Notes |
- All notes below are from the work of P.R.Bruckner:
In 2008, Knox-DNA Project results proved a genetic link between descendants of Captain Patrick Knox of North Mecklenburg and descendants of Robert Knox of Lincoln County. In February 2009, results link descendants of Matthew Knox of Steele Creek, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina to both Patrick and Robert.
The KNOX-DNA project results-to-date place my Patrick in Line No. 1. The Matthew, b. 1803, Pendleton SC [who m. 1828 in Pendleton SC, Belinda Nicholson] has also been placed in this genetic group -- along with Robert Knox, b. 1842, Ireland - d. 1833 Lincoln Co, NC who m. Mary Ewart and William B. Knox, b. abt 1803, SC who m. 1825 in Hancock Co, GA, Hetty Wilkins. How these all connect is still unclear... We do not yet have a participant from John A. P. Knox's line.
Just one detail I want to clear up re Patrick Knox. Although he could have lived in Tryon/Lincoln at some time before 1779, there is no surviving evidence he ever did.
Captain Patrick Knox died in Lincoln in 1780 in a Rev War battle, but according to all historical accounts he was "of Mecklenburg." Lincolnton wasn't that far "over the county line" from Patrick's property on the "east side" of the Catawba River documented by a Sept 1779 Deed. I believe his 373 acres was located near Cowan's Ford, probably south of the Power Plant/Dam now on Lake Norman. His estate papers also state he was of Mecklenburg, and the estate was probated in Mecklenburg, so there is no question were he lived immediately prior to his death. (Peggy Bruckner - 30-Sept-2008)
Patrick Knox is said to have been killed at the Battle of Ramsur's
Mill, Lincoln Co., NC which took place 20 June 1780.. Source: FTM
CD524, Sketches of Western North Carolina; Author: C.L Hunter. (It is
not known when this Patrick was born, but I estimate between
1720-1740. His burial location is also unknown, but assumed to be
somewhere in Lincoln Co, NC were his estate was probated.)
"Now that we have Knox-DNA evidence of Patrick's connection with old Matthew of Steele Creek, I'm keeping an eye out for clues there as well." (Source: Peggy Bruckner - 7-2009)
In a January 3, 1996 article, written by Ken Brotherton and published
in the Mecklenburg Gazette, Mr. Brotherton states that Robert's
"brother, Patrick, was killed" at the Battle of Ramseur's Mill (June
20, 1780) in Lincolnton, Lincoln Co, NC; (see 1782 Estate of Patrick
Knox, naming widow Mary and his children: Matthew, Ruth, Jane, James,
& Hannah.)
NC Archives - Mecklenburg Original Estate Records Box CR.065.508.146:
Estate Papers of Patrick Knox: ABSTRACT: April Court Session 1782 -
"I hereby certify that Mary Knox, Admr of Patrick Knox Dec'd an
Inventory & Amount of sales of said Estate..." Test - Isaac Alexander,
Cmt July Session 1800 - Settlement of Patrick Knoxes Estate by Alison
Knox "Accounts Current & Settlement of Estate of Patrick Knox Dec'd
who was killed in June 1780, Mary Knox, Relict as Administratrux" [1]
The Full Amount of Sales as Returned to Court in 1782 amounting to...
...to an additional return by her Husband Alison Knox in 1786....
...by the Following vouchers - viz - ...John Duckworth...L0.15.8
...David Wilson's note acct..3.8.0 ...Thomas Davidson's acct..3.12.0
...Clerkes Certificate...1.9.0 ...Receipts for Taxes...5.18.3 ...Draw
Back monies...9.0.0 ...January 20, 1783 admintr paid to the Heires...
...Interest upon the above ...untill 20 January 1787... ...Interest
thereon until 20 January 1795... ...Mathew Knoxes Rect for 3.0.0...
...Mathew Knoxes Rect for 12.5.2... ...Samuel Wilson's Rect for
68.11.0 ...Saml Wilson Rect for 45.0.0 ...Alowance made the Admr at
July Term 1800... July 22, 1800 "We the subscribers as a Committe of
Court have examined & admited the foregoing Vouchers and after
Deducting the amount of said vouchers from the amount of sailes of
said estate Leaves a Ballance of L4.0.11 in the Hands of hte
administrator all of which is Submitted to Court" ....Conners JP Jno
Harris JP
Oct 27th, 1785 - Guardian Bond - "Allison Knox Guardian of the
aforesaid Hannah Knox" [signed by Alison Knox and James Knox]
March 1, 1786 - Administrator "Allison Knox now married to relict"
[signs Alison Knox]
April 28, 1794 - Guardian Bond - "Saml Wilson appointed guardian of
Patrick Knoxes minor children John & Jane Knox" (signed by Samuel
Wilson and James Curry; witness Isaac Alexander )
March 2, 1795 - Court Proceeding regarding an "error" in the [Jan 31,
1792 ] sale of a Waggon purchased by James Knox from the estate of
Patrick Knox "evidently was proved on trial on the 2nd March 1795
before Col. James Johnston & Isaac Alexander as arbitrators by the
Oath of Several Creditable Witnesses who were present at the said
sales & knew and believed said Admin. & Mary Knox then & there did
enter into a special agreement with said James Knox that he should
have the waggon at his former bid...and that she and her brother Smith
then urged him the said James to bid the said Waggon off to himself
and not suffer[?] it _____into the hands of those poor ___ persons who
were then bidding for it, to the great injury of herself and orphant
children, to which agreement the said James complied, bid it off at
L36.10.0 gave his said note publicly with the other people...yet the
Estate of said James Knox has got relief in the premises to the said
amount of L7 hard, by his Executors Hugh Terrence & Jno Sharpe on the
said 2 March 1795 before James Johnston & Isaac? Alexander, when there
was a full investigation of the whole matter, with evidence ___And
Samuel Willson present, who had said note assigned to him, as
Guardian of 2 of the Heirs of said Patrick Knox & married to a third
therefore he draws now three fourths of the Neat [sic Net] proceeds
of said Estate...'
