Goodwin Jess Knight, born 9 December 1896 in Provo, Utah, received his A.B. degree in law from Stanford in 1919 and was admitted to the California Bar in March 1921. In 1935 he was appointed to the Los Angeles Superior Court, in 1946 he became Lieutenant Governor of California, and in 1954 he was elected Governor. Knight died 22 May 1970.