My Genealogy Hound

KNAPP FAMILY. The Knapp family were originally from Saxony, a province of Germany. By some they are regarded as Germans, by others as of Saxon origin; but their early history in England leads most of the descendants to fix their nationality as Anglo-Saxon or English.

In the fifteenth century they were people of wealth and position in Sussex county, England. The name Knapp is derived from the Saxon word, the root of which is spelled Cnoep. signifying a summit or hill-top. John being the given name, and living on a hill, he was called John of the hill; and there being others of the same name on the hill, and said John living on the summit or knob, he was called John of the Cnoep or Knob.

Subsequently the proposition was omitted, for convenience sake, and he was called John Cnoep, the German formation John Knopp, and in English John Knapp. The family arms, together with a full description, may be found in the Herald’s college, London. These arms were granted to Roger de Knapp by Henry VIII., to commemorate his skill and success at a tournament held in Norfolk, England, 1540, in which he is said to have unseated three knights of great skill and bravery. By the descendants of his son John, these arms are still preserved as a precious memento of worthy ancestry.

The arms of a family are what a trade mark is to a merchant. It is his own private property. It is generally expressive of some important principle. The origin of the arms of the Knapp family is given in English heraldry. It describes the arms of the Knapp family as used by John Knapp and by his son John, in 1600.

It will be seen that this coat of arms is very expressive and full of meaning. The shield and the helmets, clad in mail, denote a preparation for war. The shield on which the arms are displayed is gold, expressive of worth and dignity; the arms in sable or black, denote antiquity; the three helmets on the shield are acknowledgments from high authorities of victories gained.

The helmet, which is placed between the shield and crest, and rests upon the former, is an esquire in profile of steel, with visor closed and turned to the right side of the shield.

The wreath borne away by the victor, as represented on the sword, is positive proof of laurels won and honors bestowed. The lion passant on the shield denotes courage and consciousness of strength, and yet walking quietly when not provoked or forced to defense. The arm that bears the broken sword indicates the character of the family. Though, having fought in defense until the sword is broken, his courage does not fail him; his arm is still uplifted, grasping the broken sword, and in the heat of battle he exclaims: “In God we trust.’’

Tradition says, three brothers emigrated to this country from England in early days; if this be true, William, Nicholas and Koger Knapp of these records were brothers.

The earliest records we have in this country are in Bond’s genealogies of the families and descendants of the early settlers of Watertown, Mass., including Waltham and Weston, in which it mentions William and Nicholas Knapp — Vol. II, page 815. It there appears that Nicholas Knapp had some connection with a case in court.

Later it states that Nicholas Knapp came with Winthrop and Salstanstall’s fleet in 1630.

Then is given the name of his wife, Eleanor, and their children, as found in the Stamford (Conn.) town history. Savage, in his Genealogical Dictionary, agrees with Bond as to Nicholas’ immigration in the above-named fleet. A former printed history of the Knapp family mentions William Knapp, of Rye, N. Y., who immigrated from England with a family of children, though his wife never came. This is probably the same William Knapp, of Watertown, Mass., 1636 and 1658, who moved back to Watertown after living in Rye. In this century a single “p” was used in spelling the name Knapp.

Nicholas Knapp, of Watertown, moved to Stamford, Conn., in 1648. His children by his first wife, Eleanor (who died August 16, 1658), were — Jonathan, born December 27, 1631; Timothy, born December 24, 1632; Joshua, born June 5, 1635; Caleb, born January 20, 1637; Sarah, born January 5, 1639; Ruth, born January 5, 1641; Hannah, born March 5, 1642. For his second wife, he married Unity, widow of Peter Brown, and by her his children were — Moses and Lydia, the dates of whose births are not recorded. He (Nicholas) died April 16, 1670.

Joshua, third son of Nicholas, was born in Watertown, Mass., January 5, 1635; moved to Stamford in 1648, and married Hannah Close, January 9, 1657. Their children were — Hannah, born in Stamford, March 26, 1660; in 1663, he moved to Greenwich, which was then called Horse Neck, in which town Joseph was born in 1664; Ruth in 1666; Timothy in 1668; Benjamin in 1673; Caleb in 1677, and John in 1679.

