Monday, October 9, 2006

My Elusive Ancestor - William Knapp (1775-1857)

William Knapp is one of my most elusive ancestors. Here is what I know about him:

1. William Knapp was born 1775 in Dutchess County, NY, and died 16 June 1857 in Newton, Sussex County, NJ. He married Sarah Cutter About 1804 in prob. Woodbridge, Middlesex County, NJ, daughter of Stephen Cutter and Tabitha Randolph. She was born 06 November 1785 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, NJ, and died 06 March 1878 in Hackensack, Bergen County, NJ (gravestone).

Notes for William Knapp:

The parents of William Knapp are not known. The records of Dutchess County, New York are very sparse for this time period. A search of available vital records indicate there were many Knapp families in Dutchess County in the 1770-1790 time period. Review of the 1790 U.S. census shows many Knapps in southeastern New York.

The books "Supplement to the Nicholas Knapp Genealogy" by Alfred Averill Knapp, published in 1956, and "Nicholas Knapp Genealogy" by Alfred Averill Knapp, published 1953, lists William as the son of Shubel and Rebecca (Mead) Knapp, listing his birth date as 1786. This is surely erroneous, since the 1850 census lists his age as 75 and his death record in the Newton, Sussex County, New Jersey vital records say he was age 81, born in Dutchess County, New York. The Supplement mentioned above provides some of the data on the children listed below.

Data in Catherine Knapp's obituary indicates that William Knapp was one of the first settlers of Newton, Sussex, New Jersey, and had a very extensive acquaintance. He was a Justice of the Peace for many years, and resided on Spring Street on the property later owned by Moses McCollum. The Knapps were among the earliest members of the Newton Methodist Episcopal Church, and with others of that faith, worshipped in barns and other places most convenient, traveling sometimes six or seven miles to service. This was before the members were sufficiently numerous to build and worship in an edifice of their own.

In the 1840 US Census, the William Knapp family resided in Newton, Sussex County, New Jersey (National Archives Microfilm Series Roll 260, Page 54). The household included one male age 15-20, one male age 60 to 70, one female age 5-10, one female age 15-20, and one female age 50-60.

In the 1850 US Census, this family resided in Newton township, Sussex County, New Jersey (National Archives Microfilm Series M432, Roll 464, page 137, dwelling #454, family #486, Line 36). The household included:

* William Knapp -- age 75, male, a shoemaker, $800 in real property, born NY
* Sarah Knapp, age 55, female, born NJ
* Catherine Knapp, age 40, female, born NJ
* Elsey Knapp, age 19, female, born NJ

William Knapp was a member and treasurer of the Harmony Mason Lodge in Newton in 1852, according to an 1888 article about the lodge.

His death record is in the Newton, Sussex, New Jersey vital records.

An 1860 plat map of Newton NJ shows a house of W. Knapp near the southwest corner of Adams Street and Spring Street in Newton.

In the 1860 US Census, Sarah Knapp resided with the Manning Knapp family in New Barbadoes township, Bergen County, New Jersey (National Archives Microfilm Series M653, Roll 683, Page 412, house #191, family #216, line 32 indexed as Manning McKnapp on HeritageQuestOnline). The household included:

* Manning M. Knapp -- age 34, male, lawyer, $7000 in real property, $4000 in personal property, born NJ
* Anna M. Knapp - age 31, female, wife, born NJ
* Anna M. Knapp - age 7, female, born PA, attended school
* Sarah C. Knapp - age 78, female, lady, born NJ
* Joseph Madison -- age 3, male, born NJ
* Margaret M. Mann -- age 28, female, domestic, born Ballyhanna, Ireland

William Knapp and his wife, Sarah Knapp, are buried in the Old Cemetery in Newton NJ. The cemetery is located behind properties on Main and Halsted Streets, with access by a driveway between the properties at 77 and 79 Main Street in Newton ("A Record of the Inscriptions on the Stones in the Old Cemetery - Newton, Sussex County, New Jersey," in Sussex County Public Library near Newton, NJ).

Children of William Knapp and Sarah Cutter are:
2 i. Joseph2 Knapp, born in prob. Newton, Sussex County, NJ. He married Elizabeth.
3 ii. Samuel C. Knapp, born 1807 in prob. Woodbridge, Middlesex County, NJ.
4 iii. Cyrus C. Knapp, born 19 December 1809 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, NJ. He married Catherine Terheun 17 November 1836 in Hackensack, Bergen County, NJ; born About 1818 in Hackensack, Bergen County, NJ.
5 iv. Catharine Knapp, born About 1810 in prob. Woodbridge, Middlesex County, NJ; died Aft. 1894 in unmarried, last known residence Terre Haute, Vigo County, IN.
6 v. Benjamin Knapp, born About 1811 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, NJ. He married Susan Stewart 31 August 1833 in Sussex County, NJ; born About 1815 in NJ.
7 vi. Charles C. Knapp, born About 1813 in prob. Woodbridge, Middlesex County, NJ. He married (1) Sarah Smith 03 March 1842 in Sussex County, NJ; born About 1814 in NJ. He married (2) Susan Beach Bef. 1880 in NJ; born 1803 in NY.
8 vii. Hannah Maria Knapp, born About 1815 in prob. Woodbridge, Middlesex County, NJ; died 22 November 1903 in Newton, Sussex County, NJ. She married David Lum Foster 06 October 1839 in Sussex County, NJ; born About 1813 in NJ; died June 1894 in Newton, Sussex County, NJ.
9 viii. Sarah G. Knapp, born January 1818 in prob. Woodbridge, Middlesex County, NJ; died Aft. 1900 in prob. Bushnell, McDonough County, IL. She married David Auble About 1844 in Newton, Sussex County, NJ; born 1817 in Stillwater, Sussex County, NJ; died 22 March 1894 in Terre Haute, Vigo County, IN (VR Index).
10 ix. William Knapp, born 09 May 1823 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, NJ. He married Elizabeth C. Brokaw Bef. 1847 in NJ.
11 x. Manning M. Knapp, born 07 June 1825 in prob. Newton, Sussex County, NJ; died 26 January 1892 in Hackensack, Bergen County, NJ. He married Anna Maria Mattison 01 April 1850 in Hackensack, Bergen County, NJ; born 1828 in NJ.
12 xi. Elsie M. Knapp, born About 1830 in prob. Newton, Sussex County, NJ. She married Wilson.
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Does anyone have suggestions for further research?

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