Chloe Smart, daughter of Reverend James Smart and Elizabeth Ledbetter, was married to Zachariah Knight. Zachariah died in about 1799. The birth dates of Chloe and Zachariah are not known, neither is the date of their marriage. It is believed, however, that Chloe was considerably younger than her husband since she appears on tax rolls some 40 years after his death.
We know from land survey records that the Knights were in Georgia in 1790. It was about 1792-1793 that both Zachariah Knight and Chloe's brother, Nathan Smart, were granted headrights in Georgia. Zachariah was granted 250 acres in Liberty County in about 1792. However, according to survey records they were in Liberty County by December of 1790. On December 8th and 9th, respectively, Nathan Smart and Zachariah Knight had 200 acres surveyed each.
[Petition for Headrights. Judge of Probate Court, Liberty Co., Ga.; Index to Headright & Bounty Grants of Georgia 1756-1909, Georgia Genealogical Reprints; Liberty Co., Ga. Land Grants]
In Leah Townsend's book "South Carolina Baptists 1670-1805," Zachariah Knight is listed as a messenger to the association in 1786 and 1792. Also, listed were John Knight, believed to have married Chloe's sister Rebecca, and Thomas Knight. Another messenger to the association was James Sweat. Sweat was an executor to Zachariah's will along with Nathan Smart.
According to his will Zachariah was from what was then Lincoln County, South Carolina, also known as Beaufort District. Though it is believed they had several daughters, the only children mentioned in the will were three sons, Britton, Elias, and George.
Not much is known about the three sons. In the 1803 Liberty County Land Lottery Britton Knight had 2 draws. Chloe, a widow with children also had 2 draws. In 1816 200 acres were surveyed in Liberty County for Elias Knight. Elias appears on the Liberty County tax rolls in 1812 and 18115. Britton and George also appear on the tax rolls in 1815. Chloe Knight is on the Liberty County tax rolls for 1800, 1830 and 1835, the two later years her return was handled by Asa Warnell.
It is known that the three sons moved on to Alachua County, Florida in the 1830's. Elias appears on the Lowndes County, Georgia tax roll in Capt. Caswell's District defaulters list in 1838.
Britton and/or Elias Knight apparently were married, to whom is not know for certain. We know that one of them had a son, Jeptha Knight. In 1858 George Knight left his estate to the children of Jeptha Knight. George names Jeptha as his nephew. George apparently never married.
In the 1850 Alachua County, Florida census George is with Jeptha. His family is as follows:
Jeptha Knight, born about 1819, married Eliza, maiden name unknown. Eliza was born about 1819 as well. Their children were listed as: