William V. Knott

Who was William V. Knott?

William Valentine Knott was a Florida state politician. He was the Florida State Treasurer from 1928 to 1941.

Born in Terrell County, Georgia, he moved to Florida by wagon in 1881. When he arrived, he helped establish citrus groves with his family along with establishing a phosphate mine and working in local government with his brother, Charles. He married Luella Pugh in 1895 and moved to Tallahassee, Florida in 1897, taking up the position of the first "financial agent" of the state government. His title was later, in 1901, changed to "State Auditor". He was appointed as State Treasurer for the first time in 1903 and to Comptroller in 1912 when the incumbent, A. C. Croom, died. He ran unsuccessfully for governor in 1917, defeated by Sidney Catts and returned to farming and business until he was appointed director of a local hospital in 1921.

He was appointed to his former position as Auditor General in 1927 but, in the following year, John Christian Luning, the incumbent State treasurer, died and Knott was re-appointed to that position, serving until his retirement at age 78 in 1941. He is the longest served state treasurer in the state's history, serving under 11 governors.