Centhia Knight – Garvin Co., OK 1910 Census
Trying to sort out a mystery.My great-grandfather, James D. Miller, stated in a 1937 interview that his father was J. L. Miller and his mother was Anna Kirkpatrick. He came to Indian Territory from Texas in 1888 with his wife.
In a separate interview in 1937, Ed Miller, presumably James D's brother as listed in 1920 census, states that his father was Bill People who died when he was 2 years old (~1875 based on his date of birth in census) and that he came to Indian Territory from Texas with his mother and stepfather (unnamed) in 1886.
In the 1910 Garvin Co. census, James D. shows his widowed mother, Centhia Knight, living with him. In 1880, a Cass Co., TX census shows a widowed Cynthia A. Miller living with sons James D and Edward E., and daughters Ida and Suzie.These are the records I can find that seem to have any connection:
1920 Garvin County Oklahoma Census
WW©8©173 MILLER, JAMES D 55 GA, KATIE M 52 TX, CYNTHA W 73mom/wd GA, EDWARD W 45bro TX, JAMES D 12s OK,
(Son James D personally known to me, my great uncle, now deceased)
1910 Garvin County Oklahoma Census
WW©262 MILLER, JAMES D 45 GA, KATIE 42wf TX, M©22 6©4ch, JOSIE 12D OK, ANNA 11d OK, J D 2s OK, CENTHIA KNIGHT 65mom/wd GA,
(Daughter Josie personally known to me, my great aunt, now deceased)
1900 Garvin County Oklahoma Census
B241©335 MILLER, JAMES D HD W M OCT 1864 35 M©12 GA GA GA BLACKSMITH
B241©335 MILLER, KATE M WF W F JAN 1866 34 M©12 TX TX TX (5©3 CH)
B241©335 MILLER, SALLIE A D W F DEC 1888 11 IT GA TX
B241©335 MILLER, JOSIE M D W F MAY 1894 6 IT GA TX
B241©335 MILLER, ANNIE M D W F NOV 1895 4 IT GA TX
B241©335 MILLER, EDWARD E BRO W M APR 1873 27 SG GA GA GA BLACKSMITH
(Daughter Sallie personally known to me, my grandmother, now deceased)
1880 Cass County Texas Census - Cynthia A Miller, widow (36) living with sons James D (14) Edward E (7) and daughters Ida O (12) and S..... (unclear - may be Suzzie) (5). All born Georgia except Edward and Suzzie, Texas. Father of all shown as born in South Carolina. (Record mis-indexed under "Willis" -- the handwriting made it a judgement call.)
1860 Calhoun County Georgia Census - James L Miller (Blacksmith) (44) born South Carolina, wife Ann (17) born Georgia. Married within the year. Living near Kirkpatrick family.
A possible scenario that would explain all this: James L Miller and Ann Kirkpatrick married in 1860 in Newton Co. GA, had two children after the end of the Civil War (James D was born in 1864--if there were any earlier children I haven't found any record of them, but I found a James L in Florida with the Confederate Army during the war), then Ann died between 1868-1874, possibly during the birth of Ida in 1868. They were not in Newton County Census in 1870, but could have been living most anywhere--I'm still hunting. James L then married Cynthia, the widow of Bill People around 1874 (Edward was born after the 1870 census, so I don’t know if they were married by then—haven’t found a record for the marriage). James died between 1875-1880, since Cynthia is a widow in 1880, with the last name of Miller, and Edward E in her household, which explains why he was Miller rather than People or Knight. Then between 1880-1886 Cynthia married Mr. Knight, who was the stepfather that Edward mentioned moving to IT with in 1886. It would explain why Edward carried the name Miller, but Cynthia showed up as a widow with the name Knight in 1910. I haven't found the Knights yet in an 1890 census to confirm this.
Does anyone have information that might explain the Knight connection?