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JAPH KNOTTS is a prominent young farmer of Ball Township and is a leading man in public enterprises. He is a son of Thomas Knotts, who was born in Indiana in July 1818, while his parents were on the way from Virginia to Illinois. His father, who bore the same name as himself, was a native of Virginia and came from there to Illinois with his wife and family, overland with a team and wagon. They wintered in Indiana and came to Sangamon County in the spring of 1819, and were among the earliest settlers of Ball Township, where the grandfather engaged in farming until his death. The father of our subject was reared in Sangamon County, and was here married in 1841 to Elizabeth Brawner, who was born near Lexington, Kentucky, March 1, 1824. She was a daughter of John Brawner, a Kentuckian by birth and a farmer by occupation. He was married in his native State to Berthena Ball, who was also born in Kentucky. They came to Sangamon County in 1828 and were pioneers of Ball Township, where both died in 1838. After the death of her parents the mother of our subject was reared by her uncle, Judge Ball. Her marriage was productive of the following six children: Sarah, now Mrs. Watts, of Douglas County; Japh; Mary, Mrs. T. L. Drennan, who died in Ball Township, leaving two children; Margaret, now Mrs. Stevens, of Cotton Hill Township; Henry, a farmer of one hundred and forty acres in Ball Township.

After marriage the father of our subject located on section 17, Ball Township, where he first built a house, which he afterward replaced by a more substantial one. He improved a good farm, becoming the owner of some three hundred acres of land. He was for some time profitably engaged in teaming to St. Louis and Galena, and he used to drive stock to the former city. He was quite a hunter and was an expert in the use of the rifle. He was prominent in school matters, and at his death, July 31, 1889, a useful citizen and a venerated pioneer passed to his long rest.

Japh Knotts spent his childhood in the home of his birth. He used often to go with his father on hunting excursions. His education was gleaned in the common schools, and as early as nine or ten years of age he was set to work on the farm. He gained a sound, practical knowledge of his calling and from the time he was eighteen years of age till he was thirty years old he had charge of his father's farm, which he carried on very profitably. In 1882 he bought forty acres on section 17, where he erected neat buildings and subsequently located. In 1889 he and his brother, Thomas E., bought the old homestead, our subject buying one hundred and forty acres of it. He has one hundred and ten acres on section 17, forty acres on section 8, and fifty acres on section 9, all lying in a body and finely improved, except fifty acres of timber and pasture. It is well watered by Sugar Creek and is finely adapted for a stock farm, to which purpose our subject partly devotes it, raising draft horses and cattle of good grades, though paying more attention to raising corn. The farm is very advantageously located ten miles from Springfield and two and one-half miles from Chatham. January 9, 1886, was the date of the marriage of our subject to Miss Mary P. Petticord. She is a native of Grayson County, Ky., and a daughter of William Petticord, who was a farmer of that State. Mr. and Mrs. Knotts; pleasant home circle is completed by their one child - Ada Josephine.

His fellow townsmen recognizing the tact, sound sense and good business qualifications that characterize our subject, have often called him to take part in the administration of public affairs. In 1886 he was elected to represent Ball Township as a member of the County Board of Supervisors, which office he held one term. He was Collector of the Township two terms, Commission of Highways one year and School Director one term. He is prominent in social and political circles. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity at Chatham, of which he is Senior Warden; and he is President of Ball Lodge No. 2705, F.M.B.A., and was a delegate to the County Assembly. He is also identified with the Modern Woodmen of America, at Chatham. He seems to have inherited his political sentiments from his father in a degree, as he is as stalwart Democrat as was his sire before him, and has frequently been a delegate to County conventions. He has served on both grand and petit juries.