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Elnora Cathleen Knight

June 24,1916 – March 18, 1996

Born to Eddie & Pearl (Oliver) Knights of Screven County Georgia (shown below with Elnora).

She had 4 sisters, Bertha Mae, Viola, Lillian and Pearl (Annie Lee), the youngest and lone survivor of the siblings (pictured below); Elnora also had two brothers, Willie and Inas.

Eddie was the son of Frye Knight, who was the son of the slave Daddy Jim.

Eddie Knight

Four generations of knight Men

(From right to left) Eddie – Great Grandpa, Willie – Grandpa, Willet – Father, and Michael – son

Family Gallery

The Ponder Boys & Mom

Aunt Bertha Mae/Mom’s oldest sister

Elnora’s Daughters

Aunt Annie Lee/Mom’s youngest sister

Grandpa, Grandma & Uncle WR

Mom & family

The Prescot Girls & Aunt Annie Lee

Elnora’s Husbands

Capus Ponder was Elnora’s 1st husband, and the father of 13 of her 17 children. Their more than 20-year union was loving and challenging as they endured life as sharecroppers in Screven County Georgia, mostly Sylvania.

Capus was Elnora’s “knight in shining armor” as he rescued her from what must have been the most difficult time in her young life. After the birth of their youngest and final child; Capus and Elnora, at the urging of a friend, moved to Daytona Beach, FL seeking employment opportunity.

Unfortunately, the employment opportunities in Daytona Beach did not materialize which only exasperated differences between them; like Capus being 16 years her senior which caused a chasm in their relationship that they were not able to overcome. After spending a brief time in Florida Capus and Elnora separated then divorced.

Earl “Jack” Stokes was Elnora’s 2nd husband and the father of 3 of her 17 children with Earnestine being the only one they shared. Being Elnora’s baby at the time (1 or 2 yrs. of age) I was there for the duration of this relationship.

I remember that Frances and Gregory (Jack’s children at the time) and I were so young when we started out that all we knew were each other and we thought that we were the family. We did comport ourselves like a family including weekend trips and pic-nics, church on Sunday. I remembered us going to Silver Springs riding the glass bottom boat.

Elnora never discussed with me the reason for the separation as I’m sure she thought me too young, or without a need to know. Nor do I know how long Jack and Elnora’s marriage endured as it was

rekindled several times; by the time I was in high school they were living separately. I do not know if or when they were ever divorced. I only know that they had a friendship that endured until their deaths.