by Laura Knight
On this page, I will do some disambiguation of our John Knights in SC and SC to GA. We will then understand why several John Knights were conflated into one. We don't have a lot in the way of records for the periods in which we are most interested, but when those records we do have are laid out in a logical format, and maps are studied in conjunction with them, it all begins to make sense. And in this case, the maps are super important so I'm going to present them first so that you can easily compare information in the various records and see the differences between the different John Knights.
I couldn't find a better resolution of this first map, but it is important to see that, in the beginning, SC was divided into 4 main regions, or Districts. Those districts extended across the state and were useful at that time because there wasn't much in the way of population; most people were settled along the coast. This map shows the early Districts overlain on the later counties. In this way, you can see that several records from Craven District, for example, could later relate directly to more localized counties that were quite distinguishable from one another.
You may want to read more about South Caroline History but for the moment, I'll just insert a few excerpts that are important background to the period of time of records we will be reviewing.
"In 1629, King of England Charles I established the Province of Carolina, an area covering what is now South and North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee. In 1663, Charles II granted the land to eight Lords Proprietors in return for their financial and political assistance in restoring him to the throne in 1660. Anthony Ashley Cooper planned the Grand Model for the Province of Carolina and wrote the Fundamental Constitutions of Carolina. His utopia was inspired by John Locke, an English philosopher and physician, widely regarded as one of the most influential of Enlightenment thinkers and commonly known as the "Father of Liberalism".
"In the 1670s, English planters from Barbados established themselves near what is now Charleston. Settlers built rice plantations in the South Carolina Lowcountry, east of the Atlantic Seaboard fall line. Settlers came from all over Europe." (Wikipedia)
"In 1686, soon after the revocation of the edict of Nantes, by Louis XIV, a large number of Huguenots, or French Protestants, came over, and settled in the colony. To the English settlers, who were Episcopal, these refugees being of so different a faith, were by no means welcome; and they were quite disposed to drive them from the colony, notwithstanding the latter had been introduced by the proprietors under an assurance of enjoying the rights of citizenship. [...]
"In 1695, John Archdale, the Quaker, was appointed governor, with power to redress all grievances. The people had long complained against their rulers, and had quarreled among themselves. Archdale, by a wise and conciliatory course, restored harmony, and removed the causes of civil dissatisfaction. He introduced a more republican form of government, thus restoring to the people rights and privileges which had been monopolized by the proprietors, or their agents.
"One difficulty, however, still remained, and which he was compelled to leave to the 'softening influence of time' to remove. This was the jealousy and antipathy already alluded to, of the English Episcopalians against the French Protestants. The latter, it was contended, could not legally hold real estate in the colony; that the French ministers could not lawfully solemnize marriages; and that the children of the refugees must be debarred inheriting the property of their fathers.
"But these animosities and differences found an end. When, at length, the inoffensive and even exemplary lives of these exiles, were observed by the English, and also their uniform and liberal efforts to sustain and advance the interests of the colony, prejudice and opposition yielded; and, in a few years, the colonial assembly gladly extended to them all the rights of citizens and freemen. [...]
"In 1704, Sir Nathaniel Johnson succeeded Governor Moore; and now, under his influence, a long-cherished object of the proprietors was accomplished. This was the establishment of the Church of England forms of worship as the religion of the province, and the exclusion of dissenters from all participation in the government. But, in 1706, these laws of exclusion or disfranchisement were repealed, by direction of the English Parliament, which decided that they were inconsistent with the laws of England. But the acts establishing the Church of England religion continued in force, until they were abrogated by the American Revolution. [...]
"In 1715, the province came near the verge of ruin, by reason of a combination of the Yamassees and other Indian tribes—stretching from Cape Fear to Florida—against them. The 15th of April 1715, was fixed upon as the day of their general destruction. Owing, however, to the wisdom, dispatch and firmness of Governor Craven, and the blessing of Providence, the calamity was, in a measure, averted, and the colonies saved, though at the expense during the war, of near four hundred of the inhabitants. The Yamassees were expelled from the province, and took refuge among the Spaniards in Florida.
"In 1719, the people of Carolina, having been long disgusted with the management of the proprietors, were resolved, at all hazards, to execute their own laws, and defend the rights of the province. A subscription to this effect was drawn up, and generally signed. On the meeting of the assembly, a committee was sent with this subscription to the governor, Robert Johnson, requesting him to accept the government of the province, under the king, instead of the proprietors. Upon Johnson's refusal, the assembly chose Colonel James Moore governor, under the crown; and on the 21st of December, 1719, the convention and militia marched to Charleston fort, and proclaimed Moore governor, in his majesty's name." (History of SC)
Quite a few of the records of SC refer to parishes as location, so it is important to know where those parishes are in relation to counties or districts. You might want to print the parish map and have it to hand as you read through the records and notes.
And finally, the Districts that will be important for locating people around the time of the Revolution.
In the table below, I've had to stack some locations because, otherwise, the table would be too large to follow without shifting back and forth from left to right. Since I know already the outcome of who, in what SC District, goes where in GA, I've stacked those GA locations, that will be switched to further on, with the appropriate SC District. As usual, I've put my notes with each entry unless it is necessary to arrange it otherwise.
| Year | Berkeley SC | Colleton SC | Beaufort SC Liberty GA |
Cheraws-Craven SC Effingham GA FL, Wayne GA |
96 District - Union SC |
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| 1716 | SC Berkeley St Andrew – Admin – Jury List - Thomas Knight, Caleb Knight, petitioners. Caleb Knight is also on the Grand Jury list for St. Andrew Parish. Note: I find no Caleb Knight in any of my VA/NC records from the right period. (There are Thomas Knights.) I've searched repeatedly and all I find are Calebs in PA Quaker records - not the right dates - Calebs in New England - no exact fits - Calebs in UK, but appear to remain there. So, there is a complete blank on this guy at the moment. However, we note from the history section that a lot of planters from Barbados settled in this area of SC, so I think it is very likely that this is where Caleb Knight came from. Perhaps further searching will turn up something. The two could be brothers or father and son, or cousins. I do think we can assume a familial relationship. |
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| 1726 | SC Berkeley St Andrew – Parish Record - Mary Knight listed at St. Andrew’s Parish. Note: Possibly wife of Thomas or Caleb? Daughter? |
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| 1730 | SC Berkeley St Thomas & St Denis - Admin - Caleb Knight is on the Petit Jury list for St. Thomas and St. Denis parishes. Note: Caleb has been in SC for at least 14 years now. This could be a son of the first Caleb because we note that he is now slightly North and West, inland, of St Andrew Parish. |
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| 1740 | SC Berkeley Charleston – Jury List - Abraham Knight is on the Petit Jury list St Phillip's Parish. Note: St Phillip Parish is right next door to St Andrews where Caleb Knight first appeared. Is this another son or brother in his own establishment? Nothing further is found for this Abraham. Perhaps he is a son of Thomas or Caleb or some other relative. He never appears again in the records I've found. |
SC Colleton St Johns – Jury List - Caleb Knight is on the Petit Jury list of St. John’s Island. Note: Now we find a Caleb further South and hard on the coast in a different District. It is now 24 years since our first Caleb sighting so this is surely a son. And, this is the last we see of any Caleb. |
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| 1760 | SC Colleton St Johns – Admin - Thomas Knight and Joseph Knight are on the Petit Jury list for St. John’s Island. Note: It is now twenty years after the last sighting of a Caleb in St John's Island, and here we now see a Thomas Knight in association with a Joseph Knight. If this is the Thomas of 1716 he would be over 65 or so. That's not too old to sit on a jury, but I think it is more likely that we are seeing sons here, sons of Caleb, likely, and the name "Thomas" may link him to the first Thomas we saw with Caleb in 1716, probably Caleb's brother then, and his son or nephew now. If these are sons, they would likely be in their 20s or 30s. |
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| 1764 |
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Jul 13 – SC Craven – Will – William M. Knight – Written 14 Apr 1764: William M. Knight of Williams Township, Craven County, province of SC, being sick in body, but perfect memory etc… Estate to be sold except slaves left to daughter Jean when she reaches 18 yrs; daughter also to receive bed, furniture, 300 pounds, her mothers saddle, kitchenware, her mother’s flax wheel with all cloth and yarn; to granddaughter Jean M. Knight, daughter of John M. Knight, deceased, one cow and calf, 20 pounds; remainder of estate to be divided into four parts; one part to son Alexander Knight, second to son Thomas Knight, third to son Robert Knight, fourth to grandson John Knight, son of John M. Knight, deceased. Three sons Alexander, Thomas and Robert, to be executors. Signed with his mark. Wit: William Law, Robert Wilson, Ann Wilson. Proved 13 Jul 1764 by Robert M. Knight. (SC Wills and Probate Rec. 1670-1980, Charleston, Wills, Vol 9-10, 1760-1767, image online served by ancestry.com) Note: This one is a real puzzle. The associated names suggest a link to the Edgecombe County Knights. |
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| 1765 | GA St Philip Parish - Land Grant – Peter Knight – 150 acres, surveyed March 24, 1762, Plat Book C, page 127, Granted Jan 1, 1765, Grant Book E, p. 96. (Helmer 2014, p. 178) Note: This record turning up was actually a big surprise. This area was later Effingham County and the next record is going to strongly indicate who this Peter Knight is. |
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| 1768 | GA St Philip Parish - James Cherry – Land grant for 200 acres, St. Philip Parish bounded on the southeast by Peter Knight. Grant Book G, page 172. (Helmer 2014, p. 164) Note: So here we have a James Cherry acquiring land next door to a Peter Knight. That pretty much clinches who Peter is: Sussex VA/Edgecombe NC Knights. Considering date and associations, this would be Peter, son of John of Sussex and his second wife, Elizabeth Eppes. Peter’s son, Jesse Knight (1757-1815), was father-in-law to Aaron Cherry in NC. It appears that this Peter did not remain in GA, but returned to Sussex by 1771, and then removed to Edgecombe permanently where he died and left a will. However, he may have temporarily established a holding in the future Effingham GA area that acted as an attractor to other family and John Knight of Effingham, who spent some time in SC after marrying Rachel Anderson there, may very well have been in this area much earlier than heretofore suspected. It should be noted that John Knight of SC/GA served first in the GA Regiment during the Revolution and then in SC. That suggests to me that he was actually in GA before SC. |
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| 1773 | Apr 16 – SC St John’s Island – Will – Thomas Knight – “Parish of ___” Long philosophical/religious introduction; wants decent burial “without pomp or state”; debts to be paid; to “well-beloved brother John Knight, for life, five negroes, his choice; also to brother John, best feather bed & furniture, two best riding horses; if brother John Knight should die leaving no lawful wife nor heirs, everything to go to the twin children of his “wench Patty”; then gives negro Patty and her children, Dinah, Billy & Linda, their freedom; leaves money to be invested for Patty and children; something to friend Mrs. Mary Hanscombe; worthy friend Joel Macklennon, money; to Mrs. Gillet, diamond something; Doctor Aaron Gillet to be residurary legatee; wishes to be buried on St. John’s Island at the family burial place; appoints brother, John Knight and Aaron Gillet and Thomas Hartley to be executors. Written 30 Jan 1772. Wit: Solomon Freer, Mary Jeffries, William Jeffries; Proved 16 Apr 1773. (SC Wills and probate Records, 1670-1980, Charleston, Wills, Etc, 1771-1779, image online, served by ancestry.com) Note: The "family burial place" on St John's Island pretty much confirms that this family has been there for a while.
