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J. GEORGE KNAPPENBERGER FAMILY

OF LEHIGH COUNTY, PA

UPDATED 9 July 2010

 

Johan Michael
(1709-1751)
i
Johan Henrich
(1744-1818)
i
J George
(1787-1820)
lim
Anna Margaret
(1814-1859)
Charles "Carl"
(1817-?)
Anna Rebecca
(1820-?)
i i
6 Children

 

7 Children


GENERAL INFORMATION

J. George Knappenberger, son of Henry Knappenberger (1744-1818), was born 11 December 1787 in Northampton County (later to become Lehigh County) PA and died 10 November 1820 in Macungie Twp., Lehigh County, PA.  He married Sarah HORLACHER about 1813.  Sarah was born 21 January 1791 and died 15 March 1861 in Allentown, Lehigh County, PA.  George died only 6 days after the birth of his third child and just before his 33rd birthday.  In the 1850 and 1860 census, Sarah is listed as a widower living in the household of her son, Charles.  It seems that she did not remarry.  George and Sarah had three children in all.


CHILDREN

ANNA "MARGARET" KNAPPENBERGER (1814-1859)

Anna Margaret was born 2 November 1814 in Lehigh County, PA and died 25 July 1859 in Lehigh County, PA.  Margaret is buried in St. Peters Church cemetery, Upper Milford Twp., Lehigh Co., PA  She married Solomon HEIMBACH, son of David Heimbach and Anna Meyer.  Solomon was born about 1809 and died September 1860 in Lehigh County, PA.  Margaret and Solomon had six children.

1. Anna E. Heimbach who was born about 1837 in Lehigh County, PA.  She married Jacob MILLER who was born about 1839 in PA.   They had a son, Preston Miller, who was born about 1869 in Lehigh County, PA.

2. George Tilghman Heimbach who was born 11 February 1840 in Lehigh County, PA and died 21 March 1852 at the age of 12.

3. Silas F. Heimbach was born 5 January 1845 in Lehigh County, PA and died 8 February 1858 at the age of 13.

4. David J. Heimbach was born 1 March 1847 in Lehigh County, PA.  
In the 1880 census, David was 32 years of age and single.

5. Reuben Henry Heimbach was born 28 February 1850 in Lehigh County, PA and died sometime between the 1900 and 1910 census in Lehigh County, PA.  He married Susan (maiden name unknown)  about 1881.   She was born Dec 1850 in PA and died after 1920.  This couple had a daughter:

a.  Maggie E. Heimbach was born about 1884 in Lehigh County, PA.  She married Robert E. BENDER about 1906.  Robert was born about 1884 in PA.    They had three children:  Robert E. Bender, Jr. born about 1904, Mabel S. Bender born about 1909 and Emma Bender born about 1912.   Susannah Heimbach, widowed, lived with them in the 1910 and 1920 census in Lehigh Co., PA.

6. James Heimbach was born 10 December 1852 in Lehigh County, PA and died 19 June 1864 at 11 years of age.

Can you help with this Heimbach family?  is so, please contact us at jsappleton@windstream.net

CHARLES KNAPPENBERGER (1817-?)

Charles known as "Carl" was born May 1817 in Allentown, Lehigh County, PA.  He died sometime after June 1900 when he was living with his daughter, Ellen Smink, and her family in Shamokin at the age of 83.  He married Lucy Ann SEIP in November 1838 in Allentown, PA.  Lucy was born 6 August 1813 in Pennsylvania and died 21 November 1881 in Lehigh County, PA.  She is buried in Union Cemetery in Allentown.  Carl and Lucy had seven children.

1. Sarah Ann Knappenberger was born 21 July 1839 in Allentown, PA and died 29 March 1864 in Lehigh County, PA. She is buried in West End Cemetery in Allentown, PA.   Sarah Ann married Nathan SCHWANDER, son of William Schwander and Anna Henry, on 6 March 1859 in Lehigh County, PA.  Nathan was born 6 October 1835 in Lehigh County, PA and died 11 November 1900.  Sarah Ann died at the age of 24 - only 3 days after giving birth to her 3rd child.  Tragically, her second son, William Henry,  died about 7 weeks before her death and her other son, Charles William died the next year.  Nathan and Sarah had three children of which only one survived:

a. Charles William Schwander was born 1860 in Lehigh County, PA and died in 1865.

b. William Henry Schwander was born 1 December 1861 and died 1 February 1864 in Lehigh County, PA.  He is buried in West End Cemetery in Allentown, PA. 

