GENERAL INFORMATION
Solomon Knappenberger, son of John Knappenberger, was born 15 April 1805 in
Franklin Township, Westmoreland County, PA. He died on 10 February 1897 in
Delmont, Westmoreland County, PA. He married Elizabeth WALTON, daughter of
George Walton and Magdalene Blose, on 29 April 1830 in Westmoreland County,
PA. Elizabeth was born 28 August 1809 in Franklin Township, Westmoreland
County, PA and died 28 February 1886 in Salem Township, Westmoreland County, PA.
From Vinnie Knappenberger's 1916 family history we learn:
"John's
son Solomon married Elizabeth Walton and settled on a farm in the Beaver Run
Valley of Salem Township, not far from Manor Valley. Solomon, like
many of the Knappenbergers, was a carpenter and contractor. Solomon became
the father of twelve children. Solomon and his wife worshipped all their
lives in the Denmark Manor Reformed Church where they brought up their children
to be true to the teachings and ideals of the Christian church. Here they
and many of their children lied buried. Solomon's descendents have played
their part in the work of their several communities."
Gravemarker for Solomon Knappenberger
and his wife,
Elisabeth [Walton] Knappenberger, at Denmark Manor Church Cemetery
in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
[photo graciously provided by Allen Knappenberger]
CHILDREN
JOHN JOSEPH KNAPPENBERGER, SR. (1832-1900)
Grave Marker for John Joseph Knappenberger, and
his first wife,
Lavina Annie [Saul] Knappenberger, and his second wife, Sarah Jane [Walker]
Knappenberger,
and two of his children, Henry "Edward" Knappenberger and Maggie Belle Knappenberger,
at Eastview Union Cemetery in Delmont, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
[photo graciously provided by Sue Appleton]
John Joseph was born in 1832 in Westmoreland County, PA and
died 29 May 1900 in Delmont, Westmoreland County, PA. From Vinnie
Knappenberger's family history, we learn that "John J. who first married Lavina
Saul and at her death married Sarah Jane Walker, was the father of eight
children. He was a carpenter and contractor all his life. He lived
all his life in or near Greensburg, PA and is buried in Delmont, PA along with
both of his wives." John and his wives are buried in Eastview
Union Cemetery in Westmoreland County, PA. John first married Lavina Annie
SAUL, daughter of Solomon Saul, on 7 September 1854
in Westmoreland County, PA. Lavina was born in 1835 and died in 1866 in
Westmoreland County, PA. Lavina and John had two children. Upon the death of
Lavina, John married a second time to Sarah Jane WALKER known as
"Jennie" on 21 January 1869 in Westmoreland County, PA. Sarah was born in 1840 in Westmoreland County, PA and died in Greensburg, PA on 4
October 1935. Sarah and John had six children.
1. Anna Jane Knappenberger, child of Lavina and John, was born about
1855 in Westmoreland County, PA. She died sometime between 1883 and 1900
when her two daughters were living with her widowed step-mother. She married James "Carson"
BLAIR on 20 February 1879 in Westmoreland County, PA. Carson was born
about 1856 in Salem Township, Westmoreland County, PA. Anna and Carson
had two daughters.
a. Mary E. Blair was born 20 January 1881 in Westmoreland County, PA and
died 11 July 1942 in San Bernardino County, California. She married
Frank F. LORD who was born 27 July 1880 in Pennsylvania and died June 1972 in
Riverside County, California. They had two sons: Frank
Blair Lord born 5 March 1914 in Riverside County, California and Robert E. Lord
born 22 Nov 1919 in Riverside County,
b. Bertha "Mabel" Blair was born May 1883 in Westmoreland County,
PA. She married Bernard Von Horne SLACK, son of William H and Mary E.
Slack. Bernard was born 27 April 1884 in Muskingum County, Ohio and died
28 June 1932 in Muskingum County, Ohio. They had two children: William V.H. Slack (born about 1915) and
Sarah E. Slack (born 1917).
2. Henry "Edward" Knappenberger, child of Lavina and John,
was born in 1857 in Westmoreland County, PA and died 6 July 1877 in Westmoreland
County, PA. He
was buried in Eastview Union Cemetery at the age of 19 years, 8 months and 23
days. Edward was unmarried.