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| 1774 | SC Cheraw – Mar - John Knight & Rachel Anderson – Married by the Rev. Evan Pugh. (Holcomb 1983; Diary of Evan Pugh) Note: In 1725 in Albemarle NC, Francis Pugh provided bail to James Spier who was charged with counterfeiting. Then, 1729 Nov 1, Samuel Pugh Gent is mentioned as late Sherriff of Bertie co NC, and in relation to the estate of John Cotten. So the Pughs are associated with the Knights of Bertie and the Knights of Bertie are closely related to the Edgecombe NC Knights, which were essentially the Sussex VA Knights, both lines descending most probably from James Knight of Isle of Wight/ Nansemond VA. |
SC Union – Admin - James Knight - Land grant for 100 acres (or more). (Union County SC Deed Abstracts D, 70-72) Note: Because of the later appearance here of John Knight of Stafford Co VA, I can't help but think that this James is related somehow. |
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| 1775 | Apr 21 - SC Cheraws / Darlington - Admin – John Knight - land grant to John Knight. This land will later be sold by Joseph Knight. (South Carolina Dept. of Archives & History, online) Note: Refer back to your map at the very top where you can see Darlington within the Cheraws District. |
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| 1776 | May 21 – SC St John’s Island – Will – John Knight – “I John Knight of Johns Island, planter, being weak in body, etc. to Mrs. Amy Arnold, widow of the late Thomas Arnold deceased, 400 pounds, to be paid one year after decease, also one feather bed; to Thomas Arnold, son of the late Thomas Arnold, 400 pounds with interest arising thereunto to be paid at the age of 18 years; to George Freer, son of Solomon Freer, “all my accoutrements, saddle, bridle & one gun; to Edward Freer, my bay horse; to J__ Freer Jun by bay mare with her future increase; Solomon Freer SR to be residuary legatee and executor. Wit: Benjamin Mathewes, Isaac Weatherly, William Roach. Proved 21 May 1776 by Solomon Freer, executor. (SC Wills and Probate Records, 1670-1980, Charleston Wills, Etc, 1776-1786, image online, served by ancestry.com) Note: This must be the John Knight, brother of Thomas whose will was included above. He apparently has no issue. |
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| 1777 | Sep 11 – SC Beaufort – Admin - John Knight, Thomas Knight and Zachariah Knight named as executors in the will of William McCormack. Wit: Elizabeth Smart. (Wills of the State of South Carolina, 1760-1784) Note: First, let me draw your attention to the location: Beaufort. That is about as far South as you can go in SC. Meanwhile, the other John Knight who married Rachel Anderson, is in Cheraws/Darlington. There is about 175 miles distance between the two locations. It is so improbable that the John Knight in Cheraws would travel to Beaufort to be an executor of a will that it is astonishing that no one has ever noted this before. Considering the name Thomas Knight here, and having observed Caleb and Thomas and pos. son, Joseph, move from Berkely to Colleton, that is, generally South, the probability is very strong that this John, Thomas and Zachariah are descended from Caleb and or Thomas Knight of 1716. |
Jul 10 – SC Cheraw – Mar – Thomas Knight & Fanny Newnam – Mar by the Rev. Evan Pugh. (Holcomb 1983; Diary of Evan Pugh) Note: As noted at left in respect of the activities of a John Knight, Thomas Knight and Zachariah Knight in Beaufort in Sep of 1777, it is absurd to think that this Thomas Knight, found in Cheraw getting married, would travel 175 miles South to act as executor of a will. No, indeed, the juxtaposition of these few records against each other, and the wide distances between the locations are compelling evidence that we are here dealing with two John Knights, two Thomas Knights (common enough names), and a Zachariah Knight who is likely brother to a different John and Thomas. |
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At this point, we are in the middle of the Revolution and it is important to factor in South Carolina's role in that conflict. Tensions erupted into battle between Patriot militia and British regulars when the king's army attempted to capture and destroy Colonial military supplies at Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775. The conflict then developed into a global war, during which the Patriots (and later their French, Spanish, and Dutch allies) fought the British and Loyalists. The Continental Army forced the redcoats out of Boston in March 1776, but that summer the British captured and held New York City and its strategic harbor for the duration of the war. The Royal Navy blockaded ports and captured other cities for brief periods, but they failed to defeat Washington's forces. France now entered the war as an ally of the United States with a large army and navy that threatened Great Britain itself. Beginning in late December 1778, the British captured Savannah and controlled the Georgia coastline. In 1780, they launched a fresh invasion and took Charleston, as well. A significant victory at the Battle of Camden meant that royal forces soon controlled most of Georgia and South Carolina. The British commenders expected citizens to be loyal to the Crown and join their side, but this expectation didn't pan out. The British had to fight their way north into North Carolina and Virginia, with a severely weakened army. Behind them, much of the territory that they had already captured dissolved into a chaotic guerrilla war, fought predominantly between bands of Loyalist and American militia. Congress and the American states had difficulties financing the war. The British made the situation much worse by imposing a tight blockade on every American port, which cut off almost all imports and exports. One partial solution was to rely on volunteer support from militiamen and donations from patriotic citizens. Another was to delay actual payments, pay soldiers and suppliers in depreciated currency, and promise that it would be made good after the war. Indeed, the soldiers and officers were given land grants in 1783 to cover the wages that they had earned but had not been paid during the war. I've sorted the following Knights that are included in the South Carolina Roster of Revolutionary War Soldiers into various columns based on where it is either known where they came from, or where they settled after the war. |
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| 1779 | South Carolina – Mil – Night Knight – He enlisted in the Sixth Regiment under Lt. Brown, Capt. John Buchanan, and Col. Henderson on 21 May 1778. When the Sixth Regiment was broken up, he entered the First Regiment under Maj. Thomas Pinckney and Co. Charles Pinckney. He was taken prisoner at the fall of Charleston, but was paroled. Moved to Ky and Ill. (Moss 1983, p. 542) Note: This Knight made a Pension Application Statement in 1832 when he was living in Christian County KY. John Knight – On the same payroll sheet with Night Knight, there is also a John Knight. Page is headed: “Pay Roll of Capt. John Buchanan's Company in the 6th S. Carolina ~ The Continental Establishment Commanded by Lt. Col. William Henderson ~ From the first August to the first December 1779. . Note: The location doesn't help us much because there were still new settlers coming from England and elsewhere prior to the Revolution. South Carolina – Mil - John Knight enlisted in the Fourth Regiment on 20 Dec 1776. (Moss 1983, p. 542) Note: Is this the same John Knight as above or a different one? South Carolina – Mil - John Knight - Served sixty days in the militia under Col. Marshall during October and November 1781. (Moss 1983, p. 542) Note: Still another John Knight, or are they all the same man, different tours of duty?
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SC Beaufort – Mil - Zachariah Knight - Served forty days as a sergeant in the Granville County Regiment of Militia. (Moss 1983, p. 543)- SC Beaufort - Admin - Zachariah Knight of Winton Co SC served 44 days as Sgt. Of foot in the Granville County Militia. (Revolution File No. 4357, SC Archives, Columbia, SC) Note: The two records obviously refer to the same individual. The John Knight and Thomas Knight seen in association with this Zachariah, apparently did not serve unless one of the John Knights I've put in the Charleston column was the same one. They may have been too old; impossible to say. |
Georgia – Mil - John Knight - Listed as “Sergeant”; served from 1779 Apr 1 to 1780 Feb 1. Other names of possible interest on this list: John Walton, Jesse Walton, Thomas Hill, John King, Hugh Bell, George Jones, (Revolutionary War Roll, 1st Battalion , Natl. Archives and Rec. Adm. served by ancestry) Note: As I commented above, it is interesting that John Knight later of Effingham, served first with the GA forces. We last saw him getting married in Cheraws District in 1774, and obtaining a land grant there in 1775. Something obviously prompted him to go to GA to enlist, and I would suggest that there were Knight land holdings there already as a consequence of the activities of Peter Knight and James Cherry noted above. He may have gone to Effingham to park his wife there for the duration. John served 10 months in GA, or about 300 days. He then apparently returned to Cheraws District, had a short break, and re-joined for another 5 months or so. SC Cheraw – Mil - John Knight - Served one hundred fifty-three days under Col. Benton during 1781 and 1782 in the Cheraw District. (Moss 1983, p. 542) Note: The Benton family was associated with the Knights in Edgecombe NC. This Col. Benton may have been a distant relative. South Carolina – Mil - Thomas Knight - Served in the militia during 1779, 1781, and 1782. (Moss 1983, p. 543) Note: I would suggest that the above Thomas was the associate - brother or cousin - of John Knight of Effingham. Note that he is serving out pretty much the same periods as John Knight did, while the Zachariah of Beaufort only served a little over a month. South Carolina – Mil - Moses Knight - b. 27 Aug 1763 Brunswick Co VA, d. 1 Oct 1836, m. Francis ___. While residing in South Carolina, he enlisted first in a North Carolina unit. In 1782, he enlisted under Capt. Claudius Pegues, Cols. Floyd and Benton, and Gen. Marion. He was in engagements at Beatties Bridge, Wambaw Creek and Eutaw Springs. (Moss 1983, p. 542) Note: This Moses is son of William Knight and Jane, of Meherrin Parish, Brunswick VA. See his Pension Application Statement. |
SC Kershaw – Mil - John Knight - b. 1747, d. 1848, m. Polly Rutledge. While residing in Kershaw District, he served under Capts. John Weathers and Benjamin Hale, Cols. Taylor and Washington and Gens Sumter, Marion and Greene. He was in the battles at Washaws, Hanging Rock, Camden, Kings Mountain, Rugley’s Mill and Eutaw Springs, where he was wounded in the breast by a bayonet. (Moss 1983, p. 542) Note: The John Knight above, as a number of further records show, was the son of George Knight & Jean Dawson Knight of Stafford County VA. He lived to be about 100 years old as his Pension Application and census records show. South Carolina – Mil - Samuel Knight - Enlisted in the Second Regiment on 4 November 1775. He served as a wagon-master during 1779. (Moss 1983, p. 542) Note: As mentioned, these look like Stafford County VA Knights. There was a Samuel Knight b. 1751 Aug 15 in Stafford, son of a John Knight and Charity Latimore. South Carolina – Mil - James Knight - Served thirty seven days in the militia. (Moss 1983, p. 542 SC Cheraws – Mil - James Knight SR - Served as a lieutenant in the Volunteer Company of St. David’s Parish Regiment. (Moss 1983, p. 542) Note: It's hard to say who the above James Knights might be. I'm still looking for pension applications or land warrants. St. David’s was established on April 12, 1768, and included the area of modern Marlboro, Darlington, and Chesterfield Counties, plus a small portion of northwestern Florence County. In the late 1760s the area became a target for “Out Laws and Fugitives from the Colonies of Virginia and North Carolina”. SC Chesterfield – Mil - Aaron Knight - Served with Lewis Boan. (Moss 1983, p. 542) Note: There is a reference to Aaron Knight's service in the George Boan Pension Application. |
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The Revolution is over for our purposes and I am now eliminating some of the tracking since we have narrowed down our trackees to three persons: 1) A John Knight associated with a Zachariah Knight and Thomas Knight in Beaufort SC - a family that has apparently been there since 1716 if my inference is correct. Zachariah is associated also with some other Knights that will show up, possibly sons and nephews, and moved to Liberty Co. GA with good evidence to connect him to the Zachariah of Beaufort. 2) John Knight of Cheraws District SC, who obviously already had ties to Effingham GA before the Revolution; he also states later that he was born in Virginia so he is clearly unrelated to the Zachariah group. 3) John Knight, b. 1747 in VA, as can be learned from his Revolutionary Pension Application. He is almost invisible in the records and that is what made it so easy to conflate him with John Knight of Effingham.
