James
Jasper Knight
(1873-1935)
James Jasper
"Jap" Knight was
born on Feb. 16, 1873 at Van Wert, OH, the son of Daniel
Harry and Caroline Elizabeth (Llewelyn) Knight.
On May 18, 1894, he married Sarah "Sally" Ellen Ralston (1876-1965) at Scott, OH. She was a native of Piqua, OH, and the daughter of John and Delilah (Lewis) Ralston.
Their first
three children, Esther, Noles and an
infant son, all died young, and are buried in the Blue Creek Cemetery in Scott, OH. Their
4th child, Eve Bender, was born in a small log cabin that Jap had built, after
the family had moved to Gladwin, MI. Eve thus was their only surviving child.
According to a typed family manuscript:
They had four children, the first three of whom died when only a few months old. In those days of scarcity of doctors and money, and infant illnesses were prevalent and not usually diagnosed by a physician, Aunt Sally, as she was known to friends as well as relatives, attributed the deaths to “consumption.” Around 1900, … [they] became concerned over a new pregnancy. In due time came a dear little old grandmother who predicted as follows: ‘Your baby will live if you do as I say. If your baby is a boy, call him Adam. If it is a girl, call her Eve.’ Eve lived – so who is to say?
Jap died on Aug. 11, 1935 at Gladwin, and is
buried near his parents at Ridge Cemetery. Sally outlived her husband by 3
decades. She passed away on Sept. 2, 1965, and is buried with her husband.
Daughter Eve married James Raymond Bender.
She attended a county normal school and then taught an eighth-grade class at age
18. “Throughout her school and teaching career,” said the family history,
“she was interested in music and sun in the high school and church choirs as
well as being a good pianist.”
The Benders’ daughter and son in law, Dorothy and Robert Krieg, have attended our Minerd-Miner-Minor Reunions. Dorothy was a kindergarten and first grade teacher for 32 years before retiring in 1985. Robert passed away on June 27, 2007.
Copyright © 2001-2002, 2007 Mark A. Miner