Griffin, Keithley Family:Information about John Knight
John Knight (b. Bet. 1700 - 1710, d. 12 Mar 1772)
Notes for John Knight:John Knight’s son John II was born about 1710 in Lunenburg, VA. He married Elizabeth Woodson. Their children were Jonathan, John, Peter, William, Joseph, Rachel, Charles, Woodson, Elizabeth, Judith, and Mary (Polly). He also had a granddaughter, Lucy Cook.
The family moved to North Carolina about 1750. John and Elizabeth later moved back to Lunenburg, Virginia, but some of their children remained in North Carolina. Their sons Joseph, Charles and Peter are listed as Executors of their father John’s will, probate date 12 March 1772 in Lunenburg, Virginia. John probably chose these children as executors because they were his children who were living in Virginia at the time.
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John’s will stipulated that his Estate was to be kept together until his bills were paid and "still kept together, and managed as aforesaid until the sum of two hundred pounds can be raised and layed out in the purchase of a tract of land, for my son, Joseph." His son Peter was to get 150 acres joining the property that John and Elizabeth lived on, and after Elizabeth’s death, Woodson would receive the remainder of that tract of land. Charles lived in Amelia County, Virginia. John II died some time between the writing of his will 7 Sept 1771 and the probate date 12 March 1772.
JOHN'S WILL
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John’s will, covering six pages, lists what his eleven children have already received and what he feels is due them. The children were Jonathan (born in Goochland County, Virginia, married his cousin Judith Woodson, daughter of Joseph Woodson (1715-?) and Elizabeth Mattox), John, Peter (married Coleman Mason. Peter’s daughter, Nancy married Coleman Knight, son of Charles Knight; witness to consent Richard Mays and Peter Robertson Dec 14, 1787. His daughter Molly married James Barnes: Witness to consent Coleman Knight, Isaac Holmes and George Bagley Jan 28, 1788), William, Joseph married Jerusha Cone,Rachel married William Dudley 8-12-1784, Charles married Mary Smith (Their son, Coleman married Charles' brother Peter’s daughter Nancy), Woodson, Elizabeth married Thomas Sturdivant 27 Dec 1784 by Rev. John Meglamore, Judith (b. ca 1739 m before 1776 in Amelia Co., VA to George Bagley (b. 1739-d 1795 in Nottoway Co., VA), Mary (Polly) married Joseph Lea, and his granddaughter, Lucy Cook.
John Knight’s Last Will and Testament (W.B. 2/384-6)
In the name of God Amen, I JOHN KNIGHT of Lunenburg County being very sick & weak of Body, but of perfect mind and memory, thanks be given unto God, calling to mind the mortality of my Body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain this my last will and Testament, that is to say principally and first of all, I give and recommend my soul into the hands of Almighty God that give it, and my Body I recommend to the earth, to be __ in decent Christian burrial at the descretion of my Executors, nothing doubting but at the general resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mightly power of God, and as touching my worldly Estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me in this life-
I give and demise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form.
Item its my will and desire that my whole Estate should be kept together undivided or seperated untill all my lawfull Debts are paid by means of croppng or otherways to be managed by my Executors, hereafter, named and after that is fully accomplished its my further desire that the Estate should be still kept together, and managed as aforesaid until the sum of two hundred pounds can be raised and layed out in the purchase of a tract of land, for my son, Joseph and then to be divided in the form and manner hereafter mentioned.
Item I lend to my wife Elizabeth during her natural life all that tract of land whereon I now live, except one hundred and fifty acres, hereafter bequeathed to my son Peter, also five Negroes, viz: Jack, Delcy, Agg, Isaac and Nutty, with all my Household furniture, stock etc and after her decease its my further will and desire the Negroes should be disposed of as follows.
Item, I bequeath unto my son William, after the decease of his mother, one Negroe man, Jack, to him and his heirs forever,
Item, I bequeath unto my son Joseph, after the decease of his mother, one Negroe man, Isaac, also a Negroe man Peter, to be delivered him at the dividing the Estate,
Item I bequeath unto my daughter, Rachel, after the decease of her mother a Negro girl, Nutty, also two young negroes, Lewis & Milla.
