Henry and his great-grandfather, Lititz, PA April 7, 2007

Mike, Henry, and Emma, Anchorage, AK September 2007

Emma and Henry December 2007

Knapp Family Patriarchs

COMMENTS ON SOURCES

Any good genealogist would probably be dismayed at the assumptions I have made and the conclusions I have come to, based on the data available to me. They would have good reason for their judgment. Olive would have agreed with them.

I am not a pure genealogist. However, I have based my conclusions on the best information available to me; and I know that I will not be able to do more extensive research to clear up what may be some of my more questionable conclusions. I believe that most of the information I am presenting is reasonably close to being correct.

By February 2007, I had completed biographies for most of the nineteen generations of Knapp Family Patriarchs. In editing this material I found that I was including many detailed explanations concerning some of the sources I was using and my reasons for arriving at conclusions. The text and footnotes were being overloaded with information that I felt was necessary to justify my conclusions, but much of it was quite uninteresting and unreadable. I decided to delete those long explanations from the text and endnotes and to include them in a separate section at the end of the text, instead. This chapter, "Comments on Sources," is intended to fill in some of the gaps in detail that I feel need explanation and to describe many of my sources.

MY FIRST SOURCE O F GENEALOGICAL INFORMATION

My grandfather, James L. Knapp, was my first source of genealogical information concerning the Knapps. He had the habit of clipping things that interested him from newspapers—many of them obituaries. Many of these were in a scrapbook that I now have. He wrote notes on all sorts of scraps of paper and I have many of these, including many slips of paper containing genealogical data regarding the Knapps and a number of collateral lines. I believe that these slips came to me from Aunt Elizabeth, Grandfather's oldest daughter.

The data from these slips of paper was the starting point for Olive's and my research on our Knapp line. Apparently Grandfather became interested in the family genealogy and started hunting for information concerning his ancestors by at least 1901. I have a copy of a letter to him, dated March 1901, from Elizabeth Knapp Wood. Elizabeth was his great aunt - the oldest daughter of Israel Knapp. She married George Wood. I would guess that this letter was written in response to an inquiry from Grandfather. I quote from parts of this letter:

Our ancestors - Knapp - originated in Holland. (/ would guess this was correct, if you go back at least to the middle 1400s.) Thence several years since immigrated to England. In Holland the name Knopp became Knapp in England. One of their numbers was Lord Mayor of London, which goes to show they were a family of high social position. As time went on four brothers came to America and settled near Stamford, Connecticut. A cemetery between Stamford and Darien contains the graves of some of these early settlers. One of the four brothers, Samuel, remained unmarried. He went south and died there.

From the other three brothers the various families by the name of Knapp in different sections ofthe country are descended. Father's (Grandfather's note -JLK Grand) grandfather, probably after his marriage, located in the southern part

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of Dutchess Co. His Christian name was Israel. He had three sons and one daughter; Elijah, David, Frederick and Elizabeth. Elijah was our grandfather. (Grandfather's note - JLK Great) and a very wealthy man. The children of Elijah Knapp and Rachel Weeks were Israel, Henry, Chauncy, Gilbert, James, Harvey, Samuel, Army and Jermima.

On the back of this sheet, (on paper with the letter head THE PRESS- The Press Company, Business Department) Grandfather listed the children of Elijah and Rachel (Weeks) Knapp with their marriage and death dates, as well as the data on their children.

A second letter, dated March 28, 1901, is from CW. MacCarthy to J.L. Knapp, Philadelphia. The return address appears to be 50 Br'way, New York. I have no idea about the identity of E.W. MacCarthy, or the mother he mentions. His salutation is "Dear Cousin Louis." At the bottom of the letter is -"The enclosed statement is crude. After a while I'll have another and better. EWM" (This "crude statement" and the letter mentioned, I have not found.)

Both of these letters indicate that Grandfather was searching for information concerning his ancestors by 1901.

