256John Knight
Key Facts
Snapshot:planter in Virginia; slave owner
Parents:512John Knight
513Elizabeth Eppes
Born:probably circa 1730
probably Albemarle Parish, Sussex County, Virginia
Died:between 23 July 1785 and 3 February 1791
Sussex County, Virginia
Buried:unknown

Note: Much of the research presented here is based on: John Frederick Dorman, Ancestors and Descendants of Francis Epes I of Virginia (Epes-Eppes-Epps), Volume I (Society of the Descendants of Francis Epes I of Virginia, 1992), page 147 (“11532 John”).

256John's parents are 512John Knight and 513Elizabeth Eppes, as explained in the two problem sections below.

256John may have been born sometime in the early 1730's (This is an estimate based on the baptism record of his daughter Lydia.1), and he almost certainly grew up in Albemarle Parish, Sussex County, Virginia. (Three of his siblings were baptized there in 1739/40, 1742, and 1749.2-4)

Problem: Resolved
Who is 256John's father?

Six of 256John's children were baptized in Albemarle Parish, Virginia between 1757 and 1770.1,5-9 In four of the baptism records, 256John's name is simply given as "John Knight," 6-9 but in the other two, he's described as "jr," i.e. junior.1,5

Using this information, we can make a few educated guesses about 256John's father:

(1)
Since 256John is twice described as junior, his father is likewise probably also named John.
(2)
Since 256John raised his family in Albemarle Parish, Virginia, he may have been raised there himself. In other words, 256John's father may have been from the same area. (Also note that at that time, Albemarle Parish was entirely contained within Sussex County.)
(3)
Lydia, 256John's earliest-born child, was baptized in 1757.1 If we assume that 256John was about 25 years old when Lydia was born, and if we assume that 256John's father in turn was about 30 years old when 256John was born, then we may estimate that 256John's father was born circa 1700. Since the life expectancy for colonial-era American males who survived to adulthood was about 70 years,10 we can roughly estimate that 256John's father may have died circa 1770.

Fortunately, there is one man who matches the above description: 512John Knight of Sussex County, Virginia, whose will, dated 7 February 1760 and probated 18 February 1762, names "loving Sons John [and others]." 11 This 512John is very likely 256John's father.

Problem: Resolved
Who is 256John's mother?

As explained above, one can reasonably conclude that 512John Knight is 256John's father. Unfortunately, 512John's will does not mention his wife, although it does name many children: William, 256John, Jordan, Edward, Joel, Peter, Richard, Sara, Anne, and Mary.

The Albemarle parish register records the baptisms of three of these children: Peter, born 8 January 1739/40;2 Sarah, born 25 August 1742;3 and Mary, born 21 September 1749.4 For each of these three baptisms, the parents are 512John Knight and his wife [513]Elizabeth. Therefore, we know that 512John was married to a woman named Elizabeth.

Elizabeth's maiden name—Eppes—is deduced from the will of "[1026]Daniel Eppes of the parish of Albemarle and County of Surry," which is dated 6 September 1749 and names his "daughter Elizabeth Knight," 12 who seems to be one and the same as 512John's wife Elizabeth known from the abovementioned baptism records.

To recap, we know that 256John's father is 512John Knight, husband of 513Elizabeth Eppes... but can we be sure that 513Elizabeth was 256John's mother? One could suggest that perhaps 513Elizabeth was merely a second wife, that perhaps she didn't birth all of 512John's children.

Fortunately, there is evidence to disprove such hypotheses: In his will 256John names his "loving Son Francis Eppes Knight" as one of his heirs. As is proven elsewhere on this website, 4104Francis Eppes is the name of 513Elizabeth Eppes' great-grandfather. 256John's decision to name a son in 4104Francis Eppes' honor suggests that 513Elizabeth Eppes was his (256John's) mother.

By around August 1856, 256John had married his first wife 257Elizabeth Stokes, as explained in the problem section below.

Problem: Resolved
Who was 256John's first wife?

256John's will names nine children: daughter Crecy Pippin (She was married.), Walker, Lewis, son Francis Eppes, Rhoda, 128Silvanus (underage), Elizabeth, Charles, and John.13 He also had a daughter Lydia not named in the will.1

Of these ten children, six have extant baptism records, and in all six records the parents are recorded as 256John and 257Elizabeth Knight.1,5-9 Therefore, one can be certain that 256John was married to a woman named 257Elizabeth.

257Elizabeth's maiden name—Stokes—is deduced from the will of 514Silvanus Stokes of Sussex County, Virginia, which is dated 23 February 1758 and mentions "my Daughter Elizabeth Knight." 14

As mentioned above, 256John and 257Elizabeth seem to have had at least ten children. Nine are mentioned in 256John's will.13 (One suspects that Lydia, the daughter not named in the will, may have died at an early age.) The six children for whom baptism records exist are listed below. The other four children are Rhoda, Elizabeth, Charles, and John.13

Child When Born When Baptized
Lydia Knight1 27 April 1757 12 June 1757
Creesy Knight5 not stated 27 April 1760
Walker Knight6 24 May 1762 20 June 1762
Lewis Knight7 20 December 1763 26 February 1764
Frank-Eppes Knight8 11 February 1766 23 March 1766
Sylvanus Knight9 5 February 1770 15 April 1770

257Elizabeth died sometime between 29 September 177515 and 23 July 1785,13 and 256John subsequently remarried a woman named Sarah. Nothing else is known about her apart from her being named in 256John's will. That she may have born any children with 256John seems very unlikely.

