Please, know that I am open minded about whether or not Mary Knight was a wife of Joseph Chestnutt Sumner, Sr (JCS).
Nevertheless, for the time being, I elected to not consider Mary Knight. I am not convinced of a marital connection with JCS. However, there is evidence that influences me to believe that JCS was married to a lady named Nancy and further that her maiden name was Chestnutt.
In January, 2000, genealogist Julian Anderson (JA) challenged the assertion of a JCS Mary Knight marriage.
It has been 18 years since Mr. Anderson made his observations. As far as I know there is still no evidence. True there is a headstone in the Sumner_Flanders cemetery for Mary Kight/Knight, but it is a modern headstone. In the same cemetery there are also new headstones for my ancestors John C. Sumner and Bird L. Sumner & Lucinda Rountree. There is no record or evidence that I am aware of to support that Mary Knight is buried there. Was it an effort to recognize an apparent ancestor based on information in William Sumner’s book? I do not know. Many, many, trees on Ancestry and Family Search include Mary Knight/Kight. Searching these myriad trees there are little if any thoughts by anyone to argue the Mary Knight relationship
The information that follows is mostly the work and conclusions of Julian Anderson (JA).
(JA) Re Mary Kight/Knight: I’ve spent a lot of time on this line.....marriage of Bethany Merritt to Robert Knight.....going back with the Merritt line getting wills, deeds etc etc. Looking up every conceivable connection thru old copies of the Augusta Chronicle etc etc.....going thru hundreds of old DAR applications and/or documents to support the “Mary Knight” marriage. “History of Sumter County” (GA) states Mary was “daughter of Bethany Knight” etc etc. So it all looked very positive and I was convinced beyond a doubt that Mary Knight was, indeed, the wife of Joseph Sumner, Sr. But......there was always that nagging little buzz in the back of the mind regarding the naming pattern of the Sumners.....It contained NO Knight or Merritt names. (Shadrack, Madrack,Charles, Thomas, Bethany, Bethia, Coffield, Speir, etc etc).
(JA) “I think this whole “Kight”, “Kite” issue started with the book by William Sumner, “History of the Sumner Family”......people saw it (and see it!!) in black and white, accepted it without question and one DAR applicant after another simply copied earlier applications!! (or the SUMNER book!) And the same with various books, county histories etc etc.....if it’s “in the book”, it must be true! And William Sumner presented no proof, or documentation of any kind, to support his claim. And, as far as I know, no proof of this claim has EVER been found!”
(JA) I have found absolutely no documentation of ANY kind that Mary KIGHT was the wife of Joseph Sumner, Sr., as claimed by William S. Sumner. The only KIGHT connection I have found, of any kind, is the two KIGHT women who signed as witnesses to Joseph Chestnutt Sumner, Sr.'s will; Martha Kight (her mark), and Elizabeth Kight, (her mark).
(JA) The Kite/Kight family was prominent in the area of the SUMNER home-place. The small town of Kite, Georgia, about two miles west of the old SUMNER home-place, is named for this family. To use two of them as witnesses is certainly not unusual.
The Chesnutt (Chessnut, Chestnut) Connection:
(JA) I have documented proof (from a 1937 DAR grave survey) that Joseph's full name was Joseph Chestnutt Sumner. This, of course, means that the Chestnutt connection occurred at least as early as 1761 when he was born in Onslow County, North Carolina. I think (absolutely no proof) that Joseph Chestnutt Sumner, Sr.'s mother was a Chestnutt.
JA provides sources to support that Alexander Chesnutt received a land grant in St George Parish, Georgia. As you know, in 1777 ST George Parish became Burke County and portions were later incorporated into Jefferson and other counties. A certificate issued at Queensborough, Ga., from the Commissioner of Assembly granted Alexander and his wife and 3 children 300 a. of land where settled in Nov 1764.
I found an additional source. The book The Story of Georgia and the Georgia People by George Gillman Smith, published 1900 on page 567 in the Appendix: Headrights Granted by the Colonial and State Governments from 1754 to 1800 records for St George, Burke and Jefferson “1774-1788 Alex(ander) Chestnut” among others as a Headright holder.
A survey of land for William Little in Burke County dated 17 March 1784 shows Alexander Chesnut on adjoining land. This plat also shows the name William Barber on adjoining land. A survey of land for William Barber in Burke County dated 26 August 1785 shows the Widow Chesnut on adjoining land to William Barber. Assuming that Widow Chesnut is the wife of Alexander Chesnut, these documents suggest that Alexander Chesnut died between September 1784 and July 1785.
A survey of land in Sep 1787 in Burke County shows Joseph Sumner on adjoining land to John Green. Additionally the survey shows both Joseph Sumner and Richard Sumner as chain carriers. This plat is indisputable evidence that Joseph and Richard were firmly established in Burke County in 1787.
The 1796 tax records for Jefferson County record, page 13, line 72 and 73 show the names Joseph Sumner and Mary Chesnutt. On the image the surnames Sumner and Chesnutt are partially obscured. Additionally the image shows that Mary Chesnutt’s land adjoined “Summer” (Sumner???).
The 1799 tax records for Jefferson County, page 63, line 56, records what looks like Richard Sumner on property originally granted to (first letter A, remainder illegible but coud be Allex) Chesnutt. The 1799 records, page 61, line 29, shows “Joseph Sumner (illegible) for Mary Chesnutt” on lands granted to A. Chesnutt or Allex Chesnutt.
A copy of the 1802 Jefferson County tax list records Joseph Sumner and Mary Chestnut. (genealogytrails.com/geo/jefferson/1802taxlist.html).
