John and Jean Knox Family Tree
In 1964, the Rowan Public Library received as a gift, a copy of the Knox Family Tree which is now hanging on the third floor of the Headquarters building just down the hall from the Edith M. Clark History Room. This extraordinary work in genealogy was given by Miss Emma Goodman, niece of Hattie S. Goodman, the tree’s creator. Hattie was a direct descendant of John and Jean Knox through their son, John Jr., her great-grandfather. Hattie was born in Mt. Ulla, North Carolina on January 18, 1847 and began working on the family history in 1890. She published a book about the Knox Family Genealogy in 1905*. At that time, she had collected more than 2,200 names for the tree. She continued her research and completed the drawing of the family tree, which is in the shape of a tree, in June of 1914. Each main “branch” of the “Tree” represents one of John Knox’s eight children and that child’s descendants.
John Knox was born in Scotland in 1708 and emigrated from Ireland to America around 1740 along with his wife and brother-in-law Patrick Gracy. John was among the first settlers of Rowan County where he purchased 600 acres and raised a family of seven sons and one daughter. He died in 1758 at age 50; He and his wife are buried at Thyatira Presbyterian Church.
Some of the correspondence and other materials relating to the research and development of the tree are included in the Hall Steele Collection at Rowan Public Library. Other materials concerning the Knox and other associated families can also be found in the History Room resources.
*This book is available for study in the History Room.