Joshua, Jr., was born in Greenwich in 1662, and married Miss Close about 1682. They had one son — John, born March 1, 1708; and he had two sons — John, Jr., born in 1731, and Justus, born January 19, 1735.

Joshua Knapp, of Greenwich, 1670, son of Nicholas, married Hannah Close at Stamford, 1657; had a good estate inventory of 1685, though he died October 27, 1684, leaving eight children — Hannah, aged twenty-five; Joshua, twenty-two; Joseph, twenty; Ruth, eighteen; Timothy, sixteen; Benjamin, ten; Caleb, seven; Jonathan, five. His widow married John Powers.

Moses Knapp, of Greenwich, 1670, brother of the preceding, probably youngest, but was probably only a land holder and never lived at Greenwich, but at Stamford as early as 1667, and there his father gave him land by his will; he married, about 1669, Abigail, daughter of Richard Westcott. Whether he had children, I am not advised, but he was living certainly, at Stamford, up to 1701, perhaps later.

The following is from Savage’s Genealogical Dictionary of the first settlers of New England, etc., Vol. III, pp. 33 and 34: Caleb Knapp, of Stamford, son of Nicholas, freeman, 1670, made his will December 11, 1674, and died soon afterwards. He names his wife Hannah, and children Caleb, who was born 1661; John, 1664, Moses, Samuel, Sarah and Hannah.

Timothy Knapp, deputy of Rye, N. Y., October, 1670; Joshua Knapp, of Greenwich, Conn., admitted freeman 1669; Caleb Knapp, of Stamford, Conn., admitted freeman May, 1669; Moses Knapp, of Greenwich, Conn., admitted freeman May, 1670; Timothy Knapp, of Stamford, son, perhaps oldest, of Nicholas, representative for Rye, 1670, was of Greenwich, and was living in 1697. Roger Knapp, who was probably a hunter among Indians in 1639, relinquished all his right and claim on land in Branford to the New Haven Colony.

Roger Knapp, of New Haven, 1643-7; Fairfield, 1656-70 and probably later, had made his will March 21, 1673, naming his wife Elizabeth and children — Jonathan, Josiah, Lydia, Roger, John, Nathaniel, Eliza and Mary; some of whom were minors; his inventory is of September 20, 1675.

Roger Knapp, of Fairfield, son of the preceding, died 1691, but no account is found of the family. Jonathan Knapp, of Fairfield, son of the first Roger, died young, for his inventory is of February 1, 1676.

William Knapp, of Watertown, 1636, died August, 1658, aged about eighty years. He came with Nicholas and had in his will of 1655 not named any wife; referred to children, of whom several were by him from England — and His children were William, Mary, Elizabeth, John (born 1624), James, 1627; Ann and Judith.

Mary married Thomas Smith; Elizabeth married in England, a Butlery.

The will of Thomas Knapp, of Watertown, mentions William, John and James, and daughters Elizabeth, Mary, Ann and Judith. Witnesses, Richard Beers and Nathaniel Salsbury.

Mid. Deeds, Vol. 2, page 201-2, says he died intestate and his estate was divided by order of the court.

Perhaps his will was set aside; because October 15, 1658, administration was granted to Ephraim Child, Richard Beers and Priscilla Knapp.

The next April she was released from the administration. December, 1658. the constable of Watertown was ordered by the court to deliver widow Knapp her chest and other things which John Knapp had detained from her by attachment. December 16, 1662, Ephraim Child and Sergeant Beers were discharged from administration of William Knapp, and John Coolidge and Henry Bright appointed in their place.

William Knapp, of Watertown, son of the preceding by his wife Mary, had probably Joseph, besides Priscilla, born November 10, 1642 ; and by wife Margaret had Judith, born March 2, 1653; Elizabeth, born July 23, 1657, and perhaps others. He left widow Priscilla, who had been widow of Thomas Akers, and son John. Widow Margaret Knapp died previous to January, 1703.

