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Descendants of Robert Dukes - June 24, 2003

16. HENRIETTA⁴ MERCER (HENRIETTA³ DUKES, ROBERT S.², ..¹) was born 14 May 1829 in Washington Co, TN ¹⁵, and died 14 Jan 1925 in Flying E Ranch, Jal, Lea Co, NM ¹⁶. She married (1) JOHN BALLINGER CHILES¹⁷ 20 Jan 1848 in Independence, Jackson Co, MO - No children ¹⁸, son of .. CHILES. He was born 24 Dec 1820 in Clark Co, KY ¹⁹, and died 12 May 1862 in Oregon City, Clackamas Co, OR. She married (2) JOHN AMBROSE ELLIS KNIGHT, SR. 19 Jul 1863 in Oregon City, Clackamas Co, OR ²⁰, son of MATTHEW KNIGHT and CECILIA ELLIS. He was born 05 Aug 1828 in Lunenburg Co, VA ²¹, and died 30 Apr 1894 in K & M Ranch, Palo Pinto, Palo Pinto Co, TX ²².

Notes for HENRIETTA MERCER:
Henrietta Mercer Chiles Knight was born in Tennessee, and moved to Missouri with her family in 1836 or 1837. Was in Oregon in 1850 and later in New Mexico. She had five other children who died in infancy.

Although Henrietta and John B. Chiles have always thought to have been childless, Henrietta's sister, Ella Mercer, wrote in 1860 that she wished she (Laura) could visit them. She would really stir up the household -- and "if I could not make Mifs Etta laugh I.d pinch her and make her cry." Etta is not normally the endearment by which Henrietta was called -- normally it was Retta.

Henrietta Mercer Knight, daughter of Thomas Wallace and Henrietta Dukes Mercer, wrote copious letters about the history of her family. As these letters were largely done when she was very old, descendants are uncertain as to the accuracy of their information. Many were written from Jal, New Mexico, to Mrs. E. D. Lee in 1924, granddaughter of Elizabeth Dukes Dillard. "Lizzie" was a special friend of Henrietta when they were both children. Snippets of information have been placed in the appropriate family category which are excerpts from these letters.

"Yes, I am Henrietta Mercer Knight, Elizabeth Dukes Dillard's cousin. Her father was my ma's youngest brother. I was so very much pleased to get your letter. It was the first direct news I had since 1850 of my cousin. I was in Oregon during the war between the states."

"Mr. J. B. Chiles died in Oregon in 1862, May 1st. We had no children. I was married to Mr. John A. E. Knight, July 19th., 1863, came back to Independence, Mo., to visit my Pa's family staid a few weeks and came to Texas to have six children, all died in infancy except one (John A. E. Knight). He has six children two sons and four daughters. I live with him. I am ninety five (95) years old My hands are so stiff with rheumatism it is hard for me to write, can not walk alone, seldom leave my room. My eyes are very bad can see with only one. Am looking for a summons to the great "Beyond" am ready I hope."

"[second letter first describing current health and directions to ranch 60 miles from El Paso.] I am 95 yrs. old, was born in 1829, May 14th., was 3 (three) years older than your grandmother."

Lillie Knight, Henrietta's daughter-in-law, writes, stating "Granny" Knight suffered a stroke of paralysis Sept. 6th. and . . .

Various sources, sent by Ed Kutz, relating to Henrietta Mercer and her marriages:

18 Mar 1995. The Iva Lee Calley Riggs Genealogy:
Has marriage date of John B. Chiles and Henrietta Mercer as 30 Jan 1848 (I show 20 Jan 1848), and John Chiles death on 12 May 1862 (I show 1 May 1862).

Sources given:
Handwritten letters and "History of the Mercer Family," wriiten from about 1915 to 1925 by Henrietta Mercer Chiles Knight.

Henrietta Mercer Chiles Bible (American Bible Soc., NY, 1846), entries from 1820-1880, in possession of Joanne Albert Miskulin; later donated to the Oregon Trail Society, Frontier Trails Library, Independence, MO.

Journal written by Henrietta Mercer Chiles on trip to OR, started 11 May 1850, also donated to Oregon Trail Society, above. ("They arrived in Clackamas County, Oregon Territory on 20 Oct 1850 and settled Claim #4415 on 25 Jul 1851.")