I hope that already, at this point, the reader can begin to see how these three John Knights were combined, and somehow packaged as John Knight, son of John Knight and Elizabeth Woodson of Lunenburg VA. I have no idea how that happened or who did it; perhaps it was implied by Lucian Lamar Knight when he traced his own ancestry back to Lunenburg, to Woodson Knight and Martha Walton Knight. He never said that a John Knight of that family came to GA, but I suspect that someone decided they wanted that connection and dreamed it up. Actually, after working on the Lunenburg/Granville family of Knights, I'm pretty sure that John Knight, son of John and Elizabeth Woodson Knight, would have been too old to fight in the Revolution; he just seems to fade into the landscape in Lunenburg County after a brief foray into Granville NC, so if there was a John Knight from that family in GA or SC, it would have to be a grandson.
As Folks Huxford said, the parents of John Knight of Effingham GA were unknown to him. And the conflation has only contributed to this mystery remaining unsolved for many, many years. And yet, the solution is utterly simple once you tease out the threads and pay attention to what the records are saying, and especially, who is associated with whom. So, we carry on with looking at our records, keeping in mind first of all, that long distance that was between the Zachariah Knight group and the John Knight of Effingham/Cheraws group. Yes, people traveled about a lot in those days, and traveled great distances, but they didn't patent tracts of land more than a hundred miles apart simply because they would not be able to manage it. Multiple tracts of land in adjacent counties is one thing, multiple tracts that are nearly 200 miles apart are out of the question. And having established that there were these two groups from very early on, which no one else has ever done, we can continue to keep a critical eye on them so that we don't fall into the conflation trap!
| Date | Beaufort SC to Liberty GA |
Cheraws SC to Effingham GA |
Kershaw SC to Laurens SC |
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| 1780 | SC Beaufort – Zachariah Knight on the Petit Jury list for Parish of St. Peter. Note: St Peter's Parish was formerly part of St Helena's, i.e. well in Beaufort District. Again, note the location: far South and on the coast. |
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| 1783 | SC Beaufort – John Knight - is on the Petit Jury list. Note: The possibility that this is John Knight of Cheraw's District, 175 miles away, is vanishingly remote. |
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| 1785 |
SC Beaufort – Zachariah Knight, Thomas Knight, and John Knight, signed a petition from Coosawhatchie Baptist Church to the South Carolina Legislature. Jul 4 – SC Beaufort – Admin – John Knight - Land grant for 200 acs, Coosawhatchie Swamp. (Huxford Genealogical Society, Homerville, Ga) Note: Coosawhatchie is right there in Beaufort, again, let me repeat, 175 miles from Cheraws/Darlington! SC Winton – Tax List - Thomas Knight.
Note: Winton County was formed as a judicial county in 1785 within the overarching Orangeburg District. Winton's separate court was abolished in 1791, and in 1798 Winton was transformed into Barnwell County (The County Offices and Officers of Barnwell Co., SC 1775-1975, E. B. Reynolds and J.R. Faunt, Spartanburg: The Reprint Co., Publishers, 1976). Barnwell County is a bit further West and North of where these Knights have been thus far. It appears that this Thomas made a move to there for at least a period, before going back South again. |
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| 1786 | Apr 25 – SC Beaufort – Admin - Zachariah Knights - Plat for 280 acres on Bloodhill Branch, Coosawhatchie River, surveyed by Robert Stafford. (South Carolina Dept. of Arhicves & History, Series: S213190, Volume: 0018, Page: 00171, Item: 002, online) Oct 2 – SC Beaufort – Admin – John Knight - Land grant to John Knight for 246 acres, Beach Branch and Bloodhill Branch. Same day: Land grant to Zachariah Knight for 280 acs, on Blood Hill Branch adjoining John Knight’s. Thomas Knight also rec. land grant same time. (South Carolina Dept. of Arhicves & History, online) |
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| 1788 | Oct 4 – SC Winton – Admin - Zachariah Knight – Claim for a black horse lost in the service under Capt. James ___ Payment order signed by Thomas Knight, J.P. (SC Archives online) Note: This is the last appearance in Winton/Barnwell County for these two. Note that in the prev. record, they have acquired adjacent lands in Beaufort. It appears that they made a brief foray inland, didn't like it, and headed back South and for the coast. |
Aug 6 – GA Effingham – Admin - John Knight and Thomas Knight - Bounty land record. The original is lost but is referred to in a land sale 33 years later as follows: Thomas N. Morel, esq. of Savannah, to Mr. John Rawls, Oct. 4, 1821, for 350 dollars that parecil of land originally granted to John Morel, esq, then in Effingham Co., now in Bulloch, 1000 Acres granted Aug. 6, 1788, bounded at the time of grant NW by Morel and Bowen's land, NE by land reserved for JOHN AND THOMAS KNIGHT and on every other side by vacant land and came to Thomas N. Morel, esq, as an heir of John Morel, esq. deceased. Wit: Job T. Bolls, George L. Cope, Rec: Oct 23, 1821 (Bulloch Co., GA Records, Deed Book p. 434 and Record Book, 5, 1819-1840) Note: It is extremely unlikely that John Knight and Thomas Knight here, receiving Rev Land Grants, could be the same John and Thomas also receiving Rev Land Grants in Beaufort County SC just two years earlier. |
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| 1789 | Dec 12 – SC Beaufort – Admin - Zachariah Knight - Represented the Coosawhatchie Baptist Church at the Charleston Baptist Association. | May 19 – GA Effingham – Admin - John Knight - Land Patent for 200 acres. Registered in Secretary's office in Book S.S.s. for 168, bounding SW by Belcher’s and vacant land on all other sides by vacant land. In 1800, this grant was sold to Moore Spier of Effingham County and signed by John Knight and Rachel Knight. Wit: William Steward, Willis Spier. … (Huxford Genealogical Society, Homerville, Ga) Sep 20 – GA Burke – Admin - John Knight - Land Patent for 250 acres. (Huxford) |
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| 1790 | SC Beaufort – Federal Census - ** Zachary Knights: 1 male over 16, 3 males under 16, 5 fem. (Probably Zachariah and not Zachary.) ** Thomas Knights: 2 males over 16, 1 male under 16, 3 fems, 13 slaves. ** Stephen Knights: 2 males 16 and over. Note: Zachariah is listed in 1790 in Beaufort along with his probable uncle, Thomas son, Stephen. He has applied for a land grant in GA which we see in the next record. 1790 - Dec 6 – GA Liberty – Admin - Zachariah Knight - Land warrant for 250 acres surrounding a swamp. (Liberty Co, GA Plat Book D, page 82) |
Dec 4 – GA Effingham – Admin - John Knight – Land sale to Joseph Knight, 200 acres in Effingham near Great Ogeechee. Witness: John London, JP. (Helmers 2014, p. 247) 1790 - Dec 4 - GA Effingham - Joseph Knight to Thomas James Knight - deed for tract of land (acreage not stated) on NW side of Williamson's Creek, survey for Mark Pridgen, lying near the Great Ogeechee River, the creek to be the line between the parties. Witness: John London, JP. (Deed Book - AB page 36 Effingham County, Georgia and Liberty County, Georgia, Early Record, complied by Mary Carter, 1978 (GA)F292.E3.03, LA State Archives.) Note: Recall that we haven't seen a Joseph Knight since the one who was associated with the Zachariah family was last seen in 1760, 30 years prior to this time. This is obviously a different Joseph and Thomas from the ones associated with Zachariah and John Knight of Beaufort SC. But, exactly what the relationships are, is difficult to say. Up to this point in time, it looks like Thomas Knight, who married Fanny Newnan, is brother or cousin to John Knight. But how does Joseph fit in? |
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| 1792 | Nov 3 – SC Beaufort – Admin - Zachariah Knight - With James Sweat and James Smart, delegates from Coosawhatchie Baptist Church at the Charleston Baptist Association conference. Nov 5 – SC Beaufort – Admin – Stephen Knight - Land grant for 310 acres. (SC Archives online) SC Beaufort – Will - Zachariah Knight - Signed his will. Executors named were Stephen Knight, Nathan Smart, James Sweat. Wit: Hamilton Smart, Solomon Knight, Moses Knight. (SC Wills, served by ancestry.com) Note: The will is later proved in Liberty County GA which firmly links this Zachariah to the one who removed there. How was Stephen Knight related to Zachariah Knight? His son? If so, it would be a son from a first marriage. What about Solomon Knight and Moses Knight? Recall the "Solomon Freer" of the Thomas Knight and John Knight wills of the previous generation. Was he a family friend and inspired the name? We also know of a Moses Knight from the Revolution who came, apparently, from Brunswick VA; he says in his Pension Statement that after the Revolution he removed to Richmond NC and remained there "ever since". So I think we are seeing a different Moses here. I would suggest that these Knights are all somehow related to one another, but how needs to be worked out with more records searched.
