Agnes (Unknown) Knight (abt. 1604 - 1679)

Born about 1604 in England

Descendants

Died 22 Mar 1679 at about age 75 in Newbury, Essex, Colony of Massachusetts Bay

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Agnes (Unknown) Knight migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Biography

Agnes was born in Romsey, Hampshire, England ^{[citation needed]} in about 1604. No sources have been found to show that her last name was Coffley, or that her parents were William Coffley (1581-1655) and Elizabeth (Carter) Coffley (1588-1625); they have been detached as her parents pending reliable sources.

There is significant confusion surrounding the maiden surname and parentage of this person.

Some say that she was married by 1626 to Richard Knight and arrived in New England with him in Newbury, Massachusetts in 1635. There is no clear-cut evidence of this, and Anderson refers to Richard's wife as Agnes Unknown.^[1]

Some researchers also believe that the surname of Agnes, who married Richard Knight of Massachusetts, was "Coffley." The Find A Grave memorial for Richard shows his wife as Agnes Coffley, along with the names of his parents, and mentions his coming to America on the vessel "James" in 1635.

Although parentage and maiden names have sometimes been assigned to this person, scholarly consensus rejects them as without value. The person's origin is currently not known and it would be correct to show her maiden surname as "Unknown". See Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration 1634-5, 7 volumes. (Boston: New England Historical and Genealogical Society, 1999-2011), 6:214.

There is no proof that Agnes was a Coffley. Please read the following article: "Great Migration: Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635", by Robert Charles Anderson. Volume IV, I-L, pp. 212-214.

In 1651, laws prohibiting extravagance in dress were passed in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Two years later, the wife of Deacon Richard Knight was summoned to court for wearing a silk hood. Deacon Knight disagreed with the basis for the summons, and once proof was provided of his financial worth, his wife was discharged.

Richard and Agnes had eight children. The first five were born in England, the last three in Newbury, Massachusetts Bay Colony:^[1]

1. Stillborn in England, 1626
2. Richard, bp June 21, 1627, d July 1627
3. William, bp December 7, 1629
4. Anne, bp May 5, 1631
5. Richard, bp October 18, 1633
6. Elizabeth, bp about 1640
7. Rebecca, b March 3, 1642/3
8. Sarah, b February 23, 1747/8

Agnes died in Newbury, on March 22, 1678/9.^[2][3]

Research Notes

In seeking any candidate for Agnes with a primary source for her identity, under any conceivable spelling variation of the surname (per Soundex or equivalent), born or baptized at or near Romsey, Hampshire, anywhere in the conceivable timeframe, only the following have to date (April 2020) been located:

Agnes Cable, father William Cable, christened at Romsey 20 September 1612

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J71L-J8J

Agnes Carter, father Thomas Carter, christened at Romsey 5 September 1602

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JQXL-XZ1

Agnes Gauntlet, father Thomas Gauntlet, baptized at Romsey 8 June 1605

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NKN8-1PF

Agnes Cornes, father John Cornes, baptized in Hampshire 10 June 1604

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q5W9-9Y3C

Agnes Goslinge, father Richard Goslinge, christened at Vernham Dean, Hampshire, 3 April 1603

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NKGY-ZX4

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Robert Charles Anderson; "The Great Migration Continues", [check publication name] volume IV, page 214
2. ↑ Essex Institute, Vital Records of Newbury, Massachusetts to the Year 1850 (Salem, MA: Essex Institute, 1911), Vol. II, p. 635
3. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #37384886

See also:

• Coffin, Joshua,. A Sketch of the History of Newbury, Newburyport, and West Newbury, from 1635 to 1845. Boston: S.G. Drake, 1845.
• "Find a Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVK9-2CP3: 24 May 2022).
• "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch Massachusetts, United States, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 007009468.
• "Massachusetts Deaths and Burials, 1795-1910", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FCMR-N46: 17 January 2020).
• Leonard, Lewis Keeler, and Melvena Burris Leonard. Seven Hundred Ancestors. Provo: CCLA/GSU, 2000. Source text: Ch. 23 'JAQUES'Ch. 28 'KNIGHT'.
• Marlyn Lewis, Ancestors & Cousins from New England, Virginia, Scotland, England, & Germany, link
• New England Marriages to 1700. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015. Link by subscription.

Richard KNIGHT

Marriage 1632

Location Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts, United States

Original Text KNIGHT, Richard (1603-1683) & Agnes [COFFLEY?] (-1679); by 1632; Newbury {Hildreth Anc. 72; Newell Anc. 212; Pillsbury Anc. 165, 169; Warner-Harrington 361, 392; Davis: Anc. of Phoebe Tilton 237; Newbury Hist. 307; Salisbury Fam. 573; Coffin Anc. 4-6, 58;

Spouse Agnes COFFLEY

Volume Name Volume 2 Page 907