My Ethnicity

My ancestry is neatly divided into three clusters and one melting pot. The three tidy groups are:

SCOTTISH -  my paternal grandfather, Johnston Cumberland Paterson

ENGLISH -  my paternal grandmother, Dorothy Eleanor May Warry (Paterson)

FINNISH - my maternal grandfather, Fidjof Jaakko Waldemar Makie

Then there is my hodgepodge:

AMERICAN - my maternal grandmother, Ruby Alberta Belknap (Makie) This line goes back to the start of immigration to America.

Based on Family Tree DNA Autosomal Test known as Family Finder this is what my ethnic makeup looks like:

  

30% BRITISH ISLES - mostly from my Dad who had a Scottish Father and English Mother and perhaps a little from my Mother's American side.

25% FINLAND - probably all from my Mother's Dad ancestry.

20% SCANDINAVIA - could be from both my Mother and Dad. The Vikings were all over the map.

14% WEST & CENTRAL EUROPE - probably my Mother's American heritage, as I found some German.

7% IBERIA - no clue. I'm thinking part of my hodgepodge.

4% EAST EUROPE - probably my Mother's American side.

Trace of CENTRAL ASIA for fun.

  

Population Cluster Description - Family Tree DNA

To find out more about the autosomal test:

International Society of Genetic Genealogy Wiki

Gone Fishing - Family Search

Lest We Forget – Men who served in the (CEF) WW1

Remembrance Day is a day to remember those men and women who have served and those who are serving today. Here are some of the men in Robert’s and my families who served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force during WWI. I’ve included links to the Library and Archives Canada website where the personnel records are being digitized These are the names of the ones that have been digitized with a PDF file where you can find more information.

Sydney Wedford Black (married my grandaunt, Frances Edlora Belknap)

Sydney was drafted under the military service act of 1917. He signed a declaration of recruit in Calgary, Alberta on May 21, 1918 at the age of 23. He served as a private in the 2nd Canadian War Graves Detachment. Regimental # 3211766. Sydney was discharged on August 19, 1919. Sydney married my grandaunt in 1936 and had a large family of nine children. He died on April 10, 1980 at the age of 84 and is buried at the Northwood Baptist Cemetery in Saint-Lina, Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada.

Canadian War Diaries - Miscellaneous Diaries
WW1 personnel records
Find A Grave

Henry Archibald Danskin (my 2nd cousin twice removed)

Henry enlisted on July 16, 1915 in Calgary, Alberta at the age of 25. He served as private in the Field Ambulance Depot. Regimental # 322659. Henry was discharge on June 2, 1919. He married later as his death registration in 1958 lists his wife as May Ellen Hutchinson. Henry died on January 16, 1958 at the age of 68 in the Provincial Mental Hospital in Coquitlam, B.C. Canada. He is buried at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Burnaby, B.C., Canada.

Canadian War Diaries - Medical Units
WW1 personnel records
Death Registration
Find A Grave

Arthur William Danskin (my 2nd cousin twice removed)

Arthur’s military service was very brief. He was a private in the 84th Battalion, Canadian Infantry (Manitoba Regiment). Regimental # 163261. He died at the age of 34 on December 22, 1915 in the Brantford General Hospital at Brantford, Ontario of bronchitis, typhoid and pneumonia. He never even made it overseas.

WW1 personnel records
CWGC (Commonwealth War Graves Commission)
Find A Grave

Seward Cephus Foster (Robert’s great granduncle)

Seward enlisted on April 4th, 1916 in Berwick, Nova Scotia, Canada at the age of 31. He served as a sapper in the 219 Battalion. His regimental # 283381. He was discharged on April 5th, 1919 with the war service badge. Seward returned home to his wife Annie Creemer. He died at the age of 51 on 26 April 1937. He is buried in the Aylesford Union Cemetery in Aylesford, Nova Scotia, Canada.

