Résumé

Cash boy in a retail store, Indianapolis, IN, 1880. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana; Roll: 295; Page: 379B; Enumeration District: 118, accessed 11/28/2018.)

Partner, McNally and Knighton, Architects, Salem, OR, 1893.

Principal, William C. Knighton, Architect, Salem, OR, 1896. In 1896, Knighton had his office at 259 Commercial Street in Salem. (See Salem City and Marion County, Oregon Directory, 1896, p. 71.)

Draftsman,Charles R. Wheelock and Son, Architect, Birmingham, AL, 1897-1899. (See Birmingham, Alabama, City Directory, 1897, p. 515 and Birmingham, Alabama, City Directory, 1899, p. 425.) Charles R. Wheelock (1833-1910) began his career as a carpenter and building contractor, before reclassifying himself as an architect. He arrived in Birmingham, AL, at the end of 1882, and developed a significant practice in this city. He died in Alameda, CA, while on a visit to the state. He was buried in Birmingham.

Principal, William C. Knighton, Architect, Portland, OR, c. 1909.

Oregon State Architect, Salem, OR, 1905- 1911-1915. Governor Oswald West (1873- 1960) appointed Knighton.

President, Oregon State Board of Architectural Examiners, Salem, OR, 1919-1922. Governor Benjamin W. Olcott (1872-1952) made Knighton the first president of this state architectural registration body.

Principal, W.C. Knighton, Architect, Portland, OR, c. 1917-1923. In 1917, Knighton had an office in Room #307 of the Tilford Building in Portland. (See Polk'sPortland, Oregon, City Directory, 1917, p. 654.)He had an office in Room #404 of the US National Bank Building in 1923. (See Portland, Oregon, City Directory, 1923, p. 1694.)

Partner, Knighton and [Leslie D.} Howell, Architects, Portland, OR, c. 1924-1938. Knighton and Howell formed in either 1923 or early 1924. In 1924, Knighton and Howell had an office in Room #404 of the US National Bank Building in Portland. (See Portland, Oregon, City Directory, 1924, p. 1791.)They continued to share an office in Room #401 of the US National Bank Building in 1937. (See Portland, Oregon, City Directory, 1937, p. 710.) They switched to Room #404 in 1938.(See Portland, Oregon, City Directory, 1938, p. 762.)

Professional Activities

Member, American Institute of Architects (AIA).

President, AIA, Oregon Chapter, c.1920-1922.

Member, AIA, Oregon Chapter, Board of Trustees, 1920s.

Chair, AIA, Oregon Chapter, Legislative Committee, c. 1920-1930.

Relocation

William Christmas Knighton was born on Christmas day, 1867. The date of his birth has been recorded variously in 1864, 1866 and 1867. Bob Clay, who has done a great deal of research on the architect, has concluded that a document written in Knighton's own hand listed 12/25/1867 as the the correct date. (Thank you to Bob Clay for his research on Knighton. See email correspondence between Clay and the author, 12/10/2018.)

William's parents originally lived near to New York, NY, in Hoboken, NJ, from at least 1855 until 1862, before relocating to Indianapolis, IN, in the mid-1860s. William and his siblings Mary Ann and Emma were born there. The 1870 US Census recorded that Charles and Mary Ann Knighton lived in Indianapolis, with their six children. Mary Ann managed the household, while Charles, Jr., his father, worked as a carpenter. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1870; Census Place: Indianapolis Ward 3, Marion, Indiana; Roll: M593_340; Page: 110B; Family History Library Film: 545839, accessed 11/28/2018.) Mary Ann died in 1874, but Charles and his second wife, Rose, lived, with William and his step-brother, Alvey, on West Ohio Street in Indianapolis, as per the 1880 US Census. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana; Roll: 295; Page: 379B; Enumeration District: 118, accessed 11/28/2018.)

William C. Knighton worked in Birmingham, AL, in 1888, and had lodgings with his father at 613 16th Street. In that year, his brother, Charles III, was also an architect, living at 1513 7th Avenue, while Charles, Jr., had a construction business in town.(See Birmingham, Alabama, City Directory, 1888, p. 337.)In 1889, his father and brothers, Charles III, Eugene and George, all resided in Birmingham, AL. Charles, Jr., and George operated a construction business, at 810 16th Street, while Charles III had switched professions, starting a partnership with Robert F. Appleby as a druggist. The Appleby and Knighton Drug Store was located at 1600 6th Avenue, while William's family boarded in a dwelling on the corner of 16th Street and 6th Avenue, at 1602 6th Avenue. (See Birmingham, Alabama, City Directory, 1889, p. 251.)