3. Lavinia "Vinnie" Elizabeth Knappenberger, child of Sarah
and John, was
born 21 June 1870 in Salem Township, Westmoreland County, Pa and died 2 November
1966 in Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County, PA. Lavinia was better
known as VINNIE KNAPPENBERGER who wrote the Knappenberger family history of
1916. Vinnie graduated in 1895 from the Pennsylvania Normal School in
Indiana, PA where she studied to become a teacher. Vinnie was a high
school teacher for many years in Wilkinsburg, PA. She never married.
Vinnie was instrumental in maintaining the Conrad Knappenberger family
information as well as continuing the Conrad Knappenberger family
reunion. Vinnie died at the age of 96 in the Sour Rest Home in Greensburg,
Westmoreland County, PA. Her obituary stated in part that "she was a
member of the DAR. She taught in Greensburg grammar school and Latrobe and
Wilkinsburg high schools, retiring in 1934. She was a member of the
Trinity United Church of Christ where she taught Sunday School for more than 50
years." Vinnie was buried at Westmoreland County Memorial
Park in Greensburg, PA.
Vinnie Knappenberger
[photo graciously provided by Tom Veltman]
4. John "Joseph" Knappenberger, Jr., child of Sarah and John, was born 3 April 1872 in Salem Township, Westmoreland County, PA and
died 10 March 1963 in Westmoreland County, PA. He is buried in
Westmoreland County Memorial Park cemetery. He was a lawyer in general
practice for 50 years in Greensburg, PA. He lived with his mother and two sisters in Greensburg, Westmoreland
County, PA and did not marry until he was in his 60s. He married Gertrude
GREAVES who was born 9 May 1907 in PA and died 21 September 2001 in Greensburg,
Westmoreland County, PA. Gertrude had previously been married to a Mr. RHEA
and had a son named Richard Rhea. Joseph and Gertrude had a son.
a. John J. Knappenberger (born 1940) who lives in Michigan. He
married Linda H. JACKSON (1947-2002).
5. Bertha Jane Knappenberger, child of Sarah and John, was born 27 May 1874 in Salem Township,
Westmoreland County, PA and died 26 January 1963 in Westmoreland County,
PA. She married William J. MCFAUL on 15 June 1905 in Greensburg,
PA. William was born 22 March 1872 in Niagara Falls, Canada and died 19
June 1940 in Westmoreland County, PA. This couple is buried in
Westmoreland County Memorial Park in Greensburg, PA. They had no
children.
6. Grace Alma Knappenberger, child of Sarah and John, was born 1876 in
Salem Township, Westmoreland County, PA and died 12 November 1954 in Westmoreland
County, PA. Grace never married and was a high school teacher like her
sister, Vinnie. Grace, Vinnie, and their brother, Joseph, lived with their widowed mother for many years in Greensburg, PA. Grace is
buried in Westmoreland County Memorial Park in Greensburg, PA.
7. Florence Edna Knappenberger, child of Sarah and John, was born 31
July 1878 in Greensburg, Westmoreland County, PA and died 21 June 1964 in
Westmoreland County, PA. She married David Merton RHEA on 12 June 1912 in
Westmoreland County, PA. David was born 10 November 1875 in Waynesboro, Franklin
County, PA and died on 13 August 1942 in Westmoreland County, PA.
This couple is buried in Westmoreland County Memorial Park, Greensburg,
PA. They had two daughters and a son:
a. Sarah "Jane" Rhea was born 12 December 1913 in
Westmoreland County, PA and died 9 May 2000 in Greensburg, PA. She married
Carl SCHEMAN who was born 19 July 1915 and died 15 August 1995 in Chester
County, PA.
b. Anne Elizabeth Rhea known as "Annie" was born 1916 in Westmoreland
County, PA. She married Jack ADAMS.
c. David Merton Rhea, Jr. was born about 1923 in Westmoreland Co., PA.
8. Maggie Belle Knappenberger, child of Sarah and John, was born
October 1883 in Westmoreland County, PA and died 1885 in Westmoreland County,
PA. She is buried
in Eastview Union Cemetery in Westmoreland County, PA. She was 2 years of
age upon her death.