WW1 personnel records
Find A Grave

Andrew Graham (married my grandaunt, Edith Greenlees Paterson)

Andrew enlisted 16th December, 1914 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada at the age of 19. He served as a private in the 32nd Battalion and 10th Battalion. Regimental # 81330. Andrew was honorable discharge on May 19, 1919 with the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. He married my grandaunt on July 2, 1927 and had three children (one passing away young). He died on February 5, 1982 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and is buried at the Mount Pleasant Cemetery.

The Story of the Tenth Canadian Battalion 1914 -1917
WW1 personnel records
Find A Grave

Allan James Levy (married Robert’s grandaunt, Emelia Alberta Stoddart)

Allan enlisted on July 13, 1915 at the age of 27 in Valcartier,Quebec. He served as a Lance Corporal in the 60th Battalion. Regimental # 415512. Allan was killed in action on June 15, 1916 while in the trenches at Sanctuary Wood. He left behind his wife and four small children. He has a memorial at Ypres (Memin Gate).

60th Canadian Overseas Battalion
WW1 personnel records
CWGC (Commonwealth War Graves Commission)

George Outhit Lutz (Robert’s 1st cousin 3 times removed)

George was drafted under the military service act of 1917. He signed the declaration of recruit on June 14, 1918 in Aldershot, Nova Scotia at the age of 29. He served as a private in the 17th Reserve Battalion. His regimental # 3189848. George was discharge on July 18, 1919. He returned to his wife, Annie Lamb, whom he married just months before his enlistment. He died on July 13, 1961 at the age of 72. He is buried in the Morristown cemetery in Morristown, Nova Scotia, Canada.

WW1 personnel records
Find A Grave

The Belknap Brothers - Not Forgotten

Me - My Mom -Ruby Alberta Belknap - Donald Francis Belknap - his brother, Martin Henry Belknap - his sons, Gordon Bernard Belknap and Robert Martin Belknap 

As we get closer to Remembrance Day I've been thinking of those many brave men and women who served their countries. Many of those heroes are in our families trees. I thought it was time to find them and make a point of acknowledging them. Two of those young men are brothers who never had the chance to grow old. Gordon Bernard Belknap and his younger brother, Robert Martin Belknap are two of the fallen sailors who served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. They are the sons of Martin Henry Belknap and Matilda Anne Krekofsky. Both were born in Sterns County, Minnesota, United States. Gordon Bernard Belknap on September 1st, 1919 and Robert Martin Belknap on  May 7 1925.  Gordon enlisted at the young age of 17 on May 4th, 1937. He went missing when his ship the U.S.S. Pecos was sunk by a Japanese aircraft on March 1st, 1942. Gordon was just 22 years old. His younger brother, Robert turned 17  just after Gordon went missing. Robert followed Gordon by enlisted at 17 on March 31st, 1942. At 20 years old, Robert is listed as missing when his ship the U.S.S. Luce is sunk by Japanese aircraft.

 The brothers are listed on page 2 of Minnesota in the "World War II Navy, Marie Corps, and Coast Guard Casualties, 1941-1945" right next to each other.

 Timeline of Gordon and Robert from the Navy Muster Rolls, 1938-1949 on Ancestry

• 1937-May-04 Gordon enlisted in the navy at Minneapolis
• 1939-May_15 Gordon received from USS Chicago FFT Asia
• 1939-May-29 Gordon  on Muster Roll USS Henderson sailing from San Francisco to Honolulu
• 1939-Jul-09  Gordon transferred from USS Augusta to USS Henderson
• 1939-Jul-10  Gordon on Muster Roll USS Henderson sailing from Tsingtao, China to     Shanghai, China
• 1940-Dec-24  Gordon received on board USS Pecos                 
• 1940-Dec-31 Gordon on Muster Roll USS Pecos
• 1941-Mar-31 Gordon on Muster Roll USS Pecos
• 1941-Jun-30 Gordon on Muster Roll USS Pecos
• 1941-Aug-05 Gordon appointed Water Tender 2nd Class
• 1941-Aug-08 Gordon on Muster Roll USS Pecos
• 1941-Sep-30 Gordon on Muster Roll USS Pecos
• 1942-Mar-01 Gordon is listed as missing in action when the USS Pecos was sunk by Japanese aircraft south of Christmas Island

