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GENERAL INFORMATION
John Adam Knappenberg, son of J. Henry Knappenberger, was born 1769 in Macungie
Township, Northampton County
(later Lehigh County), PA. He died 1830 in Sparta, Livingston County, New
York. He married Mary Katherine MOYER, daughter of Leonard C. Moyer
(Meier) and Magdalena Schmidt about 1792. Mary Katherine was born
about 1771 in Macungie Township, Northampton County, PA and died 10 July 1852 in Livingston County, New
York.
John Adam moved his family to New York in 1808 and changed the spelling of
the family name to KNAPPENBERG.
From Vinnie Knappenberger's 1916 family history we learn:
"John Adam was the eldest son of Henry Knappenberger ... In 1794 he
married Mary Katherine Moyer and later with his wife and seven children, Jacob,
Sarah, Mary, George, Margaret, Joseph and John, moved to Catervissa (sic),
Pennsylvania and in August of 1808 to Danville, New York. They had two
wagons, two cows and four pigs. Night and morning they milked the cows and
the motion of the wagons churned the milk into butter. They fed the
buttermilk to the pigs. After traveling two weeks, cooking and baking on
the way, they reached Danville, a hamlet of seven small houses near where the
'Old Bank' building now stands. All around was the
wilderness. June 3, 1809, the father, John Adam, and his eldest son,
Jacob, went down the valley three miles and bought the farm, now known as
'Cascade Farm'. On this land was a small log house. Here
for years until after the death of the father in 1830, they kept tavern, and
here in 1836 they built the new house."
Henry Knappenberger, father-in-law of Mary Katherine, gave her a large German
Bible. At her death it went to her oldest child, presumable Sally
Hartman. Then the grandchild who could read German was to get it
next. It was given to Harriet Tousey Sanders of Nunda, New York around
1900. Katherine Knappenberg (granddaughter of John Adam and Mary
Katherine) gave a painting of this family Bible done by Teresa "Ressie"
Knappenberg Baylor (great-granddaughter of John Adam and Mary Katherine) to hang
in the chapel at Dansville in memory of the name Knappenberger.
CHILDREN
SALOME "SARAH" KATHERINE KNAPPENBERGER (1793-1884)
Salome "Sarah" Katherine was born 7 February 1793 in
Northampton County, PA and died 27 March 1884 in North Dansville, Livingston
County, New York.
Sarah married Jacob HARTMAN, son of Harmon Hartman and Mary Catherine Weaver
about 1810 in Dansville, New York. Jacob was born 1787 in Macungie Township,
Northampton County, PA. He
died at the age of 44 on 22 October 1831 in Livingston County, New York. Sarah
lived past 90 years of age. Sarah and Jacob had the following
children.
1. Catherine Hartman was born October 1812 in Sparta, New York. She married Henry F.
HARRISON, a blacksmith, about 1834. Henry was born about 1806 in
Massachusetts. They had three children: George (born about 1835), Mary Catherine
(born April 1841) and James H. (born about 1848).
2. Mary Hartman known as "Polly" was born about 1813 in Livingston County,
New York and died 28
March 1897 in North Dansville, New York. She first married Frederick HOUSE who
was born about 1810 and died 1844. As a widow, she then married Dr.
William H. REYNALE, a widower, on 22 February 1852 in North Dansville, New York. William
was born 27 February 1794 in Hunterdon County, New Jersey and he died 7 August 1870 in
Dansville, New York. Polly had no children although Dr. Reynale had five children
with his first wife, Harriet Palmer.
