James Knox Jr was the son of James Knox Sr. and Janet McElroy. As a boy the Knox family moved from South Carolina to the states of Tennessee and Kentucky, then the family came to Lincoln County, Missouri in 1827.

James Knox Jr. first married Hannah "Nancy" Mills 22 Dec 1818 • Christian County, Kentucky and had (at least) 11 children with his first wife. She died in 1845 in Lincoln County, Missouri and James second married Sarah Ann Creech. James and Sarah (Creech) Knox can be found in the 1850 census District 61, Montgomery, Missouri. James and Sarah (Creech) Knox remained in Montgomery County, Missouri until his death. James and Sarah together had (at least) 9 children.

The children with James Jr.'s first wife (Hannah Nancy Mills) were scattered among family members in the 1850 census, into various states. Some went to Mississippi and Texas whereas others went west suffering from consumption and looking for agreeable weather. Several sons were born to James Knox Jr & Hannah Nancy Mills before names were denoted in the census so their names remain unknown and locating them in the 1850 census proves to be difficult.

A family member "created" a Find-A-Grave memorial for James Knox Jr but it is inaccurate as they use the death date of James Knox Sr. and place James Jr in a cemetery where he doesn't belong [Memorial ID: 158026023]. This same family member created a memorial Hannah Nancy Mills Knox. I have no idea if Hannah Nancy Mills Knox is truly buried in Sulphur Lick Cemetery Millwood, Lincoln County, Missouri. She may have been buried there as they were residents of Lincoln County, Missouri where the rest of the Knox family resided -or- it may be inaccurate as the memorial for James Jr.