Author Topic: Researching James McKnight 1771 Pennsylvania USA  (Read 410 times)

Offline dorset_nomad

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Researching James McKnight 1771 Pennsylvania USA
« on: Friday 18 June 21 07:43 BST (UK) »
I am researching the above James McKnight who died between 21st Jan 1771 when his last will was made and 4th Feb 1771, when the will was proven. James described himself of Menallen in York County in Pennsylvania (now Adams). The will mentions two daughters, one Martha McKnight and the other Mary McKnight. It also mentions that Martha McKnight married a Simon McGrew and Mary McKnight married a Joseph Brouster in May 1762 in Lancaster County. I have York County Orphans Court records dated 1789, listing the children from both marriages, so assume that both men had died by this year.

I have tried to find BMD information on James but so far nothing. Can somebody try to find BMD information on this gentleman for me?
TIA Del

Offline oldohiohome

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Re: Researching James McKnight 1771 Pennsylvania USA
« Reply #1 on: Friday 18 June 21 17:49 BST (UK) »
no answers, just a few suggestions:

Any clue when and where the daughters were born? It would help find a marriage record, if there is one. and a general age for James, or do you know that?

this might help if you can find a copy, if it goes back far enough, and if he is listed:
York County, Pennsylvania, Church Records of the 18th Century, Marlene Bates and F. Edward Wright,  (Westminster, MD: Family Line Publications, 1991-)

worldcat.org says there were 3 volumes and will tell you what libraries have them. If you can find a friendly public or college library they might look it up for you.

I looked for the two sons in law in the DAR records and didn't find them.
https://services.dar.org/public/dar_research/search_adb/default.cfm

Do the sons in law show up in any county and biographical histories? If so, it might at least get you James' wife's name. Or do you know that already?

Widen out the search. are there any other McKnights in the area, and can you learn anything about them?
On the DAR site, there are 7 men named McKnight who served in PA, but none said to have served from York Co.

How early can you find him in Menallen? And he sounds Scots-Irish, so it is probably a 50-50 chance at least that he was born in Ireland. Any arrival records?

edited to add:
I just noticed your user name and posting time, which might mean you are in the UK. If you go to that worldcat.org site and want to find results for the US (where they are more likely to have that book), then just type in a US zip code where it says "Enter your location" - after you click on an individual book. The zip code for York PA is 17401, for example.

Offline dorset_nomad

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Re: Researching James McKnight 1771 Pennsylvania USA
« Reply #2 on: Friday 18 June 21 19:45 BST (UK) »
oldohiohome. Thanks for those suggestions. All that I know was included in the original post. I have been the marriage route and many other permutations but have not arrived at any answers that are believable. Hence asking more skilled people on here.
I know that the whole family were Presbyterian and that just might provide answers.
Del

Addendum. I know that some of the family were Loyalist to the core. They are mentioned in the UELC. DAR ? mmmmm!