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Newton Knight (November 1837 – February 16, 1922) was an American farmer, soldier and Southern Unionist, best known as the leader of the Knight Company, a band of Confederate Army deserters that turned against the Confederacy during the Civil War. Local legends state that Knight and his men attempted to form the "Free State of Jones" in the area around Jones County, Mississippi, at the height of the war. After the war, Knight aided Mississippi's Reconstruction government. Knight has long been a controversial figure. Historians and descendants disagree over his motives and actions, with some arguing he was a noble and pious individual who refused to fight for a cause in which he did not believe, while others have portrayed him as a manipulative outlaw. This controversy was fueled in part by Knight's common-law marriage to a former slave, which effectively established a small mixed-race community in southeastern Mississippi.〔 The marriage would have been considered illegal as Mississippi banned interracial marriages except from 1870–1880 during Reconstruction. The 1942 James H. Street novel, ''Tap Roots'', was inspired by Knight's actions in the Civil War. The novel was the basis for the 1948 film of the same name, which was directed by George Marshall. The film ignored the interracial aspect, instead casting the tension as one of class. ==Early life== Knight was born in Jones County, Mississippi, in November 1837. There has been confusion over his age, as his son, Tom Knight, wrote that he was born in 1830, and his grandniece, Ethel Knight, stated he was born in 1829. The 1900 census states that Knight was born in November 1837, which is supported by census records from other years.〔Victoria Bynum, ''The Free State of Jones: Mississippi's Longest Civil War'' (University of North Carolina Press, 2003).〕〔Jenkins and Stauffer, ''State of Jones'', p. 378〕 Newton was a grandson of John "Jackie" Knight (1773–1861), one of Jones County's largest slaveholders.〔 Newton's father, Albert (1799–1862), however, did not own any slaves, and was the only child of Jackie Knight who did not inherit any.〔Jenkins and Stauffer, ''State of Jones'', p. 43-45〕 Newton, likewise, did not own any slaves.〔 Some say he was morally opposed to slavery due to his Primitive Baptist beliefs, which also caused Newton to forswear alcohol, unlike his father and grandfather. 〔James R. Kelly, Jr., "(Newton Knight and the Legend of the Free State of Jones )," ''Mississippi History Now'', April 2009. Retrieved: 2 June 2013.〕 He was probably taught to read and write by his mother.〔 Newton Knight married Serena Turner in 1858, and the two established a small farm just across the county line in Jasper County.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Newton Knight」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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