Biography

Found in various WSJ letters during the Civil War. In 18641214WSJ_JWS2: "Capt Knowles tells me that his wife and Mrs Taft were talking of going over to see you..."
A search of the "Complete Army Registry of the United States" brings up three Knowles: 1. Oliver Blachly, 2. Henry, and 3. John A. Oliver Blachly did not marry and died at 25 at the rank of Brigadier General. Henry Knowles retired the army before the date of the above letter. So our Knowles must be John A. of New York.
A search of Find-A-Grave for "John Knowles" buried in New York brings up several results, but the most likely result is the one cited above. Others seem too old, or are from North Carolina. Additionally, this John A.'s wife's maiden name is Yates, and the Miller family has ties to an Edward Yates through marriage, and Jenny's brother-in-law is a "John Yates Bostwick" who probably has family ties to the Yates branch too.