Walter Knight (abt. 1587 - aft. 1647)

Born about 1587 in England [uncertain]

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Walter Knight migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See Great Migration Begins, by R. C. Anderson, Vol. 2, p. 1139) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Biography

Walter Knight was born in England. Estimates for his birth date vary widely from 1583 to 1609. In The Great Migration Begins, R.C. Anderson estimates his age as before 1609, "assuming he was an adult by the time of his arrival [in New England in 1626]." James Savage in the Genealogical Dictionary of New England references a deposition of 1653, in which he stated he was 66 years old,^[1] putting his birth around 1587. As Anderson would have reviewed Savage as part of his research, this is probably the same deposition that he believes to be fraudulent, originally mentioned by Drake in The History and Antiquities of Boston, and repeated by later authors. He was a carpenter by trade.^[2]

Immigration

Banks lists Walter Knight as a passenger of the Zouch Phenix sailing with the Unity and both arriving May 1624.^[3] He claims that "it is believed she sailed from Weymouth [whose passengers] settled at Cape Anne" yet we have no idea who it was believed by. His source for the Zouch Phenix is "Banks MSS" which in the key to abbreviations is simply "Collections of the Author."

Banks lists the following as passengers: Thomas Gardner and his wife, George Gardner, Richard Gardner, Joseph Gardner (all either of Weymouth or of Martock, Somerset), John Balch of Horton, Somerset, Mrs Agnes Balch, Benjamin Balch, John Balch, Thomas Gray, Walter Knight, William Trask of East Coker, Somerset, John Tilley, Peter Palfrey of Horton, Somerset, John Woodbury of Dorchester, Dorset.[1]

Anderson includes this statement in his profile of Walter: "The association of Walter Knight with the Dorchester Company..."^[4] and based on an exhaustive search of online source materials by Carles-4 20:09, 15 February 2022 (UTC), the Zouch Phenix most likely did not carry those passengers and it is more likely that they came with one of the Dorchester Company's trips in 1624 or 1625.

The following deposition of Thomas Harvey^[5] may help in locating the time or place of Walter's immigration:

The deposition of Thomas Harvey of Cohannett yeoman aged xxj yeares or there about taken before Thomas Prince gentleman Governor the eight day of November in the xiiij'th yeare of his Majesty now Raigne of England 1638.

The said Thomas Harvey deposeth and sayth That he this deponent having a bond or writing under the hand and seale of Walter Knight carpenter whereby the said Walter Knight stood endebted in the sume of five pounds sterl' unto Mr. Christopher Derby w'ch was payd for his passage over the wch five pounds is to be payd unto Mr. Richard Derby here [at Plymouth]: as this deponent was reading the same (at the sd Knights request) in the ship as they came over The said Walter Knight snatched the said bond or writing out of this deponents hands and imediately tore the same into peeces.

Life in New England

On 3 September 1638 at a court in New Plymouth, Walter Knight requested land on the Duxborrow side.^[6]

On 3 December 1640 Presentment was made against Walter and John Dammon for "takeing tobaccoe contrary to the act of the Court."^[7]

On 29 December 1640 Walter brought suit against Richard Cook for debt.^[8]

On 30 March 1641 Robert Nash brought suit against Walter for debt.^[9]

On 6 July 1647 at court in Salem Walter was brought up on two defamation charges, one from Mathew Standley and one from Sarah Walters.^[10]

At that same court Walter was charged with Obadiah Govis for "taking tobacco abroad contrary to order."^[11]

Walter Knight's attorney, Clement Campion, received witness fees at Salisbury 6 April 1651.^[12]

Marriage

Walter Knight was married, but to whom and how many times is unknown. The only thing known for sure is that he was married during the year 1643, as indicated by the following three court appearances for the year 1643:

• On 28 February 1642/3 at a court held in Salem Walter was "presented for not living with his wife."^[13]
• On 27 June 1643 at a court held in Salem Walter was brought up for frequent lying and "glorying in his and his wife's illegal relations before marriage."^[14]
• On 27 December 1643 at a court held in Salem Walter was again for not living with his wife."^[15]

Death

There is no known record of Walter Knight's death or probate of an estate.

Anderson gives his death as "after 1643 (and after 1668 if he was also of Braveboat Harbor)." However, he also mentions a July 1647 defamation lawsuit against Walter Knight filed in the Essex Courts. Between 1651 and 1668, there are records for a Walter Knight at Braveboat Harbor. Anderson comments that he "may be the man who was earlier at Salem, but he may just as well be another man of the same name.

Research Notes

Published genealogies and histories have been found to contain information about Walter Knight that cannot be validated and is thought to be inaccurate.

Disputed Parents

There is also no evidence of his origins. Previously attached parents Isaac Knight and Elizabeth Unknown of Staplegrove, Somersetshire, England have been detached

Disputed Spouses

Concerning his marriage(s), Torrey shows two entries for men named Walter Knight,^[16] with one entry Walter marrying Elizabeth ___ (represented in WT as his current marriage to Elizabeth (Unknown) Knight) who may or may not have died about 1634. The other entry lists as a possible second marriage to someone possibly named Ruth Gray (who has been removed as a wife on WT). Neither of these entries contain sources for where the information came from, and, based on this g2g discussion and until reliable sources come to light proving either of these women's names/marriages, they should not be considered valid marriages.