c. Annie Josephine Schwander was born 26 March 1864 in Lehigh County, PA and died after the 1930 census.  She was raised by her maternal grandparents after the death of her mother.  She married Henry J. REUTER, son of Henry and Catherine Rueter, in 1883 in Lehigh County, PA.  Henry was born Jan 1861 in Allentown, PA and died sometime after the 1930 census.  They had 6 children: 

Mabel Annie Reuter was born 19 July 1884 in Allentown, PA and died 1 March 1985 in Northampton Co., PA.  She married William Joseph Sanford, son of James Sanford and Emma Eliza Benner on 20 April 1904.  William was born 30 Jan 1880 in Northampton Co., PA and died 23 Oct 1967.  They had one son:  William "Edward" Sanford born 28 Nov 1905 and died 2 Aug 1989. 

Helen Emma Reuter was born 16 March 1886 in Allentown, Lehigh Co., PA and died after 1942.  She married George William Derhamer, son of Cyrus Derhamer and Sarah J. Michel about 1906.  George was born 20 Jan 1886 in PA and died after 1942.  They had two daughters:  Jeanette Derhamer born about 1908 and Sarah A. Derhamer born about 1911. 

Charles Nathan Reuter was born 30 Nov 1887 in Allentown, PA and died March 1966 in Northampton Co., PA.  He married Pearl Sanford, daughter of James Sanford and Emma Eliza Benner.  Pearl was born 28 March 1886 and died 23 Sept 1972.  No children.

 Frederick Henry Reuter was born 11 Jan 1889 in Allentown, PA and died there 7 March 1890.

 Edgar Franklin Reuter was born  31 January 1893 and died 21 July 1906.

 Raymond Robert Reuter was born 27 March 1895 in Allentown, PA and died January 1984 in Northampton Co., PA.  He married Estella E. RAAB who was born about 1892 and died sometime after 1930.  They had a daughter:  Dorothy Rueter born about 1914 who married a Mr. Romig. 

2. Mary Susan Knappenberger was born 6 August 1840 in Allentown, Lehigh County, PA and died 11 November 1888 in Lehigh County, PA.  Mary married Horace B. LEHR, son of Joseph Lehr and Louise Newhard, on 20 March 1864 in Lehigh County, PA.  Horace was born October 1837 in PA and died sometime after the 1910 census. The 1880 census shows this couple with two children, but Mary's burial record stated that she had four sons and one daughter.

a. William C. Lehr was born December 1864 in Lehigh County, PA.  He married Harriet  E. (last name unknown) who was born October 1866 in PA.  They had 8 children that we know:  Edmund Bruce Lehr (7 July 1889- Jan 1967), Robert Owen Lehr (2 April 1892),  Miriam E. Lehr (July 1894), Mary E. Lehr (July 1895), Dorothy Lehr (August 1896),  Ruth Lehr (August 1899), Lucy S. Lehr (abt 1902), and John W. Lehr (23 Feb 1904-April 1973). 

 b. Sarah E. Lehr known as "Sallie" was born about 1872 in Lehigh County, PA.  She married Alvin B. BIERMAN on 25 December 1892.  She died prior to 1900 and seemingly had no children.  Alvin was born 1873 and was a plasterer.  He remarried to Josephine Snyder about 1900.  

3.  Elisabeth Rebecca Knappenberger known as "Eliza" was born 9 November 1842 in Lehigh County, PA and died 14 April 1878 after giving birth to a daughter.  Eliza married her sister, Sarah's widower Nathan SCHWANDER,  son of William Schwander and Anna Henry, on 22 March 1866 in Allentown, PA.  Nathan was born 6 October 1835 and died 11 November 1900.  After Eliza died in 1878, Nathan lived with his brother-in-law, George Adam Knappenberger, but then shortly afterwards married for the third time to Elizabeth (Lizzie) Copple.   Eliza and Nathan had one daughter.

a. Lucy Ann Eliza Schwander was born 13 April 1878 in Allentown, PA and died 22 May 1878 at 5 weeks of age.  Her mother, Eliza, died one day after giving birth to Lucy.

