William & Elizabeth (Carter) Knight lived in Romsey, Hampshire, England and had at least four children according to baptismal records. The oldest son, Richard, was baptized in May 1589 and buried in June 1596. Next came daughter, Thomasine, who was baptized in June 1590. The other two children, John (baptized in January 1595) and Richard (baptized in January 1603) came to the Massachusetts Bay colony on the James in 1635 and settled in Newbury. They are both called tailors.
John Knight was married and had several children but only two were living when they family came to the colonies. He married Elizabeth Vincent on March 29, 1624 in Romsey. Their children were:
- Elizabeth baptized on May 16, 1625 and buried two days later.
- John baptized on May 14, 1626.
- Elizabeth baptized on October 13, 1628 and buried six days later.
- Elizabeth baptized on May 22, 1632 and no further record.
- Mary baptized on August 10, 1634.
- Sarah was born after they came to the colonies, probably about 1636.
Elizabeth (Vincent) Knight died on March 20, 1645 in Newbury and John would marry again.
He and his son, John, married a mother and daughter but there is no record that shows which marriage came first. John, Sr. would marry Agnes (Langlye) Ingersoll between 1644-1652 and John, Jr. would marry Bathsheba Ingersoll before 1648.
John Knight, Sr. appears to have been quite prosperous as he had a servant, William Nef. He also paid court fines for two women. On April 8, 1651, he paid a fine for Frances Usellton so she would not be whipped but her crime is not listed and I can find no other information on her. On March 27, 1666, he paid the fine for Elnor Bryer so she would not be whipped for the crime of fornication. A Sketch of the History of Newbury, Newburyport, and West Newbury, from 1635 to 1845, by Joshua Coffin shows a Richard Bryer married Eleanor Wright on December 26, 1665. She died August 29, 1672. and the couple had three children born between 1667-1670. It is unclear if this is the Elnor Bryer for whom John Knight, Sr. paid the fine but it is the only reference to an Elnor Bryner that I could find.
Richard Knight, brother of John Sr., married a woman named Agnes before 1626. The couple had children born on both sides of the Atlantic.
- A Stillborn child was buried on June 17, 1626 in Romsey.
- Richard was buried July 15, 1627.
- William was baptized on December 7, 1628 in Romsey.
- Anna was baptized on May 5, 1631 in Romsey. She would come to Massachusetts and marry Henry Jaques on October 8, 1648.
- Richard was baptized on October 18, 1633 in Romsey.
- Elizabeth was born between 1634 and 1641. She married Anthony Morse on May 8, 1660.
- Rebecca was born on March 3, 1642 and married Abiel Somerby on November 13, 1661.
- Sarah was born on February 23, 1648 and married John Kelley on May 20, 1663.
Richard Knight was in the court record on May 5, 1663. "Richard Knight and Hugh Marsh" were presented "for playing cards at the house of the former." One of the witnesses against them was Bathsheba (Ingersoll) Knight, wife of John Knight, Jr., nephew of Richard Knight.
John Knight, Sr. died in May 1670 and Richard Knight died on August 4, 1683.
So ends the tale of these two Knights of Romsey.
Lines of descent:
William Knight - John Knight, Sr. (he married second Agnes (Langlye) Ingersoll and his son married her daughter) - John Knight, Jr. (he married Bathsheba, daughter of Richard & Agnes (Langlye) Ingersoll. Bathsheba testified against her husband's uncle, Richard Knight) - Richard Knight -Henry Knight - Eunice Knight - Hannah Sawyer - Catherine Hilton - Loann Churchill - Anna J. Rowe - Eva D. Hayes - Linona A. Yates - my grandmother
William Knight -Richard Knight - Anna Knight - Elizabeth Jaques m. Richard Knight (see above)
Richard Ingersoll m. Agnes Langlye - George Ingersoll ( I also descend through his sister, Bathsheba, who married John Knight, Jr.) - Samuel Ingersoll - Dorcas Ingersoll - Jonathan Rowe - William Rowe - William Rowe - Stephen B. Rowe - Charles H. N. Rowe - Anna J. Rowe (see above).
Hugh March (Marsh) - George March - Sarah March - Elizabeth Deering - Eliakim Emmons - Jacob Emmons - Laura Emmons - Estes G. Yates - Linona Alice Yates - my grandmother.
I'm descended from Sarah Knight and John Kelley through my grandmother Barker's side of the family. So we have another cousin connection.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could say I was surprised, but our families definitely were hanging out in the same areas at the same time. Finding these new connections is fun.
DeleteMy husband Frank Hinds is a descendant from John Jr. Here is some information for you:
DeleteJames, a cooper by trade, emigrated to Salem, Massachusetts. And by 1637 was admitted there as a freeman. In 1638 James married Mary Knight in Salem. Mary, also a recent immigrant from England, was a child of John and Bathsheba, was born in 1618 in Romsey, Hampshire, England. One account (which I have not been able to verify) indicates the Knight family arrived in Boston on June 3, 1635 on the ship “James.”