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GENERAL INFORMATION
Moses Knappenberger was born 7 January 1826 in Salem Township, Westmoreland County, PA and died 7
April 1898 in Jeannette, Westmoreland County, PA. A biography on
Westmoreland County states the following about Moses: "He
received his education in the local schools of that region, and upon
reaching manhood engaged in the tanning business, which he followed for
his entire life, most of which was spent in the town of Grapeville,
Pennsylvania. He was a staunch member of the Democratic party and a
Lutheran in religion. He was always actively interested in the affairs
of the community and held a number of important public offices on the
church board." Moses is buried in Brush Creek Cemetery, Westmoreland County,
PA.
Prior to his marriage, it is believed that Moses had a child with
Catherina Anna KISTLER, daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth Kistler. Catherina was born 15 January 1824 in Westmoreland County, PA. This couple never married. Catherina later married Andrew Kepple.
Moses married Magdalene CRUSHORE known as
"Martha", daughter of Johann George Crushore and Anna Elizabeth
Margaret Baugham, about 1851 in Westmoreland County, PA. Martha was born 12 October 1829 in
Westmoreland County, PA and died 15 January 1909 in Westmoreland County, PA.
She is
buried in Brush Creek Cemetery, Westmoreland County, PA. Moses'
biography noted the following, "To Mr. and Mrs. Knappenberger,
thirteen children were born, four of whom died in
infancy."
Gravemarker for Moses
Knappenberger (1826-1898)
and his wife, Magdalene "Martha" [Crushmore] Knappenberger (1829-1909),
and their
daughter, Sara Emma A. "Sadie" [Knappenberger] Allshouse
(1857-1885).
Brush Creek Cemetery,
Westmoreland County, PA
[Photo graciously provided by Jim Walthour
of Greensburg, PA]
CHILD
OF MOSES KNAPPENBERGER AND CATHERINA KISTLER
ELIZABETH HANNA(H) KNAPPENBERGER (1850-1877)
Elizabeth Hanna(h) was born 6 January 1850 in
Westmoreland County, PA and christened in the Denmark Manor Church.
Her mother was listed as Catherina Anna Kistler by her maiden name which
usually meant that she was unmarried. Elizabeth Hannah's name was
derived from her grandmother's names [Elizabeth Kistler and Hannah
Knappenberger]. She died 12 May
1877 in Westmoreland County, PA.
Elizabeth
married Samuel
KEMERER, son of Adam Kemerer, Jr. and Lydia Anna Smith, on 20 April 1871
in Westmoreland County, PA. He was born 16 October 1847 in
Westmoreland County, PA and died there on 27
April 1915. This couple had three children.
1. Henry Eberhart Kemerer known as "Cyrus" was born 30 December 1871
in Westmoreland County, PA and died 18 February 1923 in Westmoreland County, PA. Cyrus married
Sadie L. KEPPLE on 21 October 1896. Sadie was born 11 February 1877 and died in
1960 in Westmoreland County, PA. This couple is buried in Denmark
Manor Church Cemetery. They had five children.
a. Francis
Clark Kemerer was born 27 November 1897 in Westmoreland County, PA.
b. Clifford Miles Kemerer was born 13 September 1899 in Westmoreland
County and died February 1968 in Jeannette, PA. He married
Vira E. [last name unknown] and had a daughter named Betty J. who was born about 1925.
c. Laurence Otto Kemerer was born 15 April 1905. He married
Ruth G. SMAIL who was born 11 August 1907 and died February 1982 in
Jeannette, PA.
d. Beulah Kemerer was born about 1909 in Westmoreland County, PA.
e. Luther Eugene Kemerer was born 27 October 1913 in Westmoreland
County, PA and died 13 June 1978. He married Elva MAGILL who was
born 2 December 1913.