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Mar 28 - SC Darlington – Admin - Joseph Knight - Joseph Knight of Effingham County (GA) to George McCall of Darlington Dist., S C , planter, 300 acres in former Craven Co., now Darlington District S C, granted John Knight 21 April 1775, lying on south side of Pee Dee River. Witnesses: John Moore, JP; William McCall; John McCall JP. (Huxford) Note: This was John's 1775 patent in Darlington. Most likely John sold the land to Joseph as was the case in the previous transaction.
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| 1793 | Aug 16 – SC Beaufort – Admin - Stephen Knight – Land plat for 1,000 acres on Blood Hill Branch, Beaufort District, surveyed by Robert Shields for Richard Stafford. (Ser: S213190, Vol. 0030, p. 00241, Item: 002, South Carolina Dept. of Archives & History, online) Note: Again, this looks like the son of Zachariah Knight. |
Mar 11 - GA Effingham – Admin – John Knight - Zachariah Henderson to John Knight, Bill of Sale, undated, for three slaves, 60 head of cattle, two horses, four featherbeds and furniture, together with pots, pans and all other items of his furniture and household goods, given in payment of his bond (promissory note 10 Mar 1770) to Knight. No witnesses. David Hines signs affidavit 18 Feb 1794 that he saw Zachariah Henderson sign the instrument. John Knight of Effingham Co., “Out of his love and good will” gives the above personal property to Mary Henderson by Bill of Sale dated 11 March 1793. (Information on Some Georgia Pioneers - Maddox, GA (GAF281.L3.M3) p. 53, 55, see also Helmer 2014, p. 271 and p. 266) Note: The above transaction was originally done in 1770, before John married Rachel and before he patented land in SC. It is now 23/24 years later! Was this original deal transacted in Effingham at that early date and now that John has returned there, he is calling in the loan in an effort to protect the wife and children of a ne'er-do-well? Note also that the Hines family, found early in VA, in Elizabeth City County and then in Nansemond, were associated with Knights in Edgecombe NC. Jul 15 – GA Effingham – Admin – John Knight, Thomas James Knight, Joseph Knight – Petition to governor from inhabitants of County saying the land court granted by fraud 1,000,000 acres to a few persons and many could not attend court due to poverty. Signers include: John Knight, Thomas James Knight, Joseph Knight. (Telamon Cuyler Collection, Manuscript #1170 [Hargrett Library, University of Georgia]; Call Number: Box 42, Folder 9; Page Number: 1) Note: Here we see John Knight of Effingham, together with a Thomas Knight and Joseph Knight. Is this Thomas James Knight the same one who married Fanny Newnan in 1777? Most likely as there has not been time for him to have a son old enough to sign a petition unless he was older and had a son by a previous marriage. Sep 17 – GA Effingham – Admin – Andrew Tucker - To Jemima Tucker, Trustee for her children, unnamed. Gift instrument dated Sept 17, 1793, of livestock, furniture, ½ of his corn and fodder, cotton and potatoes he to “have the liberty to eat of them while I stay on the place.” He renounces claim to same now and after his death whether by matrimonial rights or otherwise. Witnesses: John Knight, Miles Hunter, John Cook. (Huxford Genealogical Society, Homerville, Ga) Note: This looks like a separation agreement between husband and wife. The 1820 census shows an Andrew Tucker in Camden Co, and the 1830 census shows Mrs. Jemima Tucker in Lowndes Co. Mrs. Jemima Tucker was in Camden Co in March 1820 when she made a gift of peoperty to her son Elijah Ross Tucker. The latter lived in Wayne Co. It looks like John Knight - with his son-in-law, Miles Hunter - may be intervening on behalf of a woman and her children in relation to what sounds like a problematic marriage (Similar to the previous Henderson family situation.) Andrew and Jemima Tucker are parents of the future wife of John's son, Jonathan. Sarah Tucker, sister to Elija Ross Tucker, married Abraham Knight of Wayne Co. It's curious to have two apparent "family interventions" in the same year, with John Knight involved. |
SC Lancaster – Federal Census - ** Night Knight: 1 male 45 and over, 1 fem 45 and over 2 males 26-44, 2 fems 26-44, 2 fems 16-25, 2 fems 10-15, 3 males 10-15, 1 male under 10, 1 fem under 10. ** John Knight: 1 male 45 and over, 1 fem 45 and over, 1 male 26-44, 1 fem 26-44, 3 fems 16-25, 2 males 16-25, 3 fems 10-15, 2 males 10-15, 2 fems under 10, 3 males under 10. ** David Knight (text: Night): 1 male 26-44, 1 fem 26-44, 2 fems under 10, 3 males under 10. Note: It looks here like Night Knight has a brother, John Knight, and David Knight is son of one or the other. As previously noted, this group will move to Christian County KY later. |
| 1794 | Aug 30 – GA Effingham – Admin – John Knight - John Knight of Effingham Co., to Anna, Misey, Mary and Sarah Henderson, children of Zachariah and Mary Henderson. Gift of three slaves, Saturday, Florida and Sambo, 60 head of cattle, 2 horses, feather beds, furniture, pots, pans, farming implements, dated 30 Aug 1794. Said Mary, mother of said children, to be Trustee.” (Deed Book C-D, p. 262) (Information on Some Georgia Pioneers - Maddox, GA (GAF281.L3.M3) p. 53, 55, see also Helmer 2014, p. 271; see also: Helmer 2014, p. 266 and Lucas & Wilson, Deed Books section, p. 53) | ||
| 1795 | GA Bulloch/Screven – Admin – Joseph Knight, Robert Knight, Thomas Knight - Petition to the state convention asking that Bulloch County be created from Scriven (now spelled Screven) and Bryan counties (part of Effingham Co. also became Bulloch) including signatures of the following: Joseph Knight, Robert Knight, William Cone, Thomas Knight, Aaron Cone, Barnet Mikell (McCall?), James McCall, William McCall, George McCall, Thomas McCall, John McCall, Aaron Cone. (petition obtained from Hargrett Library of the U niversity of Georgia by Smith C. Banks. The Petition was transcribed by Evelyn Mabry. Several words are illegible. A few names may have been lost. Pages of the original Petition, now tattered, were sewn together in a scroll like manner. The Spirit of a People compiled by the Statesboro Herald Publishing Company.) Note: We now have a Robert Knight while John Knight is missing from this activity. I have no real clue how to connect these men together. |
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| 1796 | Sep – GA Liberty – Admin - Zachariah Knight - On jury list to serve at next court. (Rec: Liberty Co, GA superior Court Minutes, online) Note: Zachariah Knight has removed from Beaufort SC to Liberty County GA. |
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| 1797 | Mar – GA Liberty– Admin - Zachariah Knight - On jury list to serve at next court. (Rec: Liberty Co, GA superior Court Minutes.) | SC Laurens – Bap - Delilah Knight- d/o John Knight and Polly Rutledge. (Lineage book of Charter Members DAR, Vol 073, # 72013, p. 6) Note: Mother's name was more likely Betsy Douglas Rutledge Knight. Delilah later married William Puckett, and John Knight was in their household in 1845 when he was 98 years old and was specifically mentioned in the census. |
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| 1798 | Mar 26 – SC Beaufort – Admin – Lewis Knight - Land grant to Lewis Knight for 276 acs. Note: Is Lewis a son of one of the Beaufort SC Knights, i.e. John, Zachariah or Thomas? Sep – GA Liberty – Admin - Zachariah Knight - On jury list to serve at next court. (Rec: Liberty Co, GA superior Court Minutes.) |
Oct 14 – GA Effingham – Mar – John Stewart & Mary Knight Hunter – Mary was the daughter of John Knight and Rachel, widow of Miles Hunter who died 1797. (Lucas & Wilson (1976) p. 97) | |
| 1799 | Apr 24 – GA Liberty – Admin – Zachariah Knight - Notice in the Georgia Gazette of Savannah: Chloe Knight, widow, applies for letters of administration of Zachariah Knight, deceased. In 1792, while living in Lincoln Co/Beaufort District, SC, Zachariah Knight made will naming wife Cloe, sons: Britton Knight, Elias Knight, George Knight; 559 acres in SC and 500 acres in GA. Executors: Stephen Knight, Nathan Smart, James Sweat. Wit: Hamilton Smart, Solomon Knight, Moses Knight. Will proved in Liberty Co, GA in 1799. (Image online, served by ancestry.com) Note: Refer to record of 1792 where Zachariah made his will in Beaufort SC. |
Feb 13 – GA Effingham – Admin - John Knight - planter, and wife Rachel, 250 acres granted to Knight, bounded on the NW by Braddock’s land, SW by Ogeechee River, SE by Hodges and O’Berry land, NE by Belcher and McCall. Wit: John London JP. (Deed Book – AB page 123 Effingham County, Georgia and Liberty County, Georgia, Early Records, compiled by Mary Carter, 1978 (GA) F292.E3.03, LA State Archives.) Note: In 1789, John acquired a tract of land, and then, 6 months later, in 1790, he sold a different tract to Joseph Knight. Here, he is acquiring another tract in the same area. Oct 22 – GA Effingham – Admin – John Knight - planter, and wife Rachel, to Moore Spier, all of Effingham Co. 250 acres granted to Knight 13 Feb 1799, bounded on the NW by Braddock’s land, SW by Ogeechee River, SE by Hodges and O’Berry land, NE by Belcher and McCall. Wit: John London JP. (Deed Book – AB page 123 Effingham County, Georgia and Liberty County, Georgia, Early Records, compiled by Mary Carter, 1978 (GA) F292.E3.03, LA State Archives. See also Helmer 2014, p. 260) Note: True to pattern, 8 months after obtaining one tract of land, John now sells a tract patented earlier to Moore Spier, a cousin of the Edgecombe Knights. His previous pattern of obtaining land and selling it to relations is apparently being repeated here, indicating his familial relationship to the Spiers. This John Knight clearly had connections and at least some influence enabling him to advance the fortunes of his relatives. Moore Spier was the son of John Spier and his wife, Christian of Edgecombe County, NC. Willis Spier was the son of Wright Spier and his wife, Elizabeth, also of Edgecombe. |
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| 1800 | GA Liberty – Admin - Chloe Knight - Appears on tax digest owning 250 acres of pine land. Note: Widow of Zachariah Knight. |
SC Abbeville – Federal Census - ** John Knight: 1 male 26-44, 1 fem 26-44, 2 fems 10-15, 5 fems under 10, 1 male under 10. Note: No clue. |
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| 1801 | Aug 4 – GA Glynn – Admin – John Knight - Of Glynn County to Moore Spier of Effingham County: deed dated 15 Jan 1801, Consideration: four hundred dollars for tract of land containing 200 acres of land in Effingham Co., originally granted to the aforesaid John Knight on 19 May 1789, Registered in Secretary’s office in Book S.S.s. for 168, bounding SW by Belchers and vacant land on all other sides by vacant land. Signed John Knight. Wit: William Steward, Willis Spier. (Helmer 2014, p. 292) Note: This is apparently a second tract of land being sold to Moore Spier. The previous sale was for 250 acres, now this tract is for 200 acres. It's beginning to look like John was doing pretty well just speculating in land! |
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| 1803 | Jun 3 – GA Glynn – Admin – Jonathan Knight - Cattle Brand Registered: Captain Jonathan Knight's Cattle Brand was a J merged with the K to form his initials JK. Captain Jonathan Knight (1781-1852) registered his cattle brand in Glynn County, Georgia on June 3, 1803, (Deed Book E-75, page 221.) Sep 2 – FL St Augustine – Admin - John Knight - and his son, Jonathan Knight, granted land in Spanish Florida. They signed Oaths of Allegiance to the Spanish Government, stating that John was married, a farmer, born in Virginia, that he had with him one son, one daughter, two negroes, two horses, and 30 head of cattle. His residence was listed as Fernandina. Jonathan’s grant and oath (married, no children), were listed below John’s. On the same day, they requested permission to return to the United States, to bring their families and property to Florida. (Huxford) Note: John states that he was born in Virginia; this, along with dates, naming patterns of his children and grandchildren, obvious family associations, all lead to the conclusion that John of Effingham was a Sussex Knight. John's daughter, Mary, was widowed in about 1797, so it is probably she who is accompanying him and son, Jonathan, to Florida.
