Jesse Knight received a $2000 bequest for loyal, faithful service under the terms of John T. Barnes’ will. Barnes was vice-president of Barnes Parts and Company, an auto parts supplier, and Knight had worked as his butler.
Wilson Daily Times, 9 March 1949.
Wilson Daily Times, 5 August 1941.
Brothers Avan and Calvin Melvin were arrested and charged with the murder of Willie Knight. Avan Melvin claimed he struck Knight because Knight was cutting Calvin Melvin. Calvin Melvin claimed innocence. I have not been able to determine the outcome of the trial, which was held the month after the incident.
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In the 1910 census of Gardners township, Wilson County: Colonel Knight, 24; wife Flora, 20; and son Willie, 1.
In the 1920 census of Gardners township, Wilson County: Colonel Knight, 34; wife Flora, 28; and children Willie, 11, Nella, 8, George, 7, Colonel Jr., 4, and Percy, 2.
In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 717 Vance Street, rented at $16/month, Cullan Knight, 44, farmer; wife Flora, 37; and children Willie, 21, odd jobs laborer, George, 16, baker, Cullon Jr., bakery delivery boy, Percy, 13, and Gladys, 9.
In 1940, Willie Knight registered for the World War II draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 4 June 1908 in Wilson County; lived at 646 Wiggins Street; was married to Thelma Newman Knight; and worked for R.P. Watson Tobacco Company. The card is marked “Deceased.”
Willie Knight died 2 August 1941 on Banks Street, Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born in June 1909 in Wilson County to Colonel Knight and Flora Thomas; was married to Thelma Knight; lived at 127 Narrowly Street; and worked as a laborer. Cause of death: “hit on head with brick fracturing skull killing almost instantly.”
Flora Thomas Knight (1892-1943).
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In the 1900 census of Gardners township, Wilson County: farmer Alford Thomas, 36; wife Lou, 18; and children Sallie, 12, Florra, 9, and Mary T., 6 months; and servant Cora White, 17.
On 26 January 1908, Colonel Knight, 22, of Wayne County, son of George and Louisa Knight, married Flora Thomas, 18, of Wayne County, daughter of Alfred and Nelie Thomas, in Goldsboro, Wayne County.
In the 1910 census of Gardners township, Wilson County: farmer Colonel Knight, 24; wife Flora, 20; and son Willie, 1.
In the 1920 census of Gardners township, Wilson County: farmer Colonel Knight, 34; wife Flora, 28; and children Willie, 11, Nelia, 8, George, 7, Colonel, 4, and Percy, 2.
In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 717 Vance Street, Cullon Knight, 44; wife Flora, 37; and children Willie, 21, odd jobs laborer; George, 18, baker; Cullon Jr., 16, bakery delivery boy; Percy, 13; and Gladys, 9.
In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Connel Knight, 55, tobacco factory laborer; wife Flora, 48; and children Percy, 23, chauffeur; Neal, 29, tobacco factory laborer; and Gladys, 19, tobacco factory laborer; grandsons Rudolph Ward, 13, and Ben Sellers, 3; and lodger Sylvester Woodard, 33, meat market delivery man.
Flora Knight died 15 December 1943 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 15 January 1892 in Wilson County to Alfred Thomas and Nealie Hagans; was married to Colonel Knight; lived at 706 Stantonsburg Street; and was buried in Rountree Cemetery. Gladis Hines was informant.
Photo courtesy of Ancestry.com user ______.
The one hundred-forty-fourth in a series of posts highlighting buildings in East Wilson Historic District, a national historic district located in Wilson, North Carolina. As originally approved, the district encompasses 858 contributing buildings and two contributing structures in a historically African-American section of Wilson. (A significant number have since been lost.) The district was developed between about 1890 to 1940 and includes notable examples of Queen Anne, Bungalow/American Craftsman, and Shotgun-style architecture. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.
As described in the nomination form for the East Wilson Historic District, this building is: “ca. 1930; 1 1/2 stories; Jesse Knight house; popular bungalow design with gable roof and engaged porch; shed dormer; Knight was a porter at the Cherry Hotel in Wilson.”
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In the 1928 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Hines Ashley (c; Margaret) driver h 300 N Reid
In the 1930 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Hines Ashley (c; Margaret) truck driver h 300 N Reid
In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 300 Reid, rented for $20/month, Ash Hines, 36, tobacco factory laborer; wife Margrette, 37, public school teacher; and son Albert, 11.
In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 300 Reid, owned and valued at $2000, Jessie Knight, 38, cook, and wife Lessie, 42, maid.
In 1942, Jesse Knight registered for the World War II draft. Per his registration card, he was born 15 March 1902 in Edgecombe County, N.C.; lived at 300 North Reid Street; his contact was Rodda McMillan, 103 South Vick Street; and he worked for J.T. Barnes.
Wilson Daily Times, 13 December 1946.
