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Eddie Knox

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Eddie Knox
Knox in 1982
49th Mayor of Charlotte
In office
1979–1983
Preceded byKenneth R. Harris
Succeeded byHarvey Gantt
Member of the North Carolina Senate
from the 22nd district
In office
1973–1975
Preceded byRedistricting
Member of the North Carolina Senate
from the 27th district
In office
1971–1973
Preceded byMartha Evans
Personal details
BornHaden Edward Knox
(1937-01-22)January 22, 1937
near Davidson, North Carolina, U.S.
DiedJune 22, 2026(2026-06-22) (aged 89)
PartyDemocratic (until 1984)
Republican (1984 and after)
Spouses
Beverly Ann Blythe
​
​
(m. 1957; div. 1977)​
Frances Stegall Hinson
​
​
(m. 1977)​
Children3
EducationNorth Carolina State University
Wake Forest University
Occupation
  • Politician
  • lawyer

Haden Edward Knox (January 22, 1937 – June 22, 2026) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the 49th mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina, from 1979 until 1983. He served as a member of the North Carolina Senate from 1971 to 1975.

Early life

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Haden Edward Knox was born on January 22, 1937, at his family's home near Davidson, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, as one of eight children to Annie (née Barkley) and Ralph Brevard Knox. His father was a farmer and had a 106 acres (43 ha) cotton farm. He was raised as a Presbyterian.[1][2][3][4] He grew up on a farm in Davidson.[3] He graduated from North Mecklenburg High School.[5] His father died in 1955.[1] He graduated from North Carolina State University in 1960.[6] He was vice president and then president of North Carolina State University's student body.[7] While in college, he worked at Barger Construction Company.[5] He graduated with a law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law in 1963. He was a president of Wake Forest's Student Bar Association from 1962 to 1963.[1][8] In 1963, he was admitted to the bar in North Carolina.[9]

Career

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Knox was a member of the Pierce, Wardlow, Knox and Caudle law firm of Charlotte.[8] By 1967, he worked as a lawyer with the Wardlow, Knox, Caudle and Wade law firm.[10] He was chairman of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg water expansion team.[11][12]By 1972, the his law firm was renamed Wardlow, Knox, Caudle and Knox.[13] By 1974, the firm had changed to the Wardlow, Knox, Caudle and Ward law firm.[14] By 1986, he was a member of the Wardlow, Knox, Knox, Freeman and Scofield law firm. In that year, the firm moved from Tryon Street to Trade Street in Charlotte.[15]

In 1964, Knox was named as a head of Dan K. Moore's gubernatorial campaign's young voters' program.[8] He managed the campaign of Mecklenburg County solicitor Elliott M. Schwartz.[10] He was chairman of the North Carolina commission on correctional programs.[16][12] He was co-chairman of the committee to reduce state statutes for the Governor Morehead School and the North Carolina School for the Deaf.[16][12] He became a board member of both schools.[17] In 1969, he was the campaign manager of J. Melville Broughton Jr., son of Governor J. Melville Broughton.[17] He chaired the successful gubernatorial campaign of Jim Hunt in 1976.[6] He was appointed by Hunt to the advisory budget committee and later served as its chairman.[18][16]

In 1967, Knox was appointed by Governor Moore as a member of North Carolina's ABC Board.[10] He resigned from the board in January 1970.[19] He defeated incumbent Martha Evans in the Democratic primary for the North Carolina Senate in 1970 and ran unopposed and won the 27th district seat in November 1970.[13][20][21] In November 1972, he was re-elected to the North Carolina Senate, defeating Michael Mullins, for the 22nd district seat.[22] In 1971 and 1973, he advocated for legislation to use profits from liquor sales to treat alcoholics.[14] In 1974, he did not seek re-election to the state senate. He then served on the state commission on sentencing, criminal punishment, and rehabilitation.[23] He served as mayor of Charlotte from 1979 to 1983.[3] He ran for governor in 1984 and was defeated in the Democratic primary by Rufus Edmisten.[4][16] In 1984, he switched from the Democratic to the Republican Party.[1][6] He continued to work as a lawyer and was associated with the Knox Law Center (earlier the Knox, Brotherton, Knox and Godfrey firm).[1][3] He was owner and developer of the Verdict Ridge Golf and Country Club in Denver, North Carolina, starting in 1998.[1][3] He served on the board of visitors of Wake Forest University School of Law.[1]

