Information about Matthew is a little unclear. Adalaide Knight Dean the granddaughter of Matthew left a family record in 1946 about her ancestors and the families. She was 22 yrs. old when Matthew died in 1894. This gave her years of spending time around the old people and listening to their past.
Adalaide's record has proved to be VERY ACCURATE to say the least.
In her account she said Matthew was really the son of Thomas Walker SR from Dublin Ireland. Thomas died and the mother of Matthew left Ireland to go home to England. There she married a M. Knight. Due to the young age of Matthew, he assumed the Knight name from his stepfather. The family came to America and was said to have lived in Amherst Co and Henderson Co. VA. Well there is no Henderson Co. Va.
The family was then said to came to Cabell Co. VA (WV) via the Flat Top Mountain and down the waters of the Guyandotte River to the Hughes Branch area of Cabell.
Matthew told a different story. In the records of this county in 1837 he was married to Nancy Morrison, daughter of William (James) Morrison and Rachel Witcher. Their record gives his place of birth as KY. In the 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880 census he gave Ky as place of orgin. In 1887 when he remarried he gave KY. and on his death record, his son Alvin Scott said the some thing. His daughter also said her dad was from KY on her marriage record.
So I believe Matthew was indeed from KY. Maybe the Henderson Co part of Adalaide's story was in KY and not VA.
In the Cabell Co. book "Overseers of the Poor" I have found several listings for Polly Knit/Knight. The earliest date I have on Polly is December of 1824 where the Overseers of the Poor gave John Ward money for the care of Polly and child. These listing cintinue until 1830 when money was again given to John Ward for the burial of Polly. Polly's husband M. Knight must have died before 1824 thus leaving her with no means to provide for herself or her child (Matthew)
Cabell Co. Court Minutes dated 1826 to 1835 list the following. Matthew Knight, orphan of Polly Knight, selects William Morrison as guardian. This date is to late for the father of his wife Nancy but may be a brother or another William Morrison. However this explains how Matthew and Nancy probably met and married.
At this time I have no further information on the parents of Matthew but hope that will soon change. He was said to have a brother John Thomas JR and a sister Mary but this has not been confirmed.
New info just found in the old records of the Old Salem Baptist Church list Nancy Knight as one of the female members of the church.
Their Children were:
Wayne b. 1838, d. 1925, Wife Elizabeth Mays, b. abt 1843, d. 1925
Mary J. b. 1841, d. ?? husband Saunders (Lee) Bias
James Thomas b. 1842, d. 1864 Rude Hill VA, Civil War, (Killed in Action)
William W. b. 1845, d. ?? wife Jane A. Bryant
Alvin Scott b. 1850, d. 1938 in Oregon, wife Emma Bias
Ed Knight
Names Index
Surnames
edknight@suddenlink.net