auditor of the comptroller's office, 1883, chief clerk, 1884, secretary of the sinking fund commission, 1884, and chief deputy sheriff, 1891-95. He was married, Feb. 18, 1890, to Hessey Matilda, daughter of Thomas Snowden Wiegand, of Philadelphia. He was elected a member of various patriotic, scientific and literary organizations. He contributed biographical sketches to "Scharf and Wescott's History of Philadelphia" (1883), and in 1901 had nearly completed his compilation: The Signers of the Declaration of Independence, their Ancestors and Descendants.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor