128Sylvanus Knight
Key Facts
Snapshot:moved from Virginia to Georgia; slave owner
Parents:256John Knight
257Elizabeth Stokes
Born:5 February 1770
Albemarle Parish, Sussex County, Virginia
Died:by 3 July 1843
Washington County, Georgia
Buried:unknown

Note: Much of the research presented here is based on: John Frederick Dorman, Descendants of Francis Epes I of Virginia (Epes-Eppes-Epps), Volume II (Society of the Descendants of Francis Epes I of Virginia, 1999), pages 274-275 (&“11532.7 Sylvanus Knight [1770-1843]”).

Among the records of Albemarle Parish, Virginia is the baptism record of 128Sylvanus Knight, son of 256John Knight and his wife 257Elizabeth, born 5 February 1770 and baptized 15 April 1770.1 (Although baptized as an infant in the Church of England, later in life 128Sylvanus seems to have become a firm Baptist, as described later in this profile.)


1770: 128Sylvanus' baptism record. Full page.1

Although no marriage record has been found, 128Sylvanus married 129Sarah ___, probably around 1794. (1794 seems to be a reasonable estimate based on the evidence presented in 64Jesse's profile and the 1800 census, described below.)

On 15 December 1797, when 128Sylvanus was 27 years old, he paid “three hundred Silver dollars” to purchase 300 acres of land “on the Road that leads from Tarborough [Tarboro] to Town Creeks Bridge.” 2 Tarboro was and still is in Edgecombe County, North Carolina. Town Creek is a small, winding creek a few miles south of town. A portion of the deed is shown below.


1797: 128Sylvanus buys 300 acres of land south of Tarboro, North Carolina. Full page.2

128Sylvanus was still living in Edgecombe County when his family was enumerated in the 1800 census. The census, copied below, shows 1 man age 26-44 (i.e., 128Sylvanus), 3 girls under age 10, 1 woman age 16-25 (129Sarah), and 2 slaves.3 (The 1800 census shows several other Knight households living in Edgecombe County, NC. Some of these Knights were 128Sylvanus' siblings. A thorough discussion of these Knight families is beyond the scope of this article, but if you'd like to learn more, see the outstanding book Descendants of Francis Epes I of Virginia (Epes-Eppes-Epps), Volume II.)


1800: 128Sylvanus' family and slaves in Edgecombe County, North Carolina. Full page.3

Later that year, on 11 October 1800 128Sylvanus sold the aforementioned 300 acres for $450.4


1800: 128Sylvanus sells his 300 acres. Full page.4

128Sylvanus must have moved to Georgia by May 1802, since this was a requirement to participate in Georgia's 1805 land lottery, and 128Sylvanus did participate. He registered as a resident of Washington County5 and was still there in September 1806.6


1805: 128Sylvanus' name on this list of participants in Georgia's land lottery proves that he'd moved to Georgia by May 1802. Full page.5

Although 128Sylvanus didn't win anything in the 1805 lottery,5 his fortunes soon turned: On 7 January 1808 he was granted 202.5 acres that he'd won in the 1807 land lottery. I've marked the lot (Baldwin County, district 13, lot 85) on the master map. A copy of the grant is shown below.7 I haven't researched what 128Sylvanus did with the land (Many land lottery winners sold their lots sight unseen, so perhaps 128Sylvanus did likewise.), but as will be shown below, all other records suggest that 128Sylvanus spent the rest of his life in Washington County.


1807: 128Sylvanus wins in Georgia's 1807 land lottery.7

The 1820 census still shows him in Washington County. He had six slaves.8


1820: 128Sylvanus' family and slaves in Washington County, Georgia. Full page.8

An 1825 tax digest shows that he owned 549 acres of pine land and 11 slaves. His property is described as having been along or near Stephen's Creek (a.k.a. Stephen's Branch).9 This creek lies mostly in militia district 95 (map), and Washington County's 1830 tax digest confirms that 128Sylvanus lived there.10


1825: 128Sylvanus paid tax in Washington County, Georgia.

