Allen line: The family of Joseph Scull Knott 1761-1836

Lots.  There is "lots" of information about this family. Some of it is correct.  Some is not.  "Lots" is still missing, and lots of the men have been confused with others of the same name.  So this is an attempt to sort it out, as much as is possible.  

Joseph Knott was born in 1761, probably somewhere in England.  Tradition says he was kidnapped as a young boy, and sent to America, but there seems to be no paper trail to support that.  Some trees show his parents as Francis and Susanna Greenfield Knott, of Maryland.  They did have a son named Joseph but I don't think these are his parents, either.  This family was Catholic, for one thing, and there is not a single instance of the names Francis or Susanna being used in any of the children or grandchildren of Joseph.  If I were a betting person, based on names alone, I'd be looking for a John Knott as a potential father.  Good luck with that!  

The earliest we know of Joseph is that he was in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania in 1786 and later.  He first married Sarah Wilson, the daughter of James and Isabelle Barr Wilson, in 1789.  They had one child together, Wilson, but Sarah died in or soon after childbirth.  Wilson was raised by his maternal grandparents and it doesn't appear that he had much, if any, communication with his younger half brothers and sisters. Wilson married Rebecca Wallace, the daughter of Peter and Jane Craig Wallace, and their children are James, Peter, Joseph, Richard, Samuel, Mary Jane, Lucinda, Clark, Isabella, and Elizabeth.  

About two years after Sarah's death, Joseph married Mary Adams, the daughter of Solomon and possibly Rachel Kinton Adams.  The number of children they had is under some dispute.  I will first write of those that seem to be documented, and then mention the others as "maybe."  Joseph died in 1836 in Budyrus, Crawford County, Ohio, and Mary died in 1846 in Clay Township, Lagrange County, Indiana.

John was the first son, born in 1793 in Pennsylvania.  He married Anna Louise Bell, the daughter of John and Hannah Finch Bell, and died in 1849 in Jamestown, Steuben County, Indiana.  Their children are Robert, Hannah, Mary, and Thomas.  Anna died and John then married Mary Douglas or Douglass.  Their children are Marcus and Anna.  

Solomon was born next, in 1795.  He died in 1875 in Tipton, Cedar County, Iowa.  His wife was Parmelia or Pauline McCauley, They were married in 1817 in Jefferson County, Ohio, but I haven't been able to determine who her parents may have been.  Their children are Thomas, James, John, William, Joseph, and Elizabeth.

Richard was born in 1797 and died in 1882 in Harvey County, Kansas.  He married someone named Mary Ann, variously given as Pomery, Tofts, or Stevens.  There may have been more than one wife.  Children seem to be Frederick, Mary, Abraham, Margaret, and Elizabeth.  Some of these names seem to come from a Richard who was married in England, and I'm not sure they belong here but neither am I sure they don't.  Richard was a merchant and it's possible that he had reason to be in England for a marriage, but I'm not adding any of the potential wife's name to my tree-yet.

Robert was born in 1801 and died in 1879 in or near Auburn, Dekalb County, Indiana.  He married Elizabeth Gill (Gail? Gull?), again not yet identified.  Their children are Joanna, Mary, Henry, Adam, Martha, Samuel, Cornelia and Francelia.  

Samuel was born in 1803 and died in 1871 in Charlton County, Missouri.  He first married Susanna Heller, the daughter of Jacob and Elinora Hanna Heller.  Their children are Isaiah, Sarah, Lucy, Hellen, and Joel.  His second marriage was to Anne Currey, the daughter of Matthew and Catherine Fleming Currey.l  Their children are Anne and Hiram.  His third marriage was to Ester Holcomb, whose parentage is not known.  She may have been a widow, and there seem to be no children from this marriage.  

Mary Ann was born in 1805 and may have died in 1879. There are death records for a Mary Porter in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania but I'm not sure this is the same woman.  At any rate, she married Page Porter, the son of Solomon and Sarah Barrows Porter.  Their children are William, Solomon, Mary Ann, Sarah, Rebecca, Samuel, and Amy.  Page died in 1845 and it's possible that Mary Ann remarried but I haven't found records to say so.

Thomas J was born in 1808 and died in 1887 in Shiloh Township, Jefferson County, Illinois.  He married Hannah Bell, the daughter of John and Hannah Finch Bell (yes, brothers married sisters). He traveled extensively during most of his life because he was, among other things, a millwright. Their children are Anna, Elzy, John Wilson, Harriet, Thomas, Louisa, James, and Albert.  I will follow this family in my next blog post.

Levi was born in 1810 and died in 1874 in Olympia, Thurston County, Washington.  His first wife was Sally or Sarah Thompson, whose parents are not yet known to me.  Their children are Almon and Sarah.  She died in 1847 in Lagrange County, Indiana and he then married Amanda Bowen, the daughter of Jacob and Rachel Oldham Bowen.  (I got curious, and Jacob Bowen traces back to Moses and Rebecca Rees Bowen, who are ancestors on husband's Beeks line.)  Their children are Sarah, Mary, Belle, Rachel Rosalie, and M.J.  There is a hint that he may have married a third wife, Belle Wilson, but I haven't found documentation about that.  There is no mention of a wife in his will.

Then there is a gap of several years until Adams, often seen as Adam, was born in 1817.  Mary would have been 43 at the time.  It is possible that there were other children born in that 7 year period, but if so, their traces have yet to be discovered.  Adams married Sarah Russell, the daughter of John and Rachel Van Ornum Rusell.  Their children are Mary, Sarah, Almon, Arthur, Henry, and Caroline.  Adams died in 1870 in Cook County, Illinois.  

Here's the thing: There are probably more children, because Thomas in his autobiography states that he had two step sisters and I believe it was 10 siblings.  I've seen reports that state that Joseph had a son named Joseph, which would make sense.  I've also seen a William Knott mentioned as a son.  I could find no information at all on a possible Joseph Jr.  I did find a William Knott who married an Elizabeth Stevenson in 1850 in Richland County, Ohio.  It is possible that he was a son of Joseph and Mary, but I can't prove it.  Nor can I prove what became of him.  I would be delighted to hear from someone who knows if there was a Joseph, if this William is Joseph and Mary's son, and if there are other children we haven't yet found.  These are "Knott-y" questions to be solved!