William B. McKnight (1765 - 1825)

Born 1 Mar 1765 in County Down, Ireland

Ancestors

Husband of Nancy Agnes (Robertson) McKnight — married 1788 in Washington, Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died 8 Aug 1825 at age 60 in Franklin Township, Washington County, IN

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Biography

This biography is a rough draft. It was auto-generated by a GEDCOM import and needs to be edited.

Birth

Birth:

User ID: 4AD8F60E-9B6F-402C-9825-FB0FA7232A05

Record ID Number: MH:IF33385

Date: 1 MAR 1765

Place: County Down, Ireland

Death

Death:

User ID: F9C3D351-F353-4874-B90F-C68FB1101785

Record ID Number: MH:IF33386

Date: 8 AUG 1825

Place: Franklin Township, Washington County, IN

Record ID Number

Record ID Number: MH:I844

User ID

User ID: 18D0E0EC-4230-47E7-BA94-F5BA58DB2105

UPD

UPD 31 MAY 2012 07:44:26 GMT-6

Burial

Burial:

User ID: 0C3F66F4-E15E-4509-A63E-83AC45DCEAE3

Record ID Number: MH:IF33387

Date: AUG 1825

Place: McKnight Cemetery, Washington County, IN

Note

Note: The dates I have from the DAR application and Charles McKnight.

From Charles McKnight -- Genealogy of the McKnight Family

This portion from the John M. Bloss record. (note: The spelling, wording, and punctuation has been copied as found.)

William McKnight , was born Mar. 1, 1765 in the Co. Drown (County Down) Ireland. and came to America with his father when he was nine years old. On Jan. 28, 1788, he married Nancy Agnes Robertson of Wash. Co. Pa. They lived in Brooks Co. Va. for almost Two years, when together with his brother-in-law Robertson and other neighbors they emigrated to Mercer Co. Ky. This was then a long journey first by raft then down the Ohio River then up the Ky. river to that which has become the very heart of the bluegrass region. At the time that this trip was made his only child was about six months old. After a few years he moved to Henry Co. Ky. and in 1808 he with his son John then 19, years old went to Ind. Territory to seek a new home from the influence of slavery.

After a search through the unbroken forests of Ind. they selected a home near where New Philadelphia has since been established. They opened up a small farm. Built a cabin in 1809 removed the familyfrom Ky. to this new home, at that time there was probably not more than half doz. families in what is now Wash. Co. Ind. He died on this farm Aug. 8, 1825 age 61 years.

His wife Nancy Agnes Robertson was born April 3, 1766 and was therefore one year his junior. She was born in York Pa. and after the was removed with her family to Wash. Co. Pa. It was here she met and married Wm McKnight, Both families the McKnights and the Robertsons were Covenanters and their families, the Children were brought up in that faith and with two exceptions all the children became members of the Presbyterians Church. Nancy McKnight outlived her husband by almost a quarter of a century. And died July 22, 1849 and was laid to rest by the side of her husband in the family burying ground on the farm where they had first settled in Ind.

They had the following children.</p>

1. John McKnight b.May8, 1789, Brooks Co. Va. d. Aug. 12, 1866

2. Mary Thompson b. Feb. 14, 1791, Mercer Co. Va. d. ------

3. Robert B. July 16, 1793 Mercer Co. Ky. d. April 1, 1852.

4. Jane (McNaught) b. Dec. 27, 1795, d. Jan. 7 1850.

5. Nancy (Gardner) b. July 17, 1800 Beach Grove Ind.

6. Margaret (Ralston) b. ----1803, d. July 21, 1838, inS.E. Iowa.

7. Sarah(Wier) b. April 30, 1805, d. Nov. 21, 1873, Beach Grove.

8. William b. Jan. 19, 1807, in Ky. d.------in Ia, Union Co.

9. Jerimima (Ried) Oct 3, 1808, Henry Co. Ky. d. April 3, 1891 Ia.

10. Robertson b. Dec. 3, 1810, Wash Co. In d. d. Dec. 4, 1872, at New

Philadelphia Ind.<

****From Charles McKnight -- Genealogy of the McKnight Family

This portion from the W. R. McKnight information. (note: The spelling,wording, and punctuation has been copied as found.)

William McKnight.

Born March 1, 1765 County Down Ireland. Came to America with his father in 1773. Lived in Washington Co. Pa. and Brooks Co. Va. moved to Mercer Co. Ky. fall of 1789. lived in Henry Co. Ind. in the spring of 1809. (see Bloss record) Entered 1/4 section of land in Franklin Twp. built a two story log house 20x40. Cleared the land. heavy timer for a farm and lived there the remainder of his life. About one and one fourth miles west of New Philadelphia Ind. During the war of 1812, another log house was built close to the first one and was used for a fort and called the McKnight Fort. These were built to protect them from the Indians. But they were not molested by the Indians. Died Aug. the 8, 1825, buried in the McKnight cemetary beside his father. This cemetary is on the farm , the land is located at the Junction of the Lexington and Salem road. with the road running south from school No. 6. Agnes Robertson Wife,

Born April, 3 1776, York, Pa. Married to Wm McKnight, Jan. 28, 1788 in Wash Co. Pa. Died July 22, 1849, near, New Philadelphia Ind. Buried in the McKnight cemetary beside her husband. (right). Childred as on sheet two.

Both the Bloss record and W.R. McKnight, give the name of Nancy to the above. I have a church paper that she was a subscriber to. and it is addressed Agnes. Also I have the receipts that were given by heirs for part of the estate to John McKnight Admr. The estate of Agnes McKnight, dated Sept. 17, 1849. John McKnight her oldest son and Admr. spells his name McNight. Robert R. spells his McKnight. and Robertson McKnight. This is the way they are wrote on the receipts.

So It is Evident her name was Agnes and may have been given wrong account of John McKnights first wifes name was Nancy. Copy of receipt given by Robert R McKnight. Received of John McKnight Seventy three dollars and fifty cents as part of the estate of Agnes McKnight. Sept. 17, 1849. (the dollar was spelled with one l)

C. Mck. 1926.

****History of William McKnight published in Salem, Indiana newspaper. He moved with his father, brother and sister from County Down, Ireland to Chester County, Pennsylvania. After the RevolutionaryWar, he moved with his family to Brooks county, Virginia, now West Virginia. In the fall of 1789, he went to Salt River, Mercer County, Kentucky. A few years later, he moved to Henry County, Kentucky. In 1808, he and his son, John, went to Indiana. They scouted the area, planted a crop in what was to be Washington County. Then they went back and got the rest of the family.</

 !Census: There is a William McNight in the 1807 Indiana Census. He is listed as William McNight in 1820 and 1830 as well. In fact I don't see any references to him as anything but McNight, except in family or county histories as told by Charles McKnight or John Bloss, etc

Buried: Aug 8, 1825, buried in the McKnight Cemetery which is on the farm of his son John McNight. The land is located at the junction of the Lexington and Salem road, with the road running south from School No. 6.

Sources

• WikiTree profile McKnight-404 created through the import of Wiki Tree.GED on Jun 30, 2012 by Dale Smith. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Dale and others.