James Knapp, of Watertown, in 1652, son of William the first of Watertown, Mass., born in England, married Elizabeth, daughter of John Warren; had Elizabeth, born April 21, 1655; and James, born May 26, 1657, who died September 26, following. In autumn of 1671 he lived in Groton. He was one of the original proprietors of Groton; a sergeant, and was one of the four men to whom a grant was made to encourage the building of a mill at Groton.

Elizabeth Knapp, of Groton, wife of James, was one of the bewitched persons mentioned by Cotton Mather. This was probably the Elizabeth Knapp who lived in the family of Samuel Coles of Boston, in November, 1657. Thomas Knapp, of Sudbury, married at Watertown, September 19, 1688, Mary, daughter of John Grout, and died beyond sea, leaving widow and children — Sarah, aged nine years, and Mary, aged six years — when administration was issued May 28, 1697.

David Knapp settled in Spencer, Mass., in 1747. — Drapier History.

John Knapp, of Watertown, son of William the first, married Sarah Young, May 5, 1660. They had John, born May 4, 1661; and Sarah, born September 5, 1662; and several others, for his will of January 22, 1696, proved the 27th of April following, though it names not either of these, who were perhaps dead, mentions Sarah and children — Henry, Isaac, John, Daniel and Abigail.

John Knapp, of Taunton, married Sarah Austin, October 7, 1685. He was probably a son of John Knapp, of Watertown.

Joshua Knapp, son of John, of Taunton, married and had one son, Samuel, born in Roxbury, June 12, 1716. Joshua Knapp and family of Roxbury, cautioned against settlement in Cambridge. Joshua Knapp married in Newton, 1727, Elizabeth, daughter of John and Bertha Prentiss.

Tradition says, Daniel Knapp was commissioned by the colonial government to survey and locate Danbury town, and was promised if he located a certain number of families there, in a given time, he would receive a tract of land for his services. He located them, and the land he received was located at the foot of Main street, Danbury, and that was the same piece of land on which Joshua Knapp, Sr., built a house, and his sons, Daniel and Frances, kept a hotel during the Revolutionary war. It was located directly opposite the Danbury meeting house, where were stored the American supplies, and which was burned with the town; and Knapp’s tavern, as it was called, was the only house in the town saved, and is still standing, 1887. It is a two and a half-story frame building, with old-fashioned small windows and shingled sides. It is still one of the landmarks of Danbury.

After a careful research I am satisfied this is true, and that he (Daniel) was the father of Joshua Knapp, Sr., and the son of John, and grandson of William, of Watertown, Mass.

Joshua Knapp, Jr., of Danbury Conn., 1762, after moving to Butternuts, moved back to Sherburn, N. Y., where he died July, 1829. Lodema, his wife, died at Cherokee, Logan county, Ohio, May 28, 1845, aged eighty years. Daniel, his brother, and son of Joshua, Sr., of Danbury, Conn., 1716, married Lucy Gray. They had children — Daniel Bostwick, Ezra G., Amie, Palmer, William, Harmon, Levi E. and Horace B. and six daughters besides. Part of his children were born in Danbury and part in Great Barrington, Mass. He died at Sherburn, N. Y., June 25, 1842. Lucy Gray, his wife, died at Sherburn, N. Y., March 8, 1834.

Francis Knapp, brother of Joshua J., and Daniel, of Danbury, Conn., 1765, married Abigail , for his first wife, who died January 22, 1810, aged forty-five years. Their only daughter Lucy, and wife of Comfort S. Mygatt, died March 8, 1804, aged thirty-seven years, six months. His second wife was Betsey. Their children were — Comfort, George, William, and seven daughters; they lived at Danbury, Conn.; Great Barrington, Mass.; and Shelburn, N. Y. He, Francis, died at_____ , January 11, 1834, aged sixty-eight years.

Levi Knapp, brother of the preceding, and son of Joshua, Sr., had three sons — Joshua G., who died at Danbury, Conn., 1883, aged about ninety; William A., and Levi S., of New Milford, Conn.