2. Wilbert "Fulton" Kemerer was born 6 October 1874
in Westmoreland County, PA. His first wife was Mary Florence GREBBS,
daughter of Christian and Barbara Grebbs, who was born 7 October
1869 in Pennsylvania. The 1910 census indicates no children at that
time with his first wife, Mary. Also living in the household was his
father, Samuel, at the age of 62 and a widower. However, in the 1920
census, Wilber and Mary had a daughter listed as Lillian, age 14.
3. Emma Sibilla Kemerer was born 23 March 1877 in
Westmoreland County, PA and died in 1891 in Westmoreland County, PA at the age of 14.
Emma's mother, Elizabeth, died just 2 months after her birth.
CHILDREN
OF MOSES KNAPPENBERGER AND MAGDALENE CRUSHORE
MARGARET ELISABETH
KNAPPENBERGER (1852-1869)
Margaret Elisabeth was
born 3 March 1852 in Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County, PA and died 24
October 1869 in Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County, PA. She is
buried in Brush Creek Cemetery, Westmoreland County, PA.
MARY CAROLINE KNAPPENBERGER (1854-1926)
Mary Carolina was born
6 June 1854 in West Newton, Westmoreland County, PA and died 2 February 1926 in
Allegheny County, PA. She married William H. HEAPS, son of John
B. Heaps and Martha Heaps, on 4 February 1886. William was born 19
March 1841
in England and died sometime between 1910 and 1920. In 1910, this couple and their only daughter, Martha,
were living in Wilkinsburg, Allegheny County, PA. In the 1920
census for Wilkinsburg, Mary Heaps is listed as a widow and Martha as
married.
1. Martha G. Heaps was born March
1887 in Allegheny County, PA. She
married Warren Clair BEERS, son of George Thomas Beers and Hannah
Elizabeth Aikens, about 1911 in Allegheny County, PA. Warren
was born 30 Sept 1889 in Coalport, PA and died 20 Nov 1939 in Bedford, PA. They had two children.
a. George Beers who was born about 1912.
b. Marion C. Beers, a daughter, who was born about 1914.
GEORGE WASHINGTON KNAPPENBERGER (1856-1942)
George Washington was
born 2 February 1856 in Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County, PA and died 25 February 1942 in Jeannette,
Westmoreland County, PA. George married Anna Eaby SENSENICH, daughter
of Jacob Sensenich and Mary Sensenich, on 4 April 1889 in Irwin, Westmoreland
County, PA. Anna was born 9 November 1858 in Chester County, PA and died
29 June 1943 in Jeannette, PA. This couple is buried in Brush Creek
Cemetery. George was engaged in the water well business in
Jeannette, PA. They had five children.
George Washington
Knappenberger and Anna
Eaby Sensenich Knappenberger
CLICK ON EACH PHOTO FOR MORE DETAIL
[photos graciously provided by Sherry
Zealley]
George Washington Knappenberger's Gravemarker
Brush Creek Cemetery, Westmoreland County, PA
[photo graciously provided by Jim Walthour of Greensburg, PA]
1. Chester William Knappenberger was
born 18 March 1890 in Grapeville, Westmoreland County, PA and died 27 April 1936 in
Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio. Chester served in the medical corp
during World War I as did his younger
brother, Moses. He married Jennie Maude LEHR,
daughter of Amandus Lehr and Alice Trach, in 1920 in
Warren, Ohio. Jennie was born 12 June 1895 in Wilkes Barre, PA and
died May 1979 in California. They had two children.
|
Maud
Sensenich Griffith, Chester William
Knappenberger,
Moses Thomas Knappenberger, Ruth Knappenberger
[photo graciously provided by
Sherry Zealley] |
Chester William
Knappenberger
[photo graciously provided by
Richard A. Newhouse] |
a. Ruby "Alice"
Ann Knappenberger was born 11 November 1920 in Youngstown, Mahoning County, Ohio and
died 25 September 1988 in Springfield, Oregon. She married three
times to the following men: John VAN WYE (14 Nov 1920-25 Nov 2000), James Peter VIOLI
(7 Dec 1925-16 April 1988), Joseph Frederick GREGORY (20 Oct 1930-Nov
1990).
b. George William Knappenberger was born
22 June 1923 in Warren, Ohio and died 14 January 2006 in Warren, Ohio. He married Marion Leone HARTER,
daughter of Phra Aston Harter and Ruby Watkins, on 20 September 1944.
Marion was born 23 August 1924 in Warren, Ohio and died 27 January 2000 in Warren,
Trumbull County, Ohio. They are buried in Oakwood
Cemetery. George served in World
War II.
2. Moses Thomas Knappenberger, MD was
born 13 March 1892 in Jeannette, Westmoreland County, PA and died August
1972 in Trumbull County, Ohio. Moses was a Captain during
World War I in the Medical Corp. He married Jane Reese THOMAS in
1925 in Niles, Ohio. Jane was born about 1900 and died 16 January 1961
in Trumbull County, Ohio. Moses married a second time to Margaret I.
FRASER, daughter of William and Jessie Fraser, who was born 27 Oct 1911 in
Allegheny County, PA and died 24 Feb 2007 in Ashland County, Ohio.
Margaret had been married previuosly to a Mr. Prack. Moses and Jane had two children.
a. George Thomas (Tom) Knappenberger was born in 1927.
He married Dianne Van Huffel, daughter of Howard Van Huffel and Anne
Lockwood. Dianne who was born 19 Nov 1934 in Warren, Ohio and
died 18 Oct 2005 in Louisville, KY. They had 4 children. He then
married Dorothy M. BORGSCHULTE
who was born August 8, 1929 and died 23 Feb 2009 in Louisville, KY.
b. Samuel T. Knappenberger,
M.D. was born about
1929. He married Margaret RHODES and had 3 children.
3. Ruth Knappenberger was born 9 November
1893 in Westmoreland County, PA and died 13 July 1956 in Honolulu,
Hawaii. She married Frank Samuel RUFF, Jr., son of Frank Samuel
Ruff, Sr. and Isabella Hild, on 24 March 1915 in Jeannette, PA. Frank
was born 17 March 1893 in Braddock, PA and died 23 February 1955 in Greensburg,
Westmoreland County, PA. They had three children. In the 1930 census, Frank and Ruth
with their family are living in Jeannette, PA. Also living in the
household in the 1930 census was a Charles Knappenberger, listed as age
13, and a cousin. We believe this is a child of William Daniel
Knappenberger who died in 1928 [see below]. Ruth
Knappenberger Ruff CLICK ON EACH PHOTO FOR
MORE DETAIL
[photos graciously provided by Sherry
Zealley]
a. Chester George Ruff was born 4
August 1916
in Jeannette, Westmoreland County, PA and died 3 Dec 1997 in Honolulu,
Hawaii. He married Hilda Sarria on 14 Feb 1948 in Honolulu.
Hilda was born in 1920 in Nicaragua. They had 5
children.
Chester George Ruff
[photo graciously provided by Sherry Zealley]
b. Robert Franklin Ruff,
MD was born on 23 August 1917 in Jeannette, Westmoreland County, PA and
died 19 November 1963 in Los Angeles, California. He first married
Wanda Kirk on 14 December 1947 but this marriage ended in divorce. He married Doris
PETSKA on 14 September 1956 in Honolulu, Hawaii. They had 3
children.
Robert Franklin Ruff
[photo graciously provided by Sherry
Zealley]
c. Isabell Jene Ruff was born 17
February 1919 in Jeannette, Westmoreland County, PA and died 26 June 1997
in Sandy, Utah. She married Gerald Joseph Rock on 7 Nov 1942 in
Greensburg, Westmoreland County, PA. Gerald was born 27 June 1909 in
Denver, CO and died 12 April 1989 in Hemet, California. They
had a daughter and a son.