Children Detached

Walter Knight had no documented children.^[17]

A previous version of this profile, probably drawing from the fraudulent Tingley genealogy, included these children, who have been detached:

• Bridget, the wife of William Varney, was formerly connected to this profile as a daughter and has been removed due to lack of evidence for a relationship.
• Elizabeth, the wife of John Fairfield and Peter Palfrey, was formerly connected to this profile as a daughter and has been removed due to lack of evidence for a relationship.
• William Knight
• Francis Knight
• Mary Knight married Osborne
• Thomas Knight
• Ruth Knight
• Ephraim Knight

Sources

1. ↑ James Savage, A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England... 3:39 (Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1861); image of p. 39 at InternetArchive.org.
2. ↑ David Pulsipher, ed., "Deeds &c, vol. 1, 1620-1651," Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England : Printed by Order of the Legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Boston: William White, 1861); images of pp. 38-39 at InternetArchive.org
3. ↑ Charles Edward Banks, The Planters of the Commonwealth...1620-1640 (Cambridge: The Riverside Press, 1930) 57-58; image of p. 58 at InternetArchive.org.
4. ↑ Robert Charles Anderson,Great Migration Begins (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995); image of p. 1140 by subscription American Ancestors.
5. ↑ David Pulsipher, ed., "Deeds &c, vol. 1, 1620-1651," Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England : Printed by Order of the Legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Boston: William White, 1861); images of pp. 38-39 at InternetArchive.org
6. ↑ Nathaniel B. Shurtleff, ed., "Court Orders: vol. 1, 1633-1640," Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England : Printed by Order of the Legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Boston: William White, 1861); images of p. 95 at InternetArchive.org
7. ↑ Nathaniel B. Shurtleff, ed., "Court Orders: vol. 2, 1641-1651," Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England : Printed by Order of the Legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Boston: William White, 1855); images of p. 4 at InternetArchive.org
8. ↑ Essex Institute, Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, vol. 1, 1636–1656 (Salem: Essex Institute, 1911); image 36 of 520, p. 24 at HathiTrust.org.
9. ↑ Essex Institute, Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, vol. 1, 1636–1656 (Salem: Essex Institute, 1911); image 38 of 520, p. 26 at HathiTrust.org.
10. ↑ Essex Institute, Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, vol. 1, 1636–1656 (Salem: Essex Institute, 1911); image 127 of 520, p.115 at HathiTrust.org.
11. ↑ Essex Institute, Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, vol. 1, 1636–1656 (Salem: Essex Institute, 1911); image 135 of 520, p.123 at HathiTrust.org.
12. ↑ Essex Institute, Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, vol. 1, 1636–1656 (Salem: Essex Institute, 1911); [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.35112104150240&view=1up&seq=235 image 235 of 520, p. 22 3] at HathiTrust.org.
13. ↑ Essex Institute, Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, vol. 1, 1636–1656 (Salem: Essex Institute, 1911); image 63 of 520, p. 51 at HathiTrust.org.
14. ↑ Essex Institute, Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, vol. 1, 1636–1656 (Salem: Essex Institute, 1911); image 64 of 520, p. 52 at HathiTrust.org.
15. ↑ Essex Institute, Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, Massachusetts, vol. 1, 1636–1656 (Salem: Essex Institute, 1911); image 70 of 520, p. 58 at HathiTrust.org.
16. ↑ Clarence Almon Torrey, New England Marriages Prior to 1700 (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1985), image 460 of 1022, p. 445 by subscription at Ancestry.com.
17. ↑ Robert Charles Anderson,Great Migration Begins (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995); image of p. 1140 by subscription American Ancestors.

See also:

• Robert Charles Anderson,Great Migration Begins (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995); image of p. 1139-42 by subscription American Ancestors.
• Descendants of John Fairfield of Wenham, 1953
• Haines, Richard. Genealogy of the Stokes Family, Descended from Thomas and Mary Stokes Who Settled in Burlington County, N.J. Camden, NJ, USA: Sinnickson Chew & Sons Company, Printers, 1903.
• James Savage, A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England... 3:39 (Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1861); image of p. 39 at InternetArchive.org.

WALTER, Salem 1626, had been here in 1622, and is now sent over by the Dorchester people to strengthen Conant; perhaps was of Duxbury 1****; in 1653 giv. evidence a. something that occur. in 1622, perhaps only hearsay, he call. his age 66.

• The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol. 1, April 1847, p. 138 at InternetArchive.org.

Knight, Walter, aged 66 in 1653, at which time he was at Boston. The same person was at Nantasket in 1622.

• New England Historical and Genealogical Register, The, Volume 142, April 1988, page 109-110.

Walter Knight, born about 1587 in Staplegrove, Somerset, England, married first Elizabeth in England, second Ruth Gray, daughter of Thomas Gray, in 1635; at Nantascot in 1621; Cape Ann 1635, labeled a "frequent liar" in Boston in 1642