The 1830 census shows that several children, including 64Jesse, had moved out, but little else had changed. It also shows he owned 12 slaves. You can see his entry here.11

On 17 January 1834, 128Sylvanus and his wife 129Sarah became two of the ten charter members of Antioch Baptist Church near Stephen's Creek. Mary Alice Jordan's 1989 book From Cotton to Kaolin: A History of Washington County, Georgia, 1784-1989 provides a brief profile of the church, and I have copied some excerpts below:

The Church of Christ at Antioch is situated on Stephen's Creek in Washington County on land donated by David Curry and William May. It was constituted on January 17, 1834, by Elders Jessie Moon and Guthridge Ivy. The church had 10 charter members: Thomas Jordan, Catherine Jordan, Sylvaneous Knight, Sarah Knight, Catherine May, Liviniah Thigpen, Collins' Lucy, May's Judy, Curry's Lucy, and Rachael Starling. Elder Guthridge Ivy was the first pastor, Lewis Knight was the first clerk, and William May and Elisha Jordan were the first two deacons. These members came from Bethlehem Baptist Church.

[...]

In January 1885, Antioch reported 53 male and 99 female members. Services were held once a month.

By July 1930 many of the people in the community were moving toward the towns, but the remaining members' love for their church caused them to hold onto it until there were not enough members left in the community to support the church.

By the mid-1940's Antioch Church was no longer active, but began holding homecoming and singing conventions. These services are now held the third Sunday in May each year with morning service, dinner on the ground, a business meeting, and a music program. The building, grounds and cemetery are maintained by elected trustees. Former members and descendants of members gather for this day of remembrance in this unchanged, wooden church with its original handmade pews.

The church is located at N33.1229 W82.7258, but I've never visited it, and I don't know whether the meeting information given in From Cotton to Kaolin (i.e., meeting on the third Sunday in May) is still accurate.

The church's book of records is preserved on microfilm, but unfortunately the book was already in poor shape when imaged, and large sections of text are missing from the first few pages. Below are copies of selected portions of the records, along with partial transcriptions.12

[Excerpt from page 1]

        The church book at Antioch
meeting house Washington County Georgia
January 17th 1834

We the following named brethren and
sisters being members of the baptist denomination
in the vicinity of Antioch Meeting house have
thought proper for our own convenience and
believing that such a cause would have the
tendency to promote the Redeemer's Kingdom
each have convened on the day and year
[text missing] [illegible]

[Excerpt from page 2]

We also voluntarily and jointly enguage[?]
(the ^Lord helping us) to keep the faith was once
delivered to the saints which we believe to
include the following and sublime doctrine
the being of a God the trinity of [illegible]
[text missing] is the Father, the Son
[text missing] the ho[text missing]in and
[illegible] [text missing] the
[illegible] of the [text missing] the
impotency of natural [text missing]ything
than[?] to spiritually or [illegible] [text missing] lasting
love of God to his people [illegible]
electing[?] the covenant of grace particular
[?] and Justification before God
by the [illegible] of Jesus Christ imparted[?]
pardon and reconciliation through his blood
regeneration and sanctification by the
influence and appreciation of the holy Ghost
final perseverance of the saints in grace
the resurrection of the just and unjust
and eternal judgment.
(finish)

[Excerpt from page 3]

Finally we do voluntarily and jointly
engaged[?] in the Lord and strength to do all
things whatever the Lord hath commanded
us to do in obedience to him that he may
be with us always particularly to any which
take up the Cross and following the Lord in
all his examples[?] a humbling[?] master[?]
to worship God as often as we conveniently
can [illegible] in church conferences[?]
and endeavor to keep up a godly discipline
that we may be [illegible] in the [illegible] of
God and man we may love as
brethren and submit to one another
in the Lord and also to love and
maintain them who [illegible]
will over us accordingly to the [illegible]
of the Lord, this is the covenant which
we now Solemnly enter into in
the fear of the Lord

In testament [text missing] [illegible]
eac[text missing] the clerk to
[text missing] in our behalf
the [text missing] [J]anuary 1834
Thom[as Jo]rdan 1, Liviniah Thigpen 6
Catherine Jordan 2, Collins' Lucy        7
Sylvanus Knight   3, May's Judy         8
Sarah Knight        4, Curry's Lucy       9
Catherine May     5, Rachael Starling 1012

128Sylvanus' tax digests for 1836,13 1837,14 and 183815 confirm that he continued to live along/near Stephen's Creek with only minor changes in his property. He was in his mid-60's at the time, so one would expect that he felt settled and content.