• 1942-Mar-31 Robert enlisted in the navy at Minneapolis
• 1943-Jun-21 Robert received on board USS Luce from R/S Lido Beach, L.I., N.Y.
• 1943-Jun-21  Robert on Muster Roll USS Luce
• 1943-Dec-31 Robert on Muster Roll USS Luce
• 1943-Dec-31 Robert transferred to USNH Dutch Harbor, Alaska
• 1944-Feb-07 Robert received from NOB Dutch Harbor
• 1944-Feb-29 Robert on Muster Roll USS Luce
• 1944-Mar-31 Robert on Muster Roll USS Luce
• 1944-Jun-30  Robert on Muster Roll USS Luce
• 1944-Sep-30  Robert on Muster Roll USS Luce
• 1944-Dec-31  Robert on Muster Roll USS Luce
• 1945-Mar-31 Robert on Muster Roll USS Luce
• 1945-May-04 Robert in listed as missing on Muster Roll with the sinking of the USS Luce

Gordon B Belknap is memorialized at Tablets of the Missing, Manila, Philippines 

Find-A-Grave

.

Robert M Belknap is memorialized at Courts of the Missing, Court 5 at Honolulu, Hawaii, UnitedStates

Find-A-Grave

More about USS Pecos AO-6:

Wikipedia

The History of Navy Oilers

More about USS Luce DD-522:

Wikipedia
Kamikaze Images 
WWII Database

Wedding Wednesday - Miss Frances Hanson, R.T. Belknap Wed

Me - My Mom - Ruby Alberta Belknap - Donald Francis Belknap - his brother, Martin Henry Belknap - his son, Russell Thomas Belknap

The Bismarck Tribune, "Society News," notice, The Bismarck Tribune, 6 April 1932, p. 5, column 1, Russell Thomas Belknap and Frances Helen Hanson marriage; Newspapers (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 13 January 2014).

 "Montana, County Marriages, 1865-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F33Y-6L6: accessed 4 November 2015), Russell Thomas Belknap and Frances Helen Hanson; citing Marriage, Glendive, Dawson, Montana, county courthouses, Montana; FHL microfilm 1,905,434.

More on the Belknap family:

52 Ancestors - Donald Francis Belknap

52 Ancestors - Thomas Jefferson Belknap

52 Ancestors - Donald Francis Belknap

Amy Johnson Crow of No Story Too Small issued the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge.  Each week focus on one ancestor and post something about him or her.

Me -My Mom - Ruby Alberta Belknap - Donald Francis Belknap

Donald Francis Belknap was the first of my great grandparents to  come to Canada. He arrived in 1899 with his father Thomas Jefferson Belknap when he was 17 years old. 

Donald was born May 14, 1882 in Marshalltown, Marshall, Iowa, USA. He was the youngest of the three children of Thomas Jefferson Belknap and Mary Elizabeth Fiddler. His older siblings were Martin Henry Belknap and Birdie Eldora Leona Belknap

Donald was 16 when his mother Mary died in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. After her death, Donald and his father Thomas went to Alberta, Canada. In 1905 Donald purchased NE 4-40-24-4 by Lacombe, Alberta. His father Thomas purchased the quarter to the west. 

The purchases can be viewed at the Library and Archives Canada website under Land Grants of Western Canada, 1870-1930 for Donald Francis Belknap and Thomas Belknap.

In March of 1906 Donald married Bertha Todd. Donald and Bertha can be found on the 1906 census with the post office address of Valley City in Sub-District 28, Strathcona, Alberta.  Sadly she died on his birthday just a year later in 1907. She is buried at the Fairview Cemetery in Lacombe. 

 

In 1910 Donald is back in the USA in Geddes, Charles Mix, South Dakota.  I wasn't sure why he would go to South Dakota. But taking a second look at his family I realized that his maternal grandmother Frances George Fiddler went to Geddes after her husband Henry Fiddler died in 1896. She probably went to live with her daughter Eldora Elizabeth Fiddler Pierce. So Donald would have had family in South Dakota.

 

It was in South Dakota that Donald married his 2nd wife Bessie Landers. After a couple of years in South Dakota and losing a newborn son Donald took his wife back to Canada by Lacombe. They cross the North Portal, Saskatchewan, Canada border on September 25, 1912.

 

Donald and Bessie had three girls, Bertha (Betty), Ruby, and Frances. They are in the Lacombe area till about 1918, as Donald is mentioned in  several publications around that area mostly for his water dowsing abilities. See my post Workday Wednesday - Water Witch. 

  

Donald is then found in Telkwa, British Columbia along with his father Thomas  and sister Birdie. He's in the Wrigley's British Columbia Directories under Telkwa for quite a few years in the 1920s either as a mixed farmer or lather. I've found the death records for two children born in Telkwa to Donald and Bessie. Uruon Azasiah Belknap was born in 1923 and Mary Elizabeth Belknap was born in 1925. They both died before the age of one. 

 

Donald is back in the Lacombe area by 1928, as he's once again appears in publications. In the Western Globe on December 8 1938:

 

TEES. - Tees news ten years

ago: After an absence of several

years, Don Belknap returned

to prove that his divining for

water wells had not been im-

paired by his sojourn in British

Columbia. Just a decade ago,

Dec. 1 1928, Don commenced a

well for B. M. Armstrong. Since

that time he has dug or located

several flowing wells, in addition

to many that didn't quite over-

flow. During this intervening

period. Donald has never hit a

dry hole, when after water.

 

Donald and Bessie end up in Edmonton, Alberta. Donald's wife Bessie died in Edmonton on January 27, 1947. Donald died 18 years later in Edmonton, on August 13 1965. He's buried at the Mount Pleasant Cemetery. I visited the cemetery a couple of years ago and was disappointed to find no grave maker at his plot. 

 

More posts on Donald's family:

52 Ancestors - Thomas Jefferson Belknap (Donald's father)

52 Ancestors - Mary Elizabeth Fiddler (Belknap) (Donald's mother)

52 Ancestors - Bessie Beatrice Landers (Belknap) (Donald's wife)

Find A Grave - Bertha Belknap

Find A Grave - Bessie Beatrice Landers Belknap

Find A Grave - Donald Francis Belknap

Sources:

Donald Francis Belknap, birth certificate Bk 1, Pg B13 (1882), Marshalltown, Marshall, Iowa, Iowa Department of Public Health, Des Moines, Polk, Iowa.

 "British Columbia Death Registrations, 1872-1986," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FLKK-NR3 : accessed 22 Jun 2014), Uruon Azasiah Belknap, 07 Jul 1924; citing Telkwa, British Columbia, Canada; British Columbia Archives film number B13125, Division of Vital Statistics, Victoria; FHL microfilm 1927302. 

 "British Columbia Death Registrations, 1872-1986," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FL2H-LVW : accessed 22 Jun 2014), Mary Elizabeth Belknap, 08 Feb 1926; citing Telkwa, British Columbia, Canada; British Columbia Archives film number B13130, Division of Vital Statistics, Victoria; FHL microfilm 1927349. 

"Western Globe," newspaper, University of Alberta, Peel's Prairie Provinces (http://peel.library.ualberta.ca/index.html : accessed 23 June 2014), December 8, 1938, Item Ar00507

 

52 Ancestors - Thomas Jefferson Belknap

Amy Johnson Crow of No Story Too Small issued the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge.  Each week focus on one ancestor and post something about him or her.