3. Frances Hartman was born in 1816 in Livington County, New York and died 22 May 1887. She married
Orville TOUSEY about 1834 in North Dansville, New York. Orville was born April 1811
in Connecticut and died 1 June 1867 in Dansville, New York. They are
buried in Greenmount Cemetery, Dansville, New York. Frances and Orville had
seven children: Alford B. (12 July 1835 - 24 August 1835), Nancy Jane (born about
1837- 1885) who married George Allen SANDERS (26 December 1835 - 9 October 1910), Frederick
H. (22 October 1837 - 17 April 1842), Sarah C. (born about 1838) who married
Major Azariah Conger BRUNDAGE (born 20 January 1837), Grandison H. (born about
1839 - 25 April 1886), Harriett
E. (born about 1840) and Frances C. (born about 1849 - 10 May 1910).
4. Harriet Hartman was born about 1817 in Livingston County, New York and died 1874 in
North Dansville, New York. She married Daniel INGERSOL about 1840. He was
born abut 1806 in New York. They had a daughter, Mary E., who was adopted
and whose birth name was Mary WALTAN.
5. Lydia Hartman was born about 1819 in Livingston County, New York. She married Martin J. STOVER.
6. Margaret Hartman was born about 1819. She married Caleb P. EATON, a harness maker
by trade. He was born about 1818 in New York and died about 1855 in
Livingston County, New York. They had eight children including: Charles (born 1837),
Mary (born about 1839), Sarah J. (born about 1840), James (born about 1842), Avery (born about 1847), Joseph
(born about 1850), Catherine (born about 1852) and Frances (born March 1855).
7. Allen M. Hartman was born about 1822 in Livingston County, New York.
8. James M. Hartman was born 1824 in Livingston County, New York and died 18 January
1854. James was a stage driver. He married Mary who was born
about 1829.
9. Sarah Jane Hartman was born 1825 in North Dansville, New York and died 4 April 1897 in
Detroit, Michigan. Sarah married Samuel F. ILICK in 1844. He was
born October 1814 in Pennsylvania. They had one daughter: Jennie E.
(born October 1846 in New York).
10. Henry M. Hartman was born about 1827 in Livingston County, New York.
11. Andrew Jackson Hartman known as "Jack" was born 1830 and died 12 September 1880
.
MARIA "POLLY" KNAPPENBERG (1795-1880)
Maria "Polly" was born 7 February 1795 in Northampton
County, PA and died 1880 in New York. Polly married Philip KERSHNER, son
of Philip Kershner and Christiana Ridenour, in 1814. Philip was born 1784
in Maryland and died 1850 in Livingston County, New York. They had the
following children.
1. Elizabeth M. Kershner was born 13 October 1815 in Livingston County, New
York and died 14
May 1873. She married Burr PECK. They had a son: Alfred J. (born
in 1834 and died in 1873).
2. Nathaniel D. Kershner was born 1817 and died 1844.
3. Henry A. Kershner was born 1820 and died 1892. He married Eliza A.
OSBORNE who was born 1819 and died 1850. They had five children:
William Henry (18 May 1843-13 March 1877) who married Charlotte Lenora LOVE (26
January 1849- September 1913), Frances A.
(1845- 1863), Amanda, Elizabeth Alvaretta who married Frank WHALEN, and
Robert Campbell who married Carrie ROBINSON. Henry remarried
after the death of his first wife to Maria SHUTT, daughter of Johannes Shutt and
Christina Wilti. Maria was born 26 August 1824 in PA and died 25 June
1901.
4. Joseph Kershner was born in 1820.
5. Mary C. Kershner was born in 1825.
6. Benjamin F. Kershner was born 1829 in Livingston County, New York and died 1887. He married Eliza L. SOUTHMAYD who was born about 1832 in New York. They had three children: Rosa A. (1856-1864), Lilla Clare
(born 1867) who married Charles S. BROWNING, and Mamie Peck (1869- 1957) who married
George E. WALTER.
JACOB KNAPPENBERG (1797-1866)
Jacob was born 6 May 1797 in Northampton County, PA and died
April 1866 in Dansville, Livingston County, New York. From Vinnie Knappenberger's 1916 family history we
learn, "Jacob worked for his father until he was twenty-four years of age and
he had two suits of clothes, an axe and four dollars in money. Then he
learned the wagon making trade. He used to rim and spoke one set of wheels
in eight and one-half hours while a man stood by and waited for which he
received four dollars. He worked late and early and paid board to his
father. When his father died, Jacob had four thousand dollars at
interest. After the death of the father, John Adam, the two sons, Jacob
and Joseph, bought out the other heirs and owned the farm until 1879.