In 1896, Knighton maintained his residence at 347 High Street in Salem, OR. (See Salem City and Marion County, Oregon Directory, 1896, p. 71.) He met Elinor Waters, his future wife, at this time while he lived in Salem. They married two years later in Indianapolis, MN.

In 1897, his father moved to Birmingham, and William relocated back to the city to be close to him. While in Birmingham, from 1897 until 1899, Knighton had his lodgings at 1600 6th Avenue.(See Birmingham, Alabama, City Directory, 1897, p. 515 and Birmingham, Alabama, City Directory, 1899, p. 425.)

Knighton resided at 536 North Summer Street in Salem, OR, in 1905. (See Salem, Oregon, City Directory, 1905, p. 163.) The US Census of 1910 noted that William and his wife lived back in Portland, OR, with his mother-in-law, Elizabeth Waters (born c. 1848 in Ireland).(See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Portland Ward 2, Multnomah, Oregon; Roll: T624_1285; Page: 8A; Enumeration District: 0131; FHL microfilm: 1375298, accessed 11/28/2018.) Between 1917 and 1920, at least, William and Elinor resided in the Trinity Place Apartments at 49 Trinity Place, in Portland.(See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Portland, Multnomah, Oregon; Roll: T625_1498; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 10, accessed 11/28/2018.)

By 1937, they had a home at 227 SW Kingston Avenue in Portland. (See Portland, Oregon, City Directory, 1937, p. 710.) After William's death in 1938, Elinor continued to live at this address in 1941. (See Portland, Oregon, City Directory, 1941, p. 830.)

Parents

His parents were Charles John Knighton, Jr., (born 08/02/1831 in Tormohun, sometimes written as "Tormoham," Devon, England-d. 12/21/1900 in Birmingham, AL) and Mary Ann Hill (born 04/22/1833 in NY-d. 09/03/1874 in Indianapolis, IN). Charles Knighton arrived in the US in 1848, and married Mary Ann seven years later on 10/10/1853 in NY.

After Mary Ann's death in 1874, Charles remarried Rose Curry (born 1839) c. 1880.

His siblings included Gertrude Knighton (b. 01/10/1855 in Hoboken, NJ-d. 03/21/1886 in Cincinnati, OH), Charles John Knighton III (born 08/02/1856 in Hoboken, NJ-d. 04/06/1938 in Sarasota, FL), Mary Elizabrth Knighton (born 01/29/1858 in Hoboken, NJ-d. 07/16/1858 in Hoboken, NJ), George Hill Knighton (born 07/06/1859 in Hoboken, NJ-d. 02/11/1932 in Birmingham, AL), Eugene Knighton (born 07/14/1862 in Hoboken NJ-d. 02/11/1911 in Birmingham, AL), Andrew Knighton (born 07/14/1862 in Hoboken NJ-d. 07/15/1866 in Hoboken, NJ), Mary Ann Knighton (born 08/20/1866 in Indianapolis, IN-d. 12/25/1959 in Los Angeles, CA), and Emma Knighton (born 03/15/1871 in Indianapolis, IN-d. 08/09/1871 in Indianapolis, IN).

In 1889, George Knighton worked as a carpenter with his father, while Eugene worked as a clerk in Birmingham.

Spouse

He married Elinor "Lella" Waters (born 08/26/1866 in Nebraska City, NE-d. 04/12/1943 in Seattle, WA) on 10/10/1898 in Marion County, IN. Her parents were Colonel William Henry Harrison Waters (1835-1892) and Elizabeth Eleanor North (1845-1924). They married on 10/21/1863 in Nebraska City, NE. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. Indiana, Select Marriages Index, 1748-1993 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014, accessed 11/28/2018.)

Biographical Notes

There is some disagreement about the date of William Christmas Knighton's date of birth. Richard Ellison Ritz, in his book Architects of Oregon, indicated it to have been 12/25/1864. (See Richard Ellison Ritz, Architects of Oregon, [Portland: Lair Hill Publishing Company, 2002,], p. 230.)

• Indianapolis, IN (Architect's Birth)
  Indianapolis, IN

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• Portland, OR (Architect's Death)
  Portland, OR

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