by Laura Knight
See Knight Records 1166-1549 for key.
1840 – Mar 12 – NC Edgecombe – Will – Elizabeth Knight Cherry – To Dau. Sally D. Jones, all my property of every description. * Good notes amounting to $1000 to heirs of Lewis K. Cherry, deceased. Wit: Henry Austin. (Edgecombe County, Book F., p. 250)
1843 – Apr 25 – NC Orange – Will – Priscilla Carrington – “Being advanced in years”… Son Morgan Carrington, daughter Polly Parrish, wife of James Parrish, daughter Dicey Gozart (Cozart?), wife of William Gozart of ___ County; George W. Jones executor. Wit: Willis Bowling, David Parrish, George W. Jones. (North Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998, Orange, Wills, Vol 1-3, Ada-Culberson, 1785-1865, online ancestry.com)
Note: Wife of Ephraim Carrington.
1844 – NC Edgecombe – Will - Frederick Bell - Includes reference to dau. Phereby Knight, wife of Peter Knight and their daughter, Elizabeth Knight. Witnessed by Peter Knight, Britain Howell (Britton?). (Williams & Griffin 1956, pp. 31-32)
1846 - May – NC Edgecombe – Will - Willis Knight - Written 22 Jul 1845: Wife: Polly, land, 2 horses, 12 sitting chairs, 3 tables, best bofat (?), all crockery, chest, tools, furniture, gig and harness, 20 pigs of her choice, 2 cows and calves, 4 ewes and lambs, bacon, corn, coffee, beehives, etc. I lend her dower which fell to her from her former husband Jesse Knight, land bought of Silas Wilkerson and Lewis Knight, also land bought of Peter Knight, calledthe Anderson and Wren land, also lend her $400, 2 negroes, brandy still, apple mill, 40 cider barrels, and presses.
* Littleberry Brown’s daus: Rebecca, Patsey, Polly and Liddia Ann Brown, reversion of $400 left wife. (Brown’s wife a deceased dau of Willis.)
* Son: Jordan Knight, land whereon he lives.
* Son & Exr: William Knight, plantation whereon he lives adjoining land bought of Cullen Adams, and tract bought of Michael Hearn, and Randolph Cotton, adjoining same; ¼ Light Tract, deeded to myself and Joseph R. Lloyd by Michael Hearn, also I bought of Asa Brown and wife, and John Buntin and wife; 1 negro.
* Son & Exr: John Knight, land bought of Peter Knight, after wife’s death, tract bought of Silas Wilkerson, except wife’s dower; and ¼ of Light Tract;
* Dau: Nancy Mayo, now living in Mississippi, 2 negroes, and those she has already; $600, also lend her 4 negroes, reversion to her heirs, also $50.
* Dau: Harriet Little, 3 negroes.
* Wit: William C. Leigh, Jesse W. Leigh. (Williams & Griffin 1956, pp. 196-197)
1847 - Feb – NC Edgecombe – Will - Dempsey Bryan - Grandson, William Henry knight: slaves in trust, 10 shares stock in Tarboro Branch of the Bank of Stat of N.C., profits arising for benefit and support of his mother, Sarah Knight. Also leaves William Henry Knight two tracts of land bought of Richard Whitaker (of Florida). (Williams & Griffin 1956, p. 55)
Note: Sarah “Sally” Bryan married James C. Knight. The only one that fits and doesn’t already have confirmed wife is James Coffield Knight, son of John Carter Knight and pos. a Miss Coffield.
1847 - Aug – NC Edgecombe – Will - Sally Barlow Knight - Widow of Arthur Knight, written June 3, 1843: Neph: David Barlow, 2 negroes, all stock, sheep, mare, mule, 3 cows and calves, 4 sows and pigs, 2 chests, ½ bees, 6 newest sitting chairs and ½ kitchen furniture.
* Neph. and Exr: Arthur K. Barlow, residue.
* Wit: William R. Long, Henry L. Staton, William S. Long. (Williams & Griffin 1956, pp. 195-196)
1847 - Nov – NC Edgecombe – Will - James Knight - Written 20 Jul 1844: Wife: unnamed, lend all lands, negroes, dwelling house, furniture, mules, cattle, horses, sheep, hogs, bacon, pork, cotton, wool, etc during her life.
* Son: James W. Knight – Lend all land at death of his mother. If he dies without an heir, lend it to Virginia Staton, William Ann Staton and Simmons B. D. Staton. If all of them die without an heir, I give said land to 2 eldest sons of Lunsford R. Cherry. Also lend son James Knight, ½ valuation of negroes, to be left in same way as above.
* Virginia Staton, William Ann Staton, Simmons B.D. Staton, other half of negroes.
* No Exr: Wit: H. Ward, Alston Savidge, Adm. granted H. Ward. Bond $20,000 with Joseph John Pippen, John Knight and William R. Cherry, Securities. (Williams & Griffin 1956, pp. 193-194)
Note: This must be James Knight, son of Walker Knight and Elizabeth Knight (dau of Peter Eppes Knight 1). It appears that the Drucilla Knight who married Simmons B. Staton, was the daughter of James, but had pre-deceased him. Thus, the Staton children were his grandchildren. There was an additional relationship since James’ sister, Cecilia Knight had married Bythel Staton and was the mother of Simmons B. Staton, making him James’ nephew. And yes, William Ann Staton is a girl.
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. Note: 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 and he then disappears from there completely (probably to Greensville VA where he became the father of Rev. Silas Knight). There is a 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. Finally, there is 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 John Knight and Elizabeth Eppes, and therefore brother of John Knight of Effingham who married Rachel Anderson.