Sarah Kemble Knight was a pioneering woman who traveled across the American colonies in the early 18th century. She documented her journey in a journal, which has since become known as "The Journal of Madam Knight."
Knight was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1666 and was the daughter of a wealthy merchant. Despite the societal restrictions placed on women at the time, Knight was well-educated and had a strong desire to travel. In 1704, she set out on a journey from Boston to New York City, a trip that would take her more than three months to complete.
Throughout her journey, Knight documented her experiences in great detail, writing about the people she met, the places she visited, and the challenges she faced. She described the difficult conditions of travel at the time, including poor roads, inclement weather, and the constant threat of danger from wild animals and hostile indigenous people.
Despite these challenges, Knight remained determined and resourceful, relying on her own wit and determination to overcome obstacles. She also displayed a great deal of independence, often traveling alone or with only a small group of people.
In her journal, Knight also wrote about the social customs and cultural differences she encountered along the way. She provided insight into the daily lives of the colonists, including their religious practices, economic struggles, and relationships with indigenous peoples.
Knight's journal is a unique and valuable historical document, offering a rare glimpse into the experiences of a woman traveling in the early American colonies. It is a testament to her resilience, determination, and intelligence, and serves as an inspiration to all who seek to break societal barriers and explore the world around them.
Sarah Kemble Knight (1666
The version I read had the original spellings and word usages, many if which we don't see anymore. The Private Journal is in fact very secular in its content, tone, and style, containing little moral didacticism and almost no spiritual self-examination. Its stark portrayal of the New England backwoods to the refined prosperity of New York reminds us that the Puritan community was soon confronted with another America, in which, by 1704, world prosperity and secular sophistication and in strong contrast with large areas of ignorance, violence, and backwardness. In 1714 her daughter married John Livingston of New London, and Knight moved with them to Connecticut, where she continued her business and land dealings. McKlennar as the actress Edna May Oliver played her in the film "Drums Along the Mohawk" 1939 , and I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of an argument with her.
Sarah Kemble Knight (1666
But the resolution, especially, feels very rushed-- it's like Knight never quite decided how much to tell us about the lawsuit that prompted the journey, and then forgot how much she already told us. Knight kept a journal of her trip, and it provides us with one of the few first-hand-accounts of travel conditions in Connecticut during colonial times. The murmer hardly warma the Ambient air, E' re thy Bright Aspect rescues from despair: Makes the old Hagg her sable mantle loose, And a Bright joy do's through my Soul diffuse. Born in Massachusetts and educated at Harvard, Saltonstall became governor of Connecticut in 1708. It is an excellent source of colonial customs and conditions. Detroit: Gale Research, 1988.
The Journal of Madame Knight
It's fascinating to have a first-hand account to history at so early a time! S-USIH Comment Policy We ask that those who participate in the discussions generated in the Comments section do so with the same decorum as they would in any other academic setting or context. Madam Knight travels a dangerous and still lightly traveled path and vividly comments on the towns and people she meets. Some Joy I felt just now, when safe got or'e Yon Surly River to this Rugged shore, Deeming Rough welcomes from these clownish Trees, Better than Lodgings with Nereidees. Her poems were charming, too; I imagine her sitting at her writing in the evening and putting into words her thoughts of the day as she rode along. Some might find that to be annoying, or like me, if you enjoy historical linguistic challenges, that will add another level of interest. The version I read had the original spellings and word usages, many if which As this was written in the early 1700's, it's hard to review with the same criteria I would use for a contemporary travel journal. When does she bring up religion? She also kept a shop and a "house of entertainment.
Colonial Sense: Regional History: Journals: The Journal of Madam Knight: Biography
Her narrative reflects her middle-class, merchant-class attitudes of gender, class, and race. Identification of the individual mythic allusions is only a matter of reading, but seeing the tantalizing pattern they fall into is an indication that this innocent and rough-mannered journal has meanings that a literal reading cannot guess at. Historical fiction is wonderful but a genuine diary is even more revealing. Detroit: Gale Research, 1988. The spelling is a bit of a hassle and it is a dry account but it really gives a glimpse of what it was like for anyone to travel in colonial, times-especially a woman alone. While this passage sounds akin to the kind of spiritual examination common in traditional Puritan autobiographical writings, Knight quickly undercuts its religious tone. Master microform held by: LrI.
