Person:Sarah Unknown (2192)

SARAH KNOX (Prepared by Linda Blackwelder, August 2002):

The husband of Sarah Knox is not known but was probably either John or James Knox. It appears that he was probably dead before the Knox family came to Steele Creek. Since her oldest son John was born in 1722- when she was 23 years old- it is probable that she married around 1721. Son John and his wife, Ann, are buried in the same plot with Sarah, along with John’s son James and his wife. Her son Samuel is buried in the next plot adjacent to them. It is said that the Sarah Knox tombstone (d. 1765) is the oldest in the Steele Creek Presbyterian Church cemetery. Another source states that the oldest grave there is a Margaret Sloan, however, a marker there for a Margaret Sloan indicates she died in 1769. These markers are hard to read so it is not known which is correct. Sarah Knox’s stone indicates that a son’s daughter is buried with her. It does not indicate which son. It is presumed that they died at the same time. Sarah was 66 years old at her death.

The children of Sarah have determined from the wills of her sons, John (1722 – 1777) and Samuel Knox (1730 – 1800) In John’s will dated 30 March 1772, probated at July court, 1777 , he names his brother Samuel Knox & (neighbor) Hugh Herron as executors.

In Samuel’s will he indicates the following:

1. To my brother John’s son Samuel Knox- a horse.(no doubt because John had named this son after brother Samuel). Other son’s of John were not named.

2. "…to William Pettus I bequeath all the remainder of the land in South Carolina EXCEPT the tract my brother Robert Knox lives on which he is to hold during his life and then to descend to William Pettus…" . It is not known if this brother Robert had children or not.

3. Samuel leaves his "wearing apparel" to his brothers David Knox and Matthew Knox.

From; John Rosser’s letter to Lyman Draper at the University of Wisconsin, Sept. 13, 1878 (Draper Mss VV, Vol. 13, p. 12).."The first one of them I ever heard of was John Knox, who was the father of ten sons and only one daughter, Mary Knox, and that daughter was my great-grandmother, and married Alexander McKee, who came from Pennsylvania. He married a 2nd wife – Blair of York. Of the ten brothers I have only heard of six who were in American, that was Samuel, David, John, James, Jack(or Joseph) and Matthew, of the two last I am not sure about the names. These six all Whigs in the Revolution. I have seen this in print when Mr. Polk was a candidate. Some of the brothers went to England to live, I was told settled in London."

(The above from notes of Louise Pettus of Rock Hill, SC entitled "Samuel & Mary Knox, Steele Creek, Mecklenburg Co., NC. Compiled by Louise Pettus, a double descendant"

Of these sons of Sarah (and evidently John) Knox the following has been determined from old deeds, wills, cemetery records and census records:

1. John, died 1777. owned property on what today is called Island Point in lower Steele Creek adjoining the Price and Herron property. (His heirs continued owning parts of that original tract until the mid 1900s.- and a few still live in the area.

2. Matthew, died 1803, owned property adjoining John’s property but appears to have been on the East side (or SE side) after the Catawba River makes it’s curve that separates

it from York Co. (John’s would have been across from Gaston & York) It may be that Matthew’s was in the vicinity of today’s area of Shopton Road West and Sledge Road. Matthew also owned a tract of land that adjoined Thomas Neely, Jr. on Steele Creek and appears to have been between Neely and John Whiteside.

3. Samuel, died 1800, owned very large tracts of land in both Steele Creek of Meck and upper York Co. (Indian leases). One tract appears to have been in the Westinghouse Blvd and hwy 160 area (around Armour’s creek and on a path from Armour’s ford. Today this is Wither’s Cove and the area around the Westinghouse plant back to Hwy 160.) He received a patent on this land in 1763 and sold it to Samuel McRum in 1769.

He also owned property near the intersection of York Rd. & Hwy 160. (Not to be confused with the Dr. John Knox who purchased that property in the late 1800s. That John Knox was from Chester, SC.) It appears that at one time, he also owned property near the end of Youngblood Road adjoining the Bigger property. Bigger owned land on both sides of the Catawba River and appears to have had the 1st ferry which today would have been near the end of Youngblood Rd. and the Red Fez Club. The Mason family also owned property on both sides of the River in the early 1800s when the Bigger’s ferry became known as the Mason’s Ferry. (see more of the tracts of land listed under Samuel’s Family)

4. Robert Knox, lived on a part of Samuel Knox’s property which was in York Co., SC. In the 1790 York Co., SC census, there is only one Knox listed and that is one Robert Knox. In the neighborhood where he was located were Merritt, Robt Bell, Thos. Spratt, Johnston, Black, Blakely, Hutchisons. Living in his household were 2 males under 16, 2 males over 16 and 2 females. It is my belief that the James Knox, buried at old Blackstock Cem., b. 1756, d. 1793 and founding elder of Steele Creek Associate Reformed Presby church (Blackstock ARP) was his son. I believe that is the other male over 16 and the 2 males under 16 and 1 female were his children and the other the wife of James. (see more under Robert Knox Family)

5. David Knox – never married. (see more under David Knox)

6. Joseph (Jack) Nothing is known about this brother. He does not appear in Steele Creek records, however, there is a Joseph Knox in the Old Tryon County Court records. It could well be that he settled across the Catawba River from old John and Matthew. It may be that the letter to Draper was in error about this son. It also could be that he died at an early age and did not have children. It should be noted that the above John (#1) had a son named Joseph and the habit of naming sons, after the first named for his father, was to name them after his brothers.

(Also, stated in the Rosser letter to Draper is there was one daughter named Mary who married Alexander McKee. Whether this marriage took place in Mecklenburg County or the place where they came from (not known now) is unknown.

Unless further information can be found about Sarah, it can be presumed that since she died in 1765, that she accompanied her sons to Steele Creek and died shortly after their arrival.

Further information about this family can be found under each son.

Sources: (see under each family for complete sources)

Louise Pettus notes including:

John Rosser’s letter to Lyman Draper at the University of Wisconsin, September 13, 1878 (Draper Mss VV, Vol 13, p. 12)

Will of John Knox (1777)

Will of Samuel Knox (1800)

Will of Matthew Knox (1803)

Mecklenburg County Census: 1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860

York County Census: 1790

Mecklenburg County Deeds, Wills, Court minutes.

Cemetery records. See each family for records