Death of Henrietta Mercer Knight from bible records and from Cemetery Record, Jal-Cooper Cemetary, Jal, Lea Co., NM, located 7 mi. N. of Jal & 2 mi. E, off NM State Highway 18.

Marriage of Henrietta Mercer and John Ballenger Chiles, Jackson Co., MO.

Marriage of Henrietta Chiles and John Ambrose Ellis Knight from bible records and from Marriage Certificate, Clackamas Co., OR, 19 Jul 1863.

Wilcox, "Jackson County, Missouri; History of Pioneer Families", LDS FHC, SLC, UT, #977.841 H2w. [Iva Riggs]

Obituary "Odessa-American" in Odessa, Texas:

Mrs. Knight Died at Home in Jal

Mrs. Knight, the mother of J. A. E. Knight of Jal, New Mexico, and grandmother of Ellis Knight who is connected with the Ford garage here died Tuesday night, according to a call to Ellis Knight here.

Ellis left early Wednesday morning in a car, and it is reported that the funeral was held in Cooper, New Mexico, Wednesday afternoon.

Mrs. Knight was advanced in years and had not been in good health for some time. She has a host of friends in this section of the country who deeply grieve her death.

Henrietta and John raised a girl named Laura in addition to their son John Jr. Frequent mention is made of her in letters. This caused a bit of confusion because of the child Stephen Laura, but at last, it was determined that Laura was not their natural child.

This extract from Henrietta Knight's letters:

Although Henrietta and John had a child named Stephen Laura, the child was thought to have died in 1872 (Bible record of John A. E. Knight Jr.). However, Henrietta's letters from 1880 to 1882 spoke frequently of a girl, Laura, in terms that sounded like the child was their daughter.

Then in April 1882, she wrote:

"Laura has heard through sister Alice of her Pa again he wrote Alice that he had made several thousand dollars farming and selling mining claims and was going into Practice at Hoofier in Nebraska. Laura is very much elated Thinks her Pa is rich got so high toned she had to have several switchings. Says she don't love any of us but Uncle John. "

Later in 1882, she speaks of sister Alice again, but not in relation to Laura. Alice's daughter, Laura would not be old enough to act "high toned" at this time.

In a May 1882 letter, Henrietta says "Laura says she wishes you (John Sr.) would come for us before he Pa gets here" further confirming that she is not their daughter.

She writes in September 1882: "We are all well but Laura. I sent for Dr. Warren yesterday. She is up to day but looks bad, she will take Blue Mass to & Quinine until to morrow and then he will send some Bitter for her to take. I got a letter from Frank about her. I had written to him she was chilling, he asked me to get a Physician sent her ten dollars more and said he would send more soon. Told Laura to write to him how she felt and if necessary he would come to see her, he asked me to tell him the name of "that kid" at Oak Grove, said he was doing well and wanted to make a Will so as to leave every cent to Laura, and could not do it unless he knew that Childs name. Says he wants Laura to have more than Wallace or Retta."

From this final clue, it appears that Laura is the daughter of Henrietta's brother, William Franklin Mercer, and his second wife.

Notes for JOHN BALLINGER CHILES:
From Ed Kutz:

From the Iva Lee Calley Riggs Genealogy, 18 Mar 1995.

Some of the following from Knight family Bible in possession of Faye Knight Albert, Ransom Canyon, TX, 1993:

(Henrietta Mercer) and her first husband, John Ballenger Chiles, were on their honeymoon trip to Oregon, as the marriage had been arranged by the parents of the couple, as was the custom among the gentry in those days. John and Henrietta Mercer Chiles were in the same wagon train that took John A. E. Knight and the Dennings (the family of his first wife) to California.

John and Henrietta Mercer Chiles filed for homestead and farmed for fourteen years before the death of Mr. Chiles, leaving Henrietta a widow and childless. Henrietta pleaded with her brother to come and 'fetch' her and take her home, but this was 1862, the outbreak of the Civil War, and her brothers were very much involved in the Missouri-Kansas fracas.

The Marriage Records of Jackson Co., Mo., Vol. I, 1827-1850," Vineyard, p.8:
John B. Chiles m. Henrietta Mercer, Jan. 20, 1848, went to Oregon before 1852.
Married by M. B. Price.

There is a J. B. Chiles on 1840 Census for Jackson County, MO 18/18:
1 m. 5-10; 2 m. 20-30; 1 f. -5; 2 f. 5-10.