By 1840 it's likely that Allen was 128Sylvanus' only child still living with him. Also in the house were 129Sarah along with a young woman and two little girls (perhaps Allen's wife and children). There were also 11 slaves.16 (Note that in 1850 129Sarah, by then a widow, was living with her son Allen and his family.17)


1840: 128Sylvanus' household in militia district 95 (map), Washington County, Georgia. Full page. The 11 slaves are marked on a separate page.16

128Sylvanus died by 3 July 1843, when his executors (his son Lewis Knight and David Curry, whose relationship to 128Sylvanus is unknown) presented the will to be probated. Unfortunately, the will itself is lost. An excerpt of the probate record is below, or see the full page.18


Know Ye that on the third day of July in the Year of our
Lord Eighteen hundred and forty three the last Will and
Testament of Sylvanus Knight deceased was proved
and approved and allowed of; the said Sylvanus Knight
having in his lifetime and at the time of his death divers
goods rights and credits within the County aforesaid,

[...]

granted and committed the Administration of all and sing-
ular the Estate aforesaid and his Testament unto David
Curry and Lewis Knight nominated Executors of the
said deceased in his said last Will and Testament18

128Sylvanus' estate returns are in Washington County's returns book B (1843-1852) on pages 74-75, 130, 334, and 360-361. The returns provide for various payments to 129Sarah and sons Allen and Lewis, but notably not to 64Jesse. The returns also name several of 128Sylvanus' slaves: Ben, Mary, Vino[?], Roun Oak, Rube, Gilbert, and Dick.19

As explained above, 128Sylvanus was a founding member of Antioch Baptist Church in Washington County, so one would expect him to be buried in its cemetery, but sadly no such grave seems to exist. Perhaps he was buried in an unmarked grave, or perhaps his tombstone had been ruined or overgrown by the time the cemetery's graves were transcribed circa 1967.20

Sources Cited:

1: Albemarle Parish Register, photostat page 33, entry for Sylvanus Knight, who was baptized 15 April 1770. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4C-279?i=168&cat=376749>, accessed 26 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 302.

2: Edgecombe County, North Carolina. Deed book 9 (1798-1801), pages 225-226. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G983-N363?i=243&cat=306915>, accessed 25 October 2021.

3: 1800 U.S. Federal Census. Edgecombe County, North Carolina. Page 215, dwelling 10, Silvanus Knight household. NARA microfilm publication M32, roll 30. Ancestry.com, accessed 17 July 2010. The same record is also available on the Internet Archive: <https://archive.org/stream/populationsc18000030unit#page/n212/mode/1up>.

4: Edgecombe County, North Carolina. Deed book 9 (1798-1801), pages 515-516. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-8983-NS87?i=535&cat=306915> et seq., accessed 25 October 2021.

5: State list of entitled drawers for the 1805 Georgia land lottery, section for K surnames, Washington County, registrant #394 Silvanus Knight. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKK-LV38?i=435&cat=285452>. FamilySearch restricts access to this image, so see a copy here. This record is indexed in: Paul K. Graham, 1805 Georgia Land Lottery Persons Entitled to Draws (The Genealogy Company, Decatur, Georgia, 2005), page 315, entry #394 for Silvanus Knight of Washington County.

6: Paul K. Graham, 1807 Georgia Land Lottery Fortunate Drawers and Grantees (Genealogy Company, Decatur, GA, 2011), page 78. Page iii explains, “[...] the residence of fortunate drawers included in this book reflects their location between June 1806 and September 1806, not where they resided during the land lottery in the summer of 1807. A participant's registration information was not changed at any time during the land lottery process.” Page iv explains, “Participants had to be white, a United States citizen, and a resident of Georgia for three years prior to the land lottery law in June 1806.”

7: Georgia 1807 Land Lottery. Grant Book for District 13, Baldwin County, Georgia. Page 70, lot 85, Silvanus Knight. Copied from microfilm 4743, Genealogical & Historical Room, Washington Memorial Library, Macon, Georgia.

8: 1820 U.S. Federal Census. Washington County, Georgia. Page 128, Sylvanus Knight household. NARA microfilm publication M33, roll 9. Ancestry.com, accessed 8 December 2010. The same record is also available on the Internet Archive: <https://archive.org/stream/populationsc18200009unit#page/n195/mode/1up>.

