Once a Knight is Enough

VA Northumberland – Bap – Ephraim Knight - s/o Leonard Knight and Anne  (Wright 2016, p. 373)

VA Northampton – Will - John Knight -  Sons: Charles Knight, John Knight and William Knight; Brother: Dixon Knight; wife Ann to be executrix; Wit: Benjamin Stratton, Richard Thorman. (Crozier 1909, p. 223)

Note: The earliest Knight in Northampton, south of Accomack, was a Thomas Knight (1642 Mar). A Francis W. Knight was a headright of Edmund Scarborough there 1651 Apr 28. A Richard Knight was headright for William Thorne 1654 Nov 21, along with Dorothy and William Jordan. John Knight was headright for John Evans 1655 Mar 11. John Knight was a headright for John Hinman 1655 Oct 3 along with John Farmer. John Knight, Elizabeth Reynolds, and Robert Wright were headrights for Robert Berace (Burras/Burris?) 1660 Dec 13. A John Knight patented land there 1698 Apr 26, probably the John Knight of this entry.

If I had to speculate on this, I would say that Thomas Knight was father to Francis W. Knight, Richard Knight, and John Knight. Francis and Richard either died or moved elsewhere and John stayed and patented his own land. Who the upline Thomas belonged to, I haven't a clue.

Northumberland VA – Will - Hancock Lee - proved by oaths of Thomas Knight and Mary Knight, witnesses to the will. Dau: Anna Armsteed, son: Richard Lee (b. 18 Aug 1709) Hancock’s Northumberland Plantation; Bro. Richard Lee Esq., Cozen. John Howson; good friend Robert Carter Esq. to be executors.  Codicil: son Isaac Lee, land above the falls of Rappahannock Riv.; 2nd. Codicil: son John Lee to get land in “Chopowamsick contey”.  Wife pregnant at time of will. Witnesses to various parts: Thomas Knight, Thomas Ingram, Mary Knight, Daniel Fielding, Robert Spencer, Elizabeth Bell, John Harris, William Jones. (Sparacio NC DWA 1670-1672 and 1706-1711, pp. 79-81)

Note: Notice John Howson who may have been related to Leonard Howson, Capt. Peter Knight’s friend and associate. It’s an interesting collection of family names in Northumberland at the time.

VA Northumberland – Will – Thomas Knight - Leaves whole estate to his wife, Mary and her three grandchildren, Linsfeild, John, and Mary Sharp. Ex. And Overseer: good Friend, Mr. Hancock Lee”. Probated 21 Mar 1710. (p. 87 Sparacio, NCDWA 1670-1672 and 1706-1711)

VA Northumberland – Admin – James Knight & Joseph Knight - James Knight of Great Wiccomocco Parish sells to Joseph Knight of same parish, for 3000 lb tobo, 50 acres land “formerly my Father Peter Knights”. Adj head of Great Wiccomocco River, adj. land of Edmond Bassey (Basie) Junr. Wit: Benjamine Browne, Martha Knight, John (X) Smith.  Re-rec. by Joseph Knight 19 Jun 1713. (Fleet, NC, p. 560)

Note: Is Martha Knight the wife of one of these men, and if so, which one?

The earliest Joseph Knights I have found in VA are the family of Joseph from James City consisting of his three sons, Edward, Joseph and William. We already suspect strongly, with evidence, that Edward married the daughter of Anthony Coleman and thus became one of the heirs of the latter(just as Samuel Clarke became the heir and next of kin of Peter Knight of Gloucester). See 1654 Jun 1.

However, all of those records are over 60 years in the past and up to this point in time, we have not seen a Joseph Knight in Northumberland. Could this be a grandson of Joseph Knight, the patriarch of James City who was probably of a similar age to Capt. Peter Knight? Does this suggest a relationship between Capt. Peter and Joseph, perhaps cousins?

