| Notes |
- In 1762 the western part of Anson Co. became Mecklenburg Co., NC.
Notes on Matthew Knox:
Knox-DNA Project [Group 1; Haplogroup R1b1b2]
Testing Service Name: Family Tree DNA
Group or Line Number: Line No. 1
Participant ID Number: 49726 [Sponsor: Jim Brown]
Earliest Ancestor's Name: Matthew Knox, b. bef 1741, Ireland, probably; d. bef Jan 1803, Steele Creek Community, Mecklenburg Co, NC. *
There is considerable disagreement among Knox Researchers regarding Matthew's age and ancestry. We do not know when he arrived in America; however, his earliest known record is a Mecklenburg NC Deed dated Dec 1762 which indicates he was "of Anson" county NC. Based on this deed, we can assume he was born not later than 1741.
We have no primary evidence sources that prove this Matthew was a son of "Old" Sarah Knox and her unknown husband, or that Matthew was a brother to any of other Steele Creek Knoxes, although the DNA evidence is fully consistent with such a relationship. However, it's also consistent with his being a first cousin or other close relative, and his geographic location and documented associations do support the probability of near-kinship with the Steele Creek Knoxes.
Five of Matthew's seven known children, and two grandchildren are named in his Mecklenburg Co, NC Will, dated 26 April 1800, probated Jan 1803, and filed in Will Book D, page 141. Matthew's wife is unnamed, and assumed to have pre-deceased him. It is unclear where he was married more than once.
Children of Matthew Knox & Unknown Wife are:
Jane Knox, m. Unnamed Garrett
James Knox, m. Mary Ann Abbott [see below] **
Unnamed (pre-deceased?) Daughter Knox m. Berry Young (parents of grandson, Matthew Young, named in Matthew Knox's LWT) ***
Unnamed (pre-deceased?) Daughter Knox m. Unknown Price (parents of granddaughter Amy Price, named in Matthew's LWT) ***
Margaret Knox, m. John W. Peck
John T. Knox, m. Celia Unknown
Elizabeth Knox
*Matthew Knox, 1800 Salisbury District, Mecklenburg Co, NC Census: Age Range given as 45+ (b. bef 1755). Son James was b. 1760-1770, this according to his 1830 and 1840 census records; therefore, Matthew was born no later than 1740-1750. Matthew's 1762 Deed indicates he was at least 21 at that time, therefore born not later than 1741. Matthew may have been much older, however, his age cannot be determined with any degree of confidence. Son James was b. in Ireland, according to the 1880 census of three of his sons; therefore, it is likely that Matthew, himself, was also b. Ireland; however, this is unproven.
** Proven by Mecklenburg Co, NC Deed Book 23, page 111; 17 Jan 1825, James Knox of Pendleton Dist, SC to John Knox of Mecklenburg For $700, 250 A on the Catawba River adj. Saml Knox & Joseph Swann being the land left to the granter in the will of his father Mathew Knox [WB-D, p 141 & HWF 368]Wit: James M. Hart & John Knox. Proven at Feb Court 1827 by both Wit. [Herman W Ferguson Abstract #5697]
*** Two unnamed daughters, mothers of two grandchildren named in Matthew's April 1800 LWT [WB-D, p 141 & HWF 368], are assumed to have pre-deceased their father. "Son" Berry Young is assumed to be Matthew's son-in-law, and the father of grandson, Matthew Young.
(Source: http://knoxsociety.org/49726_matthew_knox.htm)
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.
It appears that Matthew (brother of Joseph, James & Samuel) who
received the 1/3 interest in the land in John's will did in fact die
and Joseph inherited his interest in the land. From this we can see
that Joseph sold his 1/3 interest and it is thought that he at that
time (about 1797) left and went to Tennessee.. He does not appear in
the 1800 census record in the Steele Creek area.
It is not known who the wife of Matthew Knox was. She may have died
young or she definitely predeceased him as she is not mentioned in his
will.
Matthew appears to have come to Steele Creek after his brothers, John
and Samuel. It is probable that Samuel and John had received grants
before Mecklenburg County was formed in 1763. At least Samuel was here
by that time and it appears that he already owned several large tracts
of land before he started buying more that were recorded in
Mecklenburg County.
