Individual Details

Final Rites Held for Penn Knox
A large number of friends and relatives gathered in the Chapel of the Barry Funeral Home at 11 o'clock Monday morning to pay final tribute to William Penn Knox, one of the city's oldest and most widely known citizens, who died at 2:30 Sunday afternoon at the Okolona Community Hospital where he had been a patient for the past two weeks. Business houses closed for the rites which were conducted by the Rev. Jeff Cunningham, pastor of the First Methodist Church of Tupelo, assisted by the Rev. B L Mohon, pastor of the Baptist Church. The Methodist Church choir, with Mrs. Fred McGehee as accompanist, sang Lead, Kindly Light and Beautiful Isle of Somewhere.
Burial was in the Odd Fellows Cemetery with Barry in charge.
The pallbearers were R A Dean, Walter Simpson, Dr. J C Luper, George Bean, J E McCain and O E Shell.
The 87 year old lifelong resident of Chickasaw County, who served for 42 years as a peace officer, was a son of the late William Penn Knox and the late Sally Porter Knox, pioneer citizens. He was born on a farm near Houston on November 21 1866 and came to Okolona in 1889 and lived here the remainder of his life. His first work as a peace officer began about 1890 when he became deputy sheriff under Captain W G Stovall. He served two years as constable and was later elected marshal of Okolona, holding that office with the exception of one year until his retirement in 1939. An expert detective, he often assisted in that type work.
Although he arrested many persons and witnessed 16 hangings during his long career as a peace officer, he never carried a gun unless on a particularly dangerous assignment.
It is said that he knew more people than any other person in the county, and that even when making an arrest he did it in such a friendly and courteous manner that he seldom made an enemy.
Mr. Knox was keenly interested in politics, national, state and local, and, although in failing health for the past several years, he never lost that interest and took an active part in all elections. He was one of the County Election Commissioners for a number of years and served as an official at almost every primary and general election. His final service in that capacity was at Okolona's last election which was held on August 31 1953.
Until he became ill three weeks ago, he was remarkably active for his years, and although he spent much of his time since his retirement reading detective stories and other types of literature, he seldom missed a day walking down town and talking with friends. His last trip was on Saturday, February 6. He was noted for his neat appearance and for his cane and his ever-present flower on his lapel.
About 60 years ago he married the former Miss Zelda Buckingham, who died in 1922. he leaves one son, Edward Lee Knox; two daughters, Mrs. J F Massey and Mrs. W E Ward; two half brothers, Joe L Davis Sr., and Morgan Davis, both of Houston; a half sister, Mrs. Oscar Rhodes of Van Vleet, and three grandchildren.
Printed in the Okolona Messenger dated March 11, 1954,

Birth	21 Nov 1866	Houston, Chickasaw County, Mississippi
Census (family)-shared	12 Jun 1880	(John Luke Davis and Sarah Ann Elizabeth Porter) Houston, Chickasaw County, Mississippi
Marriage	20 Dec 1893	Chickasaw County, Mississippi - Zelda Buckingham
Death	7 Mar 1954	Okolona, Chickasaw County, Mississippi
Burial		Odd Fellows Cemetery, Okolona, Chickasaw County, Mississippi

Spouse

Zelda Buckingham (1869 - 1922)

Father	Pendleton C. Knox (1838 - 1867)
Mother	Sarah Ann Elizabeth Porter (1841 - 1889)
Sibling	Robert Edward Knox (1867 - 1897)

Notes