MARY KNAPPENBERGER (1834-1893)
Mary was born about 1834 in Westmoreland County, PA and died in
Manor Township, Westmoreland County, PA on 15 November 1893. She was 45 years
of age and single in the census of 1880. We assume that she never married.
MAGDALENA KNAPPENBERGER (1836-1916)
Magdalena known as "Mollie" was born 1836 in
Westmoreland County, PA and died on 4 November 1916 in Westmoreland County, PA. She married
John "Michael" KEPPLE, son of Jacob Kepple and Margaret Deemer, on 12
June 1862 in Westmoreland County, PA. Michael was born 7 April 1832
in Westmoreland County, PA and died on 3 March 1911 in Westmoreland County, PA. Magdalena and John had five children.
1. Ida E. Kepple was born January 1864 in Westmoreland County, PA.
She married John M. JOHNSON who was born Nov 1864 in Illinois. They had eight
children.
a. Bessie Johnson born about 188 in Westmoreland Co., PA.
b. Archie
Johnson born Feb 1888 in Westmoreland Co., PA
c. Clara Johnson born Nov 1889 in Westmoreland Co., PA. She married a Mr. CLINE.
d. Clarence
Johnson born April 1893 in Westmoreland Co., PA
e. Willis Johnson born Sept 1895 in Westmoreland Co., PA
f. Martha
Johnson born April 1897 in Westmoreland Co., PA
g. Meredith Johnson born
July 1899 in Westmoreland Co., PA
h. Charles Johnson.
2. Edward S. Kepple was born about 1866 in Westmoreland County, PA
3. Clara E. Kepple was born about 1868 in Westmoreland County, PA
4. Margaret "Jennie" Kepple was born about 1872 in
Westmoreland County, PA and died sometime after 1930. Jennie married Leroy
NICHOLS about 1898. Leroy was born about 1876 in Pennsylvania and died
sometime after 1930. In 1930, they were living in Unity Township, Westmoreland
County, PA where Leroy was a farmer. They had a son.
a. Charles Nichols.
5. William "Ezra" Kepple was born 14 January 1878 in
Westmoreland County, PA and died 14 November 1966 in Greensburg, Westmoreland
County, PA. Ezra married Bessie J. WELTY who was born about 1881.
They had two daughters.
a. Mabel Magdaline Kepple was born about 1902.
b. Mary Louise Kepple was born about 1909.
HANNAH KNAPPENBERGER (1838-1842)
Hannah was born September 1838 in Westmoreland County, PA and
died 25 November 1842 in Westmoreland County, PA. She was buried in
Denmark Manor Church Cemetery where her grave marker reads, " Hannah d/o Sol
& Elizabeth died 25 November 1842 at the age of 4 years, 2 months and 3
days."
HENRY KNAPPENBERGER (1840-1841)
Henry was born March 1840 in Westmoreland County, PA and died
19 February 1841 in Westmoreland County, PA. He was buried in Denmark
Manor Church Cemetery. His grave marker reads that he was the son of Sol & Elizabeth
Knappenberger and that he died at the age of 11 months on 19 February 1841.
ELIZABETH S. KNAPPENBERGER (1843-1936)
Elizabeth S. was born 15 December 1843 in Salem Township, Westmoreland
County, PA and died 8 January 1936 in Jeannette, Westmoreland County, PA. She married John STUMP, Jr., son of
John Stump and Elizabeth Reichert, on 29 March 1864 in Westmoreland County,
PA. John was born 22 January 1835 in Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County,
PA and died 28 November 1924 in Jeannette, Westmoreland County, PA. John
was a farmer. This couple and many of their family are buried in Denmark
Manor Church cemetery in Westmoreland County, PA. Elizabeth and John had three children.
1. Ellen Elizabeth Stump was born March 1865 in
Penn Township, Westmoreland County, PA and died sometime after 1930 most likely
in Oklahoma. She married John
C. McWILLIAMS about 1891. John was
born September 1862 in Penn Township, Westmoreland County, PA, the son of A.
McWilliams and Mary J. McWilliams. John and Ellen were pioneers in
Oklahoma when the lands were opened to settlers. The 1900, 1920 and 1930
census has the family living in Stella Township, Alfalfa County, Oklahoma.
