Jesse Hildreth McKnight

Jesse Hildreth McKnight, son of George Thompson McKnight and Mattie Loise Arinton, was born 28 Jul 1879, Slocomb, Geneva CO, AL, died 27 Aug 1950, St Augustine, St Johns CO, FL, buried Espanola Cemetery, Espanola, Flagler CO, FL, married around 1906, Minnie Lee Spivey, born 22 Jun 1893 Baxley, Appling CO, GA, died 17 Mar 1987, Volusia CO, FL.

They are listed on page 64 of the 1910 census of St. Johns Co, with his occupation given as "Woodsman - Turpentine."

From an article in the Flagler Tribune, Mrs. McKnight was quoted as saying her father was "a turpentine man" and the family lived at various turpentine stills and that J. H. McKnight worked for her father. She married him at the age of 13 and they lived in Orange Springs, and Waukeenah, FL before moving to Bunnell in 1910.

In the list of Registered Voters for the Town of Bunnell of 01 Dec 1915, J H McKnight gave his occupation as Woodsman-Turpentine. About 1919 they moved to Green Bay in Volusia CO, near Seville, but returned to Bunnell about 1922.

The Bunnell Home Builder contained several references to J. H. McKnight as being an organizing member of the Bunnell Brass Band under the leadership of Charle Edward Sisco in 1913, work: being done on his farm southwest of town, and his serving as an Alderman for the Town of Bunnell in 1917-18.

He was Sheriff of Flagler County from 1928 to 1932. Mr and Mrs McKnight were charter members of Bunnell Chapter No. 93 Order of the Eastern Star, and she was a charter member of the Bunnell Baptist Church. They were the parents of three children;

1. Lois Tilton McKnight, born 01 Jan 1908, Sirmans, Madison CO, FL, died 20 Dec 1927, Bohannon’s Hospital, Daytona Beach, Volusia CO, FL, buried Espanola Cemetery, Espanola, Flagler CO, FL.

2. Theodore Kendrick (Buddy) McKnight, born 03 Oct 1909, Waukeenah, Jefferson CO, FL, died 22 Sep 1974, St Augustine General Hospital, St Johns CO, FL, married 25 Nov 1933, Eisenbach Home, Bunnell, Flagler CO, FL, Camella Grimes, dau of Morris Leon Grimes and Bertha Mabel Martin, born 22 Sep 1914, Elkton, St Johns CO, FL, died 01 Aug 2004, St Simons Island, Glynn CO, GA. Both buried Espanola Cemetery, Espanola, Flagler CO, FL

He was Sheriff of Flagler County from 1952 until 1956 and became County Judge in 1962. He took over the sheriff's office on 6 Jan 1953 retaining Deputies Homer Brook and Herbert Eugene Anderson who were deputies under the old administration of William Henry Wells. Celia Lord, office assistant, was also retained. Two new deputies were appointed, Philip Alexander (Zip) Edmonson for the Flagler Beach area and Roy Elbert Likins for the northeastern section of the county. Issue;

(1) Charles Kendrick McKnight, born 05 May 1935, married 8 Aug 1958, Charleston, Charleston CO, SC, Jean Kay Baldwin, dau of G B Baldwin.

Attended Florida American Legion Boys State in Tallahassee in Jun 1953. Was elected as Sheriff of Army CO and later ran for and was elected Senator. He was a graduate of The Citadel, receiving a BS degree in Chemical Engineering in 1958. While at the Citadel, he was president of his class, a member of the students council, and was active in athletics.

After graduation, Charles went into the USAF. Do not know much about his Air Force service but I (Claude Sisco Deen, Jr) ran into Charles when he was on temporary duty (TDY) to our KC-135 tanker unit in Okinawa (1965-1967).

He got out of the USAF in 1966 and graduated from the United Air Lines pilot school in Dec 1966 and was flying out of Denver.

He was second officer on United Airlines Flight 361 which was high jacked to Cuba on 11 Mar 1970. He later received an "Award of Merit" from United - the aircraft was hijacked to Cuba with an unsafe quality of fuel and the hijacker had to be convinced that the craft had to be refueled in Atlanta. Second Officer McKnight was the primary crew member threatened by the high jacker - he acted calmly and assisted the Captain in assuring the hijacker of their cooperation.

She was graduated from St Paul's High School in Charleston, SC and in Apr 1958, was a junior at the Medical College of South Carolina School of Nursing in Charleston. Issue;

A. Charles Kendrick (Ken) McKnight Jr, born 26 May 1960, Selma, Dallas CO, AL married Rebecca. Issue;

a. Charles Kendrick McKnight III

b. Camerson McKnight

c. Ellen McKnight

B. Kerry Baldwin McKnight, born 28 Jun 1963, Cape Cod, MA, married Susan

a. Patrick McKnight

b. Kevin McKnight

3. Jessee Hildreth (Junior) McKnight Jr, born 29 Mar 1916, Bunnell, St Johns now Flagler CO, FL, died 02 May 1994, Flagler CO, FL, married 03 Apr 1937, Bunnell, Flagler CO, FL, to Audrey Montine Barber, dau of Jeptha Dennis (Jep) Barber and Minnie Sweat, born 12 May 1917, Bunnell, Flagler CO, FL, died 11 May 2010, Flagler Beach, Flagler CO, FL..

