Paris Wood Hackney and Dora Knox

Paris Wood Hackney was born Jan 5 1855 in Iowa, likely Van Buren county, a son of William S. Hackney and Mary Jane Enlow. When he died is unknown and he will likely remain a bit of an enigma. His sister, Sarah Hackney Crockett, gave him as going to California during “the gold rush”, writing back that he had found gold and was returning by way of Mexico. He never made it home and family believed he had been killed for his gold. My research has shown that he went with the family from Iowa to Belleville, Kansas. He disappears in the 1880 census, but is found in the 1900 census in Murphy, Josephine, Oregon, married to a Dora Knox, and has a child. He is a gold miner. Then in 1910 Dora gives herself as widowed, but Paris is observed in the Mesa, Maricopa, Arizona census in 1910, mining down there, and also gives himself as widowed. This isn’t uncommon. I’ve observed this often enough with couples from this period, that they would give themselves as widowed when instead they had separated…I don’t even know if they would have even bothered to divorce, but I doubt all did. After the 1910 census, Paris evaporates into history. He never made it home to his birth family. If anyone has more information on him, as well as Dora, I would love to have it.

I think it’s likely that Dora was married three times. In the 1900 census, when with Paris, she gives herself as not having any children. In the 1910 census she gives herself as having instead 2 children. We see in the census a 14 year old Olda Jennings whose father is given as born in KS, and Mary Hackney, 8 years of age, whose father is given as born in KY. Looking back at the 1900 census I take another look at the girl just below Dora, a Golda Jennings who is 4, both parents given as born in Oregon, she’s only stated as a granddaughter of the household head, Sarah F. Knox, mother of Dora. I could be wrong but I think she is a daughter of Dora.

Dora married another time after Paris. It was to Isaac B. Matney, b. about 1869 in Oregon. They married in March of 1912 in Josephine, Oregon, Dora going by the name of Dora Hackney. I don’t find them in the 1920 census, which is too bad, I’d like to see that household. Dora died Aug 29 1923 in Josephine County, Oregon.

I wish I had any idea what happened to Mary, the daughter of Paris and Dora.

Dora’s family is an interesting one.

Her father was Thomas Lyttleton Knox, born Sept 12 1824 in Nicholas County, KY, died 1887 in Josephine Co. Oregon. Her mother was Sarah Ellen Oglesby born 1831 Jan 20 in Illinois. Thomas and Sarah married on 1846 Nov 12 in Hancock, Illinois.

Thomas Lyttleton Knox’s parents were Samuel Knox b. 1775 in PA, died 1865 in Hancock Co. IL, and Malinda Doughty b. 1793 in VA and died 1871 in Hancock Co. IL. Samuel Knox appears to have been first married to a Mary Margaret Donnell, and they had two daughters, Catherine and Elizabeth, who married sons of John Sparks and Catherine Waddel. John Sparks parents were William Sparks and Martha Moore, who were parents of George Sparks who married Elizabeth Wells, who were parents of James Sparks who married Mary Ann Ellis, who were parents of James E. Sparks who married Carrie Burch, who were parents of Belle Sparks who marred George W. McKenney, who had been in Van Buren, Iowa with the Hackney family during the 1860s, and whose son, James Albert McKenney, married Vera Crockett, daughter of Samuel Kelly Crockett and Sarah Elizabeth Hackney (sister of Paris) in 1904.

Returning to Samuel Knox and Malinda Doughty. Another son of theirs was William Doughty Knox, born 1822 Dec 23 in Kentucky. He moved to Wapello County (next to Van Buren), Iowa where, on Nov 15 1846, he married Amanda Jane Doughty…yes, a relation of his, a first cousin. She was daughter of Skillman Doughty b. 1797, died 1887 June 12 in Iowa, who married a Jane Downey, and Skillman was a son of Thomas Doughty and Mary Skillman, who were also parents of Malinda Doughty.

Thomas Doughty and Mary Skillman were also parents of Francis Fanny Doughty b. 1786 who married James Mason Ellis, who were parents of Mary Ann Ellis who married James Sparks, who were parents of James E. Sparks who married Carrie Burch, who were parents of Belle Sparks who married George McKenney Jr. So, Dora and James E. Sparks were 2nd cousins descending from Thomas Doughty.

But back to William Doughty Knox who was Dora Knox’s uncle. Here’s where it gets really interesting. The Stuart/Morgan Family History on Ancestry states: “Was a farmer till 1853, when he went into the mercantile business in Abingdon, Iowa. In 1856 he moved to Illinois, and in 1859 he traveled to California to look for gold. Have heard that William never returned from California.”