Isabell Jene Ruff
Rock CLICK ON EACH
PHOTO FOR MORE DETAIL
LEFT Four Generations: Isabella
Hild Ruff, Frank Samuel Ruff Jr, Isabell Jene Ruff Rock, Sherry Zealley
RIGHT Three Generations: Isabell
Jene Ruff Rock, Sherry Zealley and Daughter
[photos graciously provided by Sherry Zealley]
4. Martha Olive Knappenberger
known as "Olive" was born
27 December 1896 in Westmoreland County, PA and died 30 Oct 1983 in Marion,
Marion County, Ohio. She married John W. LORD, son of William Lord and Nancy
Garver, in 1917 in Jeannette,
Westmoreland County, PA.
John was born 13 September 1890 in New Florence, Westmoreland County, PA and died 31 December
1937. They are buried in Brush Creek, Adamsburg, Westmoreland County,
PA They had two children.
Martha Olive
Knappenberger
[photo graciously provided by Sherry
Zealley]
a. Jane S. Lord known as "Jennie" was
born about 1918 in Jeannette, Westmoreland County, PA. She married a
Mr. Davis.
b. John Knappenberger Lord was born
4 Nov 1922 in
Jeannette, Westmoreland County, PA and died 24 June 2008 most likely in
Washington state. He married Lillian Jane Rugh, daughter
of Frank Arthur Rugh and Hazel Gibson Witt, on 5 Sept 1942. Lillian
was born 30 April 1924. They had two children.
5. John Franklin Knappenberger was born
17 June 1900 in Westmoreland County, PA and died there on 9 June 1941. He married Lorna
G. KOCH, daughter of Karl R. and Wilhelmina Koch, in
1923. This marriage ended in divorce. Lorna was born 23 February 1900 in Export, Westmoreland
County, PA. John took over his father's well drilling business in Jeannette, PA.
John F. Knappenberger is buried at Brush Creek Cemetery with his
parents. They had a daughter:
John Franklin Knappenberger's Gravemarker
Brush Creek Cemetery, Westmoreland County, PA
[photo graciously provided by Jim Walthour of
Greensburg, PA]
a. Olive L. Knappenberger was born
17 January 1924 in Westmoreland County, PA and died 11 November 2008 in
PA. She married Ernest S. HOLZWORTH, son of William C. and
Irene Holzworth on 14 November 1947.
Ernest was born 4 Oct 1918 in Lancaster, PA and died 8 June 2003 in
Allegheny Co., PA. They had 4 sons.
SARA EMMA A. KNAPPENBERGER (1857-1885)
Sara Emma A. known
as "Sadie" was born 10 December 1857 in Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County, PA
and died 29 July 1885 in Westmoreland County, PA. She was buried in
Brush Creek Cemetery with her parents. She married Daniel
A. ALLSHOUSE, son of Francis Allshouse and Jane A. Marchand Steiner, on 25 December
1884 in Westmoreland County, PA.
Daniel was born about 1863 in Westmoreland County, PA and died at the age of
72 in about 1936. There were no
children born to this union.
After Sara's death, Daniel married Susan E. Gongaware
on 3 February 1890 with whom he had a daughter named Catherine A. Allshouse born about 1896 in
Westmoreland County, PA. Catherine Allshouse married
David E. Maxwell.
HENRY J. KNAPPENBERGER (1860-1918)
Henry J. Knappenberger was born 12
Sept 1860 in Westmoreland County, PA and died 14 January 1918 in Altoona,
Blair County, PA. He married
Emma Esther ALLSHOUSE on 23 March 1882 in Westmoreland County, PA. Emma
was the daughter of Francis Allshouse and Jane Marchand Steiner
and was the sister of Daniel who married Sadie Knappenberger [see above]. Emma was
born 22 May 1861 in Radebaugh Station, Westmoreland County, PA and
died 19 May 1945 in Westmoreland County, PA. They are buried
in Rose Hill Cemetery, Altoona, Blair County, PA. They had three children.
