Genealogy by Martha

Cross - Love - Culpepper - Herron - Mordecai - Shelby - Cobb

Jain (Jane) Allison Knox

Female 1776 - 1864  (88 years)


Personal Information    |    Notes    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name Jain (Jane) Allison Knox 
    Born 16 Mar 1776  Tryon, NC Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Female 
    Died 1 Jul 1864  Mount Mourne, Iredell, NC Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I5216  MyTree
    Last Modified 19 Jan 2015 

    Father Robert Knox,   b. 29 Sep 1742, County Down, Ulster, Ireland Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 12 Jun 1833, Lincoln, NC Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 90 years) 
    Mother Mary Ewart,   b. 14 Jun 1776, Lincoln Co., NC Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 7 Dec 1833, Lincoln Co., NC Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 57 years) 
    Married 1769  Tryon, NC Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F2923  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family James Latta,   b. 1755, Tyrone, County Antrim, Province of Ulster, Ireland Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 30 Oct 1837, Mecklenburg Co, NC Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 82 years) 
    Married 12 Apr 1796  Lincoln Co., NC Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
     1. Elizabeth Latta,   b. 7 Feb 1797, Lincoln Co., NC Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1838  (Age 40 years)
     2. Mary Latta,   b. 1799, Mecklenburg Co, NC Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1824  (Age 25 years)
     3. Nancy Angelina Latta,   b. 1804, Mecklenburg Co, NC Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1833  (Age 29 years)
     4. Ezekiel Latta,   b. 1810, Mecklenburg Co, NC Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1820, Mecklenburg Co, NC Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 10 years)
    Last Modified 17 Jul 2017 
    Family ID F4201  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • From articles written by Dr. Chalmers Davidson, Davidson College:
      Jane Knox was the daughter of Robert and Mary Ewart Knox of Lincoln County, both of whom are buried in Unity Presbyterian churchyard now on Lake Norman. Robert was not rich but in his will he left his wife Mary "all my books, to dispose of as she may think proper among my children." His estate was to be divided amongst eight of his children. To the ninth, his daughter "Jane Latta," he left only five dollars. Jane was not disinherited, but, by 1833 when her father died at the age of ninety-one, she was considerably better off than the rest of the family. Robert had left her a fine heritage of patriotism and integrity. He had fought through the Revolutionary War and so had the Ewarts who were prominent Whig leaders.
      Jane Knox connected herself with the Presbyterian church when but 14 years of age and always lived in accordance with her profession. There were meager opportunities for the education of girls in the back county after the Revolutionary War and Jane's formal schooling was limited, but she came from a family which stressed "learning" and she was better advantaged than many of her sex and time. Years later when her daughters reached their teens, they were sent away to the Moravian school at Salem for opportunities which were not to be had on the Catawba River.
      James Latta's travels as a merchant from Salisbury, North Carolina to Yorkville, South Carolina appear to have led to his introduction to Jane Knox of Lincoln County. He was a widower with two small sons, but he was growing reasonably wealthy. The marriage bond in Lincoln County for Jane Knox and James Latta is dated April 12, 1796.
      Where they were living when Betsy, their first child was born on February 7, 1797 is not known. By then end of the century, James Latta was building his substantial home place, still standing two and a half miles west of Hopewell Church on the Catawba River. It was a fine house for its day with elaborate woodwork trim and mantels made by an unknown craftsman who appears to have aalso worked on the original Torrance house/store. Most farmers were still building houses out of logs, but James Latta built a frame house...
      Latta Place was not a scene of frivolity but must have been a happy home while Betsy, Nancy, and Polly Latta were growing up. Of one thing we may well be sure: they spent every Sabbath day at Hopewell when they were at home. There were usually two long sermons, one in the morning and one in the afternoon....The meeting house was somewhat barn like, but on the inside there were high seats and low seats to distinguish between those of high estate and the more common class of people. Of a certainty, Jane Knox Latta occupied a high seat.
      Jane Latta may have occasionally taken trips to Philadelphia with her husband. Tradition has it that he was not easy to live with. On October 30, 1837, at the age of eighty-two he died and was buried at Hopewell.
      Latta Place was too isolated a location for Jane Latta to remain there alone. Perhaps had little Ezekiel lived, she would not have left it. Under the circumstances, it was offered up for sale and she moved to a small house across from her son-in-law's Mount Mourne Plantation to help rear her grandchildren.
      Religion was the solace of her old age as it had been the joy of her youth. She lived into her eighty-ninth year. Toward the end of her life she wrote to a granddaughter, "I live very much alone but I can see no help for it, they are all very good in coming and staying with me when they can. There is nothing so dear in this world to me as my grandchildren. Their welfare, for time and eternity, is my prayer both day and night."
      The War between the States was almost over before she died. She had spanned the years between the two American revolutions. Her death occurred on July 1, 1864. She was taken back to Hopewell for burial , and on her tombstone is the following tribute to her lasting influence: