Floyd Knight & Lucy AinsworthFamily

Floyd Knight & Lucy Ainsworth Family

(African American)

Contributed by Sondra Yvonne Bivins
© 2009

Floyd Knight is the son of Rachel (a slave of John "Jackie" Knight) and Newton Knight (son of Albert Knight). View a photo of John Floyd Knight.

Floyd Knight was born April 2, 1871 in Jasper Co., MS. He died May 17, 1941 in Hattiesburg, Forrest Co., MS. Floyd possibly married about 1898 to Lucy Ainsworth.

Lucy Ainsworth was born May 1857 a slave, "a child of the plantation" in Smith County, MS. Lucy died in 1942 in Jones County, MS. Lucy was the daughter of Sampson "Jeff" Ainsworth and his slave, Martha Ann Ainsworth. View a photo of Lucy Ainsworth.

Lucy married Warren Smith., Sr. who was born in Smith County, MS. They had several children before he deserted the family and moved moved to the Bond area of Harrison County (Stone County) passing for white.

Warren Smith and Lucy Ainsworth are listed in the 1880 Smith County, Mississippi Census.

Lucy and Warren had five children:

  1. Candace Smith born Feb 1874 (Note: no children are listed in the 1880 census with Warren & Lucy).
  2. Louis Delmus (L.D.) Smith born Oct 1876 (Note: per 1900 Census, however no children are listed in the 1880 census with Warren & Lucy)
  3. Mary Florence Magdalene (Maggie) Smith born Sept 1878 (Note: no children are listed in the 1880 census with Warren & Lucy).
  4. Susan Ellen (Ella) Smith born 1881.
  5. Warren Jr., Smith (my grandfather) born July 1882 in Smith Co., MS.

Lucy had 2 children with Calhoun Anderson. Their children are:

  1. Quillie Calhoun (Quill) Anderson born Feb 1885.
  2. Necia Abigail (Daught) Anderson born Dec 1888.

Lucy has one child with Hannibal Darby. Their child was:

  1. Charity Olivia was born August 1892. Olivia went by the surname Smith.

All of Lucy's children (born before her marriage to Floyd) with the exception of Warren and Olivia married a descendant of Rachel Knight. Warren married Jerolee Ainsworth, daughter of Louis Ainsworth and Roxanne McCormick. Roxanne, was the daughter of J.U. �Jim� McCormick. Olivia married Frank Ward, the son of Harriet Carter (slave of John "Jackie" Knight) and Isaac Ward. Floyd Knight and Lucy were listed in the 1900, 1910, 1920 & 1930 Jones County, Beat 2, Mississippi Census.

Floyd Knight and Lucy are listed in the 1900, 1910, 1920 & 1930 Jones County, Mississippi Census.

Children of Floyd Knight & Lucy Ainsworth are:

  1. William Wilder Knight was born July 27, 1895 in MS. He died September 20, 1965 in Hattiesburg, Forrest Co., Ms. William married Ruby Eaton. Ruby Eaton was born January 22, 1905 in Perry Co., MS. She died October 21, 1989 in Chicago, Cook Co., Il. View a photo of William Wilder Knight.

  2. Ivy Jane Knight was born December 1898 in MS. She died November 19, 1978 in Jones Co., Ms. Ivy married November 25, 1918 to Daniel "Dan" Knight (son of Andy & Rose Ann Knight). Dan was born September 3, 1896. He died August 16, 1921 in Jones Co., Ms.

    Daniel "Dan" Knight (son of Andy and Rose Ann Knight) and was described as medium height, medium build, black eyes and black hair. Dan Knight was very mean, prone to violence and very controlling and abusive to his wife, Ivy Jane. When she could no longer take the abuse she fled to the home of her parents, John Floyd Knight and Lucy Ainsworth Knight taking her baby son Austin with her. Living in the house with her parents were her siblings, Wilder and Octavia. On August 16, 1921, Dan watched as Floyd hitched his wagon to go in to the village of Soso for supplies. As soon as Floyd pulled out of sight, Dan broke into the house. In his rage, Dan was more than the three women could handle. Wilder was little help because he had recently broken his arm. Hearing the screaming and loud commotion coming from the house, Floyd knew immediately that Dan was there. So he turned the wagon around and headed back to the house. In those days, everybody carried a shotgun in their wagon. Taking his shotgun from under the seat, Floyd jumped from the wagon and rushed into the house. Seeing the struggle, Floyd aimed and shot Dan. Dan fell back toward the fireplace. Floyd caught him just before he fell into the fire burning in the hearth. The women helped Floyd pull the now dead Dan away from the fireplace. Then Floyd went out on the porch sat down in his rocking chair and waited for the sheriff to come. He was neither arrested nor charged in Dan's death. (Source: Pearlie Musgrove Knight)

  3. Octavia J. "Tavy" Knight was born April 1900 in Jones Co., Ms. She died 1954 in Hattiesburg, Forrest Co., MS. Octavia Knight had a relationship with Louis Lester Welch born June 29, 1902. Octavia Knight and Louis Welch had one child: Hayston Lester Knight born March 22, 1919. Died April 1978. When Hayston was born, Lester's mother brought a cow and food to the home of Lucy and Floyd. View a photo of Octavia Knight.

    Octavia married John Hampton in Hattiesburg. John was born Feb 1891 in MS. Octavia Knight and John Hampton had one child: Gerson Hampton born June 7, 1924. He died December 1977.

View a photo of Lucy's Sons.


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