FREE STATE OF JONES

Growing up a child in the South, time has afforded me the opportunity, to witness and experience many changes that have taken place since Civil Rights and the destruction of States Rights and Jim Crow. The integration of schools, businesses and all facets in society have benefited greatly from Federal mandates written to include, all men and women of different races, beliefs and cultures. Through historical movies and various books related to the South, I have discovered a new set of tales that would baffle the mind. War stories fought not on the battlefields, but deep in the mosquito-laden swamps of rural Mississippi.

The historical rebellion in question takes place over one hundred and fifty-three years ago in a town called Ellisville located in Jones County Mississippi. The event in question led by a Southern Unionists, local white farmer named Newton Knight. Newton Knight was born on November 10, 1837 to Albert Knight (1799-1864) and Mason Knight. He was the grandson of John “Jackie” Knight (1773-1861) one of Jones County’s largest slaveholders in the state of Mississippi. Although Newton’s grandfather John owned slaves, Albert and Newton did not.

Physically, Newt Knight stood approximately 6 foot 4 inches with black curly hair and a full beard. Newt was pro-Union, against slavery and secession. By today’s standards, society would view him as liberal. Newt was a staunch primitive Baptist who did not drink, or cuss yet doted on all his children. He was a quick shooter and carried a double-barrel muzzle-loading shotgun named Sal.

In 1858, Newton (Newt) Knight married Serina Turner Knight and moved his family to Jasper County Mississippi. According to records, Newton was a farmer until he enlisted with the Confederacy Army at the age of twenty-four in 1861. A few months later, Newt’s father, Albert Knight, became ill and Newton went home to help care for him.

In May of 1862, Newton re-enlisted with the Confederate Army in Company F of the Seventh Battalion. During this stint, Newton grew angry at how corrupt the Confederate Army had become when it imposed laws such as, “tax and kind system” which basically, robbed the farmers, of their horses, hogs, chickens, corn, meat and anything from the smokehouses. To add insult to injury, the government passed the “Twenty Negro Law” which emptied one white male for every twenty slaves that he owned. In summation, the war essentially became a rich man’s war and a poor man’s fight. In November of 1862, Newton went AWOL.

In 1863, Newton Knight was arrested, tortured when he refused to re-join the army. He took one hundred and twenty-five men and formed, the Knight Company, a new Southern Yankee unit that fought guerilla-war fare against the Confederate Army. They fought against tax collectors and vowed to protect each other’s farms and homes against the Confederacy, yet aided the Union whenever possible. They seized, reclaimed and re-distributed Confederate supplies, killed and drove out Confederate officials and loyalists. Once word reached Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederacy, that Jones County was in open rebellion Colonel Robert Lowry took two battle regiments to the area. Newton Knight and company retreated to the swamps and hid out for safety.

When Colonel Lowry tried to reclaim Jones County, Knight re-emerged from hiding. They destroyed bridges, railroads, raided supplies and thwarted all efforts of the Confederacy. On January 10, 1865, Knight fought off combined cavalry and infantry forces. Three months later the Confederacy fell.

In 1875, Newton Knight accepts commission in a predominantly black regiment hired by the Reconstruction government. His job was to defend the rights of African Americans in the state of Mississippi. His commitment never wavered. In 1876, Knight deeded one hundred sixty acres of land, to Rachel Knight making her one of very few African American landowners in Mississippi during those times.

Throughout his life, Newton married and lived openly with two wives and a mistress. Serina Turner Knight had six children with Newton named, George, Thomas Jefferson, William, Martha, Joseph, and Susan. Newton Knight’s second wife, Rachel Knight (African Slave) bore six children named, Martha, John Steward, John Floyd, Agusta Ann, John Madison, and Mary Malinda. Newton Knight’s mistress, George Ann Knight (daughter of Rachel Knight) had one child named Leslie Robertson. On February 16, 1922, Newton Knight died. According to specific instructions, Newton requested burial next to Rachel Newton his second wife of African American descent. Newton’s grave has an emblem, of Sal (his shotgun) and the epitaph that reads, “He Lived For Others”.

Today, there are three sets of Knights: The White Knights (descendants of Newton and Serina), The Black Knights (descendants of Newton’s brother Dan Knight), and the White Negroes (descendants of Newton and Rachel). The White Negroes also include children that Newton Knight fathered with Rachel Knight’s daughter George Ann, fathered by someone other than Newton Knight. The actor, Matthew McConaughey is currently filming the movie, “Free State of Jones”, which tells the story of Newton Knight.

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