When Clarence Lee McKnight was born on 20 December 1879, in Oblong, Crawford, Illinois, United States, his father, William Edward McKnight, was 26 and his mother, Lucy Emily Wilkin, was 20. He married Ina C. Clark on 24 November 1901, in Crawford, Illinois, United States. They were the parents of at least 3 sons and 3 daughters. He lived in Hunt City, Jasper, Illinois, United States for about 10 years. He died on 13 December 1963, in United States, at the age of 83, and was buried in Prairie Grove Cemetery, Crawford, Illinois Territory, United States.