John Reily Knox

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John Reily Knox (May 20, 1820 - February 7, 1898) was an American attorney who was the principal founder of Beta Theta Pi Fraternity at Miami University in 1839.

He was born on a farm between Millville, Ohio and Venice, Ohio and graduated from Miami University "first rank in his class" and president of the Union Literary Society. In Beta Theta Pi, he is known as "Pater" in acknowledgement of his role in the origin and design of the fraternity.

He taught school in Mississippi, 1841-42 and was admitted to the bar and practiced at Greenville, Ohio, 1843-52; Dayton, Ohio, 1852-56; and Greenville again 1856-98. He was a partner in Greenville law firm of Knox, Martz and Rupe. A Whig until formation of Republican Party, he was an Ohio Presidential Elector in 1860 and cast his vote for Abraham Lincoln. He was the president of Greenville Law Library, president of Darke County, Ohio Bar Association, vestryman of St. Paul's Protestant Episcopal Church and a member of the Miami University Board of Trustees, 1869-98.

He is buried in Greenville Cemetery, Greenville, Ohio.

Other founders of Beta Theta Pi:

[edit] Source

  • Brown, James T., ed., Catalogue of Beta Theta Pi, New York: 1917.