Robert Wallace Knox was born December 15,
1860, the tenth child of David and Nancy Blair Knox. He married
Willie Ada Keown on December 18, 1884. Willie was born in Abbeville,
South Carolina in 1866. Her
parents, Robert and Jane Shilleto Keown owned the adjoining farm. Her sister, Sallie,
married Robert's brother, Edward Newton Knox.
Robert and Willie had eleven children. The
first, Rosa Mae was born October 23, 1885. She married November 16, 1910 Mabry Talbert
Cheatham. Their three sons were Mabry Knox, William Lucian, and John Robert Cheatham.
Rosa was followed by Robert Clifton, born February
14, 1888. He died on March 27, 1890. His brother, Thomas Wesley [pictured left with is
father] was born the following year on January 19, 1891. August 15, 1902 was the day of a
big picnic in Abbeville. It was followed by a baseball game at Sharon School. Thomas
Wesley wanted to join in the game and left his family with his friend, Nueffer Stewart. The boys were to walk home together afterwards. A thunderstorm soon brought the game to a
close and the two young boys decided to run home in the rain. Lightening struck them,
killing Thomas instantly and knocking Neuffer unconscious. Neuffer recovered some weeks
later.
The fourth child, born September 13, 1893, was
Edward Lonnie Knox. He married his first cousin, once removed. Her name was Mary Grace McDill and she was the fourth child of John Nathaniel and Elizabeth Roberta Knox McDill. Edward and Mary Grace had four children.
The fifth child was Willie Wyatt Knox. He married
Grace Sherard, the daughter of Hezirish Burnett and Gena Davenport Sherard. They had three
daughters.
George Maxey Knox was the sixth child, born August
25, 1899. He only lived until the following October and is buried with his parents
and brothers in Abbeville's Lebanon Presbyterian Church Cemetery.
Paul Knox was the seventh child to arrive, born
September 9, 1901. He was followed by a sister, Mary Blair Knox, on July 26, 1905. The
ninth child was James Wallace Knox, born February 28, 1907. Harold Knox was born August 4,
1910 and died February 28, 1911. The last child, Albert Keown Knox was born March 18,
1914. He lived until May 12, 1970 and never married.