Me-My Mom-Ruby Alberta Belknap-Donald Belknap-Thomas Jefferson Belknap

Thomas Jefferson Belknap or T.J. Belknap as he's found in some records, is an intriguing  fellow to follow. Born in New York, U.S.A. and dying in Hazelton, British Columbia,Canada, he has records scattered  in numerous states in the U.S.A. and a couple of provinces in Canada. These are some of my finds for his last residence in northern British Columbia, Cananda. 

Thomas Belknap Death

My 2nd great grandfather's death registration is a wealth of information. Thomas was a resident of Moricetown, B.C. when he died June 17, 1942 at the Wrinch Memorial Hospital in Hazelton, British Columbia, Canada. Dr. Donald Murphy attended him from August 8, 1941 till his death. He died from arterio-sclerosis due to cerebral hemorrhage. The record states he lived in the Hazelton District for 23 years and in Canada 33 years. That would put his immigration year as 1909. But according to the 1916 and 1921 Canadian census, his immigration year is 1899. Which would be shortly after the death of his wife, Mary Elizabeth in 1898. Thomas is stated as being a widower, his wife is listed as Mary S(E) Fiddler, and a Canadian of English origin. Thomas was born in Port Linden (Port Leyden), New York on November 3, 1850. His parents were Martin H(S) Belknap and Betsy Bristle(Bristol) both born in U.S.A.. Thomas worked at his occupation of stone mason for 50 years till 1925. The informant is Thomas's daughter Mrs. W.H. VanHorn (Birdie) from Hazelton. She's probably the one providing the information about her father. That would make most of the information she gave as secondary. 

Thomas Petition for Naturalization

 

The naturalization records for Thomas are an interesting read. Thomas was granted naturalization on August 17, 1904, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. But he had to write to Ottawa in 1927 to obtain a copy and ended up filling out more paperwork for a new section under the Naturalization Act . His reason for requesting another copy was that his originals were destroyed by a fire at his ranch in Telkwa in May 1922. Included in his naturalization records are letters from The Old Age Pension Department, which was probably his goal for asking for the records.  The Petition for Naturalization verifies some of his information from his death registration. His birth date is stated as November 3, 1950 in Leyden, New York, U.S.A.  Thomas declares he came to Canada from Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A. and arrived at the port of Portal on the 14th day of November, 1899 by the 500 Railway. So it seems the dates match the census records. Very exciting to see my 2nd great grandfather's signature on some of the pages. Most times he signed as Thomas Jefferson Belknap and one time as T.J. Belknap.

 

 

 

In Skeena, British Columbia, Canada,Thomas shows up in the 1921 census. He's living with his daughter Birdie, her 3rd husband (William VanHorn) and William's three sons from a previous marriage. Thomas is listed as a 70 year old widower from the U.S.A.. He states his occupation is manager of a Sawmill owned by his son-in-law, William VanHorn. 

Thomas and his wife Mary had three children: Martin Henry Belknap, Birdie Eldora Leona Belknap and Donald Francis Belknap. Martin ended up in Los Angleles, California, Unitied States, Birdie in Washington, United States after her husband and father die, and Donald in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. 

 

More posts about Thomas's family:

52 Ancestors - Birdie Eldora Leona Belknap - Thomas's sister

Mary Elizabeth Fiddler (Belknap) - Thomas's wife

Workday Wednesday - Water Witch - Thomas's son

Sources:

Thomas Belknap, death certificate 1942-09-609993 (1943), British Columbia Division of Vital Statistics, Surrey Public Library, Cloverdale, Surrey, British Columbia.

Thomas Jefferson Belknap, File 6869, Citzenship and Immigration Canada; Naturalization Records 1927; Access to Information and Privacy Division, Ottawa, Ontario, Cananda.