1. Sarah Cordilla Knappenberger was born 29 December 1882
in Westmoreland County, PA and died 24 September 1911 in Blair County,
PA. She is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, Altoona, Blair
County, PA
2. William Daniel Grover Knappenberger
was born 21 October 1884 in Westmoreland County, PA and died 21 Nov 1928
in Westmoreland County, PA. He moved
to Phoenix, Arizona for respiratory problems. In the 1923 business
directory for Phoenix, Arizona, William D. Knappenberger is listed as
president of Zip Tire Service, Inc. William was married
to Ruth Elizabeth MARATTA, daughter of Harry B. and Sarah Maratta.
Ruth was born June 1889 in Jeannette, Westmoreland County, PA.
They had 3 children:
a. Ruth Knappenberger was born 10 June 1914 in
Juniata, Blair County, PA and died 31 Dec 1914 in Blair County, PA.
She is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, Altoona, Blair County, PA.
b. Charles Dean Knappenberger
was born about 1916 in Blair County, Pennsylvania and died 24 August 1992
in Virginia Beach, VA. He is listed in the 1930 census as 13
years of age and living in the household of Ruth Knappenberger Ruff and
her husband, Frank Ruff [see above]. Charles father had died in 1928
and it seems that Charles was raised in the Ruff household. Charles
D. Knappenberger served with the US Navy during World War II
as a Chief Electricians Mate on the USS Holt and retired as a Chief Petty
Officer. He married Lorraine H. (maiden name unknown) who was born
about 1920 in Ducktown, TN and died 15 Aug 1991 in Virginia Beach, VA.
Their obituaries do not indicate any children. They are buried in
Princess Anne Memorial Park in Virginia Beach, VA.
c. William Junior
Knappenberger was born 22 April 1922 in Phoenix, Maricopa County,
Arizona. His birth certificate indicates his given name
was "Billie Junior" however his social security application
gives his name as "William Junior Knappenberger" while his grave marker is
written as "Bill J. Knappenberger". In 1940 at the age of 17, he
was living in Lakewood, Ohio, most likely with his mother. Bill died 6 May 1998 in Loma Linda, California
and is buried in Riverside National Cemetery in Loma Linda, California. His marker
indicates he was a member of the US Navy SF 3 during
World
War II.
If you know anything further on
Charles Dean Knappenberger and Bill (Junior) Knappenberger,
we would appreciate
hearing from you at jsappleton@windstream.net
3. James Harvey Knappenberger (Sr.) was born
5 January 1894 in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania and died 21 March 1925
in Westmoreland County, PA. James is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery,
Altoona, Blair County, PA.
He married Ruth Priscilla
MURRAY, daughter of William W. and Carrie Murray, on 30
November 1918. Ruth was born April 1894 in Blair County, PA. Ruth had been married previously and had a
daughter named Pauline. In 1925, this daughter's name was Pauline Corbin. In
1983, Pauline's name was Pauline Gonzales who lived in Altoona, PA.
In the 1920 census, this family lived in Phoenix,
Arizona. In the 1923 Phoenix Directory, James H. Knappenberger is listed
as a bottler. James and Ruth had
one son together.
a. James Harvey Knappenberger, Jr. was adopted by
his great-aunt Cordillia (known as "Dillie" or "Tillie") Allshouse Klingensmith and her
husband Harvey David Klingensmith of Jeannette, Westmoreland County,
PA. Cordillia was the sister of Emma Allshouse Knappenberger
who was James' grandmother. Cordillia and Harvey Klingensmith were childless and, upon the death of James
Harvey Knappenberger, Sr. in 1925, they adopted his son and changed
his last name to Klingensmith. Therefore, there is a
Klingensmith family of Jeannette, PA that is actually a branch of the
Knappenberger family.
James Harvey Klingensmith (born Knappenberger)
was born 29 August 1920 in Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona and died 9 October 1983 in
Jeannette, Westmoreland County, PA. He served as a medic
during World War II. James married
Edna "Jane" THOMPSON, daughter of Annie Scott, on 30 September
1938. Jane was born 4 April 1922 and died 28 July 1989. James
and Jane are buried in Brush Creek Cemetery, Westmoreland County, PA.
His obituary read: "James H.