Jesse Knight died 28 January 1952 at Mercy Hospital, Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was 52 years old; was born in Edgecombe County to John Knight and Sallie Batts; lived at 300 North Reid; worked as a laborer; and was married to Lessie Knight.
Photo by Lisa Y. Henderson, December 2021.
Wilson Daily Times, 15 March 1935.
Clipping courtesy of J. Robert Boykin III.
Wilson Daily Times, 22 July 1925.
William Knight is not listed in the 1925 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory, and I have not been able to identify his house more particularly.
Wilson Daily Times, 21 June 1897.
“Henry Knight, colored, who lives near here had his stables smashed by a falling tree. Fortunately he had his team in the field plowing.”
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Wilson Daily Times, 1 April 1946.
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In the 1880 census of Walnut Creek, Edgecombe County, North Carolina: farm laborer Martha Knight, 47, and children Ellen, 22, Blunt, 18, George, 16, Moses, 14, and Haywood, 10, plus granddaughters Emma, 3, and Delia Harrison, 4.
On 16 December 1880, Blount Knight, 23, married Lucy Bullock, 20, on 29 December 1880 in Edgecombe County.
On 21 March 1884, Blount Knight, 22, married Ginnie Carroll, 16, at Martha Knight‘s home in Wilson County.
In the 1900 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: farmer Blount Knight, 42; wife Jennie, 31; and children Eddie, 17, Martha, 13, Minnie, 11, Carrie, 6, Jemmie, 4, and Mary, 9 months; plus mother-in-law Mary Coal, 68.
On 30 July 1908, Blount Knight, 50, son of Isaac and Martha Knight, of Gardners township, married Mary Ellis, 39, daughter of Frank and Sara Edmundson, of Gardners, in Saratoga township.
In the 1910 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: ditcher Blount Knight, 52; wife Mary, 41; children Minnie, 19, Jimmie, 13, Mollie, 10, and Louisa, 6; son-in-law Willie Anderson, 30, daughter Martha, 22, and grandchildren Robert, 2, and “no name” Anderson, 0, and Jennie Knight, 1.
In the 1916 Wilson city directory: Knight Blount, laborer, Harper’s Ln near Herring Av
In the 1920 Wilson city directory: Knight Blount, farmer, 1 Carolina
In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: on Carolina Street (suburbs Wilson), farmer Blount Knight, 59, wife Mary, 42, and daughters Mary 17, and Louisa, 15, with James Blount, 38, and wife Lulu, 19.
Blount Knight died 5 July 1957 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 1 April 1868 in Edgecombe County, N.C., to Isiah Knight; lived at 920 Carolina Street; was a widower of Mary Knight; and had worked as a laborer. Mary Currie was informant.
Knight’s headstone in Rest Haven cemetery lists his birth year as 1851, which would have made him 106 at his death. The records above yield birth years between 1857 and 1862, which would have made him somewhere between 95 and 100 years old.
“Instantly and accidentally killed while working at saw mill.”
Sawmills are notoriously dangerous workplaces, and Hackney Brothers Wagon Company‘s was no exception. Lewis Knight was killed 29 March 1920 in a work accident.
Ada Green Knight‘s funeral was held 11 March 1973 at Saint John A.M.E. Zion Church. Elder Lonnie Barnes of London Primitive Baptist Church officiated.
In the 1900 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: carpenter Neverson Green, 45; wife Isabeler, 35; and children Mary J., 18, Annie B., 15, Oscar, 13, Ada, 11, Ora, 9, Rose L., 6, William O., 5, Lula B., 2, and Besse, 3 months; plus boarder William Alley, 21.
In the 1910 census of Wilson, Wilson County: on Lodge Street, house carpenter Neverson Green, 49; wife Ezabell, 45 and children Ada, 22, Viola, 19, Rosa, 16, William O., 14, Lula, 12, Henry, 8, Bessie, 6, and Eva, 2. Ada, Viola and Rosa were tobacco factory laborers; William worked in a box factory.
James Henry Knight registered for the World War I draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 2 November 1885; lived at 607 Lodge; worked horseshoeing for J.Y. Buchanan; and his nearest relative was wife Ada Knight.
In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: James Knight, 31, blacksmith; wife Ada, 29, tobacco factory worker; and children Mildred, 8, James Jr., 7, William, 4, and Robert, 2.
In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 603 South Lodge Street, blacksmith James H. Knight, 45; wife Ada H., 43; and children James H., Jr., 17, William, 14, Marvin, 12, Eveline, 9, and Nancy J., 10 months.
In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: retail grocer James H. Knight, 53; wife Ada Elsie, 52; and children Marvin, 22, Evelyn, 19, Nancy Doris, 10, and Joseph Frank, 8.
Ada Green Knight died 3 March 1973 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born in Virginia on 13 March 1887 to Nelson Green and Isabell Thorp; resided at 502 South Lodge Street; and was a retired laborer. Informant was Nancy Doris Lucas, 502 South Lodge.
Thanks to Lisa R.W. Sloan for sharing this funeral program from a family collection.