There were two William J. Knights in Humphreys County, Tennessee at about the same time. They will be referred to as William J. Knight of District 5 and William J. Knight of District 9. William J. Knight of District 5 is believed to have been the brother of Wade Hampton Knight because of his land.

1837
Humphreys County, Tennessee - Deed Book F, page 215
January 1837
William J. Knight bought two tracts of land from Thomas Simpson on White Oak Creek where it intersects mouth of Wells branch . . . formerly property of John Robbins, deceased . . . mentions Mahlam Woods south boundary line . . . 52 acres.
Witnesses: John and William Edwards.

1837
William J. Knight
Tax List of Humphreys County, Tennessee - District 5

1840
Humphreys County, Tennessee - Deed Book G, pages 367, 368
In 1840 William J. Knight of Dickson County sold to Wesley Young of Humphreys County land on White Oak Creek which had been granted by No. 2296 to Thomas Shute . . . and also 50 acres of the original tract of land whereon Thomas Knight, deceased, formerly lived.

1840
1840 Census - Dickson County, Tennesee
William J. Knight - school teacher
1 male under 5 years
1 male between 5 and 10 years
1 male between 10 and 15 years
1 male between 30 and 40 years
1 female under 5
1 female between 5 and 10 years
1 female between 20 and 30 years

The section of Dickson County where he lived was where three counties (today) meet--Houston, Dickson, and Humphreys. As county lines varied from legislature to legislature, it is quite possible that he lived in the same place all the time, but that sometimes it was in Dickson County and sometimes it was in Humphreys County. His neighbors were James Ragan, David Street, Moses Street, and Kendrick Ethridge, names of families that lived in that part of Dickson County which adjoins Humphreys, where he is known to have lived.

1842
William J. Knight - Justice of the Peace of Humphreys County, Tennessee

1843
William J. Knight - Justice of the Peace of Humphreys County, Tennessee

1844
William J. Knight - Justice of the Peace of Humphreys County, Tennessee

1844
William J. Knight and Wesley Young were securities for John B. Robbins, who had been appointed constable. These are all men who lived in the White Oak Creek area of Humphreys County, Tennessee.

1845
William J. Knight - Justice of the Peace of Humphreys County, Tennessee

1848
Humphreys County, Tennessee - Deed Book F, pages 212, 213
June 28, 1848
William J. Knight bought two tracts of land on White Oak Creek.
Witnesses were Edward Hall, William Estes, and J. Y. Knight.

He either died before 1850 or moved out of the county as he will not be found on the census for that year. Census records for both Dickson and Stewart Counties were also checked for him.

William J. Knight
born: c1800-1810
died: after 1848
buried:
married:
wife:
born:
died:
buried:

Last Updated February 1, 2002