VA Charles City/Prince George – Will – Edward Richardson - Inventory of Edward Richardson, dec’d, … appraised by Richard Adkins, James Fletcher, Valentine Wilson, and John Knight, who were sworn before John Poythress… (VA Gen. Soc. Qrtly. Vol. 29. No. 1, p. 63)

VA Elizabeth City/Nansemond – Admin - George Walker – Land patent granted to George Walker of sd county for 126 acs in sd. Parish & Co Adj. William Knight: the School land… (Nugent III, p. 113)

Note: Entry 1642 Oct 17 tells us that Henry Coleman patented land in Elizabeth City county with a William Knight as headright. Later, 1672 Aug 10, there was a William Knight who died intestate, leaving widow, Frances. This William was associated with Arthur Smith whose father of the same name, had been associated with Peter Knight of Gloucester.

In 1686 Apr 27, James Knight, prob. son of Capt. Peter Knight, patented land in Nansemond (which absorbed Elizabeth City).

In 1695 Apr 21, Hugh Campbell patented land in Isle of Wight "heretofore recorded in Nansemond County" using Charles, James and Richard Hawley as headrights. He previously used a John Knight in Princess Anne county just south of Elizabeth City and east of Nansemond.

Next, in 1697 Oct 28, Robert Coleman patented land in Nansemond using John Knight as headright.

In 1704, James Knight is on the Nansemond Rent Roll.

And that is, as much as I can glean from my current collection. So who is this William Knight? A son of the original headright used by Coleman in 1642? Was this first William Knight the same who died in Isle of Wight? Was he related to Peter Knight of Gloucester? Did the first William Knight have two sons, William and John? How were they related - if at all - to James Knight, son of Capt. Peter Knight? If they were grandsons of Peter of Gloucester, they would surely be mentioned as heirs. They were not.

It is also possible that William and John Knight are the sons of James Knight.

VA Lower Norfolk/Princess Anne – Admin - Edward Lammont (Lammount) – Land patent for 304 acres “on the seaboard side… Beg. At Mr. Lewis Conner’s Marsh to the mouth of Griffin’s Cr. Dividing this from Jacob Johnson…. Imp. Of 3 pers: Joseph Knight, Susannah, his wife, & Sarah Harding.” (Nugent III, p. 117)

Note: No clue. I can only note that the 1682 Nov 20 John Lear Nansemond patent included Thomas Harding along with Samuel Clarke, Michael Thomas, and James Knight as headrights. We have one or two Josephs now in Northumberland county, and here we have a Joseph very close to Nansemond with James Knight dividing his time between Northumberland and Nansemond.

VA Northumberland – Admin - Leonard Knight - gives a deposition  re: survey of land and states that his age is 45. (Fleet, Northumbria Collectanea, p. 643)

VA Northumberland – Admin - James Knight - re-rec. Peter Knight’s 1651 land patent in his own name. (Fleet, NC, p. 560)

Note: If James has land in Nansemond, is James holding onto this land for the sake of his sister, Elizabeth, who may still be living there? We note that he has sold off several parcels and is likely running a plantation in Nansemond as well. His father had his own small ship, no so doubt, James did also and used it to travel between his plantations.

VA Elizabeth City/Nansemond – Admin - Charles Cellie - Land patent in Eliz City Co, adj. William Knight… (Nugent III, pp. 131)

VA Westmoreland – Admin – Richard Knight - Deed from William Lord of Westmoreland County, Gent. to Richard Knight. (VA Hist. Soc. Vol. I, p. 201)

VA Nansemond – Admin – Samuel Parker - Land Patent for 200 acres “near head of Bennett’s Cr. … Imp. Of 4 pers: John Eye, Oril Hinson, James Gullaway, John Knight.  (Nugent III, p. 155)

VA Northumberland – Admin - Joseph Knight - gives security for Mary Hornsby. (Fleet, NC, p. 560)

VA Richmond – Mar - John Knight & Mary Newburne. "Groom was from Spotsylvania County or Richmond County; bride may have been a dau. of Robt. Newburne of same parish."  (Headley 2003, p. 216)

Note: Since Spotsylvania county was formed only in 1721, out of Essex, King & Queen and King William counties, I'm just going to leave this as Richmond.