June 7, 1800 - "Admin. for Schooling the Orphans of Decd Patrick Knox"
[Alison Knox accounting of money paid for schooling of children]: 1782
- Hannah & Matthew "9 months each"...1785, 1786, 1787 - [9] "three
years in the whole" for Ruth John & Jean [Jane?]Knox "at different
times"..."note Hannah & Matthew went to school some in the above three
years"
Estate Papers of Patrick Knox
ABSTRACT:
April Court Session 1782 - "I hereby certify that Mary Knox, Admr of
Patrick Knox Dec'd an Inventory & Amount of sales of said Estate..."
Test - Isaac Alexander, Cmt
July Session 1800 - Settlement of Patrick Knoxes Estate by Alison Knox
"Accounts Current & Settlement of Estate of Patrick Knox Dec'd who was
kiled in June 1780, Mary Knox, Relict as Administratrux" [1]
The Full Amount of Sales as Returned to Court in 1782 amounting to...
...to an additional return by her Husband Alison Knox in 1786....
...by the Following vouchers - viz -
...John Duckworth...L0.15.8
...David Wilson's note acct..3.8.0
...Thomas Davidson's acct..3.12.0
...Clerkes Certificate...1.9.0
...Receipts for Taxes...5.18.3
...Draw Back monies...9.0.0
...January 20, 1783 admintr paid to the Heires...
...Interest upon the above ...untill 20 January 1787...
...Interest thereon until 20 January 1795...
...Mathew Knoxes Rect for 3.0.0...
...Mathew Knoxes Rect for 12.5.2...
...Samuel Wilson's Rect for 68.11.0
...Saml Wilson Rect for 45.0.0
...Alowance made the Admr at July Term 1800...
July 22, 1800
"We the subscribers as a Committe of Court have examined & admited the
foregoing Vouchers and after Deducting the amount of said vouchers
from the amount of sailes of said estate Leaves a Ballance of L4.0.11
in the Hands of hte administrator all of which is Submitted to Court"
....Conners JP
Jno Harris JP
The North Carolina Booklet (on NCGENWEB Site) Vol. IX
The History of Lincoln County By Alfred Nixon, page 6, 7:
"THE BATTLE OF RAMSOUR'S MILL"
The Tories were embodied at Ramsour's Mill through the efforts of
Lieut.-Col. John Moore and Maj. Nicholas Welch. These officers left
the victorious British on the march from Charleston and arrived at
their homes early in June, 1780. Moses Moore, the father of Colonel
Moore, was a native of Carlyle, England, married a Miss Winston, near
Jamestown, Virginia, and came to this section with the pioneers.
Esther, a sister of Colonel Moore, married Joshua Roberts, a patriot
soldier. The late Capt. John H. Roberts, a grandson, lived on the
Moore homestead. It is situate on Indian Creek, eight miles southwest
of Ramsour's Mill. Colonel Moore was an active partisan throughout the
Revolution. Major Welch was a son of John Welch, and was reared next
neighbor to Colonel Moore on Indian Creek. He was of Scottish descent,
of great fluency of speech and fine persuasive power. They bore
English commissions, were arrayed in splendid official equipments and
made lavish display of British gold. By the twentieth of June, these
zealous loyalists collected at Ramsour's Mill a force of 1,300 Tories,
and were actively engaged in their organization and drill preparatory
to marching them to unite with the British in South Carolina. They
occupied a well-chosen and advantageous position for offense and
defense. It was on a high ridge that slopes three hundred yards to the
mill and Clarke's Creek on the west and the same distance to a branch
on the east.
Col. Francis Locke collected a force of Rowan and Mecklenburg militia
to engage the Tories. His detachments met at Mountain Creek, sixteen
miles from Ramsour's on Monday, the 19th, and when united amounted to
four hundred men. They marched at once to the assault of the Tory
position. At dawn of day on the morning of the 20th, in two miles of
Ramsour's, they were met by Adam Reep, a noted scout, with a few
picked men from the vicinity of the camp, who detailed to Colonel
Locke the position of the enemy, and the plan of attack was formed.