Archie W. Knapp, first son of Joshua, Jr., married Betsey Roberts, January 26, 1806 — his sons were Alonzo and Joshua. Joshua died quite young, and Archie moved on the Western Reserve, and died at Ottokee, Fulton county, Ohio, January 22, 1852, aged sixty-six years; and his wife died in Dover, Lucas county, Ohio, June 26, 1846, aged sixty-three years. His son Alonzo, who was born in New Milford, Conn., November 7, 1806, died in Ottokee, Fulton county, Ohio, June 30, 1852, aged forty-six years. Levi P., second son of Joshua, of New Milford, Conn., 1789, married Ellis Brooks, August 25, 1808. They had two sons — Royal Carlos, and Samuel B. Levi P. died in Canastota, N. Y., August 11, 1824. Royal Carlos, son of Levi P., married in California, a Miss De Coe. They lived in Rochester, N. Y., and had one son, John D. C., and a number of daughters. He (Royal Carlos) died in Rochester, N. Y., 1883, aged about seventy years.

Edwin Joshua, first son of Edwin G., married Emily Cargill, May 6, 1840; had one child, who died quite young; and he, Edwin J., died in Catskill, April 16, 1853, aged fifty-eight years.

Urania Cornelia, his sister, married John R. Sylvester, of Catskill, N. Y., December 10, 1837, and died April 21, 1882, aged sixty-two years.

Revilo Wells, his brother, of Canastota, N. Y., 1826, married Elizabeth Millett, December 31, 1850. They had sons born at Catskill, N. Y. — Charles F., George E. and Frank R.

Joshua Knapp, Sr., was born in Danbury, Conn., February 5, 1716, O. S., and married Abigail Bostwick, a widow Dibble, who was born in Brookfield, Conn., September 28, 1725, and was the first white child born there.

He (Joshua) died at Danbury, Conn., August 8, 1798, leaving children — Lucy Gray, born August 22, 1760; Joshua Jr., born May 6, 1762; Daniel, born July 2, 1763; Francis, born June 16, 1765; Levi, born June 4, 1768.

Abigail Bostwick Knapp died at Danbury, Conn., October 7, 1812, aged eighty-seven years. Joshua Knapp, Jr., of Danbury, married Lodema Warner, October 26, 1785; had Archie Warner Knapp, born September 10, 1786. They then moved to New Milford, Conn., and there were born — Levi P., March 4, 1789; Edwin Gavin, August 25, 1795; Sally Julia, December 31, 1800.

Edwin G. Knapp, of New Milford, Conn., married Marietta Ferris, November 29, 1815, who was granddaughter of Sarah Ferris, the first white child born in New Milford. Their children, Urania Cornelia, born in New Milford, Conn., April 18, 1820, and Edwin Joshua, born in Greene county, N. Y., December 22, 1817. They, with Joshua Knapp, Jr., removed to the Butternuts, N. Y. Not liking it, they moved east to Canastota, N. Y., where was born Revilo Wells, May 2, 1826.

From Canastota, they moved to Louisville, Otsego county, N. Y., where was born Charles Ruggles, August 11, 1832.

The family then moved to Catskill, Greene county, N. Y., where Edwin Gavin died, November 1, 1853, aged fifty-eight years, and his wife, Marietta Ferris, died December 3, 1881, aged eighty-one years and ten months.

Charles Ruggles Knapp, third son of Edwin Gavin Knapp, married Mary Elizabeth Shepard, of Cairo, Greene county, N. Y., February 8, 1860, and had two children, born at Catskill, N. Y. — Ella Augusta, November 21, 1860, and Charles E., Jr., February 10, 1863.

Charles R. Knapp, Sr., died at New Milford, Conn., June 1, 1862, aged twenty-nine years. He was buried at Catskill, N. Y.

Charles F. Knapp, first son of Revilo Wells Knapp, married Alice Perry, of Catskill, N. Y., March 27, 1876. They had six children — three boys and three girls.

Frank R., third son of Revilo Wells Knapp, married Kate Broadwick in September, 1878, and had four children — three girls and one boy. — [By Chas. R. Knapp, Interlachan, Fla.