KNAPPE, William

KNAPPE WINKLER, MANN

Posted By: Karyn Volunteer
Date: 4/17/2017 at 17:34:53

William Knappe Passes Away
On Monday, the twenty-seventh day
of April, 1914.

One of the oldest surviving settlers of Fremont county passed from this life at the home of his daughter, Lucy Knappe, in Hamburg.

William Knappe settled on a farm about five north of Hamburg in the spring of 1856. He lived there on the old homestead until several years ago, when the place was sold. Mr. Knappe lived to be eight-eight years old. He was the last member of his family, and even at his advanced age was remarkably active and well preserved. It was due to an acute systemic disorder and to an operation that he passed away so suddenly.

This octogenarian, last of the race of pioneers, was born in Nettin, Germany. There he learned the locksmith’s trade. He left Germany in 1848. After a stormy passage on the Atlantic on one of the old American clipper-built sailing ships, he landed in New Orleans. It required 65 days to complete this voyage.

He worked as a mechanic on a large sugar plantation about twenty miles north of New Orleans for several months. Then he went up the Mississippi to St. Louis and followed his trade in various machine shops. Here he met Henrietta Winkler who afterward became his wife. They were married May 23, 1853.

Three years later, in 1856, he bought the farm north of Hamburg where he lived until March 1913. He grew up with this part of the state, toiling ceaselessly until about fourteen years ago, when he gave up the active work on the farm youngest son, William. successful farmer in the experience and hard work, extremely conscientious pleasing, kind nature, he was respected and liked by his friends in this vicinity was a good fortune to know him.

His wife lived until about a year ago. The old resident raised a family of ten children, the eldest died in infancy. C Knappe, the third eldest was suddenly stricken with ??, died two years ago. Nine bereaved children mourn their father’s death Guergens, Milwaukee, Knappe, Riverton, Iowa Billings, Mont.; Dona L Mann, Sidney, Iowa; H William Knappe of Ham; Trudeau of Lexington, The funeral services will be Wednesday afternoon.