Henry Knox was a military officer of the Continental Army and later the United States Army, and also served as the first United States Secretary of War.

Born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, he owned and operated a bookstore there, cultivating an interest in military history and joining a local artillery company.  When the American Revolutionary War broke out in 1775, he befriended General George Washington, and quickly rose to become the chief artillery officer of the Continental Army.  In this role he accompanied Washington on most of his campaigns, and had some involvement in many major actions of the war.  He established training centers for artillerymen and manufacturing facilities for weaponry that were valuable assets to the fledgling nation.

The name Henry Knox was selected in honor of Revolutionary War hero General Henry Knox who was considered a master military strategist and fought in numerous battles including Bunker Hill, Long Island, Trenton, Assunpink Creek, Princeton, Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth and the Sieges of Boston and Yorktown.  General Knox was also the first Secretary of War serving under President George Washington.  It was in General Knox’s memory that the city of Knoxville was named.