There they were farmers and raised stock. Ellen and John
had four children.
a. Harry McWilliams was born about 1892. We presume that he died prior to
1900 since he is not listed in that census.
b. Mary J. McWilliams was born August 1894 in Oklahoma. In the 1920
census, she was single, age 25, living with her parents. However, she
was not living with them in the 1930 census.
c. John C. McWilliams was born 29 October 1899 in Oklahoma and died August
1971 in Kansas. He married Lula [maiden name unknown] about 1925 who was
born about 1900 in Kansas. No children were listed for them in the
1930 census when they lived in Hazelton, Barber County, Kansas.
d. Charles M. McWilliams was born 16 July 1905 in Oklahoma and died June
1974 in Alfalfa County, Oklahoma. He married Susan [maiden name unknown] about
1927. She was born about 1908 in Oklahoma. They had a son, Harold
Dean McWilliams,
born about 1928 in Oklahoma. In the 1930 census they were living in
Stella, Oklahoma next door to his parents.
2. Mary E. "Gertrude" Stump was born December 1875 in Penn Township,
Westmoreland County, PA and died sometime after 1930 most likely in PA. Gertrude married
William H. CUNKELMAN, son of Amos and Sarah Kunkleman, about 1905 in
Westmoreland County, PA. William was born November 1871 in Penn Township,
Westmoreland County, PA and died sometime after 1930. Mary and
William had three children.
a. Sarah "Elizabeth" Cunkelman was born 20 May 1906 in
Westmoreland County, PA and died 9 September 2000 in PA. She was a school
teacher and single in 1930. Later she married Francis KELLER and was
principal of Jeannette Junior High School for many years. Francis
Keller was born 1 Dec 1909 and died March 1986 in Westmoreland County, PA.
b. John "William" Cunkelman was born 30 October 1908
in
Westmoreland County, PA and died February 1982 in Sarasota, Florida.
c. Margaret G. Cunkelman was born
about 1915 in Westmoreland County, PA. She married a Mr. ALLEN and had two
sons.
3. Harry John Stump was born 16 November 1878 in Penn Township, Westmoreland County, PA and died 27 August 1941 in Jeannette, Westmoreland
County, PA. John married Myrtle Lizzie KISTLER,
daughter of Barney and Elizabeth Kistler, on 20 June 1907 in Westmoreland
County, PA. Myrtle was born 13 February 1879 in Penn Township, Westmoreland County,
PA and died 30 June 1955. John and Lizzie had six children.
a. Virginia Mae Stump was born 27 June 1908 in Westmoreland County, PA
and died 26 May 1996. She married Frank Frederick FISCHER on 29 June
1937. Frank was born
20 February 1907 in Louisville, Kentucky and died 11 June 1991 in
Cincinnati, Ohio. They had 7 children.
b. Helen Irene Stump was born 9 August 1909 in Westmoreland County, PA and
died 13 March 2004 in North Carolina. She married Benjamin Wesley STEINER who was born 8 October
1913 in PA and died 30 July 1945 in Los Angeles County, California.
After the death of her husband, she returned to Pennsylvania with her
daughter and later in life moved to North Carolina.
c. Florence Stump was born 15 December 1910 in Westmoreland County, PA.
She died as an infant.
d. Gertrude Katherine Stump was born 14 March 1912 in Westmoreland
County, PA and died 5 March 2006 in High Point, Guilford County, NC where
she had lived with her sister, Helen. Gertrude never married.
e. Lucille Marie Stump was born 10 October 1913 in Westmoreland County,
PA and died in 1958. She married James Edwin OWENS. They had no
children.
f. Harry Howard Stump was born 16 March 1916 in Westmoreland County,
PA and died 15 March 1998 in Pennsylvania. He married Margaret Clare WARGO
(born Nov 1913) and
had four children.
LYDIA KNAPPENBERGER (1846-1898)
Lydia was born 1846 in Westmoreland County, PA and died 26 June
1898 in Manor Township, Westmoreland County, PA. In the 1880 census, Lydia
[sometimes spelled Liddia] was living with her parents at the age of 36 and
unmarried. We assume that she never married.
REV. JEREMIAH WILLIAM KNAPPENBERGER (1848-1919)
Jeremiah William oftentimes referred to as "J. William" or "J.W."
was born 31 July 1848 in Westmoreland County, PA and died 30 May 1919 in
Connecticut. He was listed as Jeremiah, age 2, in the 1850
census. He became a pastor of the Congregational Church in
Niantic, Connecticut where he met and wed Ellen Lucina SMITH on 11 June 1879.
