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Thomas Knotts

1861 – 1921

American mayor

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About Thomas Knotts

Lived 1861 – 1921 (aged 59–60). Thomas Knotts was an American politician and businessperson.

Thomas Elwood Knotts (1861–1921) was the first mayor of the city of Gary, Indiana, serving from 1909 to 1913, after having previously served as head of the Gary town board from 1906 to 1909. He was also Gary's first postmaster. His business ventures included the Gary Evening Post, later merged into the Gary Post-Tribune, and the Gary Trust & Savings Bank, both of which he founded in 1909.

Knotts was born in Highland County, Ohio, in 1861, and subsequently graduated from Valparaiso University. He was the younger brother of Armanis Knotts, an early mayor of Hammond, Indiana. Prior to taking up the administration of Gary, Tom served as Superintendent of the Indian Schools in South Dakota during the presidency of Grover Cleveland. He ran for mayor of Gary in 1909 as "the People's Mayor" and won election by canvassing in the working-class neighborhoods of the city. Knotts was defeated in the 1913 election by the company-backed Republican candidate, Roswell Johnson.

Knotts died on March 26, 1921, in Rochester, Minnesota, following surgery performed by Charles Mayo.

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Important facts

Born
1861, Highland County
Birth century
Nationality
Education
Valparaiso University
Positions held
Mayor of Gary, Indiana
Also known as
Thomas Elwood Knotts

People in Thomas Knotts's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Thomas Knotts's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Thomas Knotts?

American mayor

When was Thomas Knotts born?

Thomas Knotts was born in 1861 in Highland County.

When did Thomas Knotts die?

Thomas Knotts died on 26 March 1921 in Rochester.

What was Thomas Knotts's occupation?

Thomas Knotts was a politician and businessperson.

What nationality was Thomas Knotts?

Thomas Knotts was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Thomas Knotts

· Wikidata: Q7791578

· DBpedia: Thomas Knotts

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Thomas Knotts. https://biography.guide/thomas-knotts/

MLA: "Thomas Knotts." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/thomas-knotts/.

Chicago: "Thomas Knotts." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/thomas-knotts/.

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