Sarah Kemble Knight
Born in Boston to a merchant family, Sarah Kemble Knight (1666-1727) married a businessman and took over his responsibilities before his death. Known for her skill in settling estates, Knight traveled between Boston and New York on horseback in 1704 to settle her cousin’s estate during a time when few women travelled alone. A good businesswoman, Knight documented the trip in her journal using her down-to-earth style and language as lively as she was independent, a stark contrast to the somber tone of the Puritan journals and diaries of the day.