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| 1805 | Oct 8 – FL St. Augustine – Admin - John Knight - asked to be released from his Spanish Land Grant due to the loss of his eyesight and permission to return to Augusta, Georgia, which request was granted on October 17, 1805. Note: Did he lose his eyesight due to old age, or some unfortunate accident? Why returning to Augusta in Burke County? Is that where he left the rest of his family while he was seeking new lands to settle? GA Burke – Admin – John Knight - Heads of Family: John Knight w Rachel. (Maddox, Information on Some Georgia Pioneers - (GAF281.L3.M3)) Note: John is "home" now, and we lose sight of him for 15 years. |
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| 1810 | SC Laurens – Federal Census - John Knight: 1 male 45 or over, 1 fem 26-44, 1 male under 10, 1 fem under 10. |
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| 1817 | Sep 1 – GA Effingham – Mar – John Knight & Ann Bass - (Lucas & Wilson (1976), p. 75) Note: This Ann Bass was mentioned in the will of her father, Samuel Bass, 1814 Jun 29. Wife: Rebecca. Daughters Ann, Rosannah, Selina, Sarah, and son Daniel Alexander Bass. Exrs: Zara Powers and John Delburge of Savannah. (Lucas & Wilson (1976), p. 14) Further Note: Additional records show that this Ann Bass, as Ann Knight, married Alexander Elkins on 31 Jul 1821, so her first husband, John Knight, must have died. Was this John Knight a son of John Knight of Effingham? |
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| 1820 | Jan 1 – GA Wayne – Admin – John Knight - granted Power of Attorney to “my son” Jonathan Knight” to obtain two grants for him, one in Hall County and the other in Habersham County. He was living in Wayne County at the time. (Folks Huxford, Pioneers of Wiregrass Georgia, Vol. 10, pp.257-259) Note: See 1820 census for Wayne County; no John Knight there, nor a Jonathan Knight. However, a Jonathan Knight is in Effingham County and has in his household “1 male 45 and over” but apparently, no older female so Rachel must have been dead by this time. There are several John Knights in the 1820 census, but only one Jonathan. GA Effingham – Admin - Federal Census - ** Jonathan Knight: 1 male 26-44, 2 fems 26-44, 1 fem 16-25, 2 males 10-15, 3 males under 10, 1 fem under 10, 1 male 45 and over, slaves 3. Note: Is John of Effingham in HH? GA Wayne – Admin - Federal Census - ** Samuel Knight: 1 fem 45 and over, 1 male 26-44, 1 fem 26-44, 1 male 10-15, 3 males & 1 fem under 10. ** Thomas Knight: 1 fem 45 and over, 1 male 26-44, 1 fem 26-44, 1 male 16-25, 1 male under 10, 2 fems under 10. Note: Who are the older females in the HHs of Samuel and Thomas? |
SC Laurens – Admin - Federal Census - ** John F. Knight: 1 male 26-44, 1 fem 26-44, 1 male 10-15, 2 males under 10, 1 fem under 10. ** ** John Knight: 1 male 16-25, 1 fem 16-25, 1 male under 10. |
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| 1821 | Jan 16 – GA Wayne – Admin – John Knight - Lot No. 119 in the 10th District, Georgia, consisting of 250 acres of land, was also granted to John Knight, a Revolutionary Soldier, of Crows District, in Wayne County, Georgia, on January 16, 1821. (Habersham 13, District 5-6, 10-12, p. 6, Sec. of State, Atlanta GA.) Note: John apparently moved to Wayne after the enumeration of the 1820 census. Oct 4 - GA Effingham – Admin - John Knight and Thomas Knight - Bounty land record. The original is lost but is referred to in a land sale 33 years later as follows: Thomas N. Morel, esq. of Savannah, to Mr. John Rawls, Oct. 4, 1821, for 350 dollars that parecil of land originally granted to John Morel, esq, then in Effingham Co., now in Bulloch, 1000 Acres granted Aug. 6, 1788, bounded at the time of grant NW by Morel and Bowen's land, NE by land reserved for JOHN AND THOMAS KNIGHT and on every other side by vacant land and came to Thomas N. Morel, esq, as an heir of John Morel, esq. deceased. Wit: Job T. Bolls, George L. Cope, Rec: Oct 23, 1821 (Bulloch Co., GA Records, Deed Book p. 434 and Record Book, 5, 819-1840) |
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| 1822 | Aug 12 – FL Duval – Admin – Britton Knight - Duval County was created August 12, 1822. On December 16, 1822, the first county court convened at Jacksonville for the transaction of county business. The Justices were Thomas Reynolds, William G. Dawson, Rigdon Brown, and Britton Knight. (Thomas Frederick Davis (1911) History of Jacksonville; Jacksonville Board of Trade) Note: Britton is the son of Zachariah Knight m. Chloe Smart according to probate records noted above. |
Dec 11 – GA Wayne – Admin – John Knight - Resolution of the Senate Committee received and granted a petition from John Knight for his service in the Regular Company of the First Regiment of Georgia during the Revolutionary War. He was given $400.00 “in lieu of land and as coumpensation for his bounty warrant.” Note: Apparently, John of Effingham was living as late as 1822. |
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| 1823 | Dec 26 – GA Bulloch – Admin – Jerusha Knight – Land sale between John Simmons of Henry Co. and John McMichael of sd. Co… consid. of $180… Simmons conveys tract in 1st dist. Henry Co., Lot no. 135 cont. 202 ½ acres drawn by Jarrushed Knight (Jerusha Knight) widow of Bulloch Co. and gtd. to her 8 Nov. to John McMichael of Henry Co. Signed: John Simmons. Wit: D. Andrews, Silas Elliott. (Rec. March 15, 1824, Deeds, p. 434) Note: The above two records are a little problematical. I has been written by others in various places, that a Joseph Knight who was associated with John of Effingham, married a Jerusha Cone of SC. The first record appears to partially confirm this, though not specifically enough to be certain. Recall that Joseph Knight first appears in 1795 on a Bulloch/Screven petition along with Robert Knight and Thomas Knight. The petition includes numerous Knight associated names including two Aaron Cones. Dec 29 – GA Bulloch – Admin - Thomas Knight - planter, to Allen Denmark, Planter, Dec. 29, 1823, for 100 dollars, 250 acres in the 8th District of Early Co., known as Lot #231. Wit James Denmark, Richard A. Lane, A. Rawls. Rec: Jan. 24, 1823 (Unsourced at the moment) Note: Compare the 1821 record of the sale of land from Thomas N. Morel to John Rawls which references the John Knight and Thomas Knight Rev War Bounty land. |
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| 1826 | Sep 2 – GA Bulloch – Admin – John Knight, Robert Knight - Morgan Brown, Allen Rawls and James Rawls, execs. of the will of John Rawls, to Peter Cone, highest bidder at public outcry, for $1,650, land on the Ogeechee River as follows: 100 acres original granted to Oliver Bowen...a tract of 500 acres originally granted to John Knight; 100 acres originally granted to Robert Knight... Wit: Alexander Knight, Abraham Richardson, JP. Rec: 22 Sept. 1826. GA Fayette – Admin – Joel Knight – 202 acs. (GA Property Tax Digest, 1926, microfilm online served by ancestry.com) |
Jan 27 – SC Laurens – Will – Ephraim Knight – Sons Ephraim Knight, William Knight, land, horses, furniture, farming tools; dau: Lucinda Knight, furniture, “one little wheel and one big wheel and one side saddle; dau Polly Knight to share in division of residue; wife mentioned but not named; Son William Knight, executor. Wit: James Hill, Levi Hill, Joseph Pollard. (SC Wills and Probate Records, 1670-1980, Laurens, Estate Papers, Packets 4-13 to 45-4, 1800-1931.) | |
| 1827 | May 7 – GA Bulloch/Screven – Admin – William Smith & Annath Knight Smith - Deed headed Georgia, 23 Jul 1828 bet. William Smith of State of S.C. and Beaufort Dist. for himself and in right of his wife Annath Smith formerly Annath Knight and as Gdn.. of the orphans and minor heirs of Stephen Knight dec’d. late of sd. State first afsd. and Screven Co. of the first part and Solomon Bryan of Screven Co., Ga. of other sd. William Smith on 5 June 1826 appt’d by Honorable the Inf. Ct. of Screven Co. sitting for Ordinary purposes appt’d Gdn. afsd. of the person, property of the orphas and minor heirs… on 7 May 1827 at public outcry at the Cthse. in Henry County. and publically advertised agreeable to the Ct. on the 1st Tus. being the 6 May 1828 the following described tract of land drawn by heirs of sd. Stephen Knight dec’d. in one of the land lotteries… when sd. Solomon Bryan being highest bidder of same… consid. of $300.50 … convey tract cont. 202 ½ acres adj. Lot no. 67, 61, 69 and 93 as represented by the orig. plat in 6th Dist. Henry Co. and known as Lot no. 68. Signed: William Smith, Guardian. Wit: Seaborn Goodall, Alexander Kemp, J.I.C. (Rec. 18 Aug 1828, GA Land Records online) Note: Here you see how tricky things can get over time. We know that Stephen Knight was related to Zachariah Knight of Beaufort District, SC and probably remained there when his father removed to Liberty County GA. Here we see that he has died and his heirs drew land in Bulloch/Screven County in the lottery, and that land is now being sold. Nevertheless, this gives us the name of at least one of Stephen's children, daughter, Anath. |