256John's will is dated 23 July 1785 and was probated 3 February 1791. The will is copied below in full, and each page is accompanied by a transcription.13

[page 78]

In the name of God Amen. The Twenty third day of
July In the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred &
Eighty five, I John Knight of the Parish of Albemarle + County
of Sussex being greatly afflicted in Body but of sound + disposing
mind and memory, thanks be to almighty God for the same
and calling to mind the certainty of Death and uncertainty
of this Transitory Life, and that we must all give an
account at the Day of Judgment do make constitute &
Ordain this my last Will + Testament in manner following
First I Bequeath my Soul into the hands of my Creator
hoping for Salvation through the merits + suffering of
my Crucified Redeemer. And my Body to the Earth
to be decently Interred at the discretion of my Executors
hereafter named. And as to my Worldly Good it hath
pleased God to bless me with, after my just Debts and
necessary expences [sic] are paid I give + dispose of as
follows

Imprimis I lend unto my loving wife Sarah Knight during her
Life all my Land + plantation, which I shall hereafter
___ to my loving son John also my Negro woman
Nan One feather Bed + furniture her choice one sow[?]
+ Calf one Sow + Piggs one Puter Dish + puter Bason[?]
two Puter plates half Dozen puter spoons one Iron
roll[?] + poll Hooks[?] five Barrels of Indian Corn two Ewes
+ Lambs, her choice of my Stock of Sheep one side
Saddly + Bridle, the saddle she owned before our
Marriage + one third part of my Plantation, utensils

Also I give and bequeath unto my loving Daughter Crecy
Pippin Wife of Joseph Pippin of North carolina a

[page 79]

Negro Boy George now in possession of my Son in Law
Joseph Pippin

Also I give and bequeath unto my loving Son Walker Knight Two-
hundred Acres of Land part of my Tract on which I
now live be it more or less Beginning on the Mouth
of the Pond[?] Branch on the South side of the Spring
Swamp and to be divided by a line to be run through my
Plantation so as to strike Charles Newsom's South East
corner of the old Field + at the joining of the Land I pur-
chased of Thomas Milker, to him + his Heirs for ever. The
said Land is also the residue of my Lands to be surveyed
so as each part may be properly ascertained.

Also I give and bequeath unto my loving Son Lewis Knight my
Negro Boy named Jacob & two cows + calves to him ___
Heirs

Also I give and bequeath unto my loving Son Francis Eppes
Knight one negro Boy named Esau[?] one Sorrel Colt
one Year old last Spring one mans Saddle &
Bridles to be provided at a reasonably Price to
him + his Heirs But in case he shall Dye under
age + without Issue then the several articles above
enumerated to be sold and equally divided amongst
all my living children or if either of my children
shall Dye + leave children the offspring of such
child so dying to be entitled to the proportion of
his or their Parents proportion of sd Estate.

Also I give and bequeath unto my loving Daughter Rhoda
Knight my negro Boy named Jim one feather
Bed + furniture one ___ wheel + ___ but
in case she shall die under age + without issue
to be disposed of as above mentioned with respect to
my son Francis Epes Knight's Estate

[page 80]

Also I give and bequeath unto my loving Son Silvanus
Knight one Negro Girl named Lucy and one Years
Schooling but on condition that if my said Son shall
Dye under Lawful age + without Issue the Negro
Girl with her increase (if any) to be disposed of
as my other children's ___ Francis Eppes Knight's +
Rhoda Knights Estates.

Also I give and bequeath unto my loving Daughter Elizabeth
Knight my negro Girl named Miltia[?] one feather Bed
+ furniture one Womans saddle now in possession

Also I give + bequeath unto my loving Son Charles Knight
my negro Boy named Bob two Years schooling or
more at the discretion of my Executors

Also I give and bequeath unto my loving Son John Knight
my Plantation whereon I now live with all my
Lands I possess which I have not given to my
Son Walker Knight + that be put to school at
the discretion of my Executors as to be as well
Educated as his fortunate admit[?] of and desire
he may be put under the care of my Son Walker
Knight and that my son Charles be put under the
care of my Son Lewis Knight. It is my further
Will and desire + do hereby devise[?] & direct that
if my Son John shall Dye under age & without
Issue that the Land I have devised[?] to him descend[?]
unto my Son Charles his Heirs & assigns

Also My will and desire is that my two Negroes Jane +
Charlotte be sold for the best price that can be
got for them + the money arising thereby be equally
divided between my three Sons Walker Charles + John