Personal life

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Knox married Beverly Ann Blythe of Huntersville on August 2, 1957.[5] They had three children.[13] He separated from his wife for a number of years and they divorced in January 1977.[18] He married Frances Stegall Hinson on February 12, 1977.[18] His brother Joe Knox was mayor of Mooresville. His brother Russell Knox and his nephew Rusty Knox were mayors of Davidson.[1][3] He was a member of the Sardis Presbyterian Church.[13] He was later a member of the Bethel Presbyterian Church in Cornelius.[1] In the 1970s, he lived on Carmel Valley Drive and Canyon Trail in Charlotte.[18][13] He was an avid golfer.[1]

Knox died on June 22, 2026, at the age of 89.[1][3]

Awards

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In 1969, Knox was awarded the State Jaycees' annual "Outstanding Young Men" award.[12] He was also a recipient of the Mecklenburg County Distinguished Citizen Award and the Young Alumni Award of North Carolina State University.[13]

In 2008, Knox was inducted into the General Practice Hall of Fame by the North Carolina Bar Association. In 2024, a plaque was dedicated to Knox by a business in the former office of Knox.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Ramsey, Mary (June 22, 2026). "Eddie Knox, Mayor Who Led Charlotte Through A Different Era of Growth, Dies at 89". Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on June 23, 2026. Retrieved June 23, 2026.
  2. ^ "Ralph Knox". The Charlotte News. September 16, 1955. p. 18A. Retrieved June 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Lankford, Ciara (June 22, 2026). "Community Leader and Former Charlotte Mayor Eddie Knox Dies at Age 89". Queen City News. Retrieved June 22, 2026.
  4. ^ a b Eisenstadt, Art (April 1, 1984). "Eddie Knox: His Run for Governor Has Made It A Race". Winston-Salem Journal. p. 1. Retrieved June 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  5. ^ a b c "Miss Blythe, Mr. Knox Married in Huntersville". The Charlotte News. August 3, 1957. p. 11. Retrieved June 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  6. ^ a b c Christensen, Rob (May 30, 1999). "Running with the Wolfpack". newsobserver.com. Archived from the original on February 19, 2012.
  7. ^ "Davidson Youth Heads N.C. State Students". The Greensboro Record. April 10, 1959. p. 28. Retrieved June 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  8. ^ a b c "2 Named to Head Moore's Campaign for Young Voters". Durham Morning Herald. January 9, 1964. p. 14B. Retrieved June 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  9. ^ "57 Fail as 170 Applicants Pass Tarheel Bar Exam". Durham Morning Herald. August 18, 1963. p. 8. Retrieved June 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  10. ^ a b c "Eddie Knox Named to ABC Board". The Charlotte Observer. September 9, 1967. p. 8A. Retrieved June 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  11. ^ "Top 10 Young Men Selected by Jaycees". The Charlotte News. January 16, 1969. p. 20C. Retrieved June 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  12. ^ a b c d "Scott Urges Youth Council; JC's Give 5 Top Awards". The News & Observer. February 16, 1969. p. 7. Retrieved June 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  13. ^ a b c d e f "Five Seek Four Senate Vacancies". The Charlotte News. October 31, 1972. p. 3B. Retrieved June 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  14. ^ a b "Knox Vetoes Reelection". The Charlotte News. February 20, 1974. p. 2B. Retrieved June 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  15. ^ "Former Mayor's Law Firm Moving Off Tryon Street". The Charlotte Observer. December 4, 1986. p. 8B. Retrieved June 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  16. ^ a b c d "County Votes for Edmisten Over Eddie Knox". The Times. June 6, 1984. p. 9. Retrieved June 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  17. ^ a b Chaze, Bill (February 6, 1968). "Eddie Knox Will Manage Broughton Campaign Here". The Charlotte News. p. 2. Retrieved June 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  18. ^ a b c d "Wedding Bells for Eddie Knox". The Charlotte News. February 11, 1977. p. 13. Retrieved June 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  19. ^ "Knox Quits ABC Board". The Charlotte News. January 16, 1970. p. 5B. Retrieved June 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  20. ^ "Knox, Baugh Elected to N.C. Senate". The Charlotte Observer. November 4, 1970. p. 4B. Retrieved June 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  21. ^ "Here is a List of N.C. Senate Victors". Durham Morning Herald. November 5, 1970. p. 4C. Retrieved June 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  22. ^ "Hickory Senator's '74 Hopes Dashed By Loss to GOP". The Charlotte Observer. November 9, 1972. p. 2C. Retrieved June 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  23. ^ Noblitt, Bill (July 23, 1974). "Hunt Faces Strong Foes in Bid for Governorship". The Durham Sun. p. 4B. Retrieved June 23, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
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