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| 1828 | Jan 26 – GA Bulloch – Admin – Jerusha Knight - Inventory and apprisement of estate of JERUSHA KNIGHT. Alexander Knight, admir. by Issac Richardson, William Lee and George MIKELL. (Jeannette Holland Austin, Georgia Intestate Records , Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc. Baltimore 1986, p. 183.) Note: Compare to the 1792 Mar 28 entry regarding the sale of land in SC by Joseph Knight of Effingham to George McCall of Darlington Dist., S C that was granted John Knight 21 April 1775, lying on south side of Pee Dee River. Witnessed by John Moore, William McCall and John McCall. Clearly the name “ MIKELL is a phonetic rendering of McCall though it appears that at least one family retained the aberrant spelling. Note also that Elhannon McCall married Elizabeth Knight, dau. of Rev. Samuel Knight and Mary Roberts Knight. John and William McCall were sons of Charles McCall and Celete Ann Williams McCall and uncles of Elhannon McCall. Note also that Alexander Knight is a witness to the sales to and from Peter Cone, and was administrator of the estate of Jerusha Knight. Alexander must have been son of Jerusha and Joseph Knight. |
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| 1830 | 1830 – GA Jasper – Admin - Federal Census - ** Elisha Knight: 2 males 20-29, 1 fem 20-29, 1 fem under 5. ** John Knight SR: 1 fem 40-49, 1 male 20-29, 1 fem 15-10, 2 males 15-19, 1 male 10-14, 3 fems 5-9, 27 slaves. (Obviously the widow and estate of John Knight who was 45 and over in 1820 and is now deceased.) ** James Knight: 1 male 20-29, 1 fem 20-29, 1 male under 5. ** John Knight JR: 1 male 20-29, 1 fem 20-29, 3 fems under 9, 7 slaves. ** Matthew Knight: 1 male 20-29, 1 fem 20-29, 1 fem 15-19, 1 fem 10-14, 1 male under 5. Note: The John Knight here is likely a grandson of John Knight and Elizabeth Woodson Knight. He married 1) Mary Carrington; 2) Temperance Head Bullard. The James you see here is his son, as is the John JR. GA Laurens – Admin - Federal Census - ** Spier Knight: 1 male 30-39, 1 fem 20-29, 1 fem 5-9, 2 males & 1 fem under 5, 8 slaves. ** Benjamin Volloton ** James Spiers ** John Spiers ** Nathan Tucker ** Luke Mizell (text: Meizles). GA Lowndes – Admin - Federal Census - ** Jonathan Knight: 1 male 60-69, 1 fem 40-49, 1 male 40-49, 1 male 20-29, 1 male 15-19, 2 males 10-14, 1 male & 1 fem under 5, 4 slaves. ** Matthew Albritton ** James Albritton ** Levi J. Knight: 2 males 20-29, 1 fem 20-29, 1 male & 1 fem under 5, 1 free col male 10-23. ** William P. Roberts, ** John Knight: 1 male 20-29, 1 fem 20-29. ** William Anderson Knight: 1 male 50-59, 1 fem 40-49, 1 fem 15-19, 2 males 15-19, 1 male 10-14, free col: 1 male 10-23, 2 slaves. ** William Cone Knight: 1 male 20-29, 1 fem 20-29, 1 fem & 2 males under 5, 1 slave. ** John C. Roberts JR ** James Anderson ** Robert McCall ** John Roberts SR ** Lewis Roberts ** Samuel Knight: 1 male 30-39, 2 fems 30-39, 1 male 20-29, 1 fem 10-14, 2 males 10-14, 1 fem 5-9, 1 male 5-9, 2 fems under 5. ** Jonathan Knight: 1 fem 60-69, 1 male 40-49, 1 fem 20-29, 1 male 20-29, 2 fems 5-9, 1 fem & 1 male under 5. ** Enoch Collins ** William Knight: 1 male 20-29, 1 fem 20-29, 1 slave. ** Jemima Tucker. Note: I would say that what we are seeing above in Lowndes County is a record of related family members. I've also included Jemima Tucker because she is the mother-in-law of Jonathan Knight. See HERE for fuller discussion of what we may be seeing in this census. One thing we are not seeing is John Knight of Effingham, so he has died between 1822 and 1830 though we do not know when. GA Wayne – Admin - Federal Census - ** Abraham Knight: 1 male 100 and over, 1 male 20-29, 1 fem 20-29, 1 male 10-14, 2 males & 1 fem under 5. ** Thomas J. Knight: 1 male 30-39, 1 fem 30-39, 1 fem 15-19, 1 male 10-14, 1 fem 10-14, 1 fem 5-9, 1 male 5-9, 1 male & 1 fem under 5. ** NOTE: I've checked the image of the census page and what ancestry.com has indexed here is completely wrong. The census actually says: 1 male 30-40, 1 fem 30-40, 1 male 10-15, 1 fem 5-10, 1 fem and 2 males under 5. There is no male "100 and over".GA Fayette - Federal Census - ** Joel Knight: 1 male 40-49, 1 fem 40-49, 1 male 10-14. ** Woody Knight: 1 male 20-29, 1 fem 15-19, 1 male under 5.
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SC Laurens – Admin - Federal Census - ** John Knight: 1 male 30-39, 1 fem 30-39, 1 fem 5-9, 1 male 5-9, 2 fems & 1 male under 5, 2 slaves. ** William Puckett: couple 30-40, 8 kids. ** Josiah Rutledge: couple 30-40, 2 kids. Note: I’ve included the William Puckett and Josiah Rutledge households here since John Knight (b. 1747), is last seen in the HH of William Puckett, below, and is said to have married a Polly or Betsy Rutledge (pos. 2nd wife, she was a widow). That these households are close together tends to support that. |
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| 1833 | Dec 12 – South Carolina – Admin - John Knight - Senate Report of the committee on the Petition of John Knight praying to receive a specific sum in lieu of his annual pension In Senate 12 Dec 1833 Res. that Senate do agree to reject this pet. Signed Jacob Warley, C.S. Note: Over 80? – perhaps 83? – then he would be born 1750. If he is 86, he would be born 1747 and would fit John Knight b. Ovewharton Parish, Stafford VA. But notice that he says he “has no family” except a sister in GA?! That would not fit John Knight b. 1747, who is later found in the HH of his daughter and son-in-law. Unless he was exaggerating. Additional Note: The PDF file where this petition is found includes a document that reads: “Gentlemen, You’ll deliver the Indents (?) of my Late Husband John Knight to Mr. James Knight Jun with special Indents & Oblige Your humble Servt. 27th Dec 1787. To the Commissioners of the Treasury. (signed) Rebecca (R) Knight Certified before me, John Chisolm, J.P.” It also has several documents referring to pension claims by a Thomas Knight. Wide disparity in dates, so it appears to be a collection of odd documents relating to the name Knight. Not much can be made of any of it. |
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| 1837 | Apr – SC Laurens – Admin – John Knight - Court: On this (day) formally appeared in open Court before his Honor B. Ja. Earle… John Knight, aged ninety years, a resident of Laurens District South Carolina” makes a declaration about his Revolutionary War service. Stated that he served 1) Six months under Captain Weathers as a draughtsman in Kershaw District under command of General Sumter etc, (many details skipped). His discharge papers have all been lost. Signed with “his mark”. A Mr. Hendrick Arnold, clergyman, and a Mr. A. C. Jones, attest to the fact that John Knight is known in the area as having been a soldier. Judge B. J. Earle decides that the testimony is credible and that John Knight was a Revolutionary War soldier, and the case went to the SC. House of Representatives, however, the War Dept. refused the pension application for lack of documentation. (U.S. Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, 1800-1900) Note:Thus it is clear that John Knight of SC who was born c. 1747, was still living as late as 1837, and did not die in Wayne County c. 1822. The entire file is well worth reading. |
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| 1840 | Florida Territory Alachua – Admin - Federal Census - ** Elias Knight: 1 male 40-49, 1 fem 20-29, 2 males 10-14, 3 chil. under 9, 3 slaves. ** Britton Knight: 1 male 50-59, 1 fem. 30-39, 3 males 20-29, 1 fem. 10-14. Note: Sons of Zachariah according to probate records. |
GA Lowndes – Admin - Admin - Federal Census - ** Levi J. Knight: 1 male 30-39, 1 fem 50-59, 1 fem 30-39, 1 male 10-14, 2 fems 5-9, 1 male 5-9, 2 males under 5, 1 fem under 5, slaves: 2 fems 24-35, 4 fems under 10, 2 males under 10. ** William A. Knight: 1 male 50-59, 1 fem 50-59, 1 fem 15-19, 1 male 15-19, slaves: 1 fem 10-23, 3 males 10-23. ** John Knight: 1 male 30-39, 1 fem 30-39, 2 males 5-9, 1 fem under 5, 1 male under 5. ** William C. Knight: 1 male 30-39, 1 fem 30-39, 2 males 10-14, 1 fem 10-14, 1 male 5-9, 1 fem 5-9, 2 fems under 5, 1 male under 5, slaves: 1 male 24-35, 1 fem 10-23. ** Jonathan Knight JR: 1 male 30-39, fem. 20-29, 1 fem under 5. ** Jonathan Knight SR: 1 male 50-59, 1 fem 50-59, 1 male 15-19, 1 fem 15-19, 2 fems 10-14, 2 males 10-14. ** James H. Knight: 1 male 20-29, 1 fem 20-29, 1 male under 5. ** William Knight: 1 male 30-39, 1 fem 20-29, 1 fem 10-14, 1 fem 5-9, 1 male 5-9, 1 fem under 5. ** Samuel Knight: 1 male 40-49, 1 fem 40-49, 2 males 20-29, 1 fem 15-19, 1 male 15-19, 2 fems 10-14, 1 fem 5-9, slaves: 2 males 10-23, 3 fems 10-23, 3 fems under 10. ** Aaron Knight: 1 male 30-39, 1 fem 20-29, 1 fem under 5, 2 males under 5. GA Wayne – Admin - Federal Census - ** Abraham Knight: 1 male 50-59, 1 fem 40-49, 3 males 10-14, 1 fem 10-14, 1 male 5-9, 1 fem under 5. GA Fayette Capt Wilkins Dist - Federal Census - ** Joel Knight: 1 male 40-49, 1 fem 40-49, 1 fem 10-14. |
