Representative Robert McKnight

Robert McKnight (January 20, 1820 – October 25, 1885) was an American lawyer and Republican politician who represented Pennsylvania’s 22nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1859 to 1863. His service in Congress spanned two terms and coincided with the secession crisis and the early years of the American Civil War, during which he participated in the legislative process and represented the interests of his Pennsylvania constituents.

McKnight was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on January 20, 1820. He attended the common schools in his native city and later continued his education at a private school in Xenia, Ohio. Demonstrating early academic promise, he enrolled at the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) and graduated in 1839, receiving a classical education that prepared him for a professional career in the law and public service.

Following his graduation from Princeton, McKnight studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1842. He established his legal career in Pittsburgh, entering into partnership with Henry S. Magraw, a prominent local attorney. In 1846 he was appointed solicitor for the Bank of Pittsburgh, a position that reflected both his growing professional reputation and his familiarity with commercial and financial matters in the rapidly industrializing city.

McKnight’s involvement in public affairs began at the municipal level. He served as a member of the Pittsburgh City Council from 1847 to 1849, participating in the governance of a city that was emerging as a major industrial and transportation center. His experience in local government, combined with his legal and financial background, helped to shape his later work on national issues and provided a foundation for his subsequent congressional career.

Elected as a Republican, McKnight represented Pennsylvania’s 22nd congressional district in the Thirty-sixth and Thirty-seventh Congresses, serving from March 4, 1859, to March 3, 1863. His tenure in the House of Representatives occurred during a pivotal period in American history, encompassing the election of Abraham Lincoln, the outbreak of the Civil War, and the initial wartime legislative response. As a member of the Republican Party representing Pennsylvania, he contributed to the legislative process over two terms in office, participating in debates and votes that shaped the Union war effort and reflected the political realignment of the era. He served his district during the American Civil War, engaging in the democratic process at a time of national crisis.

At the conclusion of his second term in 1863, McKnight did not continue in Congress and returned to private life. He resumed the practice of law in Pittsburgh, drawing on his long experience at the bar and his knowledge of public affairs. Although no longer in elective office, he remained a respected figure in the city’s legal and civic circles during the postwar years, as Pittsburgh continued to grow in economic and political importance.

Robert McKnight died in Pittsburgh on October 25, 1885. He was interred in Allegheny Cemetery, one of the city’s principal burial grounds. His family remained connected to the civic and cultural life of the region; his son, Denny McKnight, became an early owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball club, extending the McKnight name into the realm of professional sports as well as law and politics.