VA Richmond – Mar - John Knight & Katherine Phillips -  “Groom was prob. from Stafford County; bride was the only child of James & Isabella (Pannell) Phillips” (Headley 2003, p. 216)

Note: Recall the 1705 Nov 2 Essex county entry for Daniel Mackgirt & James Gibbins who patented land next to land of Thomas Pannell, dec’d, and included a John Knight as headright. The second patent of that day belonging to Mackgirt and Gibbins included Frances Knight and John Hambleton as headrights. Essex county is just across the river from Richmond. It's tenuous, but suggestive. Also notice that above, in 1714 and 1715, we apparently have two John Knights in Richmond, both probably from the same general area. OR, the same John Knight, marrying twice because the first wife died and left him with an infant needing a mother.

VA Northumberland – Admin – Mary Knight - Ariskam Crowder orpht Son of Thomas Crowder deced is hereby bound an apprentice to serve Mary Knight her heirs Execrs & Admrs in all lawfull Services & imploymts until he shall attain the age of One & twenty years (he being Seven years old on the fifth day of last Augt) in Consideration whereof ye sd Mary Knight doth hereby oblige her self her heirs Execrs & Admrs to ye Justices of this County their heris & Successrs for & on the behalf of the said Orpht in ye penal sum of five thousand pounds of toba to find and allow him ye sd Ariskam during the sd terme Sufficient Apparel, Dyet, Washing & Lodging to teach him or Cause him to be taught the trade of a Weaver and give him sufficient learning & Christian Education according to Law. (Haynie  2007, OB 1713-19, 130)

VA Northumberland – Mar - Joseph Knight & Jone - Children: George, Joseph (b. Feb 1719) and Benjamin (b. 27 Dec 1723). D. by 1726. (Wright 2013, p. 206) 

Note: Benjamin later marries Winifred ___. Their son, George, b. 10 Dec 1749. (Wright 2013, p. 205)

Note: See note to 1710 Jun 19. Is this the son of that Joseph Knight? Are there now two Joseph Knight's in Northumberland? Or is this the same Joseph Knight now marrying?

VA Stafford – Bur – William Knight – Burial registry of St Paul’s Parish (McGahn 1982, p. 278)

VA Northumberland – Will – James Knight – p. 198. Knight Will proved. The Last Will and Testament of James Knight, Decd. was presented into Court by David Smith & Francis Knight, execs. who made oath thereto & being proved by the oaths of Isaac Basog (Bafog?) and Richard Nash or Mash (Mafh? Math.?) witnesses thereto & admitted to record and on the motion of the sd David Smith & Francis Knight and their performing what is usual in such cases, Certificate is granted them for obtaining a Probate ___ in due form.

(Lewis, Jasper & Booker, J. Motley, MD (1967) Northumberland County Wills and Administrations 1713-1749, p. 7)

Note: The search for the will is ongoing but so far, this is all we have. The two names I had problems with above are almost illegible in the original text. They were, apparently, the witnesses to the will itself wherein Smith and Knight were named as executors. It may be that the slightly unusual wording of this record was due to the fact that James died in Nansemond and the major part of his property was there. It has been assumed that the above named Francis Knight was the eldest son of James.

Recall that Peter Knight of Gloucester was the overseer of the will of Arthur Smith of Isle of Wight County 1645 Oct 1. And then, in 1672 Aug 10, Arthur Smith JR and George Moore were security for the administration of the estate of a William Knight who died intestate leaving widow, Frances.

Then, in 1696 Feb 6, the will of James Benn mentions his Mary Knight in his will, but no relationship specified.

The will of Arthur Smith JR, d. 2 Dec 1696 mentions his grandson Arthur Benn, so, it appears that a daughter of Arthur Smith married James Benn and was the mother of the grandson, Arthur Benn who was connected somehow to a Knight as aunts and uncles were usually godparents.

Also, in 1677, John Vicars of Isle of Wight left a bequest to his goddaughter Mary Knight. (Chapman).

These Isle of Wight, Smith/Benn/Vicars connections suggest some kind of connnection with Knights that are related to Peter Knight of Gloucester, though we are pretty certain that he had no surviving male heir. And here we see a connection between Smiths and James Knight, son of Capt. Peter Knight.

VA Nansemond – Admin - Simon Knight – Land patent for 171 acs. Up. Par. Of Nansemond Co; on head of the Honey Pot… adj. Col. Baker; & Mr. Wright;  Imp of 4 pers: Simon Knight, Elizabeth Knight, John Learwood, Anne Persall. (Nugnt III, p. 193)

Note: The name "John Learwood" reminds one of John Lear. Recall the 1682 Nov 20 record of Col. John Lear who used James Knight and Samuel Clarke as headrights. Is Simon somehow related to James and using the same network for his headrights? Is Elizabeth his wife, or sister?