Jacob died April 1866, aged 68. He had been an honest upright
Christian. Often he was heard to say, "If I ever wronged a man one
dollar and he would tell me, I would restore him four-fold." Jacob
never married.
JOHAN GEORGE KNAPPENBERG (1799- ?)
Johan "George" was born 19 September 1799 in Northampton County, PA
and was baptized at Trexlertown Union Church. He moved with the
family to New York state and there married a Miss s KENNEDY in 1827.
He is believed to have died in Michigan. We know
nothing further about this couple at this time.
HENRY B. KNAPPENBERG (1803-1887)
The Henry B. Knappenberg Homestead
West Sparta, New York
[photograph graciously provided by Douglas Morgan]
Henry B. was born 19 March 1803 in Northampton County,
PA and died 30 May 1887 at the age of 85 in Dansville, Livingston County, New
York. Henry married Elizabeth M. SLAIGHT, daughter of John Slaight and Mary
Marshall, on 11 June 1833 in Livingston County, New York. Elizabeth was
born 26 March 1813 in Groveland, Livingston County, New York and died 4 August
1873 in Livingston County, New York. Henry was a farmer owning
approximately 370 acres. His obituary states, "He never held any
important public office, but he was regarded by his neighbors as one of the
noblest works of God." Henry and Elizabeth had the following children.
1. Mary C. Knappenberg was born 31 March 1836 in Livingston County, New York. She
married James BEVIER on 21 October 1864. They had one son: Clarence
Bevier. Seemingly, Mary died young.
2. Elizabeth Knappenberger was born 23 March 1837 in Livingston County, NY
and died after 1900 there. She was married three
times.
Her first marriage was to a Mr. VAN DEVENTER.
Her second marriage was to Abraham D. BEVIER, son of Andrew Bevier and
Elizabeth Ellston, on 22 January 1862 in Tuscarora, Livingston County, New
York. Abraham was born 20 March 1833 in Ohio and died 1 April 1864 in
Richland County, Ohio. They had one son:
a. William Jackson Bevier was born 27 Dec 1862 in Ohio and died 28
August 1928 in Livingston County, New York. William married
Anna A. CRAWFORD, daughter of Robert Crawford and Betty Belle on 3 Aug 1893 in
New York. Anna was born 20 July 1866 in Groveland, NY and died 30 march
1955 in Livingston County, New York. They had a daughter, Elizabeth
Belle Bevier and a son Robert Abraham Bevier.
Her third marriage was to Andrew SEDAM (original spelling was SWYDERN),
son of Daniel P. Sedam and Cynthia Bergen. Andrew was born November 1832
in Livingston County, NY and died there after 1900. They had four children
of which we know 3:
b. Daniel P. Sedam was born March 1869 in Livingston County, NY. He
first married Laura D. (maiden name unknown) about 1896. Laura was born
March 1868 in New York. They had two sons: William Glenn Sedam born
4 Jan 1898 and Cecil A. Sedam born Dec 1899; both born in Livingston County,
NY. Daniel remarried about 1903 to Flora (maiden name unknown) who
was born about 1870 in New York.
c. Charles A. Sedam was born January 1870 in Livingston County, New
York. He married Mae L. (maiden name unknown) about 1895. Mae was
born Aug 1875 in New York. They had one son: Fletcher Miller Sedam
born 4 Jan 1896 in Livingston County, New York.