Item I bequeath unto my son, Peter, one moiety (a moiety is a half) of two Negroes, Agg and Delcy to be equally divided, between him and his Brother John, after the decease of their mothers, also one hundred and fifty acres of land more or less, joining the tract whereon I now live to be divided by a branch running from near Sheltons Bridge, in a straight line to Minors land, all the land to the North of that branch is what, I bequeath to him & his heirs forever.
Item, I bequeath to my son, John, one moriety of two Negroes above mentioned after the decease of his mother.
Item I bequeath to my son Jonathan one Negroe girl named Fanny, to him and his heirs forever.
Item I bequeath to my son Charles, three Negroes, Jane, Ceasar and Betta, to him and his heirs forever.
Item, I bequeath to my Daughter Elisabeth, a Negroe woman named ____ and her child,
Item I bequeath to my daughter Judith Bagley one negroe girl named Beck,
Item I bequeath to my Daughter Mary Lea , two negro girls Phillies and Tabby, during her natural life, and if she should die without issue to return to the surviving part of my children to be equally divided between them, its my further will and desire if she should have an heir or heirs that the negroes should decend to them as she directs.
Item I bequeath to my son Woodson, two Negroes, Tom and Cloe, also that tract of land before demised to his mother during her life, to him and his heirs forever being the same I now live on, with all my stock of every kind and household furniture except three Beds, which I desire may be given to Charles, Joseph and Rachel at the discresion of my beloved wife, Elisabeth.
Item I bequeath to my daughters daughter Lucy Cook, one negro girl named Tamer,
its my will and desire that if any my children, should die before the dividing the Estate, that his or her proportion should be equally divided between, the surviving parties. I also desire that every person within mentioned, should take in possession their proportion of Estate as is by this will divised provided it doth not consist in negroes upwards of ten years of age, on that part alotted for the immediate use of my wife Elisabeth. I do hereby constitute and appoint, Joseph, Charles, and Peter Knight Executors to this my last will and Testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, seventh day of September one thousand seven hundred and seventy one.
John Knight, Sen (seal)
Witness
Miller Woodson
his
Francis X AMOS
mark
Thomas Jeffress
At court held for Lunenburg County the 12th day of March, 1772. This last will and Testament of John Knight, Sen. was exhibitted in court by the Executors, therein named and was proved by the oaths of two of the Witnesses thereto subscribed and ordered to be recorded, and on the motion of the said, Executors, who mand (typo? made) oath according to law, certificate is grated (typo? granted) them for obtaining a probate of the said Will in due form, they giving security, whereupon they gave Bond and Security according to law.
Teste:
Wm Tayler CLC
Recorded: Will Book 2, pages 382-387
A copy Teste:
(signature of)
Grace T. Marshall, Clerk
Lunenburg County Circuit Court
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John Knight served as a witness to an indenture between Samuel Gregory of Charles City County and William Knight of Goochland County in 1727. In this transaction, Gregory sold Knight 130 acres in Goochland County for 20 pds – land formerly owned, in part, by Joseph Woodson. Joseph had a sister Elizabeth Woodson, who married John Knight about two years later. In June 1742, William and John Knight sold the same 130 acres for 50 pds.
In February of that year, John had received a patent to 383 acres of land in Brunswick (now Lunenburg) County. John and Elizabeth had been married for 14 years when they moved to these newly settled lands. During the next years his name appears on the tithe lists. However, within six more years, John was buying land in North Carolina, owning finally about 1,000 acres. He lived there for a time, but eventually moved back to Lunenburg County.
June 24, 1748/49 John Earl Granville of Bedford Co., VA deeds 640 acres of land to John Knight, Planter of Granville Co., NC. Deed proved Granville Co., NC August 1749.