VA Northumberland – Admin – Thomas Lee Esq - Of Westmoreland Co. 150 ac. in Wiccomocco Par. In Northumberland Co. adj. Lee’s land, Bishops neck old plantation where Mrs. Knight lived, Mr. Charles Lee, 4 Aug. 1719.  (Gray 1987, p. 71)

VA King George County formed in 1720 from Richmond County.

VA Brunswick County was established from Prince George County.

VA Richmond – Admin - John Knight pays a debt to Mrs. Susannah Taylor, widow. (Fleet, Richmond, p. 322)

VA Richmond – Admin - John Knight – Rent Rolls. (Virginia, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1607-1890)

VA Jamestown - Admin - As part of a long act devoted to "the better government of Negros, Mulattos, and Indians, bond or free," the General Assembly declares "That no free negro, mullatto, or indian whatsoever, hereafter have any vote at the election of burgesses, or any other election whatsoever." The law also restricts a master's ability to free his slaves. Following this event, apparently a lot of individuals left Virginia. I have also read many wills where the "master" has gone to convoluted extremes to find ways to free their slaves including transporting them out of the territory in order to do so. This was also a blow to the Quakers who did not accept slavery and would eject members who refused to free their slaves. Indeed, there was slavery in American in those days, but only about 5% of the population of whites were involved. Most whites were, themselves, partly enslaved as indentured servants, or enslaved by poverty. The entire initial system of Virginia Colony operated via slavery, mainly of whites in the beginning, but also including Africans and Indians.

VA Surry – Admin - Silvanus Stoakes (Stokes) – Land patent for 380 acs. Surry Co; S. side of Nottoway River, & on both sides of Racoon Sw;. 40 Shill. (Nugent III, p. 254)

Note: Sylvanus Stokes (1710-1766) and Cecilia Walker Stokes, were the parents of Elizabeth Stokes who married John Knight (d. 1791 Sussex VA)

VA Stafford – Admin - Leonard Knight - Overwharton Parish List of Tenders of Tobacco includes: James Fletcher, William Fletcher, Moses Fletcher, Aaron Fletcher, Leonard Knight, Christopher Knight, Isaac Knight, Ephraim Knight. (King 1961, pp. 157-165)

Note: Leonard’s son, Ephraim would be just 18 at this time and it appears that he was listing additional sons, Christopher and Isaac. They are listed in this order, so perhaps it indicates age, oldest to youngest? As noted, no grandchildren were mentioned in the will of Capt. Peter Knight, but that is no proof that there were none and this record appears to indicate that there were earlier sons and that they must have been born before Capt. Peter died, though they were not mentioned in his will.

Also, the Knights here intermarried with the Fletchers.

Essex/King & Queen/Caroline VA - Robert Farish, John Pigg & John May - Land patent for 2000 acres “in a fork of Mattapony Riv., about 2 mi. above the Doeg Town… Imp. Of 40 persons” incl: Margarett Gallaway, James Gallaway, John Eye, Ore Hinson, John Knight. (Nugent III, p. 167)

Note: Recall that the 16 Jun 1714 Patent granted to Samuel Parker for 200 acres in Nansemond County “near head of Bennett’s Cr." Included, as headrights,  John Eye, Oril Hinson, James Gullaway, John Knight.

VA Spotsylvania – Admin – Uriah Garton - Larkin Chew, Senr., of St. Geo. Par., Spts. Co., to James and Uriah Garton of the same par. and Co. 30 pounds ster., 500 a. in St. Geo Par., …adjoining Col. John Robinson and Joseph Brock… Wit:  G. Home, Thos. Smith, John Grayson, junr. (Crozier 1905, p. 97)

VA Northumberland – Will – Francis Knight -   … I Francis Knight of the County of Northumberland and parish of Great Wiccocomoco… to my loving wife all my whole Estate, Goods, cattle and Lands During her widowhood and after her death or marriage unto my son John Knight and his heirs forever.  …
to Thomas Walker, his clothes.
Exs: Wife and Charles _aver or aven.
Wit: Aaron Taylor, John Hornsby, George Walker. Died Feb 15 1726. (Sparacio, 1710-1713; 1718-1729.)

