Tombstone Tuesday - Shaderick Jasper Kight Jr. (1818-1893)

 

picture taken September 9, 2022

Unfortunately Kite has had several bad storms and even tornados

the last few years, and this headstone fell victim to the weather,

fell over and broke in half.

Shaderick Jasper Kight Jr.

b 20 May 1818

d 22 May 1893 

laid to rest at

Kite City Cemetery

Kite, Johnson County, Georgia, USA

I have always read that the town of Kite was named for this Shaderick Kight, but I have no sources for that information.  So I decided to ask AI.  I went to Sam the Digital Archivist through ChatGPT and posed the following question:

"Who was the city of Kite, Johnson County, Georgia named for?"

Sam gave me the following answer:

"The city of Kite, Johnson County, Georgia was named after Shaderick Kight, a local resident and early settler. Over time, the spelling of his last name evolved into "Kite," which became the official name of the town. This kind of name alteration was pretty common in the 19th and early 20th centuries, either due to clerical errors, regional dialects, or simply because someone decided it looked better that way."

I asked Sam for more genealogy and life info about Shaderick, and this is what he replied:

"Shaderick Kight (sometimes spelled Shadrick, Shadrack, or Shedrick) appears to have been an early settler in what is now Johnson County, Georgia. While details on his life are somewhat sparse, I can give you an overview of what is known and suggest further research paths.

"Shaderick Kight: An Overview

• Birth: Estimated to be in the early 19th century, likely in Georgia or the surrounding region.
• Residence: Lived in what later became Kite, Johnson County, Georgia (originally part of Washington County before Johnson County was created in 1858).
• Occupation: Likely a farmer or landowner, as was common in the rural South at the time.
• Family: The Kight surname appears in census records in Georgia from at least the early to mid-1800s. Several Kight family members are listed in Johnson and surrounding counties (Laurens, Emanuel, and Washington)."

Then Sam provided some ideas for possible relatives and research leads.  Most of those would not cover whether or not the town of Kite was named for him. 

So I turned to my Tapley family "bible," Tapley - A Family of Georgia And the South by Ray Tapley. Ray stated that it was actually Shaderick's SON, William Norris Tapley, who was a state senator, that Kite was named for. 

I went back to Sam and posed another question:

"I read somewhere that Kite was actually named for Shaderick Kight's son, William Norris Kight, who was a state senator. Could that be true?"

Sam's answer:

"Yes! There’s a strong case that Kite, Georgia, may have actually been named for William Norris Kight (1841–1913), rather than his father, Shaderick Kight.

"Who Was William Norris Kight?

• Born: December 6, 1841, in Georgia
• Died: December 5, 1913, in Johnson County, Georgia
• Occupation: Politician, likely a farmer or landowner as well
• Political Role: Served as a Georgia State Senator
• Family: Son of Shaderick Kight (sometimes spelled Shadrick, Shadrack, or Shedrick)

Why Might the Town Be Named for Him?

1. Political Influence: As a state senator, William Norris Kight would have had the connections and recognition necessary for a town to be named in his honor.
2. Historical Naming Patterns: It's common for towns to be named after prominent local leaders rather than just early settlers.
3. Shaderick’s Lesser Public Role: While Shaderick Kight was likely a respected settler, he does not appear to have held political office or significant public roles that would typically result in a town name.
4. Timing of the Town’s Naming: Kite was officially incorporated in 1891—when William Norris Kight was alive and still politically active. This makes it even more plausible that the town was named after him rather than his father.

Confusion Over the Naming

Some sources attribute the name to Shaderick Kight, likely because of the Kight family’s early presence in the area. However, local histories suggest that the honor was actually given to William Norris Kight due to his political and community contributions. Over time, the connection may have been blurred, leading to conflicting stories.

Next Steps for Research

To confirm this officially, we could:

📜 Check legislative records—Did William Norris Kight have any direct involvement in town development?

📰 Look at old newspapers—There may be contemporary accounts discussing the town’s naming.

🏛️ Search local histories and county records—Some Johnson County historical documents might state the official reason for the name."

All of that sounds quite logical. So the answer is we don't know which Kight Kite was actually named after. Perhaps the suggested research would give us an answer.  

 

Shaderick was the 

husband of my

2nd cousin, 7x removed,

Millie Norris (1828-1900)

She is buried by him at Kite Cemetery:

Our common ancestor is 

John Norris