GENERAL INFORMATION
John
Frederick Knappenberger was born 6 November 1846 in Wuerttemberg, Germany and died 28 October 1920
in Waldo Township, Marion County, Ohio. He was first married in Germany about
1873 to an unknown spouse who died about 1877/1878 in Germany. With
his first wife, he had two daughters: Elizabeth and Nora.
John
then married Catharine Rose LEIS in Germany about 1878. Catharine was
born 14 May 1852 in Wuerttemberg, Germany and died 31 January 1921 in Waldo, Marion County,
Ohio. John Frederick arrived in the United States in 1881, Catharine Rose arrived in
the United States in 1882. Both received their citizenship in 1888. The immigration information for
Catharine Knappenberger lists her as 30 years of age upon her arrival in
the USA and her country of origin was Wurttemburg. She and the two
oldest daughters (Elizabeth and Nora) arrived on the ship "Rhynland" that arrived in New York on
1 June 1882.
Catharine and John are buried in Prospect
Cemetery in Waldo, Marion County, Ohio. From the 1900 census
we learn that John was a farmer and that he had seven children.
John had an older sister, Elizabeth
Knappenberger who also immigrated to Marion County, Ohio with her
husband, Frederick John Ruth.
It seems likely
that John Frederick Knappenberger's father was named Frederick Knappenberger
but we know nothing further about his parentage or his ancestry. We hope one day to make the connection back to
the German Knappenberger lines.
CHILDREN
ELIZABETH KNAPPENBERGER (1874-1940)
Elizabeth, listed as "Lisilte" on the immigration
records, was born 12 September 1874 in Wuerttemberg, Germany to John and his
first wife.
She is listed as single in the 1910 and 1920 censuses and a servant in the Edward
Mautz or Martz household in Richland Township, Marion County, Ohio. She died 22 May 1940
in Marion County, Ohio and was buried in Prospect Cemetery in Marion County,
Ohio. Elizabeth never married.
NONA MAGDALENA KNAPPENBERGER (1877-1916)
Nona Magdalena was born 12 April 1877 in Wuerttemberg, Germany to
John and his first wife and died 22 May 1916 in Marion County, Ohio. She is
buried in Windfall Cemetery, Morrow County, Ohio. She married
William F. HIMLER, son of Edward Himler and Elizabeth Ackom, in 1904.
William was born 9 September 1879 in Marion County, Ohio and died 13 August 1955 in
Bucyrus, Crawford County, Ohio. William and Nora had three children.
William remarried after the death of Nona to Anna Gehringer (1891-1970) and had two more children: Gladys Himler who married
Wayne Beam and William R. Himler who died during World War II in Europe. William
F. Himler was buried in Oakwood Cemetery in
Bucyrus, Ohio.
1. Arthur E. Himler was born 4 December 1905 in Marion County,
Ohio and died on 12 September 1982 in Broward County, Florida. He married Mabel
Dell STRINE, daughter of James W. Strine and Emma Jane Klingel. Mabel was
born 12 March 1905 in Ohio and died 9 January 1997 in Broward County, Ohio.
Mabel remarried 4 August 1989 to Leroy Daniel Ensinger.
2. Harold J. Himler was born 26 December 1909 in Marion County,
Ohio and died 15 April 1969 in Allen County, Ohio. He married Erma
Gertrude SHULL. Erma was born 21 February 1910 and died 20 February 1985 in Crawford
County, Ohio. They had a son named John A. Himler who married Nancy
Lou Wilson.
3. Emma Himler was born 23 May 1912 in Marion County, Ohio
and died August 1986 in Mercer County, Ohio. She married Arthur Frederick
Elsasser, son of August Gustav Elsasser and Rosina Elizabeth Jacobs, in September
1936. Arthur was born 1 May 1915 in Ohio and died 22 June 1997 in Mercer County,
Ohio.
HANNAH KNAPPENBERGER (1883-1968)
Hannah (daughter of John and Catharine) was born 11 May 1883 in Marion
County, Ohio and died May 1968 in Ashley, Delaware County, Ohio. She married John W. REELY about 1909. John was born November 1862 in
Ohio. They had two children.
1. Inez K. Reely was born 5 December 1910 in Marion
County, Ohio and died 1 December 1996 in Marion County, Ohio. She married John
W. BALDWIN who was born 27 Nov 1908 and died 7 February 1985 in Marion County, Ohio.
2. Ralph J. Reely was born 1 March 1915 in Ohio and died 14 November 1971
in Delaware County, Ohio. He married Inez Eileen Rolllins who was born 1 May
1917 in Logan County, Ohio and died 4 January 1997 in Delaware County, Ohio.
They had a daughter, Joan.