Ellen known as "Nettie", the daughter of James Denison Smith and Abigail Cecelia Harvey, was born
1853 in Meriden, Connecticut and died 4 January 1952 in Groton, Connecticut.
They are buried in Walnut Grove Cemetery, New Haven County, Connecticut.
Reverend J. William Knappenberger graduated from Franklin & Marshall College in 1873 and
seminary from the same school in 1876. He taught at Livermore Academy in
1874 and Sewickley in 1875. He was vice principal of Greensburg Seminary
one year and pastor of Zion's Reformed Mission, East End, Pittsburgh, PA for
five years. He was a professor of Greek, Mathematics and Natural Science
at Mercersburg College for two years. He was elected president of Allentown
College For Women in 1892.
SUSANNAH KNAPPENBERGER (1848-1867)
Susannah was born 31 July 1848 in Westmoreland County, PA and
died 1867 in Westmoreland County, PA. She was buried in Denmark Manor Church Cemetery.
Susannah was the twin of Jeremiah William [see above]. She was 19 years
old upon her death.
CAROLINE KNAPPENBERGER (1849-?)
Caroline was born about 1849 in Westmoreland County,
PA. She is not listed in the 1850 census so we assume that she died
very young. Nothing further is known of her.
MARTHA KNAPPENBERGER (1850-1923)
Gravemarker for Martha Knappenberger
at Denmark Manor Church Cemetery in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
[photo graciously provided by Allen Knappenberger]
Martha was born 28 November 1850 in Salem Township, Westmoreland County,
PA and died 18 January 1923. She was living with her parents in 1880 at the age of 30. In 1910, at the age
of 59 and single, she was living with her niece Edna B. Christy [Solomon B., Jr.'s
daughter] in Turtle Creek, Allegheny County,
PA. In the 1930 census, Martha was working as a servant at the
Reformed Orphan Home in St. Joseph, Indiana. Martha never married. She is buried with her parents at
Denmark Manor Church cemetery in Westmoreland County, PA.
SOLOMON B. KNAPPENBERGER, JR. (1853-1929)
Grave marker for Solomon B. Knappenberger, and
his wife, Amanda S. [Laughner] Knappenberger,
and his daughter, Cora Lillian Knappenberger, at Eastview Union Cemetery
in Delmont, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
* The death date for Cora is absent on the grave marker because
Cora is actually buried in Greenwood Cemetery in San Diego, California. *
[photo graciously provided by Sue Appleton]
Solomon B. known as "Buz" was born July 1853 in
Salem Township, Westmoreland County, PA and died 13 April 1929 in Jeannette,
Westmoreland County, PA. Solomon was a farmer, carpenter and
contractor. He married Amanda S. LAUGHNER, daughter of Reuben
Laughner, on 30 May 1876. She
was born 10 March 1853 in Penn Township, Westmoreland County, PA and died after
1920. Between
1905 and 1910, Buz purchased 119 acres in South Dakota. It seems that he and
his daughter, Elizabeth Emma, and her husband, Harry Saul, with their children, may
have moved to South Dakota about 1910 - but returned within a few short years. Buz and
Amanda had four children.
1. Cora Lillian Knappenberger was born 17 March 1877 in
Westmoreland County, PA and died 28 March 1955 in San Diego, California. Cora
seemingly never married. Cora moved to California in the 1930s with her
youngest sister. She is buried in Greenwood Cemetery, San Diego,
California.
2. Edna "Blanche" Knappenberger was born 23 May 1878 in Greensburg,
Westmoreland County, PA and died sometime after 1930. She graduated in 1901 from the Pennsylvania Normal School for teachers in Indiana, PA.
She married Cyrus M. CHRISTY,
son of John and Emma Christy, on 14 September 1905 in
Greensburg, PA. Cyrus was born 18 December 1872 in Salem Township, Westmoreland
County, PA and died sometime after 1930. This couple moved to Turtle Creek, Allegheny
County, PA and later to Grove City, Mercer County, PA. Edna and
Cyrus had four children.
a. Frank Stark Christy was born 1907 in Allegheny co., PA.
b. Jean K. Christy was born about 1909.
c. Martha E. Christy was born about 1910.
d. William P. Christy was born 24 July 1917 and died February 1961.