In the material I have from Grandfather is a sheet marked "Drawn by Ellen Knapp Smith". It is not dated. It diagrams the Knapp line back from James L. Knapp (Grandfather) to the first Israel. She notes that this Israel "came from England". I have no idea as to the identity of Ellen Knapp Smith.

GENERATIONS I - V

John Knape Sr. through Robert Knapp

All the information we have on these first five generations comes from a letter I received from Eileen Patch, 3656 Lott Street, Endwell, New York, 13760-3620. Her letter, which I received in August of 2002, included letters she had received from Fred Knapp of Richland, Missouri. He had apparently been researching the Knapps for many years. His information includes data on the five generations preceding Nicholas Knapp and provides his sources.

GENERATION V - X I I Nicholas Knapp through the third Israel Knapp

A large part of what I have learned about Generation V through IX (Nicholas through the first Israel) and much of Generation X through XII (Captain Israel through the third Isreal) is taken from Nicholas Knapp Genealogy, by Alfred A. Knapp, which was published in 1953. After using this book for many years and occasionally being able to check the accuracy of the information given against other sources, it appears to me that in some instances A.A. Knapp did rather sloppy work. Among other errors, he frequently gives identical information for more than one person. However, using Nicholas Knapp Genealogy, along with the data provided by Fred Knapp, I believe that:

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1. Israel Knapp did not come from England. He was bom in 1710 at Horseneck, Connecticut.

2. Nicholas Knapp probably was not one of the four brothers who came to America early in the 18th century, settling in Stamford, Connecticut. These four brothers were supposedly Roger, William, Nicholas and Aaron. However, according to Fred Knapp,

"There appears to be many conjectures, opinions, theories and errors in so far as the ancestry of Nicholas is concerned, to include the supposed brothers that have been attached to this line for years, i.e., Roger, William, Nicholas and Aaron Knapp, none that have ever been documented, regardless of what many writing found today state.

The name Knapp and all the varied spellings is found in and is quite common in Suffolk and Norfolk, and there is some evidence, but not all that conclusive, that the ancestry of Nicholas Knapp came from the English county of Norfolk, while William is in all probability from the line found in Suffolk county. The general consensus at present is that probably the name does not have a common origin for all families that bear it, thus, factual determination of the line will probably never be found: our Nicholas Knapp falling into that category." (1)

A.A. Knapp in Nicholas Knapp Genealogy states, "The place of origin of the four Knapp immigrants is still not proven, though many statements to the contrary are to be found. It is believed that William Knapp came from near Comard Parva or Newton, county Suffolk, or Essex. It is probable that Nicholas came from the same vicinity as the name has been found there. . . There is no proof that William and Nicholas were brothers or even relatives, though that statement is often in print. When this conjecture was repeated often enough, it finally became accepted as fact. Both men are supposed to have come to Watertown with the Winthrop and Saltonstall fleet in the summer of 1630, though both their names appear in court records earlier that same year. Records do not show that William and Nicholas had had any dealings of any kind with one another. Whenever either was in difficulty, it was always a stranger who came to the rescue, never the reputed brother." (2)

3. Nicholas Knapp, our immigrant ancestor, did not initially settle in Stamford, Connecticut. A. A. Knapp in his Nicholas Knapp Genealogy states that "Nicholas Knapp came from England in 1630 with the Winthrop and Saltonstall Expedition and settled in Watertown, Mass." (3) Fred Knapp says that he believes that Nicholas came from England before that date. He says, "An interesting theory (only), that I am currently working on, and I don't know that I will get researchers to support is that I feel the Nicholas Knapp came to America somewhere between 1628 and 1630, landing and initially settling in Salem, Massachusetts, and joined the Winthrop group at a later time. My sole opinion and thought for this is based on the earliest document found on Nicholas. And that being in a court record dated 8 March 1630 where he appeared in said court for selling water for scurvy. If this document has any bearing and consideration, as I feel it must, my theory is supported by the known fact that the Winthrop Fleet did not leave England until 22 Mar 1630, and with a delay at Yarmouth until 6 Apr 1630,and a landing date in Salem, Massachusetts between 12 - 14 Junel630, meaning in short that if the document is correct, Nicholas could not have been a part of the Winthrop Fleet. The only other possible explanation that I think of that would place him in the Winthrop Fleet of 1630 is that historians have the dates wrong as pertains to the departure and arrival of the fleet. The Winthrop papers, on file in the Massachusetts Historical Society Files, distinctly establish the dates as being 22 Mar -12/F4 June 1630." (4)