VA Northumberland – Bap – Benjamin Knight - The son of Joseph Knight and Joan, would be born about this time (Wright 2013, p. 203)

Note: see entries for 1710 Jun 19, 1714 Jul 2, 1716, 1717 Sep 19, and notes there, if any.

VA Goochland/Henrico – Admin – William Knight - Court: Suits: Edward Moore vs John Taylor; Edward Moore vs John Stubblefield; Joseph Woodson vs John Micheaux; William Chamberlaine vs George Marchbanks.

Ordered that a road be cleared from the Widow Johnsons by the race paths on the South side of William Knights… (Blomquist 2007, p. 27.)

Note: From this we learn that there is, indeed, a Knight living in Henrico though we have no idea how long he has been there.

VA Goochland/Henrico – Admin – William Knight - Samuell Gregory acknowledges a deed with the Livery of Seizin endorsed from himself to William Knight to be his Act and deed and it is thereupon admitted to Record.” (Blomquist 2007, p. 214)

Note: This is the only transaction I have found between Samuel Gregory and William Knight. Perhaps if someone has a copy of the actual deed, it may show that a John Knight is a witness. However, note that this is 1730, not 1727 as the "myth" claims. There could, of course, have been two transactions, the earlier in Henrico County, but still, I need to see the record and I have searched for it without success.

VA Brunswick – Admin – William Knight - John Robinson of [torn] to William Knight of Surry Co. [torn] joining Harrison. Also signed by Mary (x) Robinson. Wit: Moses Dunkley, Mary Dunkley, Proved 7 Sep 1732. Drury Stith CC Note: Probate indicates that the grantors were John & Mary Robinson. (Bradley 1997, p. 1)

Note: Look at your map above and you will see that Brunswick is a sort of bridge between Surry County and Lunenburg County.

VA Surry – Admin - Richard Knight – Purchase of 100 acres for 6 pounds from Nicholas and Joyce Calleham on the south side of the Nottoway River and south side of the Hunting Quarter Swamp. Subsequent deeds mention that Richard, as well as his son, Ephraim, were carpenters. (Knight & Harlander 1984)

Note: See HERE for a more detailed discussion of this family.

VA Nansemond – Admin - Richard Parker -  of the Province of North Caroline, 37 acs. NL, in upper Pr. Nansemond Co., adj. His own, the County line  [S87 E] & John Knight. (Nugent IV, p. 13)

Note: We see here a John Knight in Nansemond where there is already a Simon (1717 Jul 15); James (1704 See HERE for 1704 Rent Roll - Selected Lists.)

VA Stafford – Mar - William Knight & Jane Butler. Overwharton Parish (Fletcher, p. 98)

Note: This is most likely a son of Leonard Knight who has become a member of Overwharton Parish since the death of his father c. 30 years previous.

VA Brunswick – Admin – William Knight -  Court minutes: John Robertson and Mary his wife (she being first privately examined) came into Court & presented and acknowledged their Deeds of Lease and Release to William Knight which at the sd Knights mo[torn]  (Bradley 2000, p. 7)

Note: See commentary about this entry HERE. (Bottom of page after lists.)

VA Lancaster – Bap – Hannah Knight -  dau. of Amos Knight and Hannah Kendall Beaman.  Hannah Knight married Joseph Beaman 1755 Jul 23 in Lunenburg. Hannah died 1835 May 29. (North American Family Histories, ancestry.com)

VA Surry/Sussex – Bap – Peter Knight – s/o John Knight and Elizabeth of Albemarle Parish: Peter Knight, son of John Knight and Elizabeth Knight, born. Bap. 10 Feb, sps: Peter Hawthorn, Chauncy Tatum, Mary Eppes. (Richards 1958, p. 39)

Note: After having several children with Elizabeth Jordan, John Knight of Surry/Sussex married Elizabeth Eppes and began a new family. Children from both wives are named in his will probated 1762. See HERE for discussion.

VA Richmond/King George – Admin - Hancock Lee – “of Northumberland”, land patent for 595 acs in King George Co. adj. his own land, Mr. Knight. (Gray 1987, p. 101)

Note: We know that Thomas Knight, friend of the first Hancock Lee who died in 1709, had no children of his own; so who is this Knight occupying land next door to another Hancock Lee 30 years later?

Thomas Knight and Hancock Lee both patented adjacent lands in Richmond in 1704 in the same year that an Isaac Knight appears as a shipowner in Richmond. Then there was an Isaac Lee in 1712 Jul 30, then a John Knight in 1714, 1715, and 1721.

We can also note that there was an Isaac Knight who was apparently the son of Leonard Knight and listed in Stafford in 1724. Was the original Isaac, ship owner of 1704, a relation of Thomas Knight, friend of Hancock Lee? Was he the father of John Knight of Richmond? Or did John Knight come from Stafford or Spotsylvania as suggested by the transcriber of the records of 1714 and 1715?

Colonial America   - Info - George Whitefield - The Anglican itinerant George Whitefield arrives at Lewes, Delaware, where he begins a preaching tour of America that sparks the Great Awakening. Pulling away from ritual and ceremony, the Great Awakening made religion intensely personal to the average person by fostering a deep sense of spiritual conviction of personal sin and need for redemption, and by encouraging introspection and a commitment to a new standard of personal morality. It brought Christianity to African-American slaves and was an apocalyptic event in New England that challenged established authority. It incited rancor and division between old traditionalists who insisted on the continuing importance of ritual and doctrine, and the new revivalists, who encouraged emotional involvement and personal commitment.

It had a major impact in reshaping the Congregational church, the Presbyterian church, the Dutch Reformed Church, and the German Reformed denomination, and strengthened the small Baptist and Methodist denominations. It had little impact on Anglicans and Quakers. 

Whitefield was one of the founders of Methodism. Whitefield received widespread recognition during his ministry; he preached at least 18,000 times to perhaps 10 million listeners in Great Britain and the American colonies.  In 1738 he went to Savannah, Georgia, in the American colonies, as parish priest. While there he decided that one of the great needs of the area was an orphan house. Like Jonathan Edwards, he developed a style of preaching that elicited emotional responses from his audiences. But Whitefield had charisma, and his loud voice, his small stature, and even his cross-eyed appearance (which some people took as a mark of divine favour) all served to help make him one of the first celebrities in the American colonies. Whitefield included slaves in his revivals and their response was great. Historians see this as "the genesis of African-American Christianity."

John Wesley denounced slavery as "the sum of all villainies," and detailed its abuses. However, defenses of slavery were common among 18th-century Protestants, especially missionaries who used the institution to emphasize God's providence. Whitefield was at first conflicted about slaves. He believed that they were "human", but he also believed that they were "subordinate Creatures".

Slavery had been outlawed in the young Georgia colony in 1735. (Slavery was legalized in Georgia in 1751 in part thanks to Whitefield). (Schlenther, Boyd Stanley (2010) [2004]. "Whitefield, George (1714–1770)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press.)

VA Stafford – Bap - John Knight - son of Leonard Knight and Eleanor born. Overwharton Parish (King 1961, p. 66)

Note: In 1734 Dec 26, we saw William Knight marrying Jane Butler and this was surely the son of Leonard Knight and his wife Anne. Here we see a Leonard Knight baptizing a child and this must also, surely, be a son of Leonard, i.e. a Leonard Knight JR.

VA Brunswick – Admin - John Knight - Land patent for 383 acs. on S. side of Nottoway Riv. bounded by Fishers Corner on dry Cr. (VA Gen. Soc. Qrtly. Vol. 26, No. 3, p. 217)

Note: It seems to me that this may be our first sighting of John Knight of Lunenburg. Brunswick is right next door. See commentary HERE.