3. Sarah Jane Knappenberg was born 12 September 1838 in Livingston County,
New York and died 12 August 1916 in Bergen
County, New Jersey. Sarah married Jasper Johnson ROBINSON known as "John",
son of Levi Robinson, Jr. and Desdemona Denton, on 1 January 1861. John was born
1 May 1835 in Sparta, New York and died 12 May 1920 in Bergen County, New Jersey. In the
1870s, this family moved to Lincoln, Nebraska. They had the
following children:
a. Edward James Robinson was born 8 June 1863 in Livingston Co., NY and
died 8 February 1916 in Chicago, Cook Co., Illinois. He married Effie
Alberta CORNELL on 21 July 1890. She was born 7 March 1868 in Clay Co.,
Missouri and died 13 March 1923 in Los Angeles, California. They had 3
sons: Ralph Cornell Robinson born 8 June 1891 in Nebraska, Paul Edward
Robinson born 28 Oct 1896 in Nebraska and Carl B. Robinson born Feb 1898 in
South Dakota.
b. Henry Levi Robinson was born 29 Sept 1865 in Genesee Co., NY and died 6
Dec 1938 in Buchanan County, Missouri, He married Carrie A. FLUCARD on 28
Nov 1889. Carrie was born Feb 1861 and died 16 may 1961 in Pinella County,
Florida. They had two children: Harold E. Robinson born
1 Oct 1894 in Missouri and Ona M. Robinson born April 1897 in Missouri.
c. Charles Warner Robinson was born 9 Oct 1867 in Livingston Co., NY
and died 22 Sept 1945 in Lincoln, Nebraska. He married Minnie J. KAAR who
was born 2 June 1873 in Illinois and died 6 June 1949 in Lincoln,
Nebraska. They had 13 children: Helen R. Robinson (25 Aug 1894),
Donald K. Robinson born 24 April 1896 and died young, Bernice Robinson
born 3 Oct 1898 and died young, Charles W. Robinson, Jr. born 27 Jan 1900,
Jeanne Robinson, born about 1902, Esther Robinson born about 1904, William Duane
Robinson born about 1906, Sarah J. Robinson born about 1908, Marlin Robinson
born about 1909, Maxine Robinson born about 1912, Harriet F. Robinson born about
1914, Theodora Robinson born about 1916 and E. Woodrow Robinson born about
1918. All were born in Lincoln, Nebraska.
d. Denton Moore Robinson was born 7 Dec 1878 in Lincoln, Nebraska and
died October 1953 in Windham County, Vermont. He married Josephine
Hutchins who was born about 1870 in Massachusetts and died 7 June 1942. No
children were born to this couple.
4. William S. Knappenberg was born 10 October 1840 and died 5 January 1915. He
is buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Nunda, New York. William enlisted with the New York infantry at the age of 22 to fight in the
Civil War. He enlisted on 29 August 1862 as a Private
and was promoted to a Full Corporal in 1864. He served in the New York
Enlisted F Company / 136th Infantry Regiment until he was mustered out on 13 June
1865. William married Elizabeth J. MARSH, daughter of Theresa, who was born June 1838 in
New York. They had one daughter: Theresa E. known as "Ressie" (born January
1872 in Livingston County, New York) who married
a dentist named William BAYLOR (born April 1865 in New York).
5. Jacob Knappenberg was born 26 March 1843 and died 11 November 1915. Jacob
married Frances BERGEN who was born May 1848 in New York and died sometime after
1920. They had a daughter: Mabel V. (born August 1871) who was a school teacher.
Mabel V. was single at the age of
48 in the 1920 census and in the 1930 census was 58 and single.
6. Frances G. Knappenberg was born 1 June 1845 and died 9 August 1845. She is
buried in Union Corners Cemetery, West Sparta, Livingston County, New York.
7. John Henry Knappenberg was born 22 August 1847 and died 25 February 1922
in Livingston County, New York. John
Henry owned "Brookside" farm which was considered an up-to-date farm
raising grain and specialized in stock raising, particularly horse
breeding.
John Henry first married Frances E. CREVELING who was born 8
April 1847 and died 6 April 1880. They are buried in Union
Corners Cemetery. John Henry and Frances had
four children: Georgianna (born 17 February 1870) who married a Mr. O'KIN, Elizabeth "Lizzie" (born 29
September 1871) who married a Mr. LaBOYTEEN, Mary Rose (born 1 August 1875) who married a
Mr. BEAN, and Kittie (18 April 1877-18 July 1878).
