On Saturday, April 18, 2026, over 90 guests attended a presentation by Elma McKnight, a retired Murfreesboro City School System educator. McKnight is a direct descendant of David Maney, a blacksmith who was enslaved on the Oaklands / Maney plantation. The plantation would later become a battlefield, an historic house museum and public park.
For five generations, the legacy of David Maney has been rooted in Murfreesboro. David was a skilled blacksmith whose labor and craftsmanship helped sustain the very grounds where history is now preserved. Today, that legacy comes full circle. Five generations later, his granddaughter, Elma Black McKnight, now serves on the Board of Trustees at Oaklands Mansion, the same site where her ancestor once lived and labored. Her service represents not only a powerful personal journey, but a living connection to history, resilience, and the enduring presence of David Maney’s family in Murfreesboro. Join us as McKnight shares David Maney’s story.
The presentation was sponsored by Murfree, Goodman & Rosado, PLLC and The Rutherford County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