 

1921 Census of Canada, Telkwa, Skeena, British Columbia, population schedule, subdistrict No. 12, Township 6289, enumeration district (ED) Skeena, p. 27, dwelling 392, family 393, Thomas Jefferson Belknap; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 28 April 2014); Library and Archives Canada. Sixth Census of Canada, 1921. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Library and Archives Canada, 2013. Series RG31. Statistics Canada Fonds.

52 Ancestors - Birdie Eldora Leona Belknap (Reed, Pandelis, Vanhorn)

Amy Johnson Crow of No Story Too Small issued the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge.  Each week focus on one ancestor and post something about him or her.

Me-My Mom-Ruby Alberta Belknap-Donald Francis Belknap-Thomas Jefferson Belknap (Birdie is the daughter of Thomas and sister to Donald)

                                                                                                                                 

I wasn't intending on posting about my great grandaunt, Birdie, but while going over records for her father, Thomas Belknap, I've discovered more about her. I have a soft spot for my relatives who didn't leave any descendants. They shouldn't be forgotten. Birdie was a letter writer and a post card sender. Maybe in her own way she was leaving a little part of her for future generations. See my post on Birdie - Matrilineal Monday - Birdie Eldora Leona Belknap. 

While looking over the border crossing record of Thomas Belknap at Sweet Grass, Montana, USA in March of 1909, I realized that I missed a 2nd sheet that had an important clue about his daughter, Birdie.  The page stated that he was going to his daughter - Mrs. Birdie Reed at 26 W Broadway, Butte Montana. Reed? Somewhere I missed a marriage? I had found records of marriages to a Alex Pandelis in Montana, USA in 1917 and to William Henry Van Horn in British Columbia, Canada in 1920.

Looking at the 1909 Butte, Montana City Directory on page 647 is a Del Reed listed as a butcher living at 26 W Broadway. Looks like this maybe Birdie's husband. 

I quickly found Birdie in the 1910 census under the name Birdie Reed, living as a roomer in Butte, Silver Bow, Montana, USA. She is listed as a domestic living with the Edgar Pinkston family. It's stated that she is married and has been married 6 years with no children. That would mean that she was married about 1904. Not sure where Mr. Reed is. 

I haven't found any evidence of a marriage, but I did find in the Minneapolis, Minnesota death index on February 27, 1906  a death for a baby boy. His father's name is stated as Dell Reed and his mother as Birdie Belnap. He's buried in the Crystal Lake Cemetery in Minneapolis. The same cemetery as Birdie's mother, Mary Elizabeth Fiddler. 

From just one missed page, I discover other records that gave a little insight into my great grandaunt. Still looking for more records. So note to self, always check for a 2nd page. 

  

More posts about Birdie's family:

52 Ancestors - Mary Elizabeth Fiddler (Belknap) - Birdie's mother

Sunday's Obituary - Martin S Belknap - Birdie's grandfather

Sunday's Obituary - Betsey Ann Belknap - Birdie's grandmother

Sources:

 

"Border Crossings: From Canada to U.S., 1895-1956," digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 13 April 2014), entry for Thomas J Belknap, sheet 5, page 56; citing National Archives Microfilm Publication: M1464; Roll: 93; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service; Record Group Number: 85.

R.L. Polk & Co.'s Butte, Montana, City Directory, 1909 (Montana: R.L. Polk & Co., 1909), p. 647, entry for Reed, Del; digital image, Ancestry.com (htttp://www.ancestry.com : accessed 13 April 2014).

1910 U.S. Census, Silver Bow County, Montana, population schedule, Butte Ward 8, enumeration district (ED) 0117, sheet 3B,, dwelling 73, family 78, Birdie Reed; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 14 April 2014); citing NARA microfilm publication T624, FHL microfilm 1374849.

"Minnesota, Death Record, 1866-1916," index, Family Search (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XP8V-4B9: accessed 13 April 2014), Birdie Belnap in entry for Reed, 27 Feb 1906; citing Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota, Public Health Center, St. Paul; FHL microfilm 1499034.

