KNAPP, E. F.

KNAPP, FOWLER, HOLLENBECK, STEVENS, GRAHAM

Posted By: Volunteer (email)
Date: 1/31/2005 at 13:02:18

Biography reproduced from page 485 of the History of Kossuth and Humboldt Counties, Iowa published in 1884:

E. F. Knapp, son of Stephen A. and Maria Knapp, was born in Orleans Co., N. Y., March 27, 1825. In 1840 his parents moved to Rockford, Ill., where they engaged in farming. The father of the subject of this sketch was in the War of 1812, and was at the burning of Danbury, Conn. He was married at Southeaston, N. Y., Nov. 23, 1815, to Maria Fowler. They had five children. He died in Rockford, Ill., June 7, 1880, aged eighty-seven years. His wife died June 18, 1862. The subject of this sketch followed farming a few years after moving to Rockford, then he took contracts for grading the Galena & Chicago Union railroad (the first road built west of Chicago), and the Illinois Central railroad, which business he followed for seven years. In 1855 he went to Freeport, Ill., and engaged in the grocery business. In 1862 went to Mechanicsburg, Ill., engaging in grocery business there. In 1866 he went to Clinton, Ill., where he engaged in the hotel business, running the Barnett House for one year. He then went into the grocery business, following it until 1876, when he removed to Webster City, Iowa, where he took charge of the Hamilton House, running it for five years. He then engaged in the insurance business. On Nov. 8, 1882, he removed to Bancroft, Kossuth county, and engaged in the insurance business there. He also runs the City Restaurant. He was married Aug. 10, 1854, to Maria Hollenbeck, of Freeport, Ill. They have one child—Merton H. Mrs. Knapp’s father, W. H. Hollenbeck, was born April 20, 1809, in Great Barrington, Mass. He was a farmer, and was also engage in the grocery business. He was married to Harriet Stevens, Oct. 26, 1831. She was born April 22, 1811, at Yates, Ontario Co., N. Y. Mrs. Kapp was the first white child born in Macon Co., Ill. Her sister, Mrs. Sarah J. (Hollenbeck) Graham, was the first white child born in Stephenson Co., Ill. Mr. Knapp is engaged in the insurance business in Bancroft.