Margaret (Watts) Knox (1723 - 1767)

Born 31 Dec 1723 in Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay

Wife of Archable Knox — married 7 Feb 1744 in Medford, Middlesex, Massachusetts

Descendants

Died 7 Jun 1767 at age 43 in Ashford, Windham, Connecticut

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Biography

Margaret was born to Samuel Watts, Jr. and Mary Duston at Woburn, Massachusetts, 31 Dec 1723, ^{[1] [2]} Her sister, Mary, was born on 27 July 1728 ^[3]. They had two brothers, Samuel “the elder” (lll), born 5 September 1725^[4] and Samuel, “the younger” (lV), born 5 October 1726^[5]. It seems likely the first brother died at birth or shortly after. Woburn records list the deaths of two Samuels that are linked to the Watts family. Samuel (ll), died in 1734, as witnessed by his probate record^[6][7]. His probable younger son, Samuel (lV), died in his bed on 12 September 1799^[8]. There are no Woburn records citing where the family came from prior to Woburn or for the deaths of any of the women, only a set of confusing records of marriage to and communion with Archibald Knox in the First Church of Medford, Massachusetts.

Archibald married one of the Watts sisters on 7 February 1744^[9][10] In the “First Church” of Medford, Massachusetts^[11]. Both are listed as being admitted to full communion in the First Church in 1745^[12]. In the town clerk’s records she is referred to as “Mary”, in the First Church marriage record as “Marg” and when noting they were in full communion with the Church, as “Margaret”. In 1744, Margarette was 20 years old and Mary was not quite 16. It is highly likely that Margaret, not Mary, was Archibald’s wife. However, we still do not know who her parents, Samuel and Mary Watts^[13] were.

Archable Knox and Margaret had eight children: Samuel (1745-1816), Adam (1748-?), Mather (1753-?), James (1755-1839), John (1757-1799), Marcy (1758-1853), William (1761-?) Mary (1764-?) and Archibald (1763-1820?)^[14]. All but the first two children were born in Ashford, while Samuel and Adam were born in Massachusetts. His father died soon after returning from Havana, Cuba, where he supported British troops^[15] in an attack against Spain during the French and Indian War. Margaret died in 1767 when Archibald, Jr. was only four years old.

Sources

1. ↑ Frank Dougherty,The Knox Family, The Settlers of Beekman’s Patent , Vol. VII: Beekman Patent Families Hunter to Leavens, 13 volumes. 
(Frank J. Dougherty, New York, 1990-2017), 2003, 7:660
2. ↑ Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1620-1850 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2016), citing Woburn Vital Records, Vol. 1, Births: p. 271
3. ↑ ”Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1620-1850”, online database, American Ancestors, (https://www.americanancestors.org : accessed 6 December 2019), entry for Mary Watts, birth 1728, Woburn, Massachusetts, “Mary, d. of Samuel and Mary, July 17, 1728”, Woburn V-1, pg. 271, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2016.
4. ↑ ”Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1620-1850”, online database, American Ancestors, (https://www.americanancestors.org : accessed 6 December 2019), entry for Samuel Watts, birth 1725, Woburn, Massachusetts, “Samuel, s. of Samuel and Mary, Sep. 5, 1725”, Woburn V-1, pg. 271, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2016.
5. ↑ “Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1620-1850”, online database, American Ancestors, (https://www.americanancestors.org : accessed 6 December 2019), entry for Samuel Watts, birth 1726, Woburn, Massachusetts, “Samuel, s. of Samuel and Mary, Oct. 5, 1726”, Woburn V-1, pg. 271, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2016.
6. ↑ ”Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1620-1850”, online database, American Ancestors, (https://www.americanancestors.org : accessed 6 December 2019), entry for Samuel Watts, death 1734, Woburn, Massachusetts, “Samuel, __, __, 1734”, Woburn V-2, pg. 203, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2016.
7. ↑ ”Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871”, online database, American Ancestors (https://www.americanancestors.org : accessed 6 December 2019) entry for Samuel Watts probate 1734, Woburn, Massachusetts, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014, Middlesex Cases 22000-23999, pg. 23974:1-12, derived from records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives, digitized images provided by FamilySearch.org.
8. ↑ ”Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1620-1850”, online database, American Ancestors, (https://www.americanancestors.org : accessed 6 December 2019), entry for Samuel Watts, death 1799, Woburn, Massachusetts, “Samuel, s of __, found dead in his bed, Sept. 12, 1799; 70 y. or more.”, Woburn V-2, pg. 203, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2016.
9. ↑ “Massachusetts, Town Marriage Records, 1620-1850”, database with images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 September 2019), 7 February 1744 entry for marriage of Archibald Knox and Mary Watts in Medford from “Vital Records of Medford”; full text “WATTS, Mary of Woburn, and Archabald Knox, Feb. 7, 1744. Intention not recorded”
10. ↑ “Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988”, database with images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 September 2019), 7 February 1744 entry for marriage of Archibald Knox and Mary Watts in Medford Collections of Letters and Family Records; citing “Town and City Clerks of Massachusetts, Massachusetts Vital and Town Records”, Holbrook Research Institute (Jay and Delene Holbrook).
11. ↑ “Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988”, database with images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 September 2019), 7 February 1744 entry for payment of fees associated with marriage of Archibald Knox of Medford to Marg Watts of Woburn from Medford First Church Records pg. 141; citing “Town and City Clerks of Massachusetts, Massachusetts Vital and Town Records”, Holbrook Research Institute (Jay and Delene Holbrook).
12. ↑ ”Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988”, database with images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 September 2019), 1745 entry for Archibald Knox and wife Margaret Knox in Medford First Church Records listing those that have been admitted to full communion, pg. 133; citing “Town and City Clerks of Massachusetts, Massachusetts Vital and Town Records”, Holbrook Research Institute (Jay and Delene Holbrook)
13. ↑ “Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1620-1850”, online database, American Ancestors, (https://www.americanancestors.org : accessed 6 December 2019), entry for Margarette Watts, birth 1723, Woburn, Massachusetts, “Margaret, d. of Samuel and Mary, Dec. 32, 1723”, Woburn V-1, pg. 271, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2016.
14. ↑ Frank Dougherty, “The Knox Family”, The Settlers of Beekman’s Patent Vol. VII Beekman Patent Families Hunter to Leavens. 13 volumes. 
(Frank J. Dougherty, New York, 1990-2017), 2003, 7:660.
15. ↑ PNWGAL, “Battle of Havana (1762)”, Ancestry.com, Archable “(Archibald) & Samuel Knox were among the "American provincials" sent to Havana to join the British troops there. Samuel lived to 1789, but Archable died about two months after he was released from service.” Also includes description of the battle from a Wikipedia article. PNWGal originally shared this on 30 Jan 2013.