Matthew purchased property from Reese Price and his wife Sarah (of
then Anson Co.) on 15 & 16 December 1762. The amount of acres is not
listed in the abstract. (Mecklenburg County, N.C., Deed Abstracts,
1763-1779, Brent H. Holcomb & Elmer O. Parker, Reprinted by Southern
Historical Press, Inc, Greenville, SC. 1991. p. 3.) It states that the
property was located on the east side of the Catawba River, near land
formerly granted to James Armour and near an old Indian path and was
granted to Reese Price in 1753.
In 1775, Matthew received a state Grant #414 issued at New Bern, Vol.
25, p. 53, for 100 acres on the east side of the Catawba River adj.
Amour, Swann, John Knox and other lands of Matthew. His children had
probably married at a place where Matthew lived prior to moving to
Steele Creek. His daughters were married to a Garrett, Barry Young and
John Peck. These were certainly not Steele Creek names and evidently
they did not move to Steele Creek. They may have lived in old Tryon
County or Lincoln Co., however, nothing is known of them.
Matthew was a constable for Mecklenburg County in 1778. Since he owned
property adjoining the Prices, John Knox (his brother) and Swann, it
is likely that it was located near where Westinghouse Blvd is located
today near Hwy 160. The "old Indian path" was no doubt the Tuckassegee
path which was in the locale of Hwy 160 today. Armour's land was
located near where Wither Cove is today.
He left his real property to his sons, John and James. It is believed
that James moved to South Carolina at some point. Matthew named his
son, John his co-executor along with neighbor James Hartt. In 1825,
James of Pendleton Dist., SC sold to John Knox, 250 acres on the river
adj. Samuel Knox which he stated, he inherited from his father ,
Matthew Knox. Whether this was his brother John, or his cousin John
(either son of Samuel or son of James), it is not known. Matthew
wrote his will on 26 April 1800 (about the time that his brother
Samuel Knox, died, and it was probated in Jan. 1803. None of Matthew's
children are buried in Steele Creek and if Matthew is buried at Steele
Creek, he does not have a marker.
In his Will, he gives his daughter, Jane Garret, a Negro, Hannah. He
gives the plantation he lives on and the tract adjoining it to be
divided between his sons John and James and "if they cannot agree
among themselves how these lands are to be divided, they are to call
upon Hugh Herron, Joseph Swann and James Hartt to make the division,
and son John is to have his choice as to which half is to belong to
him". He gives to his daughter Margaret, the Negro Nan (who is not to
be sold out of the family), also "my rug, my feather bed, blanket and
sheets. To his daughter Elizabeth, he gave the Negro Ned and "my small
table". To his grandson Matthew Young $60 when he reaches 21; to son
(in-law?) Barry Young one silver dollar; and to granddaughter Amy
Price, a cow and a blanket. ***was there another daughter who had
married a Price and perhaps had died prior to his will???** He willed
that the Negro Aleck is to remain on his land and that his time is to
be divided between his sons John and James. The Negro wench Binah, is
to be set free and at full liberty to act for herself on condition
that she live among his children of her choice and he gave her a cow,
a spinning wheel and some hogs.
His son (in-law?) John W. Peck is to have full liberty to occupy what
he can of his improvements for a term of two years and either live "in
my dwelling house or my other little house".
It appears that all of these children may have left the area after
Matthew died and none of these names appear in Steele Creek records or
cemeteries.
I suspect that there was a cemetery located near the river at one time
where some of the Prices, Knox's and other neighbors might be located,
however, if there was, it is probably under the waters of Lake Wylie
today. These people attended Steele Creek Church, but there are
several of these families that do not appear to be buried at Steele
Creek. It may be that they are buried at Steele Creek in unmarked
graves.
Matthew is mentioned in his brother Samuel's will. It appears that at
his death, only brothers David and Robert may have still been living.
It is not known when either of them died or where. It is suspected
that Robert died in York County and David may have lived elsewhere in
South Carolina.
(Source: Linda Blackwelder)
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Abt 1736 - Abt 1802 (~ 66 years)