3. William Owen Knappenberger was born 29 December 1879 in Delmont,
Westmoreland County, PA
and died 20 April 1969 in Riverside, California. He married Bertha WATERS,
daughter of William and Lydia A. Waters, who was born 22 February 1884 in
Westmoreland County, PA and died 4 January 1970 in Los Angeles, California.
William and Bertha had four children.
a. Gladys Knappenberger was born in 1903 and died in 1906 in Westmoreland
Co., PA. She is
buried at Eastview Union Cemetery in Delmont, Westmoreland County, PA.
b. Richard John Knappenberger was born in 1904 and died in 1906 in
Westmoreland Co., PA.
He is buried at Eastview Union Cemetery in Delmont, Westmoreland County, PA.
c. Charles "Robert" Knappenberger was born 27 February 1908
in Westmoreland Co., PA and died 7 May 1962 in San Bernardino,
California. He married Rachel BARKER on 25 Dec 1934. Rachel was
born 5 Sept 1915 in Ohio. They had two children, John and Barbara.
d.
Lillian "Jane" Knappenberger was born 12 April 1917 in
Westmoreland County, PA and died 16 Feb 2001 in California.
She married Glenn Marion DICKASON who was born 14 August 1919 in Ohio and died
3 march 1994 in Los Angeles County, CA. They had a son, Dennis Glenn
Dickason who was born 1 Dec 1949 in California and died 18 April 2005 in
Lamar, Colorado.
4. Elizabeth Emma Knappenberger known as "Bess" was born 31 March
1882 in Jeannette, Westmoreland County, PA and died 3 August 1972 in San Diego,
California. She married Harry Nevin SAUL, son of Alpheus Saul and Mary
Longsdorf, on 8 April 1908 in Westmoreland
County, PA. Harry was born 28 January 1883 in Delmont, Westmoreland
County, PA and died 13 August 1945 in
San Diego, California. This couple is buried in Greenwood Cemetery,
San Diego, California. Elizabeth and Harry had nine children.
a. William Donald Saul was born 13 December 1908 in Pennsylvania and died
15 Dept 1966 in San Diego Co, California. He married Kathryn Louise
HUTCHINSON on 12 Oct 1932. Kathryn was born 22 Sept 1911 and died 17 Dec
2000 in San Diego County, California.
b. Ruth Lucinda Saul was born about 1910 in South Dakota and died as a child
there.
c. Dorothea Elizabeth Saul was born 1912 in South Dakota. She
married Thomas Vincent JEFFERSON on 22 Feb 1942 in San Diego, CA. Thomas
was born 14 Sept 1915 in Helena, Montana and died 3 Sept 1998.
d. Richard Eugene Saul was born 1914 in Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania and died
19 May 1989 in San Diego, CA. He is buried in El Camino
Cemetery.
e. Edith Amanda Saul was born 6 May 1916 in Westmoreland Co., PA. she
first married Charles Stewart LIVESEY in El Cajon, CA. Charles was born
21 march 1909 in New Bedford, MA and died 6 June 1960 in San Diego, CA.
Edith married as her second husband William Dale JAMES who died in 1972.
Her third husband was Zebulon Vance JOHNSTON, Jr., who was born 17 Nov 1916 in
NC and died 22 June 1998 in El Cajon, CA.
f. Olive Esther Saul was born 2 February 1918 in Westmoreland County,
PA. She married John Stone VARNER who was born 21 Oct 1914 in Texas and
died 4 Jan 1993 in Kern County, California.
g.
Florence Lillian Saul was born 3 April 1919 in Westmoreland County, PA.
She married Jay Walker SHAFFER on 20 Feb 1944.
h. Helen Louise Saul was born 1922 in Westmoreland County, PA and died as an infant.
i. Mary Jane Saul was born 10 August 1926 in Westmoreland County,
PA. she married Deane Andrew EBNER on 28 Nov 1947. Deane was born
4 Dec 1925 in Minnesota and died 3 April 2007 in San Diego, CA.
If you have any additional information on this family,
please
get in touch with us at jsappleton@windstream.net