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4. Probably no Knapp was Lord Major of London, nor did the family have a coat of arms, nor did they fight in any tournaments. Fred Knapp in his letter to Eileen Patch states, "As far back as 50 years ago the idea that there was a Roger de Knapp, a supposed knight of Henry VIH, and a tournament in 1530/40 in Suffolk, England, had been proved not only that there was no Roger found in Suffolk or Essex at any time, but there are no records at the College of Heraldry that identifies a tournament as having taken place during that period. Current language used says that story in pure "bunk" and carries not the least bit of truth." (5)

In Nicholas Knapp Genealogy, A.A. Knapp says much the same thing. "The legend that Roger de Knapp was knighted by Henry VIII at a tournament held in Suffolk in 1530 is wholly the product of some fruitful mind and has not the least foundation in fact. Not withstanding the number of times it has been published and the number of people who like to believe it. O.G Knapp and his father, also searched the English records carefully and corresponded with officials of the College of Heraldry, all of whom agree there was never a Coat of Arms granted to anyone by the name of Roger de Knapp nor was there any Tournament held at or near Suffolk in 1530.They can find no record of a Knapp by the name of Roger ever having been Knighted or living in Suffolk or Essex at that time. It is believed that the story first appeared in America and in all probability it is the invention of some unscrupulous genealogist in England in an attempt to satisfy the ambition of as American client." (6)

5. It is highly probable that the first five generations preceding Nicholas are those given by Fred Knapp in his letter to Eileen Patch. In addition, Nicholas Knapp was married to Susan Mitterson in England before he settled in Massachusetts.

In Nicholas Knapp Genealogy, A.A. Knapp states on page 1 that Nicholas's parentage is unknown. On page 3, however, he makes the following statements: "In 1939, Oswald Greenwaye Knapp of England, author of "A History of the Chief English Families Bearing the name of Knapp" was asked to give us his latest conclusions concerning the English origin of our New England Knapp ancestors. He has this to say about Nicholas. "The Christian name of Nicholas was popular in a group of families found in Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Whilshire. from about 1520 onwards & and to this group belong 16 of the 22 instances of the name. But none of these can be fairly identified with the emigrant Nicholas, all those of his period being otherwise accounted for. In the East Anglian group there is a Nicholas Knapp. of Wells next to the Sea, Co. Norfolk, who m. there in 1618, Susan Mitterson and had issue -Robert baptized 1619, - Richard baptized 1621, Nicholas baptized 1626 and two other children baptized in 1623 and 1628. I mention him because the late Henry Eno Knapp was sirongh inclined to identify him with die immigrant. But if he was the Nicholas of Watertown. it must be assumed that his wife d. between 1628 and 1630, and that he left behind him in England a family of 5 children, all under 12 years of age, m. again in 1630, and began to raise a new family, whose names, instead of being English like those of his first family, were all drawn from the Bible. Phis to me seems most improbable." t"i

