1849-1899
Commencement speakers are indicated, where known, in italics; Knox alumni in bold.
1899
- James Alonzo Adams ('67), Clergyman and editor "Advance," Conglomerated Mag., Chicago; trustee, Knox College
- Isaac A. Cornelison, Clergyman, Washington, Illinois
- John Finley, Knox graduate and president of the college; later, a Knox trustee and editor of The New York Times
- W. Hamilton Spence, Clergyman, Galesburg; later at Uniontown, Pennsylvania
1898
- John Lauderdale Kennedy ('83), Lawyer and banker, Omaha, Nebraska. Member of Congress from the 2nd District of Nebraska
1897
- William C. Gray, Editor "The Interior," a religious paper, Chicago
- William E. Holyoke ('46), Clergyman, Farmington; trustee, Knox College. Made the first Knox Commencement Address, Class of 1846
- Sheldon Jackson, Pioneer Presbyterian missionary in Alaska; founder of churches and schools; U.S. General Agent Education of Alaskan Natives; introduced reindeer to Alaska. Moderator of the 1897 Presbyterian General Assembly
- William White Leete, Clergyman, Rockford. Later at New Haven, Connecticut as field secretary, Congregational Church Extension Board
- Fridtjof Nansen, Norwegian Arctic explorer
- Edwin G. Smith ('46), Clergyman and Superintendent, American Bible Society for Indiana and Illinois
1896
- Horace Mervin Carr ('56), Clergyman, Cambridge, Illinois
- George Churchill ('51), Mathematician and Civil Engineer.; Principal of the Knox Academy for 40 years
- Newton C. Daugherty, Educator, Peoria
- James H. Eckels, Comptroller, U.S. Finance Department, Washington, D.C. Later President of the Commercial National Bank, Chicago
- Caleb Frank Gates, President of Euphrates College, Harput, Turkey; later President of Roberts College, Istanbul, Turkey
- Peter Stenger Grosscup, Jurist, Chicago. U.S. District Court, No. Illinois
- John Lindsey Withrow, Clergyman, Chicago. Moderator of the 1896 Presbyterian General Assembly
1895
- Alfred Craig, chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Court
- W.S. Davis, Clergyman, Aledo
- Casper Wistar hiatt, Clergyman, Peoria
- Harriet Hurd McClure (pictured), Knox graduate and editor of McClure News Syndicate
- William Stevenson Marquis, Clergyman, Rock Island, and President of the Chicago Historical Society
- Edward G. Mason, Clergyman, Chicago
1894
- Henry Allen Bushnell, Clergyman, Galesburg
- Marshall Curtiss Hazard ('61), Lawyer and editor of the Conglomerated Periodicals. Chicago
1893 (Lombard College)
- John Houston Finley, Knox graduate, president of Knox 1892-1899, later editor of The New York Times
1893
- Eugene Field, Knox alumnus and author and columnist for the Chicago Daily News
1892
- Albin Putzker, M.A. Professor, German Literature at the University of California, Berkeley, California
- Frank Goodrich Woodworth, Clergyman and President at Tougallo University, Tougallo, Mississippi
1891
- Edwin Augustus Adams, Clergyman, Bohemian Mission Conglomerate Chicago
1889
- Joseph Joachim Lampe ('64), Clergyman, New York. Later Professor, Hebrew and Old Testament History, Presbyterian Thological Seminary, Omaha, Nebraska
- Matthew B. Lowrie, Clergyman. Former Trustee, Knox. Later President, Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Omaha, Nebraska
1888
- Edward Chittenden Ray, Clergyman and Secretary, Board of Aid to Presbyterian Colleges and Academies, Chicago
1887
- Edward Harvey Curtis ('63), Clergyman, Lincoln, Nebraska; Trustee, Knox, 1875-1874
- Stephen Van Culen White ('54), Lawyer and stock broker, New York. Representative member, 50th Congress; Trustee, Knox
1886
- George W. Lilley ('74), Mathematician; President of South Dakota Agricultural College. Later, President of Washington St. Pullman, Washington and Professor of Math, Oregon University, Eugene, Oregon
1885
- Luther Halsey Gulick, Clergyman, Hanover, N.H.
- Frank Mathews, Superintendent of Schools, Pekin
1884
- Philip Atkinson ('53), Manufacturer, electrical supplies, Chicago; lecturer and author
1883
- John Williston Cook, Professor and later president, Northern Illinois, St. Teachers College, DeKalb
- Robert Gibson McNiece, Clergyman. Dean, Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah
- Simon John McPherson, Clergyman. Headmaster, Lawrenceville (N.J.) School
- Joseph Ward, Professor and President, Yankton College, Yankton, South Dakota
1882
- Samuel Willard (also spelled "Wilford"), Educator
1880
- Horatio Miller Case ('71), Clergyman, Winterset, Iowa
- Henry Eaton Hitchcock ('46), Professor, Mathematics, Knox College 30 years. Later at Lincoln University, Lincoln, Illinois and Acting Chancellor, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska
1879
- Joseph A. Sewall, (First Ph.D. Awarded), President, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado
- John Van Ness Standish, President, Lombard University, 41 years. Builder of Standish Park. Established Standish Fund for the Knox Library
1876
- Charles Wesley Leffingwell ('66), Clergyman, editor; founder and rector of St. Mary's School, Knoxville; also founder of St. Alban's School, Knoxville
- John Knox McLean, Clergyman, California. Later president of the Pacific Theological Seminary, California
- William S. Robertson ('52), Physician on staff, Medical School, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
1875
- Harlan Page Case ('71), Clergyman, California
- Lucius Harwood Foote ('46), Lawyer and judge, Sacramento, California. Later U.S. diplomat in Chile and Korea
- Hiram Irving Nancy ('74), Physician, Los Angeles, California
1874
- James Henry Warren, helped found predecessor of the University of California-Berkeley
- Arthur T. Pierson, Clergyman and Author, Detroit, Michigan
1873
- Josiah J. Blaidsdell, Clergyman. Professor, Beloit College, Wisconsin
1872
- Alexander McKay, Clergyman, Elmira
1871
- George Duffield, Knox trustee and composer of church hymns
- George Thatcher, Clergyman, President of the University of Iowa
- Fredrick Howard Wines, Clergyman, Springfield. Secretary, Illinois Board of Public Charities. Later an assistant director of the U.S. Bureau of Census
1870
- James Mason Hopin, Clergyman, New Haven, Connecticut, Professor of Art, Yale University
- Edwin L. Hurd ('53), Clergyman, President of Blackburn College, Carlinville; Knox Trustee
- Joseph Edwin Roy ('48), Field Superintendant, American Home Mission Society, Chicago. Later Knox Trustee
1869
- Alonzo J. Sawyer ('48), Mathematician; Professor, University of Chicago
1868
- E.H. Cooper, Physician, Henderson
- W.A. Jones, Clergyman, Knoxville
1867
- William Campbell, Clergyman, Chicago
1866
- Samuel M.Etter, Educator, Cambridge, Illinois
1860
- Abraham Lincoln (pictured), President of the United States
- William M.Haigh (Hague), Clergyman, Galesburg; Trustee, Knox
- Carlos Haven, M.A. Educator, Joliet
1855
- Charles Burlington Waite, Lawyer, Chicago. Later Justice, Utah Supreme Court
1854
- A. Curtis, Physician, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Alburt Hurd, Professor of Natural Science, Knox College
1849
- E.S. Cooper, Physician, Hendersonville