In Apr 1937, he was the owner-operator of the Flagler Dry Cleaners in Bunnell, FL

First Lieutenant McKnight flew B-24s with 8th Air Force out of England in WW II (Capt, USAAC, 2nd Div,, 466th Bomb Group, WW II). He flew 35 missions over Germany comprised of 345 hours in areial combat. After returning to the states, he was placed in charge of the provost marshal's office serving in that capacity at several bases.

He quit high school in the eleventh grade but was later awarded a diploma from Bunnell High School for courses he completed during his army training.

He served as Deputy Sheriff in Flagler County, owned a grocery store and hardware store in Bunnell and at Flagler Beach. The McKnight grocery business was sold to Mr and Mrs H E Anderson in late June 1952. He also worked as an inspector for the State of Florida.

Audrey received a business degree from The Souther School of Commerce in Orlando. She worked for the Flagler County Abstract Company which was formed by Claude G. Varn (her brother-in-law) and Rudolph D. Peterson.

This company was obtained by Orlando Francis Alford about 1927. He sold it to Charles E. Creal, Lily J. Creal, W.L. Wadsworth and H.V. Peavy in 1965 with the Flagler County Insurance Agency included in the sale.

Audrey Barber McKnight bought the Creal Family's interest in the Abstract in 1973 and obtained the stock owned by Dick Watson, formerly owned by W.L. Wadsworth, in 1982. The insurance division having previously been acquired by H.V. Peavy.

She was a member of the General Joseph Eggleston Johnston Chapter #2317, United Daughters of the Confederacy, Bunnell, Flagler CO, FL joining on 30 Oct 1969 with eligibility based on the service record of Dennis Smith, Company F, 47th GA Inf Reg. She served as Corresponding Secretary (1974-1982); President (1982-1984); 1st Vice President (1984-1988; 1998-2000). Issue;

(1) Diana Lois McKnight, born 27 Feb 1939, East Coast Hospital, St. Augustine, St Johns CO, FL. She received a B A Degree in Music Education and Music Performance from Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh, Penn and a Masters Degree from the University of Florida. She taught music for many years in public school systems.

(2) Jesse Hildreth (Buzzy) McKnight III, born 21 Feb 1947, St Augustine, St Johns CO, FL, married 07 June 1969, St Thomas Moore Catholic Church, Tallahassee, Leon CO, FL, Carolyn Sue Chomey, dau of John P Chomey Jr and Marie D. LNU, born 07 Dec 1945, died 18 Jan 1997, Martin CO, FL (Div).

He received a BA Degree from Florida State University at Tallahassee and a Masters Degree in Liberal Arts from Auburn University, Auburn, Ala and did additional graduate work at Kent State University, Kent, Ohio. Issue;

A. Blake Hildreth McKnight, born 29 Sep 1971, Kent, Portage CO, OH

Jesse Hildreth McKnight III married 2nd, Dec 1972 Genette Kay Hawes, dau of Richard Hawes and Irene Anderson, born 05 Jul 1949, New York, New York. They worked in the Abstract Office and eventually acquired the business, the oldest continually operated business in Flagler County. Issue;

B. Vanessa Hatteras McKnight, born 19 Aug 1976, St Augustine, St Johns CO, FL

C. Isadora Maya McKnight, born 09 Jan 1978, St Augustine, St Johns CO, FL, married 15 Sep 2000, Flagler CO, FL, (Unknown)

Minnie Lee Spivey McKnight married 2nd 17 Jul 1952, Palatka, Putnam CO, FL by Judge Causey, Fritz Hugh Howell, son of George Howell and Annie LNU, born 22 Sep 1899, Immokalee, Collier CO, FL, died 02 May 1973, St Augustine, St Johns CO, FL. Both buried Espanola Cemetery, Espanola, Flagler CO, FL.

Source: The First Families of Flagler by Mary Ketus Deen Holland who cites as her sources, Census, Published Articles and Audrey Barber McKnight.

Additional sources used by the compiler were: 1920 United States Federal Census, Precinct 7, St Johns CO, FL; Florida State Census, 1867-1945; Florida Marriage Collection, 1927-2001; WW I, Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918; WW I Civilian Draft Registration; Florida Death Index, 1877-1998; Social Security Death Index;

The Flagler Tribune, 22 Dec1927, 19 Jan 1928, 08 Apr 1937, 03 Mar 1939, 27 Feb 1947, 17 Jul 1952, 28 Aug 1958, 29 May, 1969, 02 Jun 1960, 04 Jul 1973, 26 Aug 1976, and George Thompson McKnight family information posted on Ancestry.com

Please send questions, corrections or additions to Sisco Deen, P.O. Box 637, Flagler Beach, FL 32136 or email him at Sisco_Deen@hotmail.com