It’s rather odd that both Paris Wood Hackney, and the uncle of his wife, are given as having gone to hunt for gold in California and never returning.

In 1870 William Doughty Knox was in Virginia City, Storey, Nevada, a teamster living in what looks to be the hotel of Antoine Montoi, a prostitute, with miners, a seamstress and a saloon and bar keeper. In 1880 he was in Carson City, Ormsby, Nevada, working as a carpenter and living in the household of Daniel W. Smith, a tailor.

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Husband: Paris Wood Hackney
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Born: 1855 Jan 5 – , , Iowa
Christened:
Died: Unknown
Buried:
Father: William S. + Hackney (1820-1891)
Mother: Mary Jane + Enlow (1824-1895)
Marriage: 1898 circa Place:
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Events
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1. Birth: 1855 Jan 5.

2. Name: William S.’s sister Margaret married a Paris CALDWELL 1845.
It’s possible Paris was named for his uncle. The Wood is possibly a
namesake for his grandmother Elizabeth Wood Enlow.

3. Census: 1856 Lick Creek, Van Buren, Iowa. Iowa, Van Buren County,
Lick Creek Township
Pg. 300
John SEARS PA trader and Rosan (his is illegible age, perhaps 58)
90/91 Ann LUCAS 60 PA
William HACKNEY 34 OH farmer
Mary J. 32?
Amos S. 15 IA
William F. 5
James 4
92/92 Perrs M. 1
John VANSEL 34 IL and Lydia from IN
Martha 7 IL and children
93/93 Elizabeth WILBERN 49 OH and family
…
97/97 Bluet PARTLOW 50 OH
Letta 33 IN
Jams 11? IA
Emilin HALE 4
Marshall HALE 1
98/99 Mary BUCKMASTER 90? from Ireland followed by Cyntha b. PA
100/100 George SHAFFER illegible PA
Margaret 53?
Jacob 21 OH
illegible 18
Elizabeth 12
illegible female
H. D. SHAFFER 30?
Nancy J. 21 PA
Others following, David Carson, St. Leger Stout.

4. Census: 1860 Lick Creek, Van Buren, Iowa. 1860 VAN BUREN CO., IA
CENSUS
pg. 295 LICK CREEK TOWNSHIP (pg. 145 ancestry.com)
8 June 1860
319/331 PARTLOW
320/332 GODOWN Mark (OH) and Mahala (PA)
321/333 SCHAEFFER J. (OH) and Elizabeth (OH)
322/334 CARSON D. G. (VA) and Sarah (OH)
323/335 HACKNEY Wm. J. 40 m. farmer $90 $200 b. OH
Mary J. 36 f b. OH
HACKNEY Amos S. 17 b. IA
HACKNEY William 10 b. IA
HACKNEY Parris 6 b. IA
HACKNEY Sarah 2 b. IA

5. Census: 1870 Lick Creek, Van Buren, Iowa. 1870
Lick Creek Township
Birmingham Post Office
8 June 1870
pg. 300
147/140 HACKNEY William S. 50 m w Farmer $610 personal b. OH
Mary J. 43 f w Keeping House b. OH
Paris W. 15 mw Farm Laborer b. IA att school
Sarah E. 12 fw At home b. IA att school
Susan 9 fw b. IA att school
George R. 6 mw b. IA att school
3 June 1870
Birmingham Union Township
Birmingham PO
84/84 THOMPSON E. 62 fw keeping house $1000 $1100 b. PA
HACKNEY W. 19 mw Workmen Blacksmith b. PA
SADDLES ? 16 mw Apprentice wagonmaker b. IL widowed

6. Occupation: Farm Laborer 1870.

7. Census: 1875 Belleville, Howard, Kansas. Pg. 12
97/97 W. S. Hackney 55 Farming $300 $200 Ohio from Iowa
Mary 50
P W 20 Iowa
Sarah E 17
Susan 14
George 10
Elizabeth Enlow 74 b. Mass from Iowa

8. Census: 1900 Murphy, Josephine, Oregon. Source Citation: Year: 1900;
Census Place: Murphy, Josephine, Oregon; Roll: T623 1347; Page: 3A;
Enumeration District: 21.

48/48 Sarah F Knox 69 Jan 1821 md 10 of 12 children surviving b. IL
father b. VA mother b. TN
John G Knox 31 July b. OR father b. IL mother b. IL
Artha F Knox 26 July 1873 b. OR
P W Hackney 45 Jan 1855 md 1 year b. IA parents b. NY gold miner
Sara A Hackney 39 b. Aug 1870 daughter no children b. OR parents b.
IL
Golda Jennings 4 granddaughter Oct 1895 b. OR parents b. OR
Lola Harriott 20 granddaughter April 1880
Geo Elliott 23 Boarder b. OR father b. KY mother b. OH
Harold Robison 18 Boarder b. CA father b. IL mother b. CA

9. Census: 1910 Mesa, Maricopa, Arizona. Source Citation: Year: 1910;
Census Place: Mesa, Maricopa, Arizona; Roll: T624_40; Page: 13B;
Enumeration District: 71; Image: 410.

