Notes supplied by Patsy Zigler
Records indicate the first Knott in America left South-Hampton (England) aboard the ship "George" and arrived in Virginia in 1617. He was twenty-three years of age, name James.
James first settled in the county of Accomac, Va. Accomac county was an original English shire, founded in 1634. The name was changed in 1634 to Northampton, and in 1663 the present accomac was formed from Northampton.
In the Virginia Historical Magazine, an article by Harvey, dated March 12, 1632, describes James Knott as a Virginia Planter who is desirous to maintain a house of entertainment, located at the mouth of the Hampton River in Elizabeth county, Virginia, whereby strangers and others may well be accomodated with great ease to the inhabitants in these parts. He was granted fifty acres at the mouth of Hampton River, bounded southerly by a creek and northerly upon the Gleb land, together with the house commonly called "The Great House", also included there were other houses.
In March 24, 1635 in Nansemond County, he received an additional twelve-hundred acres. This area was known as the upper county of New Norfolk. The land was situated facing Nansemond River, into the woods upon the second creek and west by south upon the third creek. In these times people were encouraged to settle the county and for this reason James was given this land for transporting his wife Elinor and twenty three other individuals to this area.
On August 18,1637he purchased additional land in Nansemond county, using as one of his "headrights" one Walter Blake whom he had previously purchased. It is beleived Blake was an indentured servant.
London records indicate James Knott was in 1638, "a gentlemen living in the lower county of New Norfolk, thirty five years of age and a resident of Virginia for twenty years". He married Elinor whose family name is believed to have been Collins.
James and his wife, Elinor, and their family lived on this land in Nansemond county from 1635 until 1651. He was also of the Puritans who joined in the trek to Maryland. Records indicate he patented land there in 1652. On Dec. 31, 1652 he demanded and received two hundred acres of land for transporting himself and son, Nathaniel Knott. He made out a will on Sept. 4, 1651 and died in Maryland in 1653. No record indicates that any of the family moved to Maryland with him.