9: Washington County, Georgia. Tax digest for 1825, n.p., entry for Sylvanus Knight. Ancestry.com (“Georgia Propery Tax Digests, 1793-1893,” Washington County, 1825, image 17 of 108), accessed 10 March 2013. Although I used Ancestry.com, the same record is also available on FamilySearch: <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3H3-7CF2?i=16&cc=4130006&cat=307097>.

10: Washington County, Georgia. Tax digest for 1830, Captain Howard's 95th district, page 80, entry for Silvanus Knight. Ancestry.com (“Georgia Propery Tax Digests, 1793-1893,” Washington County, 1830, image 40 of 107), accessed 10 March 2013. Although I used Ancestry.com, the same record is also available on FamilySearch: <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3H3-78FY?i=175&cc=4130006&cat=307097>.

11: 1830 U.S. Federal Census. Washington County, Georgia. Page 267, Silvanous Night household. NARA microfilm publication M19, roll 21. Ancestry.com, accessed 8 December 2010. The same record is also available on the Internet Archive: <https://archive.org/stream/populationsc18300021unit#page/n529/mode/1up> and <https://archive.org/stream/populationsc18300021unit#page/n530/mode/1up>.

12: Antioch Baptist Church, Washington County, Georgia. Church Book for 1834-1857, pages 1-3. Copied from microfilm 373, Georgia Baptist History Depository, Special Collections, Jack Tarver Library, Mercer University, Macon, Georgia.

13: Washington County, Georgia. Tax digest for 1836, Captain Spark's militia district 95, first page for Spark's district, entry for Silvanious Knight. Ancestry.com (“Georgia Propery Tax Digests, 1793-1893,” Washington County, 1836, image 15 of 80), accessed 15 June 2013. Although I used Ancestry.com, the same record is also available on FamilySearch: <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3H3-7HNY?i=292&cc=4130006&cat=307097>

14: Washington County, Georgia. Tax digest for 1837, Captain Spark's militia district 95, entry for Silvanius Knight. Ancestry.com (“Georgia Propery Tax Digests, 1793-1893” / Washington County / 1837 / images 19 and 20 of 106), accessed 10 March 2013.

15: Washington County, Georgia. Tax digest for 1838, Capt Spark's 95th district, page 10, entry for Silvanus Knight. Ancestry.com (“Georgia Propery Tax Digests, 1793-1893,” Washington County, 1838, images 19 and 20 of 117), accessed 10 March 2013. Although I used Ancestry.com, the same record is also available on FamilySearch: <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3H3-7CWH?i=343&cc=4130006&cat=307097>.

16: 1840 U.S. Federal Census. 95th district, Washington County, Georgia. Page 53, Silvanus Knight household. NARA microfilm publication M704, roll 199. Ancestry.com, accessed 8 December 2010. I used Ancestry.com, but the census images are also available on Archive.org: <https://archive.org/stream/populationsc18400053unit#page/n108/mode/1up> and <https://archive.org/stream/populationsc18400053unit#page/n109/mode/1up>.

17: 1850 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule). Division 91, Washington County, Georgia. Page 214B, dwelling 162, family 162, Allen H. Knight household. NARA microfilm publication M432, roll 87. Ancestry.com, accessed 13 August 2011. I used Ancestry.com, but the census image is also available on Archive.org: <http://archive.org/stream/7thcensus0067unix#page/n285/mode/1up>.

18: Washington County, Georgia. Letters of Administration, Guardianship, and Apprenticeship, Book A (1829-1876), page 271. FamilySearch, <https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-30464-10436-90?cc=1999178&wc=MM1Q-8JW:n860265910>, accessed 9 June 2013.

19: Washington County, Georgia. Returns book B (1843-1852), pages 74, 75, 130, 334, 360, and 361, Sylvanus Knight's returns. FamilySearch, <https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-30491-810-57?cc=1999178&wc=MM1Q-8JZ:1667224830> et seq., accessed 9 June 2013.

20: Elizabeth Pritchard Newsom, Washington County Georgia Tombstone Inscriptions (published by the author, 110 West First Avenue, Sandersville, Georgia in 1967), pages 1-2 ("Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery [Transcribed by Elizabeth & Jesse Newsom]").