Jonathan Knight (1787-1858), had a substantial influence on the development of transportation in America during the first half of the 1800s. He was a devout Quaker and a self-taught, brilliant mathematician. With his understanding of civil engineering, he was responsible for the development of canals, the National Road, and the first commercially viable railroad in the US, the B&O Railroad. He was a member of the Whig Party and as an elected member of the US Congress, he voted for internal improvements, low tariffs and he worked to stop the expansion of slavery. The town of Knightstown, Indiana located on the National Road (US 40) was named for him in 1827.

Pat Chase, historian and author was raised in Knightstown, Indiana, which is located on the historic National Road. The town was named for Jonathan Knight in 1827, who was instrumental in the early civil engineering of the National Road and was the first Chief Civil Engineer for the B&O Railroad. He has spent the last six years researching the life of Jonathan Knight and has rediscovered Knight’s substantial contribution to the development of the earliest days of the National Road and B&O Railroad.