born:   1790-95  in Virginia
died:  1883 in Randolph County, Alabama
buried:  Malone Cemetery, Randolph County
William (Billy) Knight ran away from home when he was a small boy because, as he said, his mother and his stepfather mistreated him. Billy Knight, after he was grown, built a two-story grist mill on Kady Creek (the first in that settlement) and operated it until David Ellerson Knight, his son, was married. At that time Uncle Billy, as he was called, left his son to operate the mill and went across the Tallapoosa River and either entered or bought a large tract of land across the river from where the town of Malone, Alabama now stands. 

1820 Chester County, South Carolina Census: William Knight and wife with 2 young males and 1 young female
1830 Union County South Carolina Census: William Knight, wife and 7 children. Nearby is his brother-in-law Davidson Mitchell.  Also nearby are related families John Gibson and William Harmon. 
1840 Harris County, Georgia Census (Hamilton): W. Knight with 1 male under 5 (Morris), 1 male 5-10 (David), 2 males 10-15 (Hiram and Glover), 2 males 15-20 (Green and Wm. Alexander), 1 male 20-30 (Henry), 1 male 40-50 (William Sr.); 1 female under 5 (Sara), 1 female 5-10 (Permelia), and 1 female 40-50 (Elizabeth). 
1850 Chambers County, Alabama Census (Dist. 17): William Knight 56, farmer, b Virginia; Elizabeth 53, b South Carolina; Hiram 22, Permelia 19, David 17, Morris 14, all b South Carolina; Frances 11 b Georgia. 
1860 Chambers County, Alabama Census (Milltown): William Knight 70 (farmer, 1500 RE, 500 PE, b Virginia), Elizabeth 63, Frances 21. Next door is son Green B. Knight 36 (blacksmith, b SC), Jane 27, Wiliam 11, Julia 8, Margaret 6, Loduska 4, Lily A. 1. Nearby are sons Henry Knight 46 (farmer, b SC), Jane 46, Thomas 21, William 19, Mary 16, Clay 16, Amanda 12, Martha 10, John 8, Doctor 4, and  William E. Knight.
1870 Chambers County, Alabama Census (Milltown): William Knight 80, b Virginia; Elizabeth 60, Hiram 35 (farm hand). Nearby are his son William Alexander (Elexander) Knight and his grandson William B. Knight, also his widowed daughter Barbara Gibson.
1880 Chambers County, Alabama Census (Flatrock, Pct. 8) William is listed in the household of his son David Ellerson Knight as "William, Sr.". His age is given as 105. If the 1860 and 1870 Census ages are correct, he was actually 90. If the 1840 and 1850 ages are correct, he was 86. 

Served in the War of 1812, Cpt. Gill's Company, 2nd Regiment, U.S. Art.; enlisted 27 July 1812 in Columbia, South Carolina,
discharged 24 February 1814

Father: 
Mother: 

Spouse:  Barbara Elizabeth Mitchell
Married: 3 March 1814 in Chester County, South Carolina

Children:
1.  Henry Elajor Knight (m. Jane Green)
2.  Elias Knight (m. Carolyn Gossett)
3.  Barbary Knight (m. George Washington Gibson)
4.  William Alexander Knight
5.  Green Berry Knight (m. Jane Harmon)
6.  John Glover Knight (m. Levina Stevens)
7.  Hiram Joshua Knight
8.  Permelia Elizabeth Knight (m. John Nelson Duke)
9.  David Ellerson Knight (m. Charlotte Dean)
10.  Morris Mitchel Knight (m. Mary Ann Foshee)
11.  Sara Frances Knight (m. James R. Fuller)