Stuart R. Knott (April 11, 1859 – February 11, 1943) was the fourth president of Kansas City Southern Railway. Birth and family Stuart R. Knott was born on April 11, 1859, in Louisville, Kentucky, to Richard Wallace and Ann Mary (Roberts) Knott. He was the fifth child among 3 daughters and 6 sons. Career Louisville and Nashville Railway On January 1, 1888, Knott was promoted to traffic manager for Louisville and Nashville Railway (L&N), a position he held until October 7, 1891. He was then promoted to first vice president. Knott was a key representative in defending the L&N's haulage and drayage rates through the 1890s. In 1895, the L&N was brought to court over its rates for hauling coal in Kentucky. Knott was one of the L&N representatives present for the railroad's defense. Similarly, drayage rates in New Orleans were also disputed at a meeting where Knott represented the L&N. Also in 1895, several grocers' associations began a boycott of the L&N due to its freight rates for their members, to which Knott again defended the L&N's practices in refusing to offer a differential rate between carload and less-than-carload shipments. With all of the rate disputes, rumors began to circulate that the Southern States Passenger Association, which related to passenger train operations in the region, including those of the L&N, may dissolve. Plant System In October 1899, Knott was elected as vice president of the Plant System, under R. G. Erwin as president. But his time with the Plant System lasted less than a year as he resigned in July 1900 to take the vice president and general manager position at Chicago and Alton Railroad. Knott was succeeded as vice president of the Plant System by Morton F. Plant, the son of Henry B. Plant who had founded the Plant System. Kansas City Southern Railway Concurrent with his appointment at the Alton, Knott was selected to succeed Samuel W. Fordyce as president of Kansas City Southern Railway on July 11, 1900, beginning his term on August 1. At this time, Knott was also appointed as traffic manager for Union Pacific Railroad, further connecting these three Harriman-controlled railroad companies. Rumors began to circulate that Knott would soon be named president of the C&A. Following an inspection trip over the entire KCS system in the first week of August 1900, Knott affirmed to reporters that the KCS will remain an independently