Later, however. Dr. A.A. Knapp was apparently more convinced that our Nicholas was, indeed, the Nicholas who married Susan Mitterson before he left England for America. According to Fred Knapp, who had copies of Dr. Knapp's research notes, "While Dr. Alfred Averill Knapp in his book "Nicholas Knapp Genealogy"(1953) states that his lineage (Nicholas, Robert, Henry, Richard, John and John) had been discarded, he later (August 1959) changed his opinion and returned to the theory that it could be accepted as highly probable. But in his last attempt in determining the ancestry prior to his death in November 1962, he stated that he, after very careful consideration of the facts, would accept it until such time as other documentation could be found to refute it. By no means does he make the statement in his final research notes (I have copies) that it is anything more than a high probability. It is through his opinion that I have changed my records to reflect this lineage. In passing it along to others that may have an interest in the matter, I state that the user must make his/her

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determination in their own records." (8) As a user of this research, I have determined to accept it until someone else finds more compelling data.

6. Moses Knapp, the eighth child of Nicholas Knapp and Elinor Lockwood, had a son, whom I am inserting as Moses, Jr., who was probably born between 1673 and 1677.

The first Moses married Abigail Westcoat in 1669. They had eight children. The first four were all bom by 1674 or 1676. A.A. Knapp lists the last four, including Israel, Moses, Jonah and Mary, as having been born in 1710, 1710, and 1706 and 1754, respectively. (9) (At least one of these dates is probably incorrect. JLK) He also makes the following statement about Moses' children: "I think their probable dates of birth, especially Moses b. 1710 (Israel also in 1710) were too late for this Moses and Abigail." (10) If those dates were true, this would indicate that Moses Jr. and Israel were bom when Abigail was sixty-three years old, forty-one years after her marriage.

Although Dr. A.A. Knapp lists all eight possible children, he also says, "There is unexplainable confusion over the above children. Some think that all belong to Moses and Abigail. Many think there is a lost family involved- another Moses, probably son of the first Moses. This is not yet proved but seems very probable. . . Dates and places of birth and death of a Moses Jr. have not yet been found." (11)

In A.A. Knapp's Supplement to Nicholas Knapp Genealogy, which he wrote in 1956, he states, "For a long time many Knapp descents have believed that there is a missing generation between B-8 Moses & Abigail (Westcoat) Knapp and C-21 Moses & Elizabeth (Ogden) Knapp, and that his name was Moses also. Mrs. Alice B. Steuart, Denver, Colo., a descent in this line, concludes from her studies and from Scharf s History of Westchester County, N.Y., that Moses Knapp (#2) was a son of Moses Knapp and Abigail Westcoat, was bora at Stamford or Greenwich, Connecticut about 1655, d. about 1756 (A.A.K 's note - evidently an error in these dates). . . The children of Moses (#2) are unknown except for C-21, Moses, but are presumed to be some of those named in the Genealogy as belonging to B-8 Moses. Abigail could not possibly been the mother of all of these children, if the dates are correct." (12)

I have inserted a second Moses, Moses Jr., to fill in the gap between the first Moses and Israel, using the above suggestion that the Israel mentioned as the son of the first Moses and Abigail Westcoat was actually one ofthe children of Moses Jr. (Moses #2).

7. Elijah Knapp (G-XI) was the son of Captain Israel Knapp and his wife, Mary Hanion.

The lineage given for Elijah Knapp in Nicholas Knapp Genealogy is rather confusing. In one place, Capt Israel Knapp (D-76) is listed as father of Elijah (E-257). However, there is no E-257 listed in the next generation. Instead, Elijah is listed under E-249 as the son of Benjamin (D-75) and his wife Sarah Smith. The birth, death and marriage dates given for Elijah where he is shown as Captain Israel Knapp's son is identical with that of the Israel listed as the son of D-75 (Benjamin Knapp).

However, I have located records of the First Dutch Reformed Church of Fishkill, Dutchess County, New York, showing that on November 28, 1786, Israel Knapp and his wife Mary Hanion, parents, had "4 children baptized. Susanna, bom Jan 1, 1770, Frederick, bora July 5, 1780, Elizabeth, bora Apr. 25, 1783, Samuel. Bom Feby, 25,1785, David, bom Mar. 4, 1772 and Elijah born Nov 14, 1776." (13) This is the defining record showing that Elijah was the son of Israel Knapp and Mary Hanion. I believe that these baptismal records are most likely to be correct and accept them as proof that Elijah was the son of Captain Israel Knapp.