JOHN "ALBERT" KNAPPENBERGER (1887-1963)
John "Albert" (son of John and Catharine) was born 26 May 1887 in Richland
Township, Marion County,
Ohio and died 10 March 1963 in Columbus, Ohio. His World War I draft
registration gives his name as John Albert Knappenberger. He married Flora RUSH,
daughter of Stephen Blatchley Rush and Mary Berry, about 1919 in Marion County,
Ohio. Flora was born
20 November 1898 in Waldo Township, Marion County, Ohio and died 9 March 1967 in Marion County, Ohio.
They are buried in Waldo Cemetery in Marion County, Ohio. Albert and Flora had four children.
1. Jeraldine "Jerri" L. Knappenberger was born
June 1920 in
Marion County, Ohio. She married Cecil W. SMITH who was born about 1917 in
Marion County, Ohio and died November 1975 in Marion County, Ohio and
was buried in Waldo Cemetery. Jerri remarried on 16 January 1979 to
Robert W. Daugherty. Robert was born 14 August 1918 in Elyria, Ohio and
died 22 February 2005 in Marion County, Ohio.
2. Betty Jean Knappenberger was born 20 April 1926 in
Marion County, Ohio and died there on 22 September 1994. She was first married to Carl W. GRANGER
(1922) and had 6
children. This marriage ended in divorce. In 1970, she married Carroll C. CONKLIN, Jr. DDS who was born
11 May 1925 and died 8 May 2004 in Marion County, Ohio.
3. Joseph A. Knappenberger was born about 1930 in Marion County,
Ohio. He married Barbara Jean HENTZE, daughter of Dan K. Hentze, in
August 1954 in Marion County, Ohio.
4. Jackie Edward Knappenberger was born 23 December
1931 in Marion County, Ohio and died there on 16 April 1933 at the age of 1
year, 3 months and 8 days.
EDWARD WILLIAM KNAPPENBERGER (1889-1977)
Edward William (son of John and Catharine) was born 22 June 1889 in
Marion County, Ohio and died 14 March 1977 in Marion County, Ohio. He married
Mary M. RENTSCHLER, daughter of George Rentschler and Christenia Aidt. Mary was born 26 July 1891 in Marion County and died 12 March
1965 in Marion County, Ohio. This couple married after the 1920 census
since Edward was listed as single in his brother's household at that time. This couple had
twin daughters.
1. Mae Eileen Knappenberger was born 1925 in Ohio. She married Gerald Harvey
SCHROTE, son of Harvey Wesley Schrote and Lillian Lindora Beckel, on 21 June
1953 in Waldo, Ohio. Gerald was born 7 June 1925
in Marion County, Ohio and died 23 March 2002
in Marion County, Ohio. This couple had 5
children.
2. Mary Ellen Knappenberger was born 1925 in Ohio.
EMMA N. KNAPPENBERGER (1892-1983)
Emma N. (daughter of John and Catharine) was born 4 July 1892 in Marion
County, Ohio and died 30 September 1983 in Marion County, Ohio. She married William
John OEHLER
about 1912 in Ohio. William was born 21 August 1882 in Ohio and died
24 December 1941 in Marion County, Ohio. His parents
were from Germany. This couple had 5 children. The family lived in
Prospect Township, Marion County, Ohio during the 1930 census.
1. C. Ruth Oehler was born 25 January 1916 in Marion Co.,
Ohio and died there 14 May 1966. She married Charles H. Arndt in
1940. Charles was born 4 July 1888 and died 1 January 1977 in Marion County,
Ohio. They had a son.
2. Freida G. Oehler was born 11 Jan 1918 in Marion County, Ohio and died
April 1975 in Ohio. She
married Keith BLUE who was born 2 Aug 1914 and died Jan 1978 in Delaware County,
Ohio. They had 3 children.
3. Magdaline M. Oehler was born 1921 in Marion
County, Ohio. She married Richard E. RUTH about 1945. They had two
children.
4. Carl Edward Oehler was born 16 March 1924 in Marion County, Ohio
and died 10 June
1999 in Crawford Co., Ohio. He married unknown and had 3 children.
5. Cecil B. Oehler was born about 1926 in Marion Co., Ohio. He
married unknown and had two children.
INEZ L. KNAPPENBERGER (1895-1910/1920)
Inez L. (daughter of John and Catharine) was born February 1895 in Marion County,
Ohio. We believe that she died sometime between 1910 and 1920.
She was listed as 15 years of age in the 1910 census living with her
parents. However, at the time of her father's death in 1920, she was
not listed as a survivor.
A special thank you to Richard
Arndt
for his interest and assistance with
this family.
Are you a member of this family?
Please contact us jsappleton@windstream.net.
Thank you!