Thomas Jefferson Knight was born on June 22, 1827 in Paris, Bedford Co., Tennessee. He was one of the earliest pioneer settlers of Upshur County, Texas. He lived here as early as 1836.(Later research found him to be in Shelby Co., TX in 1850 with wife and one son.) He moved to Texas a short time after it became a Republic. Land was available to almost everyone who came. Thomas, an early member of the Upshur County Masonic Lodge, lived in the West Upshur community of Enon for many years and donated land for the current Enon Baptist Church. He and his wife Martha Ann Sanders, whom he married in 1848 in Shelby Co., Tx. had eleven children, William Alfred Knight (1850 – 1880), James Jefferson Knight (1852 – 1918), George Washington Knight )1854 – 1881), Mirah Elizabeth Knight (1855 – 1885), Margaret M. Knight (1857 – 1880), Mary Jane Knight (1860 – 1880), Rebecca C. Knight (1861 – 1883), Area Addie E. Knight (1863 – 1929),David Benjamin Franklin Knight (1866 – 1905), Bell Z. Knight (1870 – 1880), and Henry Milton Knight (1875 – 1933). James (Jim) Knight moved into the Eastern section of Oklahoma in the late 1800's. Enon Church minutes show T. J. Knight, known as "Jeff" was an active leader in the church and head of the church board numerous times. The church members were split in 1860 when the Civil War began. Part were abolitionists, and part secessionist. Once the war started 75 per cent of the men went to war as Confederates including Thomas Jefferson Knight. T. J. Knight was a private in Company G, 17th Texas Calvary, Moore's Regiment, during the Civil War. He began his military service 03/15/1862 in Gilmer, TX. He was stationed at various camps in Arkansas and near Jefferson, Texas. The following letter, which he wrote during the Civil War to his wife, "Jefferson June 13, 1863 Dear wife, I received your kind favor of the fifth of June. I was glad to hear from you all again and to hear how well you was giting on. I can say to you that I am well--at this time. And I hope this will find you all in good health. You written that Little Rebecca was sick, I was sorry to hear of her being sick. I wish I could have been there with her but I knew you would do all you could for her as you knew she was my loving child. Tell her I will come home to see her as soon as I can get off. You written to send you some money. I will do it as soon as I can get a safe chance. I do not like to send it by mail. Have nearly got mad looking for letters since I come back. I have never got but one from you since I got back and you promised to write every week to me. Times is hard and a good deal of sickness. There was twenty six of the boys reported sick this morning. I am still in the same camp yet it is very confining but I have some time to rest some times. I have give a thousand doses of medicine this week. I reckon their sickness is Bilious Fever (a liver ailment) mostly. I want you to write as soon as you get this and give me all the particulars how you come out with your crop and how your stock is. Darling, I want you to be careful with the boys. Keep them in good command. Keep them out of mischief. If you can, write if Jeff is gone or not to his command or not. I will come home the first chance I get. I do not know when that will be. I thank God that it is through the mercy of his kind hand that I can write to you. I will close, Your Husband. Thos. J. Knight to Martha Ann Knight" * The letter was originally written as a continuous sentence, with no punctuation. Many errors have been corrected. (SIC) Thomas Jefferson Knight enlisted on March 1, 1862 at Gilmer, Texas. His enlisting officer was Thomas J. Johnson. He was 37 years old at the time. Official documents show that the valuation of his horse was $175.00 and other equipments, $30.00. The regiment which Thomas was in was captured at Arkansas Post, Arkansas on January 11, 1863, and was exchanged east of the Mississippi River in April and May of 1863. The regiment was again captured about May 1, 1865 at Greensboro, North Carolina, by the Northern troops and sent to a cruel Yankee Prison camp where many Confederate soldiers died. He took part in numerous battles including Arkansas Post, Missionary Ridge, Chickamauga, & Battle of Lookout Mountain, Tennessee. When T.J. was on his way home from the long war, he was in very poor physical condition. At one place in Arkansas he was so hungry that he caught and ate a Jay bird raw. He became very sick and in a short time could not move. An old Indian woman found him near a large water hole and gave him medicine and fed him for more than a week. When he regained his health, he asked what he could do for her. She asked him to name one of his children for her. In later years he fulfilled his promise. He named one of his girls for the Indian. The name was Erie Arie Addie Entrest, known as "Addie". Records show that Thomas J. Knight served in the same company and fought in the Civil War as his brother-in-law Richard H. Sanders as well as his best friend, Henry Petty. On January 31, 1892, Thomas Jefferson Knight died at his home in Enon just East of the Enon Cemetery. He is buried in the Grice Cemetery west of Gilmer. The Epitaph on Thomas Jefferson Knight's tombstone reads: "To forget is a vain endeavor, Remembrance last forever." Also has Masonic Symbol on the headstone. Facts about this person: Burial January 31, 1892 Grice Cemetery, Upshur Co. TX.
Biography by Ron Wade