52 Ancestors - George W Knox

Amy Johnson Crow of No Story Too Small issued the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge.  Each week focus on one ancestor and post something about him or her.

George W Knox is my 4th great grandfather on my mother's side.

Me-My Mom-Ruby Alberta Belknap-Bessie Beatrice Landers-Angeline Henrietta Littrell-Letis Ellen Knox-George W Knox.

Although I've found quite a few records and information on George, I ran into a brick wall when trying to find anything on him after the 1860 census. Some of the things I discovered about George W Knox:

• George was the son of Moses Knox and Susannah Perkins born in Maine, United States about 1807.
• George marries Clarissa Fuller (daughter of Ezra Fuller and Avis Briggs) September 9, 1827 in Jay, Franklin, Maine.
• George is found in 1830 census living next to his father-in-law Ezra Fuller in Jay with a total of 3 persons - two being himself and Clarissa, and one female being under 5. I think this may have been their oldest daughter, Letis Ellen, born in 1830. 
• George is still in Jay, Maine in the 1840 census. He now has one male under 5 (probably George E), one female between 5-9 (probably Lydia), one female between 10-14 (probably Letis Ellen), and himself and Clarissa. 
• In the 1850, George and his family are living in Mercer County, Illinois at Township 14 N R 4 W. They now have two more children, Sarah and Samantha. According to his daughter's (Letis Ellen) obituary the family came to Mercer County in 1842 by wagon. They are not the only family from Jay, Maine who made the journey to Mercer County, Illinois. George's father and some of his brother's and sister's are part of the group migration, as well as some from Clarissa family. 
• In the 1860 census, George and his family are still in Mercer County, Illinois, with one more child (Joseph Benjamin). 

I've not been able to find George nor Clarissa in the 1870 census, they don't seem to be in Mercer County. But in the 1880 census, his wife (Clarissa) is listed as a widow living  with their children Lydia and Joseph in Abington, Mercer, Illinois. So what happened between 1860 and 1880? 

I've looked for George in other records and have not found much. No gravestone on Find-A-Grave, that I could find. I've looked on Ancestry and Family Search. I posted a query on a message board on Ancestry, and I've even e-mailed the Mercer County Historical Society. They were very helpful in death dates for George's wife and a daughter but nothing on George's death. They even gave me the e-mail of a cousin who has been most helpful.

 If you have any information on George W Knox, please e-mail or leave a comment. Thanks
.

More posts about George's family:

Sunday's Obituary - Clarissa Fuller Knox (George's wife obituary)

Fearless Females - Mini Profile (George's daughter, Letis Ellen Knox (Littrell))

Sources: 

"Maine, Marriages, 1771-1907," index, Family Search (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F4FD-YZD: accessed 26 February 2013), George W. Knox and Clarissa S. Fuller; citing Jay,Franklin,Maine, reference ; FHL microfilm 11037.

1830 U.S. Census, Oxford County, Maine, population schedule, Jay, p. 177, line 11, George Knox; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : accessed 7 April 2014); NARA Series: M19; Roll Number: 50; Family History Film: 0497946.

1840 U.S. Census, Franklin County, Maine, population schedule, Jay, p 105., line 9, George Knox; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : accessed 7 April 2014); NARA microfilm publication M704, roll 140, FHL microfilm 0009703.

 1850 U.S. Census, Mercer County, Illinois, population schedule, Township 14 N R 4 W, p. 377A, dwelling 462, family 462, George Knox; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : accessed 7 April 2014); NARA microfilm publication M432.

1860 U.S. Census, Mercer County, Illinois, population schedule, Township 14 N 4 W, Mercer, p. 222, dwelling 1519, family 1519, George W Knox; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : accessed 7 April 2014); NARA microfilm publication M653; FHL microfilm 803211.

Keithsburg Happenings, The Times Record, Aledo, IL, 23 November 1916, Vol XXXIII, #23, Part 2, p. 12. Obituary of Littis Ellen Littrell.