William B. McKnight ^{1 2}

  General Notes:

Settlement of Franklin Township


It is probable that William McKnight was the fist settler in this township. He was a native of the Emerald Isle and came from Mercer County Ky., in March 1809, and located on Section 8. A small crop of corn was planted on cleared land the following autumn the family was brought out. The old house is yet standing. A man named Hensley was in the township in the fall of 1809, and settled on Section 7. Charles Blythe located on Section 8 late in 1809. Daniel Gray
settled on Section 9 in 1810, and about this time came James Rodman, Jacob Garriott, and soon afterward Alexander Huston, Samuel Huston, David Fouts, Solomon Bowers and many others. The settlement of the township was slow until after the war of 1812, except in the northeastern part. By 1815 there were probably twenty families in the township, living of course in rude log-cabins. Samuel Taylor built on Section 26 about 1816 and John Robinson located near him.
James Rodman bought a farm on Section 18 about 1815. His son Thomas was born there. The later was precocious and was sent to West Point, from which institution he graduated with high honors. He afterward became the inventor of the famous Rodman gun. Samuel Blankenbaker became a resident in 1815. Before him were Zachariah McAlister, Mr. McGill, Thomas Hodges, Enoch Parr, Tart Fordyce, Robert Sellers, John Hartley, James Hartley, Samuel Hartley, a blacksmith
and others.


From Andy Dorr:

William McKnight was born Mar. 1, 1765 in the Co. Drown (County Down) Ireland. and came to America with his father when he was nine years old. On Jan. 28, 1788, he married Nancy Agnes Robertson of Wash. Co. Pa. They lived in Brooks Co. Va. for almost two years, when together with his
brother-in-law Robertson and other neighbors they emigrated to Mercer Co. Ky. This was then a long
journey first by rafy then down the Ohio River then up the Ky. river to that which has become the very heary of the bluegrass region. At the time that this trip was made his only child was about six months old. After a few years he moved to Henry Co. Ky. and in 1808 he with his son John then 19, years old went to Ind. Territory to seek a new home from the influence of slavery. After a search through the unbroken forests of Ind. they selected a home near where New Philadelphia has since been estalblished.
They opened up a small farm. Built a cabin in 1809 removed the family from Ky. to this new home, at
that time there was probably not more than half doz. families in what is now Wash. Co. Ind. He died on
this farm Aug. 8, 1825 age 61 years. His wife Nancy Agnes Robertson was born April 3, 1766 and was
therefore one year his jouinor. She was born in York Pa. and after the was removed with her family to
Wash. Co. Pa. It was here she met and married William McKnight, Both families the McKnights and the
Robertsons were Covenanters and their families, the Children were brought up in that faith and with two
exceptions all the children became members of the Presbyterians Church. Nancy McKnight outlived her
husband by almost a quarter of a century. And died July 22, 1849 and was laid to rest by the side of her husband in
the family burying ground on the farm where they had first settled in Ind.

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Also from Andy Dorr:

From Charles McKnight -- Genelogy of the McKnight Family
This portion from the W. R. McKnight information. (note: The spelling,
wording, and punctuation has been copied as found.)
William McKnight
Born March 1, 1765 County Down Ireland. Came to America with his father in 1773. Lived in Washington Co. Pa. and Brooks Co. Va. moved to Mercer Co. Ky. fall of 1789. lived in Henry Co. Ind. in the spring of 1809. (see Bloss record) Entered 1/4 section of land in Franklin Twp. built a two story log house 20x40. Cleared the land. heavy timer for a farm and lived there the remainder of his life. About one and one fourth miles west of New Philadelphia Ind. During the war of 1812, another log house was built close to the first one and was used for a fort and
called the McKnight Fort. These were built to protect them from the Indians. But they were not molested by the Indians.
Died Aug. the 8, 1825, buried in the McKnight cemetary beside his father. This cemetary is on the farm ,

  Noted events in his life were:

• Migrated: with his father, Abt 1774, Brooks County, VA.

William married Nancy Agnes Robertson on 28 Jan 1788 in Washington County, Indiana, USA. (Nancy Agnes Robertson was born on 3 Apr 1766 in York, York County, Pennsylvania, USA, died on 22 Jul 1849 in Washington County, Indiana, USA and was buried in McKnight Cemetery, Franklin Township, Washington County, Indiana ³.)