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1860s Sauvie Island
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“A people which takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by future descendants”
Lord Macaulay
(a British Historian and Politician 1800-1859)
Pioneer of 1852
GEORGE KNOX,
1820-1875
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George Knox was born in 1820. At this time we don’t know who his parents were or where he was born. One published article says he was born in Northumberland County, PA, but that same article has the wrong parents for him. There were two or three George Knoxs in the early 1850s in Oregon.
Our George Knox married Jane Thomas and with their two children, a son and a daughter, came west with her parents, Henry and Mary (Copeland) Thomas.
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1851 Birth of Daughter.
George and Jane became the parents of their second child, Sarepta A.
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1852 Migration of Thomas Family.
The Knox family joined the Henry Thomas wagon train and came to Oregon. Her mother, Mary (Copeland) Thomas died on the trip of cholera. Jane and George lost their son on the trip. The burial of the mother is described in great detail in an article written for the Tacoma News Tribune in August of 1938, but no mention is made of the boy’s name or burial in that article (copy of article available in family records).
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1853 Birth of Daughter.
Parthena Knox is born during this year. At this time we have found no additional information about her. She may have died early or married before the 1870 census was taken.
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1854 Washington Land Claim.
George is listed as an original settler in Clark county, Washington. His claim was in T3N, R1E. George filed on June 1st, 1854. Charles F. Copeland, Hilton Bonser, Henry Thomas and James Thomas filed claims in the same area All filed their claims in June or July (Clark County History at Vancouver Community Library)
1857 Birth of Son.
William Knox was born to George and Jane.
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1858 Death of Son.
William Knox passed away in 1858. He is buried in the Old City Cemetery in Vancouver, Washington next to his parents and another brother, Herman (SE Section, Lot 103, LinelO).
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1859 Birth of Daughter.
Emma Knox is born in 1859. She is listed with her parents in the 1860 and 1870 Columbia county census. In 1880 she is listed with her mother in the Clark County, Washington census. Her occupation is listed as a teacher.
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1860 Sauvie Island, Columbia County, Oregon Census.
Knox, George age 29, Jane age 32, Sare[ta age 9, Parthena age 7, Emma ag 8 months.
Living near them are several Thomas and Bonser families.
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1861 Family marriages.
George Knox was a witness at the marriage of Sarah E. Thomas and James W. Copeland (Columbia county Marriage Records, GFO, pg 2). Sarah was the sister of George’s wife, Jane.
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George Knox was a witness at the marriage of Harriet Thomas and William Gren (Columbia County Marriage Records, GFO, pg 2). Harriet was the daughter of Benjamin Thomas, brother of Henry.
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Homestead Certificate.
George filed Homestead Certificate #123 on Sauvie Island. The land was in T3N, R1W, Section 11.
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1862 Birth of Son.
Herman Knox was born in 1862.
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1865 Death of Son.
Herman passed away and is buried in the Old City Cemetery in Vancouver, Washington. He is Ins pHEciiiS and his brother, William (Old City Cemetery Records, Clark County, Wa.).
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1865 Administrator of Estate.
George Knox was appointed the administrator of the estate of Charles Francis Copeland who passed away on April 13th, 1863 (Columbia County, Oregon Probate Records, £?-, GFO).
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1864 Birth of Daughter.
Letta Knox was born this year.
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1864 Clark County, Washington History.
In 1864 George is listed as a settler in Pioneer, Clark county, Washington. Other Sauvie Island people living in Pioneer are Leonard Harris, Charles Reed and James Charlton.
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1865 Marriage of Daughter.
Sarepta A. Knox married Thomas J. Johnson, M.D. on February 5. They were married at the home of George Knox by Frances Perry, J.P. Witnesses were George and Jane Knox (Columbia County, Oregon Marriage Records, GFO, pg4).
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1867 Administrator of Estate.
George Knox was appointed the administrator of the estate of William Walker who passed away on November 10, 1867.
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1867 Land Transactions.
George Knox sold land in the Bonser DLC to Henry Thomas on November 12 This land was on Sauvie Island (Deed Book C, pg 284/118. Columbia County Deed Records).
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On the same day Henry Thomas sold to his daughter, Jane (Thomas) Knox, land in the Bonser DLC and more (Columbia County Deed Records, Book C, pg 280/119).
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1868 Birth of Daughter.
Anna Knox was born during 1868 (census info).
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1869 Land Transaction.
George Knox sold part of the Bonser DLC to Marquis L. Armstrong (Columbia County Deed Records, BookD, pg 165/68).
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1870 Columbia Countq, Oregon Census.
Johnson, T. J. age 39, Sarepta age 19, Edward age 01
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1871 Land Transaction.
George Knox sold land in T3N, R1W, Section 11, to M. Burlingame. This land was part of George’s homestead (Columbia County DeedBookE, pg 21).
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1875 Second Marriage of Daughter.
Sarepta A. Johnson married John Bymes McIntosh on January 4 at the Sauvie Island home of her father, George Knox. They were married by Jas. McBride, M.G. Witnesses: George Knox and Alfred D. Holman (Multnomah County, Oregon Marriage Records, 1873-1883, pg 83).
John Byrnes McIntosh is called “A famous Alaskan Explorer” by Mrs. Ruth in her interview about the Thomas/Bonser families in the Tacoma News Tribune. He is listed as an “Assayer” in the census.
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1875 Death of Settler.
George Knox passed away on March 23,1875. He is buried in the Old City Cemetery in Vancouver, Washington next to his wife and two young sons.
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1880 Clark County, Washington Census.
Knox, Jane age 52, Emma age 20, Letta age 15, McIntosh, John B. age 46, Sarepta age 29, Ora A. age 1, Claude H. age 4
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1884 Marriage of Daughter.
Emma Knox married Mr. C. H. Ross of Pierce County, Washington on July 22 in a Christian Church. They were married by Bruce Wolverton, M.G. Witnesses were G. Davidson and Lettie Knox (Multnomah County, Oregon Marriage Book 5, pg 26).
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1884 Marriage of Daughter.
Lottie J. Knox of Multnomah County, married William M. Seemen on October 30. They were married by H. G. Seemen, M. G., at the home of Mrs. Sarepta E. McIntosh. The witnesses were Anna E. Knox and Sarepta A. McIntosh (Multnomah County, Oregon Marriage Book 5, pg 224).
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1901 Death of Settler’s urife.
Jane Knox passed away in 1901. She is buried next to George and her two sons in the Old City Cemetery in Vancouver, Washington (SE Section, Lot 103, Line 10).
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