John Henry then
married Ida M. DALRYMPLE who was born 14 August 1856 in Mt. Morris, New York and
died 1922. She was the daughter of Amos Opdyke Dalrymple and Francis M.
Darling. Ida was the postmistress of West Sparta, Livingston County, New
York in
1898. John Henry and
Ida had three children: Vera Knappenberg (born about 1885) who married Cameron A. ROWE
(born about 1893), Henry W. Knappenberg (30 January 1891-8 February 1892), and Ruth
Knappenberg (born 28 April 1895) who married Harold R. Brown, M.D.(1897-1971)
about 1926 .
8. Harriet Knappenberg was born 17 June 1852 in Livingston County, New York and died 18 November 1862. She was buried in Union Corners Cemetery.
MARGARET KNAPPENBERG (1805-1891)
Margaret was born October 1805 in Catawissa,
Northumberland County, PA and died 1891 in Caledonia, Livingston County, New York. She married Duncan
SINCLAIR in 1825. Duncan was born in Caledonia, Livingston County, New
York and died 1837-1840 when Margaret appears as a widow in the 1840
census and
head of household in Caledonia, Livingston County, New York.
Margaret and Duncan had four children:
1. James D. Sinclair was born about 1830 in Livingston County, New York. He
first married Emma [maiden name unknown] who was born about
1834 in England and died about 1851 in Caledonia, Livingston County, New
York and seemingly died about 1860-1861. James and Emma had two children: Fremont Sinclair
(born about 1855 in
Livingston County, New York and died 1860-1870 and Duncan Sinclair (born about 1857 in
Livingston County, New York).
James remarried about 1861 to
Theresa C. [maiden name unknown] who was born about 1840 in New York and
died 1910/1920 in Livingston Co., NY. James and Theresa had at least three
children:
a. Frank Sinclair born about 1862 and died sometime before 1910.
b. J. Elbert Sinclair born April 1869 in Livingston Co.,
NY. He married Leona (daughter of Elizabeth) who was born June 1872
in New York. They had two children: Eva Sinclair born Sept
1897 and Harold D. Sinclair born 23 June 1907 and died 28 June 1990.
c. Margaretta Sinclair born 1880 in Caledonia, Livingston Co., NY
who married Daniel W. PETERS about 1903. Daniel was born about 1880
in New York. They had 7 children: Florence C.
Peters (about 1905), Ethel M. Peters (about 1906), Beatrice M. Peters (abt
1909), Doris L. Peters (about 1913), Emory C. Peters (12 May 1912-April
1984) and Alton D. Peters (22 Jan 1920-10 July 2004).
2. Jane Sinclair was born about 1832 in Livingston County, New
York. She was 18 years old in the 1850 census and living with her
widowed mother and three brothers.
3. Duncan Sinclair was born about 1834 in Livingston County, New York
and
died 1910/1920 in Livingston County, New York. He is listed as
widowed in the 1900 and 1910 census though we do not know his wife's
name. He married late in life and seemingly never had any children. In the 1850,
1860, 1870 and 1880 censuses, he is living with his widowed mother, Margaret,
and farming the family farm.
4. David Frank Sinclair was born 31 May 1838 in Livingston County, New
York and died 18 August 1913 in Burlington, Des Moines County, Iowa.
David is buried in Aspen Grove Cemetery, Burlington, Iowa. He
married Loretta REEVES on 20 September 1875 in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Loretta was
born Dec 1847 in New York (both parents born in Vermont) and died sometime
after 1920. David was a member of the 136th New York Infantry Volunteers during the Civil War.
In the 1920 census for Des Moines, Iowa Loretta R. Sinclair is listed as
72 years of age and widowed. Census records indicate that this
couple had no children.
