Virgin islands families

2 September 2014

1. i. Hugh Knox, b. c1727/1728, d. 1790

2. ii. A male Knox

3. iii. A female Knox

He was a medical doctor and ordained as a Priest in the Presbyterian Church.

In December 1755, he was a priest on the island of Saba. He was there for 16 years. In his last year, there was apparently some misunderstanding, and it was presumably because of this, that he left and went to St. Croix. He did, however, receive from the congregation's elders and deacons, on 30 November 1771, a testimonial for his 16 years among them, which was full of praise for his behavior and work. On the day that he left the island, 7 December, the leaders of the congregation and the Burgher council, along with the Governor of the island, Peter Simmons, restated their testimonial, which was further approved of by the Governor General, Jan de Windt, on St. Eustatius.²

He had made a request previously on 29 October 1771, to the Privy Council on St. Croix to be appointed a Priest of the reformed English Church, which was responded to by stating that his request would be made when his testimonials were received. ³

With this testimonial in hand he arrived on St. Croix in 1772, at Christiansted, and he received on the 30 August 1772, a calling from the Presbyterian congregation.⁴ The day after, on the 31 August 1772, the island was hit by a hurricane, which caused him to preach a sermon, on Sunday, 6 September, which was published.⁵

On 2 January 1773, he was recorded as living in Mr. Richardson’s House at 22 Strand Street, Christiansted, with his wife, one son and two daughters.⁶

Knox was a man who was very interested in his fellow beings welfare and easily brought his personal aid and help to others. He was not only a priest, but also a doctor, and on the 19 January 1776, he received royal permission to practice on St. Croix, and on the 24 August 1776 the government's permission to open an apothecary.⁷

He was also a journalist, and for awhile, while the editor, Daniel Thibou, was away, he took over the leadership of the official newspaper, the Royal Danish American Gazette. It was as part of this role that he was able to obtain Alexander Hamilton's letter to his father concerning the hurricane, which was finally published in the 3 October 1772 edition of the paper.⁸ It was also most likely Knox who was responsible for getting Hamilton into the Latin school in Elizabethtown, New Jersey.⁹ Knox kept his connections with Hamilton and two letters are preserved from Knox, 31 [sic.] April and 10 December 1777.¹⁰

It was clear that Hugh Knox was close to the Lytton family, and maybe because of Andrew Knox, who arrived on St. Croix prior to Hugh, and who had been in Lytton's service in North Carolina.¹¹ Andrew may have been a close family member to Hugh.

Hugh Knox's wife, Mary, died on 24 January 1788.¹² Hugh Knox, himself died on 9 October 1790, 63 years old¹³. There were sons and daughters from the marriage.

2. ii. Unknown Knox

On 13 June 1807. He arrived in Christiansted from New York with artelier equipment.¹⁶ He departed again for New York on 16 July 1807. ¹⁷