Granville Co., NC Deed Bk. A 311 Dec 4 1750 Thomas Christian & w Mercy to John Knight of Lunenburg Co., VA 100 acres in Granville Co., NC for 15 Va. money. He purchased another 900 acres adjoining the 300 on both sides of Grassey Creek, Granville Co., NC.
Feb 25, 1762 - John Knight deeded Jonathan Knight, William Knight & Memican Hunt 900 acres of his land in Granville Co., NC. All four men were residents of Lunenburg Co. VA at the time. Each man received 300 acres but paid different amounts for it. Jonathan’s southern line is noted as being shared with land of Charles Knight. These deeds were registered in May Court 1762 in Granville Co., NC.
Note: Granville County, North Carolina later became Edgecombe County, North Carolina.
There are grants of land in the Virginia State Registry beginning in 1638, for more than 25,000 acres, in Norfolk, Wight, James, & Gloucester counties for the Knight family.
BRUNSWICK COUNTY, VIRGINIA - DEEDS (BOOK 6)
Indenture made the 21st day of March, 1760, between John KNIGHT
of Sussex County, Carpenter, and Joseph EZELL, Planter, that
whereas the said John KNIGHT and Elizabeth, his wife, received 60
pounds from John KNIGHT, conveying 238 acres, Beginning on the
South side of Avents Creek on William MERRIOTTS line, and being
part of a tract granted by Patent to Thomas MERRIOTT dated
November 3, 1750. Witnesses were John HUNT and Elisha CLARK.
Indenture, Memorandum of Livery of Seizin, and Receipt, were
acknowledged in Court on March 24, 1760, by John KNIGHT.Deed
Book 6, page 443.
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Edgecombe County, NC - Miscellaneous Deeds Part #14
Edge. Co (Halifax) Db 3, page 114, deed date 20 May 1747, recorded May
Ct 1747, John Griffin, JR, Edge. Co, planter to John Knight, said
county, planter for (blank) pds, a tract containing 100 acres which is
a part of a tract containing 200 acres granted by patent dated 10 Apr
1744, beginning at a maple on the south side of Browns Swamp then
through a pocoson south 160 poles to a (sypress) then (down) to a pine
then along a line agreed on by ourselves, signed John Griffin Jr
(mark), wit Thomas Hill, James Jones.Abstracted 1-11-06, NCA film
C.047.40002, CTC.
More About John Knight:
Date born 2: Henrico, VA, USA.355
Date born 3: 1710, Henrico, VA, USA.355
Died 2: 12 Mar 1772355
More About John Knight and Elizabeth Woodson:
Marriage: 1728, Cumberland, VA, USA.355, 356
Children of John Knight and Elizabeth Woodson are:
- Jonathan Knight, b., Brunswick, VA, USA357, d. date unknown, Granville, NC, USA357, 357.
- Rachel Knight, b., Lunenberg, VA, USA357, 357, d. date unknown357, 357.
- Charles Knight, b. 1731, Goochland, VA, USA357, d. 1819357.
- William Knight, b. 1735, Goochland, VA, USA357, 357, d. 04 Mar 1791, Granville, NC, USA357, 357.
- Elizabeth Knight, b. 27 Jul 1746, VA, USA357, d. 1790357.
- +John Knight, b. 1748, Surry, VA, USA357, 357, 357, d. Dec 1822, Wayne, GA, USA357, 357, 357.
- Joseph Knight, b. 1748, Luneburg, VA, USA357, d. 10 Jan 1789, Mecklenburg, VA, USA357.
- Mary Knight, b. 02 Sep 1749, Brunswick, VA, USA357, d. 1810, Chatham, NC, USA357.
- Woodson Knight, b. 1752, Lunenberg, VA, USA357, 357, d. 10 Jul 1831, Lunenburg, VA, USA357.
- Judith Knight, b. 1754, Goochland, VA, USA357, d. 1798, Nottoway, VA, USA357.
- Peter Knight, b. 1756, Lunenburg, VA, USA357, 357, d. date unknown.