A special thank you to Lesa VanSon
for her research on David Frank Sinclair
If you are a descendant of this
Sinclair family,
we would like to hear from you.
Please contact us
at jsappleton@windstream.net
JOSEPH KNAPPENBERG (1808-1884)
Joseph was born 6 December 1808 in Northumberland County, PA and died 1884 in Dansville, New York. Joseph married late in life to Jane GILLESPIE in 1863.
Jane was the daughter of Richard B. Gillespie and Margaret Gray. Jane was born about
1819 in Livingston County, New York. No children were born to this
marriage.
SAMUEL KNAPPENBERG (1811-c1811)
Samuel was born 1811 in Dansville, New York and died in infancy.
He was the twin of Adam Knappenberg.
ADAM KNAPPENBERG (1811-c1860)
Phoebe
[Van Ness Bogart] |
n Adam
n |
Grace
[Morris] |
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| i |
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i |
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| Katherine & Jennie |
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John Adam |
n |
Sarah
[Carpenter] |
| i |
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i |
| no children to either |
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4 children |
Adam was born 1811 in Dansville, New York. He first married
Phoebe VAN NESS BOGART in 1835. Phoebe was born 1817 in New York and
died about 1841 in Livingston County, New York. They had two daughters.
1. Katherine Knappenberg was born 1 April 1836 in Livingston
County, New York and on 29 November 1916 in Livingston County, New York. She never married.
2. Jennie Knappenberg was born about 1840 in Livingston County,
New York. Jenny was a dressmaker in Dansville in 1868. In 1870 she
was living with her half brother, John Adam Knappenberger, in Sparta, at
30 years of age and single.
Adam then married Grace MORRIS in 1842. Grace was born in Clifton
Springs, New York. They had one child: John Adam Knappenberg.
We know that Adam and Grace died prior to 1860 because two children,
Katherine and Adam, were living with their bachelor uncles (Joseph and
Jacob) on the family farm in the 1860 census.
3. John Adam Knappenberg known as "Adam" was born 23 December 1842
in Livingston County, New York and died 21 September
1917 in Dansville, New York. John Adam Knappenberg married Sarah F. CARPENTER, daughter of Thorn
Carpenter and Loretta Leroy, in 1873. Sarah was born March 1845 and died
sometime after 1925.
They had four children.
a. Grace Knappenberger was born 1874. She married a Mr. MERRILL
and had two children: Robert Merrill and Gertrude Merrill who
married a Mr. NASH and lived in Mountainview, California.
b. Loretta L. Knappenberg, MD was born about 1876 in Livingston County,
New York and died 13 September 1962 in Buffalo, New York. Dr. Knappenberg
never married but she did adopt a daughter Angela C. (born 21 December 1911 and
died 17 January 1991) who married a Mr. PRATT and had two sons,
John Pratt and Paul Pratt.
c. Joseph T. Knappenberger was born 28 January 1880 in Dansville, New York
and died 7 June 1945 in Klickitat County, Washington. He married Helen V.
FORD on 27 January 1909. Helen was born 27 July 1871 in Oregon and
died May 1967. Joseph was an attorney at law. It seems
that this couple had no children.
d. Charles W. Knappenberger was born 20 January 1885. He served during World War I.
Charles married Mabel FRAZIER who was born 18 December 1888 in New York and died April
1984. They had a daughter: Janice who married a Mr. BLUM. Charles was a lawyer and served as district attorney for Livington County,
New York
from 1921 to 1923.
JOHN KNAPPENBERG (1814-1873)
John was born 1814 in Dansville, Livingston County, New York and died 1873 in
Livingston County, New
York. It seems John never married. He is listed in the 1870
census in Caledonia, Livingston County, New York as John "Nattenburgh"
and working on the farm of Duncan Sinclair. Also in this
household is John's widowed sister, Margaret (Knappenberg) Sinclair [see
above].
If you wish additional information or care to share family
information
please
contact us at jsappleton@windstream.net
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SPECIAL THANKS GOES TO
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