Whakaotihia te rerenga e whai ake nei: I whanau a John Knight i Dundee i te Hui-tanguru 1747, te tama a Rear-Admiral Joseph Knight me tana wahine, a Jean Hay. I te tau 1758, 11 ona tau, i whai ia i tona papa ki te mahi ki te Royal Navy i runga i te HMS "Tartar", i uru atu ki te
I whakaekehia a Cherbourg i taua tau i te Pakanga e whitu Tau. I noho a Knight ki tona papa mo etahi atu tau e rima, tae noa ki te neke i te mutunga o te pakanga i te tau 1763 ki HMS "Romney" i te teihana Amerika ki te Raki. I Amerika ki te Raki, i uru a Knight ki nga mahi arotake, ahakoa i hoki ia ki Uropi i etahi tau i muri mai, i hoki ia ki Amerika ki te Raki i te tau 1775 i te timatanga o te Pakanga Whanaketanga o Amerika.