Held every two years, the 2016 Knight Family Reunion featured two days, June 10-11, of lively speaker presentations, relevant classes, an array of new materials, photos and books, and kindred fellowshipping of Knight cousins from all parts of the country.

Attendees looked over wall-sized pedigrees of all the children of Joseph Knight Sr. This is a popular on-going project of James Knight each reunion to give cousins a large view of their legacy.

On Friday afternoon, Paul Edwards, editor of the Deseret News, gave a stimulating keynote address covering the reunion’s theme “Connecting Generations.”

Afterwards, the first of a series of classes were offered featuring the latest information on newly discovered descendants of Nahum Knight, Joseph Knight Sr.’s first son, whose history has been missing for decades. Other classes offered: the history of Polly Stringham and Esther Knight; First Sister Missionaries of the LDS Church; and Tracing Knight Family Origins to the Holy Land.

All enjoyed a dinner before the evening fireside featuring Raphael and Shari Mecham, two of the restoration’s six directors and owners of the Joseph Knight Sr. Ancestral Home in Nineveh, NY. For more than 12 years the Mecham, Glenn, and Painter families have dedicated their time and resources to fully restore the Knight home. Knight cousins were asked to help in the final costs of a new roof. Patty Steadman and Bob Jones of Mormon Heritage Association introduced a special historical tour of five Restoration sites in New York, including Nineveh and Afton, especially for Joseph Knight Sr. descendants, September 12-15, 2016.

Saturday’s schedule started with an inspirational presentation of Newel Knight’s personal life experiences from historian Bill Hartley, the family’s great author, friend, and advocate. He described the progress of the publication of the Newel Knight Journal anticipated in mid 2017.

The day was then filled with marvelous classes on family history and Knight family themes. Diane Mangum made available a special walking tour of Jesse Knight sites in Provo and a driving tour of nearby Knightsville.

Our thanks to Reunion Chairman John Mangum and committee members Edi Ulloa, James Knight, Darrell Knight, Diane Mangum, Carolyn Lyman, Howard Edwards, Kristen Knight, and Gordon Knight. Special thanks to all class teachers, volunteer workers, and the Utah Valley University LDS Institute staff and crew.

We were able to draw nearly 500 to this year’s event with a large number as first-time attendees. May the spirit we felt at this year’s reunion continue with us until we meet again in 2018! All felt assured that we kept the promise of Joseph Smith to Father Knight that his “memory would never be forgotten as long as one Son of Zion remained on the earth.”