Clearly, there is then convincing evidence of Alexander Chesnutt and probably his wife Mary in Burke County after 1777. Unfortunately there is no evidence of the names of their children. Additionally, I have not been able to find information on the lineage of Alexander or Mary. Clearly there is no positive link to Margaret Sumner, Joseph and Richard’s mother of Onslow County, NC.
(JA) Then.....When Joseph and Richard Sumner came into Burke Co. from Onslow Co., NC they originally settled on, and paid taxes, on, some of the land originally granted to "Chesnutt". Alexander Chestnutt had obviously died by this time as his wife, Mary, was also shown (on land next to Joseph Sumner) as on the original "Chesnut" land grant. (original grant from "George the Third, by the Grace of God, of Great-Britain, France and Ireland, King, etc etc. (NOTE: tax rolls clearly show Joseph, Richard and Mary (Chestnutt) on land originally granted "Chesnut").
(JA) I think (absolutely no proof!), that Joseph and Richard Sumner's mother, "Marget" was a Chestnutt. I think that she was a sister to Martha Chestnutt who married William Flanders and I think both were sisters to the Alexander Chestnutt who settled in Burke County, Ga. in the mid 1760's. It is perfectly logical (to me) that the two young men (Joseph and Richard) would migrate to a strange place and settle in on "family" land of their Uncle Alexander. This would mean, of course, that both Joseph and Richard married their 1st cousins......not an unusual thing in those days. And note, also, the use of "Alexander" as a Sumner family name in every generation thereafter!
A contract, dated 10 February 1831 between heirs of Joseph Sumner reads in part “…one between the heirs of the estate of Joseph Sumner late of said county deceast that is Alexander Sumner, Joseph Sumner, Jesse Sumner, Nathan Land, William Flanders and Nancy Sumner. We do hereby bargain sell and deliver all our right title claim or interest to all and every parte of the real estate of him the said Joseph Sumner deceast unto John C. Sumner……/signed/ Alexander Sumner, Joseph Sumner, Nathan Land (his mark), Jesse C. Sumner (his mark), Nancy Sumner (her mark), William Flanders”
(JA) There's well documented proof of Joseph Sumner Sr.'s six children: Alexander, Mary, Ruth, Joseph Jr., Jesse and John Chestnutt Sumner. Nathan Land signed for his wife, Mary Sumner, daughter of Joseph Sr. William Flanders signed for his wife, Ruth Sumner, Daughter of Joseph, Sr. The remaining Sumner heirs signed for themselves. Since Joseph Sr., had no daughter named Nancy, the "Nancy Sumner" who signed as an heir CAN BE NONE OTHER than the widow of Joseph, Sr. since she was named in his will to receive the same share as his children, and had to sign to sell her share! And it cannot be the "Nancy Sumner" who married John R. Flanders, since John R. Flanders signed for that Nancy Sumner as the daughter of Richard Sumner, Sr.!!
JCS’s will, found in Book of Wills from 1827 through 1828, page 14, in the Ordinary's Office, Emanuel County, Georgia, does not specifically name Jesse C. Sumner as an heir. Nor does it name Ruth Sumner. The will mentions Alexander, Joseph, John, Mary and a wife but not by name. Will signed 3 November 1827, probate 8 January 1828. Who was Jesse C. Sumner? Jesse Charles? Jesse Cary? Another Jesse? No clue.
(JA) Further evidence that Joseph and brother Richard married Chestnutt girls as claimed by Genealogists Charles R. Hollomon and Martha M. de l'Etoile (now deceased): Guardianship Document: "Georgia, Emanuel County. Know all men by these presents that we, Elizabeth C. Sumner and Richard Sumner, are held and firmly bound unto the justices of the Court of Ordinary and their successors in office in the just sum of two thousand dollars payable to the said Alexander and Richard Sumner or each of them, their heirs, executors, administrators or assigns jointly and severally. To be void on condition that if the said Alexander Sumner shall do and perform all the duties of guardianship for the person and property of Richard, Richard, Mary, Jesse, Joseph and Ruth Sumner, minors of Richard Sumner as the law directs him; otherwise to remain in full force, power and virtue……Witness our hand and seals this 5th day of November 1821…….Elijah Neel CCO Alexander C. Sumner Richard Sumner"
(JA) Elizabeth C. Sumner's name appeared in places that were later scratched thru and Alexander C. Sumner written in. This is, I believe, a guardianship document necessitated by the old age senility of Richard Sumner, Sr. as he did not die until after 1830. It is my opinion that the "Elizabeth C. Sumner" who was the wife of Richard, Sr. was, in all probability, "Elizabeth Chestnutt Sumner"
There is minor evidence that Mary Knight married John Cecil Kight in 1810. Text about John Cecil Kight on the Find A Grave site reads in part: “On Feb 12, 1810 in Tattnall Co, GA, John Cecil Kight married his cousin, Mrs. Mary Kight Sumner b. 1770, the dau of Robert Kight and Bethany Merritt Kight. Mary's 1st husband was Joseph Sumner. John Cecil and Mary separated soon after the birth of their last child.....”
Clearly a JCS and Mary Knight relationship is arguable. However, I assert that Nany Chesnut was the only wife of JCS. May not be the perfect answer however and I feel uncomfortable about Mary Knight because she could perhaps be my great x 3 grandmother. I gave strong weight to the names of JCS,s first two male children, Alexander (Chestnuttt?) born about 1787 and John Chestnutt born about 1791.
I would appreciate your thoughts.