SC Laurens – Admin - Federal Census - ** ** John Knight: 1 male 40-49, 1 fem 40-49, 1 male 20-29, 2 fems 15-19, 1 male 10-14, 1 fem 5-9, 2 males under 5, 1 fem under 5, 6 slaves. ** Josef Puckett: (trans: Goref): 1male 60-69, 1 fem 50-59 ** John Knight: 1 male 90-99, in the HH of William Puckett: 1 male 40-49, 1 fem 40-49, w/16 children. Note: Here you see John Knight, b. 1747 in Overwharton Parish, Stafford VA, in the household of his Pucket relatives. I’ve included the HH data for two Pucketts living next door to each other because William Puckett's wife was Delilah Knight, dau of this John Knight; Pucketts were also found in Henrico/Goochland. |
| 1849 | 1849 – Mar 12 – FL Hamilton – Admin – Frances Knight - John J. ZIPPERERs heirs 1849 – GA Fayette – Admin – Joel Knight – Invalid Revolutionary Pensioners: Private, Fayette Co., June 18, 1838, $72; under Act of April 24, 1816. (Knight’s increased from $52, from October 9, 1838). (Knight, 1920, p. 455) Note: Fayette county is now part of the Greater Atlanta Metropolitan Area. It was formed in 1821. I've only got 4 Joel Knights in the collection and only two of them were old enough to fight in the Revolution: 1) Joel Knight, son of John Knight and Elizabeth Eppes, born 1744 who married Hannah Porch and last seen in Sussex in 1775; 2) Joel Knight, b. 17 Nov 1750, Albemarle Parish, Sussex VA, son of William and Mary and likely brother of John Knight of Effingham, and he then disappears from there completely (probably to Greensville VA where he became the father of Rev. Silas Knight). 3) Joel Knight b. 1780, son of Richard, son of William Knight, son of John and Elizabeth Eppes Knight. He's too young and he went off to Alabama. 4) Joel Samuel Knight, b. 1822, son of Rev. Samuel Knight and Mary N. Roberts Knight. It seems that the only possible Joel - unless there's a dark horse - is #2 above, the son of William and Mary, and therefore brother of John Knight of Effingham who married Rachel Anderson. |
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| 1850 | FL Benton Annuttaliga Settlement – Admin – Federal Census – Elias James Knight, 39, farmer, GA; Azilepha Knight, 30, NC; Mary Ann R. Knight, 8, FL; Sara J. Knight, 7, FL; Margaret S. Knight, 1, FL. ENTIRE. |
GA Lowndes – Admin – Federal Census – Richard H. Knight, 33, farmer, GA; Maria Knight, 29, GA; Daniel H. Knight, 6, GA; Eliza Knight, 4, GA; Elsie A Knight, 3, GA. ** (Thomas McCall, 30, next door) ** William E. Knight, 31, farmer, GA; Eleanor Knight, 32, GA; Keziah Knight, 1, GA. ** Matthew Albritton, 25, farmer, GA; Mary Amanda Albritton, 21, GA; William M. Albritton, 3, GA; Matthew Albritton, 6 mo, GA; Susan M. Turner, 17, GA; James Turner, 18, laborer. ** Jacob Hiers, 27, farmer, SC; Eliza B. Hiers, 16, FL; Malphadonia A. Hiers, 1, GA. ** Matthew Mizell, 37, farmer, GA; Martha Mizell, 32, GA; James A. Mizell, 6 mo, GA. ** Elhannon McCall, 55, farmer, GA; Mary L. McCall, 54, GA; Christian E. McCall, 22, GA; Benjamin W. McCall, 20, GA. ** Thomas S. T. Knight, 30, farmer, GA; Barbary Knight, 26, GA; Nancy Knight, 6, GA; Jonathan Knight, 4, GA; Mary Knight, 3, GA; Willis Knight, 2, GA. (Next HH, David Hiers, 25; McCall’s further down.) ** Elijah Carter, 28, and fam. ** Isham T. Carter, 21, and fam. ** James Carter, 41, and fam. ** John Carter SR, 56, from SC, and fam. ** William C. Knight, 45, Farmer, GA; Rachel Knight, 44, GA; John Knight, 22, Laborer, GA; William Knight, 21, Laborer, GA; Jesse Knight, 19, Laborer, GA; Rachel Knight, 16, GA; Nancy Knight, 15, GA; Thomas J. Knight, GA, 13; Elizabeth Knight, 11, GA; Keziah Knight, 10, GA; Amanda Knight, 8, GA; Mary Knight, 7, GA; Matthew A. Knight, 5, GA; Aaron Knight, 3, GA. (This is William Cone Knight family) ** Reuben Roberts, 43, farmer, GA; Elizabeth A. Roberts, 44, GA; Sherrod E. Roberts, 13, GA; James S. Roberts, 12, GA; Ezekiel W. Roberts, 11, GA; Amanda A. Roberts, 7, GA; Thomas J. Roberts, 6, GA. ** John Knight, 43, farmer; Sarah Knight, 40; William J. Knight, 19, laborer; Levi J. Knight, 17, laborer; James A. Knight, 14; Mary Ann Knight, 12; Henry H. Knight, 10; Sarah A. L. Knight, 5; Keziah A. L. Knight, 1; all b. GA; (Bullards on one side, Shaws on the other). ** Francis Devane 59, farmer, NC; Frances Devane, 53, NC; Patrick Devane, 15, laborer, GA; Benjamin M. Devane, 15, laborer, GA; William Devane, 12, GA. ** Thomas Devane, 25, Marentha Devane, 21, GA ; Rebecca Jane Devane, 3, GA ; Weatthy Ann Devane, 2, GA ; Christian Devane, 3 mo., F, GA . ** Levi J. Knight, 47, farmer, GA; Ann D. Knight, 48, GA; William W. Knight, 21, farmer, GA; John Knight, 18, farmer, GA; Mary A. Knight, 14, GA; Levi A. Knight, 12, GA; Jonathan D. Knight, 10, GA; Keziah A. Knight, 7, GA; Elizabeth Clements, 80, Ireland. ** Aaron Knight, 38, GA; Nancy Knight, 37, NC; John W. Knight, 16, laborer, GA; Jonathan N. Knight, 15, laborer, GA; Rachel Knight, 11, GA; Sarah Ann Knight, 9, GA; Moses D. Knight, 7, GA; George W. Knight, 5, GA; Levi D. Knight, 2, GA. ** W. A. Knight, 73 (William Anderson Knight), clergyman, Prim Bap, SC (b. 1777); Sarah Knight, 70, SC; Rose Ann Mullis, 24, GA; Amanda Mullis, 4, GA; William A. Harris, 26, merchant, RI; Mary H. Harris, 22, CN. GA Fayette Dist 29 – Federal Census - ** Joel Knight, 55, farmer, GA; Isabella Pollard, 22, GA; Stephen Pollard, 19, farmer, GA; Johnson Whatley, 24, farmer, GA; Elizabeth Whatley, 20, GA. – FL Alachua Div 14 – Admin – Federal Census – Jeptha Knight, 31, farmer, GA; Eliza Knight, 31, GA; Levi Knight, 5, FL; George Knight, 4, FL; Thomas J. Knight, 3, FL; Margaret F. Knight, 4 mo, FL; George Knight, 50, GAWilson Bates, 55, farmer, VA; George M Bates, 22, farmer, GA; Mary S. Bates, 10; FL. ** Enoch Collins, 42, farmer, GA; Elizabeth Collins, 30, SC; William Collins, 19, laborer, GA; John Collins, 18, GA; Samuel Collins, 16, GA; Hardy Collins, 15, GA; Enoch Collins JR, 13, GA; Mary E. Collins, 12, GA; Sarah J. Collins, 10; James N. Collins, 8, GA; Jesse Collins, 7, GA; Daniel J. Collins, 4, FL; Perry Collins, 1, FL. (Enoch’s first wife was Fatima Knight, his second, Elizabeth Guthrie.) – FL Benton Buddys Lake Settlement – Admin – Federal Census – ** John Tucker, 65, Baptist Preacher, GA; Mary Tucker, 60, SC; Pleasant T. Tucker, 26, farmer, GA; Jesse H. Tucker, farmer, GA; Amanda M. Tucker, 15, FL; Julia C. Tucker, 13, FL. ** Elijah A. Tucker, 24, farmer GA; Hannah M. Tucker, 22, GA; Isabella C. Tucker, 3, FL; Franklin S. Tucker, 1, FL. FL Columbia Alligator – Admin – Federal Census – Joseph J. Knight, 35, farmer, GA; Emily E. Knight, 23, GA; Maria E. Knight, 6, FL; Matthew M. Knight, 4, FL; Julia C. Knight, 1, FL; Henry F. Knight, 19, laborer, FL. ** Arthur J. T. Knight (Night), 24, Merchant, GA; Harriet Knight, 23, GA; Louisa Knight, 2 mo., FL. ENTIRE. FL Duval Black Creek – Admin – Federal Census – Jonathan Knight, 69, farmer, SC; Elizabeth Knight, 63, GA. (This Jonathan b. 1781) ** Henry Hiers, 35, carpenter, Germany; Louisa Hiers, 24, Germany; William H. Hiers, 2, FL; Frederica H. Hiers, 1, FL. ** Isaac Varn, 70, farmer, SC; Sarah Cone, 12, FL. ** John Summerlin, 29, farmer, FL; Marietta Summerlin, 21, FL; Edward C. Summerlin, 3, FL; Jacob Summerlin, 1, FL, John Huston, 45, laborer, FL. . ** Isaac Varn JR, 49, farmer, SC; Louisa Varn, 30, GA; Andrew L. Varn, 11, FL; Jane Varn, 9, FL; Isaac Varn, 8, FL; David Varn, 6, FL; Henry Varn, 4, FL; John Varn, 3, FL; Jacob Varn, 2, FL. FL Duval Clay Hill – Admin – Federal Census – James H. Knight, 33, farmer, GA; Sintha (Cynthia?) Knight, 33, GA; James R. Knight, 12, GA; Elizabeth M. Knight, 10, GA; William H. Knight, 8, GA; Matthew V. Knight, 6, GA; Cullen T. Knight, 4, FL; Jonathan L. Knight, 4, FL, John W. Knight, 3, FL; David M. Knight, 1, FL. ** William Knight, 44, farmer, FL; Mary Knight, 42, GA; Elizabeth H. Knight, 20, GA; Daniel B. Knight, 17, GA; Mary M. Knight, 16, GA, Nancytun E. Knight, 12, GA; Rhoda C. Knight, 10, FL; Susan A. Knight, 7, FL, James J. Knight, 1, FL; Hannah Burney, 74, NC. FL Hamilton Dist 1 – Admin – Federal Census – Samuel Knight, 31, farmer, GA; Mary E. Knight, 27, GA; Mary E. J. Knight, 12, FL; Sarah E. Knight, 10, FL Eliza Knight, 8, FL; Martha Knight, 5, GL; Nancy Knight, , FL. ** Elhannon W. McCall, 30, farmer, GA; Elizabeth McCall, 23, GA; Thomas J. McCall, 4, KY; Jesse S. McCall, 3 GA; Aaron G. McCall, 6 mo, FL. ** Elizabeth McCall was dau of Rev. Samuel Knight & Mary Nancy Roberts Knight ** Abraham Knight, 24, farmer, GA; Mary Knight, 18, GA. ** Thomas Knight, 30, farmer, GA; Sarah M. Knight, 27, GA; John Knight, 7, FL; Sarah A. Knight, 5, FL; Mary Knight, 4, FL; Jonathan Knight, 2, FL; Jonathan Knight, 15, farmer, FL; Howell Tuten, 20, laborer, SC. (Redden J. Tuten, 38, fam, next HH.) ENTIRE. FL Hillsborough Simmons Hammock Settlement Div 19 – Admin – Federal Census – Samuel Knight, 58, Minister, GA (b. 1792); Mary Knight, 58, SC; Joel Knight, 25, blacksmith, GA; Virginia Knight, 20, AL; Thomas S. Knight, 6, FL; John M. Morris, 25, farmer, AL; Daniel Plurdy, 50, teacher, CT. ** Jesse Knight, 33, farmer, GA; Rebecca C. Knight, 24, SC; Sarah J. Knight, 8, FL; Maria A. Knight, 7, FL; Mary L. Knight, 3, FL; Aaron W. Knight, FL. [Here, the census taker has made an error by carrying over the last listed child of Jesse Knight and putting him into the Itchpossassa Settlement list at the top of the page: William S. Knight, age 1, b. FL. The Simmons Hammock settlement list goes from dwelling house 107, family number 108 to Itchpossassa dwelling house 108, family 109]: ** Frederic Varn, 62, planter, SC; Sarah Varn, 48, SC; Samuel Varn, 27, SC; William B. Varn, 17, SC; Josiah Varn, 15, GA, Sarah Varn, 11, GA; Frances T. Varn, 9, FL; Frederic N. Varn, 2, FL. ** Dwelling 114, family 115, is Jacob Summerlin, 26, Planter, FL; Frances Summerlin, 23, GA w/additional family. ** FL Holmes Div 3 – Admin – Federal Census – William Albritton, 27, farmer, GA; Anna Albritton, 60, GA; Nancy Albritton, 33, GA; Polly Ann Albritton, 23, GA; Mitton J. Albritton, 19, farmer, GA. ** John C. Knight, 25, farmer, GA; Nancy Knight, 55, GA; Ellenna (or Eleanor) Knight, 21, GA; Thomas Knight, 20, laborer, GA; William Knight, 16, GA; Daniel Knight, 14, GA; William McCaskill, 3, FL. ** Robert Knight, 56, farmer, NC; Mary Knight, 54, GA; Rebecca Knight, 19, GA; Robert Knight, 17, laborer, GA; Frances Knight, 14, GA; Jane Bartlett, 26, GA; Robert Bartlett, 9, AL; Mary Bartlett, 7, AL; Rebecca Bartlett, 2, AL. ** Spier Knight, 33, farmer, GA; Julia Knight, 28, GA; Robert J. Knight, 5, AL; Sarah J. Kinight, 3, AL; John C. Knight, 6 mo, FL. |
SC Laurens – Admin – Federal Census – John Knight, 56, farmer; Mary Knight, 57; John Knight, 18; Martha C. Knight, 15; Berry E. Knight, 12; Cleo P. Knight (F), 9; All b. SC. Note: Here you see John Knight, son of John Knight 1747. His father has died since the last census, but we don't know when. Perhaps he made it to 100 or more. This John Knight had a son named Jonathan, buried in the Puckett cemetery in SC. This 18 yr-old John is likely him. In case you missed the implication, this John Knight is a direct male-line descendant of Capt. Peter Knight, provable via records.
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Well, we made it to 1850 and, along the way, we have learned that there were three men named John Knight who were conflated into John Knight of Efffingham. There was the John Knight associated with Zachariah and Thomas Knight of Beaufort SC who we do not know what happened to him; he disappears at about the time that Zachariah moved to Liberty County GA while Zachariah's son, Stephen, apparently remained in SC. There was the John Knight of Kershaw and later Laurens, SC, who we are 100% certain was John Knight of Stafford VA, son of George Knight and Jean Dawson Knight; he was almost 100 yrs old when last seen in the household of his daughter and son-in-law at the age of 98/99. Then, there was our target: John Knight of Effingham/Bulloch/Wayne who apparently started out in GA (based on the Zachariah Henderson record), then spent a few years in SC, finally returning to GA. He lived at least to Dec 11 1822, but was gone by the 1830 census. Along the way, we have eliminated a lot of false notions about John Knight of Effingham.
I can't say much about Zachariah except what I have already noted above. I tried like the dickens to see if he would hook up with John Knight of Stafford VA since there was a Zachariah Knight born in Stafford, son of John Knight and Winifred Garton. This latter John was a son of Ephraim, the son of Leonard Knight and Ann Short, and Leonard was son of Capt. Peter Knight. It would have made such a nice fit since John 1847 was a grandson of Capt. Peter Knight via his son Leonard; two young men traveling to SC from Stafford VA. But, it was not to be. Zachariah of Stafford apparently headed out for Kentucky and has a decent set of records and associations to confirm that he belongs there, not in SC.
Finally, one of the major discoveries is that we have a Knight family in SC as early as 1716, to which it appears our Zachariah of Beaufort certainly belongs; that family begins with Caleb Knight and they may have come from Barbados. I have English records of a Knight family from Norfolk with Barbados connections. It is on the wishlist to find some more records for this group. It may very well be the lineage of Night Knight and other Christian County KY Knights.
As for John Knight of Effingham, once he is disentangled from the Beaufort group (how did anyone ever think that would work considering the distances?!), and considering his associations from the earliest Peter Knight in Effingham GA area in 1765 associated with James Cherry, to the numerous interactions with the Spiers family that intermarried with the Knights probably in Sussex and later in Edgecombe NC, and the association with Hines, the Pughs, Moores, Statens, Carters, Cones, Roberts, etc, all point in one direction: Sussex VA/Edgecombe NC Knights.
Then, there is the name, "Joel" that was given to the son of Samuel Knight along with the invalid Rev War Vet, Joel Knight, in Fayette GA.
In the end, there is only one conclusion to be drawn : John Knight of Effingham is the same John Knight, grandson of John Knight of Sussex, named in the will of his grandfather; and that means he was the son of William Knight and his wife, Mary Andrews. William is, of course, the son of John Knight and his first wife, Elizabeth Jordan. We should notice right away that John Knight of Effingham's first child, a daughter, was named Mary and he named his first son William Anderson.
If I am right, and all the evidence points that way, circumstantial though some of it may be, then it means we actually have a birth record for John Knight of Effingham GA: he was baptized in Albemarle Parish 1745 Sep 17. The family group looks like this:
William Knight & Mary Andrews Knight, children with baptismal sponsors:
* Charles Knight: 7 Oct 1742: Thomas Andrews, William Land, Elizabeth Shelton;
* John Knight: 17 Sep 1745: Edward Shelton, Samuel Wright, Elizabeth Alsobrook;
* Sarah Knight: 19 Jan 1748: Samuel Harwood, Sarah King, Elizabeth Harwood;
* Joel Knight 17 Nov 1750: Francis Redding, David Woodruff, Frances Williams;
* Archibald Knight: 10 Jan 1750: John Avent, John Moss, Elizabeth Carter;
* William Knight: 18 Mar 1753: James Carter, William Ezell, Mary Bass.
William Knight, father of this family, died in 1767 according to the Albemarle Parish Vestry book, and it appears that all births for the Knights in that parish were not recorded, so it is entirely possible for there to have been an additional child, a Joseph and/or a Thomas. On the other hand, the Thomas and Joseph that John is associated with could be cousins; the Knights of Edgecombe were a large and numerous family! But really, the DNA evidence suggests brothers.
I have made every effort to not press the evidence too hard or ask it to bear more weight than is reasonable, and I think I've managed to avoid wild flights of fancy and stick with sober reflection; my conclusions are based simply on where the evidence leads, and when it stops leading, where it points. As you can read in my article on John Knight of Sussex, his records, locations, and associations lead me to the conclusion that he is the son of James Knight of Nansemond/Isle of Wight VA who was the son of Capt. Peter Knight. No, there is no smoking gun, but when you have eliminated the impossible, when you have followed every line to see where it leads, and there is only one left that fits, and fits perfectly with several pieces of supporting evidence, then we have to conclude that this is the almost certain lineage of John Knight of Effingham. The project of collecting every single Knight record I could lay my eyes on has given me a broad, overarching picture of the various families, where they were, how they moved around, who they associated with most often, and in the end, James Knight is the likeliest candidate for the great grandfather of John Knight of Effingham with Capt. Peter Knight as his great-great-grandfather.
UPDATE: I've been in contact with a number of genealogical researchers who are doing some very good work, and some of them have shared their Y-DNA information with me. I can tell you right now that my own Y-DNA line is called "Lineage XII" on the FamilyTreeDNA Knight family Y-DNA project HERE. I can also share that a couple of my correspondents have documented descent from Capt. Peter Knight via his son James Knight, and those persons are also part of Lineage XII, just adjacent to the results of my brother who contributed his DNA for the purpose. So you can say that, via DNA matching, my descent from Capt. Peter Knight of Northumberland VA is confirmed and this makes the above construction of the family of John Knight of Effingham even more secure.
