Newt's family was six white children ages 2-10 and a wife.
Rachel Knight's family was six mixed race children, ages 17-7
In 1880 Rachel states she is a widow, born in Georgia. Her oldest child named D. A. Knight was also born in Georgia. The rest in Mississippi
Newt is still living next door with his family.
So, this suggest Newton was involved with this woman, but with the other information from 1860 and 1866, seems to have been after the war.
But... From a family tree note by Alice McDonald
"Rachel was a "mulatto" slave purchased by John "Jackie" Knight in 1856. Her parents are unknown. (Negro slaves took the last names of their owners since they had none of their own.)
Rachel had two female children with her at the time she was purchased, Rosette (about 3 years) and Georgeann (less than 1 year old). Rachel was pregnant at the time she was purchased (unbenounced to her new owner). She later gave birth to her son Jefferson. (Georgeann and Jefferson appeared to have been fathered by a white man which would make them "quadroon's" or one quarter negro.)
Rachel greatly aided John "Jackie" Knight's grandson, Newt, and his band of Confederate army deserters, when they hid out in the Mississippi swamps of "No Mans Land" during the war between the north and the south. Rachel provided them with food, "entertainment" and was also their look out. During that time she became pregnant with her daughter Faney, who also appeared to have been fathered by a white man.
Newt felt responsible for Rachel and her mixed blood children, so after the war he rewarded Rachel by building her a house and allowing her and her children to become tenant farmers on his land.
As a result of his cowardly, bandit actions during the war, Newt and his family were shunned by the southern white people of Jones County, Mississippi.
Newt was afraid his children would never be able to find a suitable white mate and wanted to wipe out the mixed blood of Rachel's children, so in December of 1884 he forced his daughter Molly to marry Rachel's son Jefferson and his son George to marry Rachel's daughter Faney in a double wedding ceremony in Jones County, Mississippi."
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David Upton