Background
Knight, Robert was born on January 8, 1826 in Old Warwick, Rhode Island, United States. Son of Stephen and Weltha (Brayton) Knight.
Financier private sector banker
Knight, Robert was born on January 8, 1826 in Old Warwick, Rhode Island, United States. Son of Stephen and Weltha (Brayton) Knight.
Student short time at Pawcatuck Academy, Westerly, Rhode Island. Taught district school one winter.
He co-founded the large and famous brand, Fruit of the Loom, now owned by Warren Buffett"s Berkshire Hathaway. After moving to Cranston, Rhode Island, Knight"s father put Robert to work in the Cranston Print Works when he was only eight years old. Knight later worked in Coventry, Rhode Island for Elisha Harris until he was 17 years old working for $1.25 per week.
Two years later with the help of a friend, Knight studied for a year and a half at Pawcatuck Academy in Westerly, Rhode Island after which he taught school in Exeter, Rhode Island for four months.
In 1846 Knight was employed by John Hopkins Clarke as a clerk in his factory store at Arnold"s Bridge, now Pontiac, Rhode Island. Later along with other partners, they formed and purchased numerous manufacturing operations in New England.
The brothers also became involved in the banking and insurance industries. The Knights built employee housing, mill villages, and donated funds to build various denominations of churches for the mill workers.
In 1851 Knight formed Fruit of the Loom and trademarked the well known fruit trademark in the 1870s soon after the trademark registry was established.
By his death in 1912, the New York Times listed Knight as the largest cotton manufacturer in the world.
Married Josephine Louisa Webster, March 5, 1849.