Evelyn Liggins

Tracing the Roots of the former Evelyn Liggins  

Evelyn Liggins Jenkins (1921–1965) ✝

This page explores the life and lineage of my paternal grandmother, Evelyn Liggins Jenkins, and her family’s origins in Louisiana and Mississippi. Drawing from census records, death certificates, and family stories, I aim to document her legacy and the McKnight and Liggins families for future generations. While no photos of Evelyn survive, her story lives on through her descendants and the records we’ve uncovered.

Evelyn Liggins Jenkins: A Life Cut Short 

Evelyn Liggins, my paternal grandmother, was born to Fannie Chester McKnight Nickerson and Joe Harrison Liggins. She married Levi Jenkins Sr. in the late 1930s and raised their family in Mound Bayou, Mississippi. Evelyn had three siblings, including a living sister whose name is withheld for privacy. Tragically, Evelyn died in May 1965 in East St. Louis, Illinois. No photographs of her survive, however, her daughter - Magnolia Jenkins Morris ✝ - was said to closely resemble her.

Below is my grandmother's short obituary. It was posted in the Sunday edition of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. That means she had passed on a Thursday, May 13, 1965.

Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch obituary, May 16, 1965. 

Evelyn’s Deceased Brother & Sister:

• James Bernard “Uncle Buddy” Nickerson (1923–1995) ✝: Lived in East St. Louis, Illinois, and is buried at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri.

• Sara Lee Ross Ford (1930–2006) ✝: Lived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Aunt Sara provided information on her Uncle Mitchell and his family.

Sara Lee Ross & James (Uncle Buddy) Nickerson

Evelyn’s children who have passed include: 

• Levi Jenkins Jr. (1948–1997) ✝

• Willie Mae Jenkins Surles (1939–2016) ✝

• Lurenzo Jenkins (1954–2021) ✝

• Magnolia Jenkins Morris (1943–2024) ✝

The McKnight Family: Roots in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana 

Evelyn’s mother, Fannie Chester McKnight Nickerson, was born to Taylor McKnight and Sally McKnight in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana. A 1910 U.S. Census record from St. Helena Parish lists Fannie living with her parents and siblings. 

While Fannie’s birth year is unknown, she likely passed away around 1954 in Mound Bayou, Mississippi, when her youngest daughter was about 11. Her daughter recalled hearing Fannie take a deep breath one night, unable to wake her the next morning. 

Key McKnight Family Members

• Sally McKnight (d. ~1968–1969): Fannie’s mother, outlived her daughter Fannie and granddaughter Evelyn. Her parents and birth year remain unknown. A marriage record indicates that Taylor McKnight married a Lucinda Wilson, with Leander McKnight, Taylor’s son from a prior marriage, as a witness; however, it remains uncertain whether this Lucinda Wilson was indeed Sally McKnight. Census records show Sally was also known as Sarah.

• Rev. Taylor McKnight: Likely father of Fannie McKnight. DNA matches connect to Taylor’s other children, including Irvin and Essie McKnight. Known to have married Margaret Woodward & Lucinda Wilson. Marriage license with Lucinda Wilson below, click for a larger resolution.

• Irvin McKnight: Fannie’s probable brother, identified through DNA matches connecting to his father Taylor McKnight’s descendants. Irvin's mother was the former Margaret Woodward. A photograph of Irvin has been found, providing a visual record of this family member. Further details about his life are under investigation.

• Essie McKnight: Fannie’s probable sister, also identified through DNA matches. Trees list her parents as Taylor McKnight & Sally Lucinda Wilson. A photograph of Essie has been discovered. Additional information about her life is being researched.

James Mitchell McKnight’s Family:

James Mitchell McKnight, also known as “Uncle Mitchell,” was Fannie’s brother. According to his death certificate Uncle Mitchell was born in Greensburg, Louisiana (St. Helena Parish) and died in 1937 aged 36. His death certificate lists only “killed” as the cause of death, with conflicting family stories: one account claims he was hit by a truck while saving his daughter, Sallie Mae, who was injured; another suggests he was shot while protecting his daughter from abuse. Sallie Mae was cared for by her first cousin (and Evelyn’s younger sister) Sara Lee after the traumatic incident that claimed Uncle Mitchell’s life.

• Queen Anne Fair (d. ~1950s): Wife of James Mitchell McKnight. She died in a fire in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood in the 1950s, along with several grandchildren.

• Fannie Lee (murdered in a domestic violence situation in the 1960s)

• Sallie Mae (last surviving child passed in 2024)

• Thelma

McKnight Origins 

Genealogical research points to the McKnight family originating in Ulster, Ireland (now split between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland). My DNA shows 5% Scottish and 2% Irish ancestry via my paternal side, likely from the McKnights. Taylor McKnight was confirmed to have been biracial, with a possible brother relationship to a Hiram McKnight, a Confederate soldier. DNA matches also connect to the Frierson family of South Carolina through Jane Frierson who is possibly Taylor's grandmother. 

St. Helena Parish, Louisiana, was home to Taylor and Sally McKnight in the 1910 US Census. Nearby Amite County, Mississippi, and Pike County, Mississippi, were also home to the McKnight and Jenkins families. 

Click for larger resolution

The Liggins Family: From Union Parish to Mound Bayou 

Evelyn’s father, Joe Harrison Liggins, was born in Bernice, Union Parish, Louisiana, to John Liggins and Emma Hannon. He later moved to Mound Bayou, Mississippi, where Evelyn was born. A U.S. Army veteran, Joe died in 1962 at a veterans’ home in Tennessee and is buried at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. His grandchildren described him as having gray, curly hair, possibly resembling Native American features. 

Joe Liggins had no other children, but other relatives, including Q.B. Liggins’ family, were close to Evelyn’s descendants. One of my uncles lived with Joe’s paternal cousins during his youth. 

 Union Parish, Louisiana on the Arkansas state line.

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Reflections and Next Steps

Special thanks to the family of James Mitchell and Queen Anne McKnight for sharing information about their branch of the family. I was happy to connect with that family and discuss some of our shared history. The daughter of the late Sallie Mae McKnight Cribbs reflected on the role my great-aunt Sara Lee played in her mother’s recovery after the death of her father. Her brother also shared details about the devastating fire in Chicago that impacted their family.

Researching Evelyn’s family has been a journey of discovery, connecting me to South Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi, and even Ireland. While gaps remain—such as Sally McKnight’s origins or the full story of James Mitchell McKnight’s death—DNA matches and family stories continue to provide clarity. Future research will focus on:

• Confirming whether Lucinda Wilson was Sally McKnight.

• Clarifying James Mitchell’s cause of death.

• Tracing Sally McKnight’s parents 

• Liggins family’s possible Native American connections.

If you’re a descendant or researcher of the McKnight, Liggins, or Jenkins families, I’d love to connect and share findings.

E-mail me!

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This page was written and edited with the assistance of AI.

PUBLISHED: April 16, 2025

EDITED: August 13, 2025