The mounted men under Captains McDowell, Brandon, and Falls, marching
slowly were to follow the road due west to the camp, and not attack
until the footmen under Colonel Locke could detour to the south, and
reach the foot of the hill along the Tuckaseegee road, and make a
simultaneous assault. They proceeded without other organization or
order, it being left to the officers to be governed by circumstances
when they reached the enemy.
The mounted men came upon the Tory picket some distance from the camp,
were fired upon, charged the Tory camp, but recoiled from their deadly
fire. The firing hurried Colonel Locke into action, a like volley
felled many of his men, and they likewise retired. The Tories, seeing
the effect of their fire, came down the hill and were in fair view.
The Whigs renewed the action, which soon became general and obstinate
on both sides. In about an hour the Tories began to fall back to their
original position on the ridge, and a little beyond its summit, to
shield a part of their bodies from the destructive fire of the Whigs,
who were fairly exposed to their fire. In this situation the Tory fire
became so effective the Whigs fell back to the bushes near the branch;
and the Tories, leaving their safe position, pursued half way down the
hill. At this moment Captain Hardin led a company of Whigs into the
field from the south and poured a galling fire into the right flank of
the Tories. Some of the Whigs obliqued to the right, and turned the
left flank of the Tories; while Captain Sharpe led a few men beyond
the crest of the ridge, and, advancing from tree to tree, with
unerring aim picked off the enemy's officers and men, and hastened the
termination of the conflict. The action now became close and warm. The
combatants mixed together, and having no bayonets, struck at each
other with the butts of their guns. When the Whigs reached the summit
they saw the Tories collected beyond the creek, with a white flag
flying. Fifty Tories, unable to make the bridge, were taken prisoners.
Those beyond soon di spersed and made their escape. One-fourth of the
Tories were unarmed, and they with a few others retired at the
commencement of the battle.
Seventy men, including the five Whig and four Tory captains, lay dead
on the field, and more than two hundred were wounded, the loss on each
side being about equal. In this contest, armed with the deadly rifle,
blood relatives and familiar acquaintances and near neighbors fought
in the opposing ranks, and as the smoke of the battle occasionally
cleared away recognized each other in the conflict.
THE BATTLE OF RAMSAUR'S MILL
20 Jun 178O, By William Graham:
Major on Staff of Adjutant General of North Carolina)
...Colonel James Johnston, who lived in Tryon (Gaston) County near
Toole's Ford, and who had joined Major Wilson when he crossed the
river, was dispatched to inform General Rutherford of their action.
Late in the evening they marched down the south side of Anderson's
Mountain, and taking the "State" Road, stopped at the Mountain Spring
to arrange a plan of battle. It was agreed that Brandon's, Fall's and
McDowell's men, being mounted, should open the attack, the footmen to
follow, and every man, without awaiting orders, govern himself as
developments might make necessary as the fight proceeded...
...The troops engaged, except Reep of Lincoln, and Major Wilson,
Captains Knox and Smith of Mecklenburg, were from (what to 1777 had
been) Rowan County. The officers' surnames were found among the
militia officers of the county in the proceedings of the "Committee of
Safety," of which many of them were members. Captain John Hardin's
beat was along Lord Granville's line from Silver Creek in Burke to
South Fork, and from these. two points to the Catawba River. Captain
Joseph Dobson was within its bounds. Much the largest portion of the
troops was from what is now Iredell County. Captain John Sloan was
from Fourth Creek. I do not think all who are mentioned as captains
held that position at this time; some may have been prior to and some
became so afterward. No account was written until forty years had
elapsed. There seems to have been but few commands given in the
engagement; officers and privates acted as occasion required, and both
suffered severely....
From the NC Archives- Mecklenburg Original Estate Records Box
CR.065.508.146:
Estate Papers of Patrick Knox
Abstract:
April Court Session 1782 - Patrick Knox "kiled in June 1780, Mary
Knox, Relict as Administratrux"
Oct[?] 9[?], 1785 - Guardian Bond - "Allison Knox Guardian of the
aforesaid Hannah Knox" [signed by Alison Knox and James Knox]
March 1, 1786 - Administrator "Allison Knox now married to relict"
[signs Alison Knox]
April 28, 1794 - Guardian Bond - "Saml Wilson appointed guardian of
Patrick Knoxes minor children John & Jane Knox" [signed by Samuel
Wilson and James Curry; witness Isaac Alexander]
June 7, 1800 - "Admin. for Schooling the Orphans of Decd Patrick Knox"
[Alison Knox accounting of money paid for schooling of children]: 1782
- Hannah & Matthew "9 months each" 1785, 1786, 1787 - "three years in
the whole" for Ruth John & Jean [Jane?]Knox "at different
times"..."note Hannah & Matthew went to school some in the above three
years"
-- MERGED NOTE ------------
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