VA Surry – Admin - Richard Knight - Land patent for 400 acs. S. side of Nottoway R., N. side of Hunting Quarter Swl, bounded by Richard Woodroofe, Howard Briggs & Nicholas Calliham. (VA Gen. Soc. Qtrly. Vol. 26 No. 2, p. 139)

VA Surry – Admin - Sylvanus Stokes “the younger” - Land patent for 500 acs. S. side of Nottoway R., bounded by sd. Stokes and otherland of William Harris & Robert Owen. (VA Gen. Soc. Qtrly. Vol. 26 No. 2, p. 143)

VA Stafford – Bap - Mary Ann Knight - daughter of Christopher Knight, born/baptized.Overwharton Parish (King 1961, p. 66)

VA Stafford – Bap - William Knight - s/o Elizabeth. Overwharton Parish (King 1961, p. 66)

Note: If this William was illegitimate, it would have been noted. Why wasn’t the father named? Was he deceased and the child posthumous? Was the deceased father a son or grandson of Leonard Knight? Who?

VA Orange/Spotsylvania – Admin – Thomas Knight – Court: Thomas Petty’s daughter Mary and her husband Thomas Knight “left the county secretly” to avoid paying a debt. (Orange Co., OB 4A, p 88)

Note: Orange County was created in 1734 from part of Spotsylvania County.

VA Stafford  – Bap – John Knight s/o George Knight and Jean. Overwharton Parish (King 1961, p. 66)

VA Surry/Sussex – Admin – John Knight, Jordan Knight & Richard Knight - Albemarle Parish Vestry Meeting: Christopher Tatum & John Mason jr Appointed Church Wardens for the year ensuing.

A Letter from Mr. Robert Jones junior setting forth the Misfortunes of a Certain Jordan Knight son of John Knight, being read, it is ordered that the said Jordan be Exempt from paying his Parish Levies during his Continuance Under his Calamity.

Results of prev. ordered Processioning given including: Francis Eppe’s, Edward Eppes, James Cain, Richard Knight, Benjamin Jordan, John Knight, Col. Bland, John Bass, Samuel Bass.

“In pursuance to an Order of Vestry held for the parish of Albemarle Aug 26 in the year of our Lord 1747 we the said James Cain & Robert Farrington have seen every person’s Land procession’d within our precinct & the land marks renew’d except a line between James Cain & George Robinson which the said George Robinson refused to have procession’d the reason was the former lines are Cut down And the sd Robinson says the sd James Cain hath removed his Land mark.

Richard Knight’s land not precession’d because he wou’d not attend & he alledg’d he never had done it.”  (Davis 2008, pp. 33-45 Procession lists)

Note: The item about Jordan Knight makes it certain that he is well of taxable age, no doubt in his mid-20s. That would put his birth in the early-1720s. Since, according to his father's later will, he is not the first child, his father would probably need to be born about 1690 or earlier. See discussion HERE.

According to the Parish Register, Jordan's first recorded child was baptized in 1765 when he would have been at least 40. One wonders, of course, what the “calamity” was. Did he and his family go somewhere, did something terrible happen to his family, and a letter had to be written about it? Otherwise, one would think that everyone would know the situation. Was the child born in 1765 the start of a second family after the loss of a first one?

Another take would be that he went somewhere, injured himself or became ill, and took a long time to recover. But would that be described as "a calamity"?

VA Surry – Admin - Governor’s Council meeting – Petitions for land granted: To Jacob Warrick, 1,000 acs in Surry on the south side of Nottoway River including his own plantation and joyning the lines of John Stephens, Jesse Gillam Thomas Pennington, John Knight and John King. (Exec. Journals. VA, Vol. V,  p. 251)

VA Surry/Sussex – Bap – Mary Knight – d/o John Knight and wife Elizabeth born; Albemarle Parish;  Bap 3 Dec sps William Hutchins, Sarah Evans, Anne King. (Richards 1958, p. 150)

Note: A long time has gone by since John Knight registered the birth of a child, yet he had a slew of them in his will, including this one.  Obviously, they were either not being recorded, the records were lost, or he was elsewhere at different times.  At this point, he is married to Elizabeth Eppes. See discussion HERE.

VA Surry/Sussex – Bap – Rebecca Knight – d/o Richard Knight and wife Elizabeth; Albemarle Parish; Sps: Boyce Tatum, Mary Andrews. (Boddie 1998, p. 119)

Note: In 1742 May 30, Richard Knight and wife Elizabeth were sponsors to the child of William and Naomi Cook. Then, in 1746 Oct 28 another Richard Knight and his wife Martha baptized a daughter, Martha Knight.

Here, we see the first Richard, again; there were obviously two of them.