Klingensmith, 63, of 807 Evans St., Jeannette, died Sunday, Oct 9, 1983 in
Jeannette District Memorial Hospital. Born Aug. 29, 1920 in Phoenix,
Ariz., he was a son of the late James H. and Ruth Murray Knappenberger.
Before his retirement, he was an employee of Westinghouse Corp., East
Pittsburgh, and a member of the Clerk's Association of Westinghouse. He
was also a member of the Grace United Church of Christ, Jeannette, and the
3 M's Bible Class of the church. He was an organizer and past treasurer of
the Westmoreland Stroke Club. In addition to his parents, he was preceded
in death by his adopted parents, Harvey and Cordilla Klingensmith. "
A special thanks to Marc
Steiner,
great-grandson of James Harvey (Knappenberger) Klingensmith,
who provided us information on this family!
DARWIN TAYLOR KNAPPENBERGER (1863-?)
|
Postcard Which Reads, "Oak Tree And Spring
On The Knappenberger Farm Near Madison, PA - 1908"
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Darwin Taylor known as "D.T."
was born 27 November 1863 in Westmoreland County, PA and died sometime
after 1930. He owned a
farm [pictured above] about half way between Hunker and old Madison in Westmoreland County,
PA. Local tradition states that British General Edward Braddock (of the French &
Indian War) encamped on this
farm. He married
Elizabeth Rugh MAXWELL known as "Lizzie", daughter of David Maxwell and Susan
Rugh, who was born about 1866 in Pennsylvania and died in 1950 in Orange County, Florida.
A biography on Darwin states: "Darwin T.
Knappenberger, one of the most successful merchants of Jeannette,
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, is a native of this country, as
was his father before him, but is descended from good old German stock of
the type which has played so important a part in the development of the
western part of the State..."
In the
1930 census, Darwin and Elizabeth were living in Orlando, Orange County,
Florida. Darwin and Lizzie had one daughter.
1. Zedith R. Knappenberger was born 2 February
1889 in Jeannette, Westmoreland County, PA and died 24 May 1970 in Orange
County, Florida. She married William Frederick WENDT, son of August
and Elizabeth Wendt, on 22 November 1911 in Westmoreland County, PA. William was born 6
April 1889 in Port Byron, Rock Island Co., Illinois and died Nov 1974 in
Orange County, FL. . In 1920 this family was
living in Jeannette, PA, but in 1930 they were living in East Moline, Rock
Island County, Illinois. They had two children.
a. Kathleen D. Wendt was born about 1913 in
Westmoreland County, PA b. Darwin
Taylor
Wendt was born 1 May 1915 and died 23 May 2005 in Greensboro, NC. He
was buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Martinsville, VA. He married Ann
BOOKER.
WILLIAM KNAPPENBERGER (1865-1891)
William [baptized as Wilhelm] was born 29 November 1865 in Hempfield
Township, Westmoreland County, PA. He died 3 December 1891 in
Westmoreland County, PA at the age of 26 and unmarried. He is buried
in Brush Creek Cemetery, Westmoreland County, PA.
JAMES GREGG KNAPPENBERGER (1867-1876)
James Gregg was born 27 May 1867 in
Westmoreland County, PA and died 21 April 1876 in Westmoreland County, PA
at 8 years and 11 months of age. He is buried in Brush Creek
Cemetery, Westmoreland County, PA.
JANE ANNIE C. KNAPPENBERGER (1871-1894)
Jane Annie C. [or Janie C.] was born 10 February
1871 in Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County, PA. She died 21 May
1894 in Westmoreland County, PA. Known as "Jennie", she married Robert
Byerly NALEY, son of Levi Paul Naley and Anna Catherine Kistler, on 16 June 1893 in Westmoreland County,
PA. Robert was born
30 October 1863 in Penn Township,
Westmoreland County, PA. Jennie died just one year after her
marriage. There are no records of any children
born to this couple.
Additional information and photos are welcome for this family.
Please contact us
at jsappleton@windstream.net Thank you. |