No information has been found that J.B. Chiles was married previously. His mother deeded him a parcel of land 10 years after this census (see below); he was not yet married to Henrietta Mercer. He would be age 20 at the time of census, and there is no adult female in the household.

Source sent by Ed Kutz; notes in brackets are his:

"Walter Chiles of Jamestown," a genealogy compiled by Joanne Chiles Eakin, Independence, MO; Wee Print, 3423 South Noland, Copyright 1983 by Joanne Chiles Eakin:

"John Ballenger (Chiles), born 1820 in Clark County, Kentucky, married Henrietta Mercer on 20 Jan 1848 in Jackson Co MO [Oregon state records on John's land claim state he married 20 Jan 1846]. He bought and sold several pieces of land in Jackson County MO prior to 1850. On 20 Apr 1850 his mother deeded him a parcel of land. Some of the land transactions involved his inheritance. He arrived in Clackamas County OR on 20 Oct 1850 and settled Claim #4415 on 25[?] acres of land in 1851. He had no children and died 12 May 1862. His widow married John A. Knight on 13 Sep 1869 [sic]. In 1869 Henrietta Knight sued the estate for a widow's share of Sarah Skinner Chile's estate which was awarded on 15 Feb 1869."

John Ballinger's cousin, John Franklin Chiles, was also a settler in the Clackamas County, Oregon area, arriving there on 20 Oct 1852."

Original information had it that John B. Chiles died on 1 May 1862, but Henrietta Mercer Chiles Knight Bible says 12 May 1862 at 3 o'clock in the morning.

A dim clue to other family members may lie in an 1851 letter from Henrietta Dukes Mercer to her daughter, Henrietta Mercer Chiles, where she says that "John uncle william died Just before he got to california his son has come back..."

Henrietta Dukes Mercer also refers to Henry Chiles, who in 1851 had married Diana Cartheson. The two were apparently older at the time of the marriage.

Notes for JOHN AMBROSE ELLIS KNIGHT, SR.:
According to Retta Mercer Allen, John Knight went to Texas and was in business with his brother-in-law, Mr. Winn.

From Ed Kutz:

From the Iva Lee Calley Riggs Genealogy, 18 Mar 1995.

Some of the following from Knight family Bible in possession of Faye Knight Albert, Ransom Canyon, TX, 1993:

"She (Henrietta Mercer) married second, John Ambrose Ellis Knight Sr, son of Mathew Jouett Knight s/o John and Cecilia Amelia Ellis d/o Ambrose Jr, 19 Jul 1863, Oregon City, Clackamas Co, OR. Born 5 Aug 1828, in Lunenburg Co VA. Died, 30 Apr 1894, in Palo Pinto, Palo Pinto Co, TX." [Iva Riggs]

Ed note: There is a difference of name spellings and I had Cecilia as m. to Matthew.

"John Ambrose Ellis Knight - Wagon Master [from 'The Knight Letter', August 1969] "The article on Knight's Landing, California, continues to breathe interest, and have brought us the following from Alex Knight, Box 4297, Shreveport, LA 71104:

(MRB Note: this information has been split between John A. E. Knight, Lucy Denning, Henrietta Mercer and John B. Chiles, also the early Mercer and Wallace ancestors, where appropriate.)

"John A. E. Knight took Henrietta back to California with him, where Mrs. Denning had been looking after the (children after the) death of her daughter. Henrietta assumed those duties and loved John and Lucy's children as though they were her own."

"John and Henrietta Mercer Chiles Knight were to have five additional children: John Thomas Mercer Knight, b. 17 Aug d. 27 Oct 1864 at age 5 weeks; twins Frank and William Knight, born dead on 19 Sep 1865; John Ambrose Ellis Knight, b. 21 Sep 1866 in the Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory of Oklahoma; Henrietta Elizabeth Knight, b. 11 Aug 1868, d. 19 Mar 1869, aged 7 months; Stehen Laura Knight (male), b. 18 Feb 1872, d. 17 Nov 1875, Tarrant Co TX, aged 3 yrs, 9 months."

"After 1866, John moved to Celina TX and drove cattle to Missouri to be sold. Each year he took at least one wagon train through to California, via the Southern route, with his brother, William. The Knight family moved to Fort Worth TX about 1870, where Stephen Laura died in 1872. They later moved to the Knight and Mercer (K&M) Ranch in Palo Pinto County, Texas. John A. E. Knight and his brother-in-law, a merchant in Independence, Jackson Co MO were in partnership on the ranch."