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Undated, hand-written notes of my grandfather, James L. Knapp, contain information about Elijah Knapp and Rachel Weeks. They include a list of the names of their nine children. This list of children is the same as the list Dr. A.A. Knapp shows for Elijah and Rachel Weeks - but Dr. Knapp continues to show Elijah as the son of Benjamin. Since one of these children is the third Israel, who was James L. Knapp's grandfather, and Dr. A.A. Knapp's book was not published until well after Grandfather died, it seems likely that Grandfather's information was probably based on family records or his own research. I believe this is further proof that Elijah was Captain Israel Knapp's son, not Benjamin Knapp's.

8. Elizabeth Weeks, the seventh of Gilbert Weeks and Jemima Van Amburgh's nine children, and Elizabeth Weeks, who is recorded as marrying Elijah Knapp, and Rachel Weeks, whose gravestone states that she was the wife of Elijah Knapp, are one and the same person.

Rachel (Elisabeth) was one of nine children of Gilbert Weeks and Jemima Van Amburgh. All were bom between 1766 and 1788. Elizabeth was the seventh child bom - bom in 1776. The records of the Dutch Reformed Church of Fishkill, Dutchess County, New York, record the marriage of Elijah Knapp and Elizabeth Weeks on Feb 2, 1797. The gravestone in the Brinkerhoff Cemetery is inscribed:

Rachel Weeks Wife of Elijah Napp.

We have found no record of any other marriage of Elijah.

Barbara Smith Buys, who did research for us, gave her opinion regarding Rachel. She said, "giving it some thought and noting that Elizabeth is given for both children of Gilbert Weeks baptismal records, plus Elizabeth for the marriage record, — it is very likely that she was Elizabeth Rachel - or Rachel Elizabeth. You noted that it was Rachel, when widowed, on the 1830 census for the town of Fishkill."

Sarah Becktol, who did work in the Weeks' line states, " I do not have anything more about Elizabeth or a Rachel. I might guess that Lockie Rachel died as an infant and the next child (Rachel) named after her. This happened in my father's family. I did wonder if your Elizabeth was named after the wife of Rev. Chauncy Graham. Her name was Elizabeth. Some old histories of Dutchess County say that Rev. Graham was a most beloved pastor."

Barbara Smith Buys, in a letter from March 4, 1983, makes he following comment: " The fact that Elijah came from Phillipstown (he was from the area which is now just over the border of Putnam, county) is the reason he met Rachel. Rachel's father, Gilbert Weeks' deed shows that he and Jemima lived there. People have to marry other people they meet- obviously - and thus "get together. There are those who marry someone from a distance but it is the exception, rather than the rule in these earlier times."

Endnotes

1. Fred Knapp, letter to Eileen Patch, July 15, 1986. 2. Alfred A. Knapp, Nicholas Knapp Genealogy (Ann Arbor: Edwards Brothers, Inc., 1953), xiii. 3. Ibid., 3. 4. Fred Knapp, Letter to Eileen Patch. 5. Ibid. 6. Alfred A. Knapp, Nicholas Knapp Genealogy, xiv.

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7. Ibid., 3. 8. Fred Knapp, Letter to Eileen Patch. 9. Alfred A. Knapp, Nicholas Knapp Genealogy, 7. 10. Ibid., 8. 11. Ibid. 12. Alfred A. Knapp, Supplement to Nicholas Knapp Genealogy (Ann Arbor: Edwards Brothers, Inc.,

1956), 1. 13. Records of the First Dutch Reformed Church, Fishkill, New York, Vol. IV, 49.

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