Born in Augusta, Oneida County, New York. Graduate Phi Beta Kappa from Hamilton College in 1849. Married Caroline Todd February 7, 1871. They had six children. Employed as a teller with the Bank of Vernon under his father, the bank president, 1850-1852. He was a founder of the Burnett Bank in Syracuse and a cashier in the Susquehanna Valley Bank.

He was an advocate of a national banking system. Secretary Chase appointed him to a position as clerk in the U. S. Treasury Department where he served 1862 to 1865. He left the department to serve as president of the Exchange National Bank in Norfolk, Virginia.

He was Deputy Comptroller of Currency October 10, 1867, to 1872 and Comptroller April 24, 1872, to May 1, 1884. He was heavily involved with passage of the Coinage Act of 1873. He served on the Assay Commission 11 years 1874 through 1884 and 1890. He was president of the National Bank of Republic 1884 to 1892. He died in New York City.

Knox appears on the $100 National Bank note, third charter period, series of 1902. Author of United States Notes: A History of the Various Issues of Paper Money in 1884.

bio: ApCAB; DAB; Evans; Limpert; NCAB 3; TCBDA; WWWA-H; CW/NM 9/15/76