"John Knight became a very unpopular neighbor with his fellow ranchers when he became the first in Palo Pinto Co TX to fence his land."

"John Ambrose Ellis Knight, Sr was a hard driving, hard drinking man who finally died on his ranch on 30 April 1894 in Palo Pinto Co TX. He is buried at the old Palo Pinto Cemetery." [Iva Riggs]

Henrietta Mercer Chiles Knight recorded the first marriage of John A. E. Knight and Lucy Dinning, as well as the births of their children as follows:

"John Ambrose Ellis Knight son of M. J. & C. A. Knight was born Tuesday August 6th 1828. He was married to Lucy J. Dinning the 19th Oct 1851. His wife died July 19th 1861. They had four children Joseph W, Julia, Emma F. & Mathew Colson. He was married to Henrietta Chiles widow of John Ballenger Chiles, the 19th July 1863. They had six children. Thomas Mercer, Frank & William twins, John Ambrose Ellis, Henrietta Elizabeth & Stevie Laura. (note that in the JAE Knight Bible this name looks once like Lawson and once like Lauson.") (note also that "Mathew Colson" appears in other records as "Stephen Mathew.")

John Ambrose Ellis Knight Sr.'s obituary appeared in the Palo Pinto County Star, a weekly newspaper.

Iva Calley Riggs notes that she has checked 1850 Census of Jackson County, Missouri, as well as 1860 Census of Healdsburg, Sonoma County, California for this family. She says, "John Ambrose Ellis Knight was 6' 4", had light brown hair and blue eyes. He made trips to California as a scout and later was Wagon Master. He married Lucy J. Denning. She made eleven (11) trips through to California from Independence, Jackson Co, MO with him, but stayed in CA for the birth of her last three children. Cause of death unknown." (Iva credits Alex Knight research for this information.)

Children of HENRIETTA MERCER and JOHN KNIGHT are:

JOHN THOMAS MERCER⁵ KNIGHT, b. 17 Aug 1864, "Tommie" b. Sonoma Co, CA ²³; d. 22 Oct 1864, 2m 5d; Sonoma Co, CA ²⁴.

Notes for JOHN THOMAS MERCER KNIGHT:
Although information was that Tommie was born in Sonoma County, California, Laura Mercer's letters refer to the family living in Oregon still in February 1864. Laura also refers to the "children" of Henrietta and John Knight at that time.

	ii.	FRANK KNIGHT, b. 19 Sep 1865, Sonoma Co, CA ²⁵; d. 19 Sep 1865, stillborn twin; Sonoma Co, CA ²⁶.
	iii.	WILLIAM KNIGHT, b. 19 Sep 1865, Sonoma Co, CA ²⁷; d. 19 Sep 1865, stillborn twin; Sonoma Co, CA ²⁸.
50.	iv.	JOHN AMBROSE ELLIS KNIGHT, JR., b. 21 Sep 1866, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory (Oklahoma); d. 08 Aug 1927, Flying E Ranch, Jal, Lea Co, NM.
	v.	HENRIETTA ELIZABETH KNIGHT, b. 11 Aug 1868, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory (Oklahoma) (or Collin Co, TX)²⁹; d. 19 Mar 1869, age 7 months; Collins Co, TX ³⁰.
	vi.	STEPHEN LAURA KNIGHT, b. 18 Feb 1872, Ft. Worth, Tarrant Co, TX ³¹; d. 17 Nov 1875, Fort Worth, Tarrant Co, TX ³².

Notes for STEPHEN LAURA KNIGHT:
This name appears in the family records several different ways -- at once appearing as Lauson, Lawson, and Laura."

In the Henrietta Mercer Knight Bible record, it is entered as Stephen Laura Knight, born 18 Feb 1872. No death date is recorded.

The Bible record of Henrietta's son, John Jr. shows the death date, and a separate notation calls the child "Stevie Laura." The the record is a transcription, and I believe the death date is wrong in the transcription. An 1881 letter from Henrietta to her husband, John A. E. Sr., clearly discusses "Laura" and some trouble at school, and definitely calls the child "her." Letters continue to mention her in 1882.

This is our orginal information:

died 17 Nov 1875
age 3yrs 9mos; Tarrant Co, TX

Where the 3yrs 9 mos comes from is not known.

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