262/212 Joseph Bartson 50
Charlie Bartson 38
Charles A Bartson 5
Martha L Bartson 4
Mary A Bartson 1 11/12
Pearl Bartson 6/12
John Beal 44 roomer
Paris W Hackney 55 widowed b. IA father b. OH mother b. IN roomer
Hamilton Lefevre 57 married roomer

10. Death: Date of death unknown. Family bible records, “Went to
California (Gold Rush) and wrote back found some gold there but was going
on into Mexico before returning and was never heard from again.”

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Wife: Dora A. Knox
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AKA: Dora A. Hackney
Born: 1870 – , , Oregon
Christened:
Died: 1923 Aug 29 – , Josephine, Oregon
Buried:
Father: Thomas Lyttleton Knox (1824-1887)
Mother: Sarah Ellen Oglesby (1831- )
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Other Spouse: Isaac B. Matney (1869- ) Date: 1912 Mar – ,
Josephine, Oregon
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Events
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1. Census: 1880 Williamsburg, Josephine, Oregon. Source Citation: Year:
1880; Census Place: Williamsburg, Josephine, Oregon; Roll T9_1081;
Family History Film: 1255081; Page: 151.3000; Enumeration District: 57;
Image: 0515.
88/94 KNOX Thomas L. 55 farmer ague b. KY father b. PA mother b. VA
Sarah E 49 b. IL parents b. TN
George 21 b. OR father b. KY mother b. IL
Oscar 16
Carrie 14
John 11
Dora 9
Frederick 6
89/95 KNOX William 26 b. OR father b. KY mother b. TN
Maggie 22 b. OR parents b. TN
Mary 3 b. OR parents b. OR
Josephine 1
ROBINSON Rosco 13 nephew b. OR parents b. MO

2. Census: 1880 Jacksonville, Jackson, Oregon. Source Citation: Year:
1880; Census Place: Jacksonville, Jackson, Oregon; Roll T9_1081; Family
History Film: 1255081; Page: 109.4000;
100/106 ARMPRIEST James R. 33 IL
Eliza J. 24 OR
Annie F. 4
Hattie B 2
James F. 1
KNOX Dora A 9 sister in law

3. Census: 1900 Murphy, Josephine, Oregon. Source Citation: Year: 1900;
Census Place: Murphy, Josephine, Oregon; Roll: T623 1347; Page: 3A;
Enumeration District: 21.

48/48 Sarah F Knox 69 Jan 1821 md 10 of 12 children surviving b. IL
father b. VA mother b. TN
John G Knox 31 July b. OR father b. IL mother b. IL
Artha F Knox 26 July 1873 b. OR
P W Hackney 45 Jan 1855 md 1 year b. IA parents b. NY
Dora A Hackney 39 b. Aug 1870 no children b. OR parents b. IL gold
miner
Golda Jennings 4 granddaughter Oct 1895 b. OR parents b. OR
Lola Harriott 20 granddaughter April 1880
Geo Elliott 23 Boarder b. OR father b. KY mother b. OH
Harold Robison 18 Boarder b. CA father b. IL mother b. CA

4. Census: 1910 Murphy, Josephine, Oregon. 76/77 KNOX Sarah E. head 74
widowed 10 of 12 children surviving IL father b. VA mother b.TN
John B. single 44 OR father b. KY mother b. IL
HACKNEY Dora daughter 38 widowed 2 of 2 children surviving OR b. KY
father b. IL
JENNINGS Olda granddaughter 14 OR father b. KS mother b. OR (single)
HACKNEY Mary granddaughter 8 OR father b. kY mother b. OR
DERRICK Ike nephew 50 b. OR father b. PA mother b. IL

5. Census: 1920 Unable To Locate.

6. Death: 1923 Aug 29 , Josephine, Oregon. Oregon Death Index, 1903-98

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Children
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1 F Mary Hackney
Born: 1902 abt – , , Oregon
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse:
Marr. Date:
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General Notes: Husband –
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Sadie wrote that her brother Paris Wood went to California during the gold rush, that he wrote home saying he had found gold and would be going to Mexico before returning, and that he was never seen again. It was supposed he’d been killed in Mexico for his gold.

He’s located in 1900 in Oregon, a gold miner and in 1910 he was a miner in
Maricoa Arizona.