4.  George Adam Knappenberger was born 27 July 1845 in Allentown, Lehigh County, PA and died 15 March 1884 in Lehigh County, PA.  George Adam was buried in Fairview Cemetery in Allentown, PA.  George was a butcher at one time and also was an employee of the police department in Allentown, PA.  George married Amanda LEVY on 21 October 1866 in Allentown, PA.  Amanda was born 27 March 1847 in Allentown, PA and died 2 November 1931 in Allentown, PA.  Amanda was listed as a widow in the 1910 census which indicates that she did not remarry.  George and Amanda had four children.

a. Emily M. Knappenberger was born January 1867 in Allentown, PA.  She was living with her widowed mother in 1910 at the age of 42.  We assume that she did not marry.  She was a shirt maker.

b. Lizzie C. J. Knappenberger was born August 1869 in Allentown, PA and died 1950.  In 1910, Lizzie was 38 years old, single, and living at home with her widowed mother.  We believe that Lizzie never married.  Lizzie was a knitter.

c. Harry William Knappenberger was born 26 November 1872 in Lehigh County, PA and died 1951 in Lehigh County, PA.  Harry married Sarah J. LUCAS known as "Sallie" in 1899.   Sallie was born November 1875 and died 1935 in Allentown, PA.  Harry, his wife and his daughter were also living in the same household as his mother and two unmarried sisters in 1910.  This couple had one daughter:

 Helen Lucas Knappenberger (21 July 1900 - 31 August 1953) who married Charles Alfred GILBERT, Sr. (22 November 1896-26 November 1942) and had four children:  Charles Alfred Gilbert, Jr.,  Paul Knappenberger Gilbert, Robert Earl Gilbert, and Elizabeth Marie Gilbert.

d. Jennie E. Knappenberger was born November 1875 in Allentown, PA and died sometime after the 1930 census.  She married William C. LAZARUS, Sr., son of Henry D. Lazarus and Sarah R. Laubach, on 20 September 1900.  William was born 11 Jan 1863 in Lehigh County, PA and died sometime after the 1930 census.  William and Jennie had one son:

 William C. Lazarus, Jr. (17 September 1902 - October 1971) who never married.

5.  Anna Maria Knappenberger was born about 1848 in Lehigh County, PA.  We know nothing further on her at this time.   She was 12 years old in the 1860 census.

6.  Josephine M. Knappenberger was born 22 April 1852 in Allentown, Lehigh County, PA and died 5 December 1855 in Lehigh County, PA.

7.  Ellen M. Knappenberger known as "Ella" was born  9 March 1856 in Lehigh County, PA and was living with her parents in the 1880 census for Allentown, PA at the age of 24.  She married William Henry Robert SMINK, son of Daniel C. Smink and Eva Kaseman, on 24 December 1880.  William was a widower from Shamokin, Northumberland County, PA, who had three children with his first wife, Annie L. Guiterman (Henry G. Smink/1873-1937, Eva K. Smink/1876-1962, Anna Louise Smink /1878-1941).  William was born 29 April 1852 in Shamokin Northumberland County, PA and died there on March 29, 1924.  Ellen died 15 December 1937.  This couple is buried in Shamokin Cemetery in Northumberland County, PA.  Ella and William had three children.

a.  Ellen "Rosalie" Smink was born 11 July 1882 (some sources lists her birth year as 1885) in Shamokin, Northumberland Co., PA and died 10 May 1966.  She married John Woodward GORTNER, son of Apollus Gortner and Mary L. Morrison, about 1911.  John was born 27 July 1883 in Williamsport, PA and died 23 August 1954.    They had two children:  John W. Gortner, Jr. (8 March 1912 in Northumberland County, PA - 31 December 1995 in Florida) and Marion Ellen Gortner (born September 1915).  This family was living with Henry and Ellen Smink in Shamokin in 1920 census and with Ellen who was a widow in the 1930 census.   Rosalie and John are buried in Shamokin Cemetery, Northumberland Co., PA.

b.  Marion L. Smink was born 22 May 1890 in Northumberland County, PA and died on 11 February 1891 in Northumberland County, PA at less than one year of age.  She is buried in Shamokin Cemetery.

c.  William Daniel Smink was born 12 February 1893 in Northumberland County, PA and died on 7 December 1901 in Northumberland County, PA.  He is buried in Shamokin Cemetery.  


ANNA REBECCA KNAPPENBERGER (1820-?)

Anna Rebecca Knappenberger known as "Rebecca" was born 4 November 1820 in Lehigh County, PA.  She was born one week prior to her father's death.   Anna is listed in the estate proceedings so we know that she survived her birth.  Nothing further is known about her at this time.

 

We are always interested in learning more about this family.
Please contact us at jsappleton@windstream.net