[page 81]

and that the Estate lent unto my loving Wife that is
the Negro + Personal Estate at her Death to be sold &
divided amongst my said three sons or their Survivors of
them. Also my further Will and desire is that out of
the Residue of my Estate not heretofore divided my
son Walker be entitled to my mare called Janey
Diver[?] and my son Silvanus Knight to one years School
ing that the said Residue of my Estate and all money
& other matters whatsoever not Particularly Enumerated
after paying my Just Debts Funeral expenses ___ be sold
and the money to be equally divided between my two young
est Sons Charles and John

And lastly I do hereby nominate Constitute & appt my
loving Son Walker Knight and my two Friends Jesse
Williamson & David Mason my executors of this my
Last Will and as hereby revoke all formers wills and
bequests by me heretofore made declaring this & no other
to be my last will + Testament. Witness my hand and
Seal the day and year above Written

Signd Seald Published and
Declared to be the last Will +
Testament of the Testater and               John Knight seal
at his request and in his
presence we subscribe as
witnesses thereto

[Witness signatures]         At a Court held for Sussex County the 3 day of
                                              February 1791 the Last will + Testament of John
                                              Knight decd was presented into Court by Walker
                                              Knight one of the Exrs therein named [...]

I have found no other information about 256John's death, burial location, etc.

Sources Cited:

1: Albemarle Parish Register, photostat page 62, Lydia Knight, born 27 April 1757. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4C-24?i=67&cat=376749>, accessed 29 October 2021. This record is abstracted in: Gertrude R. B. Richards, Register of Albemarle Parish, Surry and Sussex Counties (National Society Colonial Dames of America in the Commonwealth of Virginia, 1958), page 111.

2: Albemarle Parish Register, photostat page 33, Peter Knight, born 8 January 1739/40. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4C-29Q?i=38&cat=376749>, accessed 29 October 2021. This record is abstracted in: Richards, op. cit., page 55.

3: Albemarle Parish Register, photostat page 40, Sarah Knight, born 25 August 1742. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4C-29C?i=45&cat=376749>, accessed 29 October 2021. This record is abstracted in: Richards, op. cit., page 69.

4: Albemarle Parish Register, photostat page 113, Mary Knight, born 21 September 1749. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4C-27S?i=124&cat=376749>, accessed 29 October 2021. This record is abstracted in: Richards, op. cit., page 218.

5: Albemarle Parish Register, photostat page 11, Creesy Knight, baptized 27 April 1760. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4C-29H?i=16&cat=376749>, accessed 29 October 2021. This record is abstracted in: Richards, op. cit., page 18.

6: Albemarle Parish Register, photostat page 137, Walker Knight, born 24 May 1762. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4C-2QD?i=148&cat=376749>, accessed 29 October 2021. This record is abstracted in: Richards, op. cit., page 264.

7: Albemarle Parish Register, photostat page 111, Lewis Knight, born 20 December 1763. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4C-27T?i=122&cat=376749>, accessed 29 October 2021. This record is abstracted in: Richards, op. cit., page 214.

8: Albemarle Parish Register, photostat page 55, Frank-Eppes Knight, born 11 February 1766. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4C-25?i=60&cat=376749>, accessed 29 October 2021. This record is abstracted in: Richards, op. cit., page 98.

9: Albemarle Parish Register, photostat page 157, [128]Sylvanus Knight, born 5 February 1770. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4C-279?i=168&cat=376749>, accessed 29 October 2021. This record is abstracted in: Richards, op. cit., page 302.

10: James M. Volo and Dorothy Denneen Volo, Family Life in 17th- and 18th-Century America (Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006), page 39.

11: Sussex County, Virginia. Wills book A (1754-1762), page 229. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99GY-QDCF?i=440&cat=366507>. This is 512John Knight's will.

12: Surry County, Virginia. Deeds, wills, etc., [#9] 1738-1754, pages 816-817. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9PX-KLS?i=466&cat=366316>, accessed 1 November 2021. This is 1026Daniel Eppes' will. Confusingly, there seem to be duplicate copies of this record book, and both are handwritten; in the alternate copy, 1026Daniel's will is on pages 844-845.

13: Sussex County, Virginia. Wills book E (1790-1796), pages 78-81. Copied from microfilm 3932, Genealogical & Historical Room, Washington Memorial Library, Macon, Georgia. The same record is also available on FamilySearch: <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9PX-K621?i=379&cat=366507>, accessed 1 November 2021. This is 256John Knight's will.

14: Sussex County, Virginia. Wills book B (1764-1771), page 74-75. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9PX-KD67?i=54&cat=366507>, accessed 1 November 2021. This is 514Silvanus Stokes' will.

15: Sussex County, Virginia. Wills book D (1782-1786), pages 426 and 427. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9PX-KXZ6?i=248&cat=366507>, accessed 1 November 2021. This is 515Cecilia ___'s will, dated 29 September 1775, which names “my Daughter Elizabeth Knight” and doesn't imply that 257Elizabeth was deceased.