My Genealogy Hound

DR. FRANCIS MARION KNIPE, a leading physician of Pottstown, was born November 17, 1834, and died August 4, 1894. Dr. Knipe was a native of Pottstown and a son of Dr. Jacob and Rachael (Evans) Knipe. The parents resided at the Swamp, New Hanover township. Their children were: David, Mary, Francis M., Jacob, Jr., Sarah, Hannah, Septamus, Rachel and Conrad. The last named is deceased. Septamus is a physician. The mother died in her ninetieth year. Her death was due to a fractured hip, her injury being received about a week previous to her death.

Dr. Francis M. Knipe studied medicine with his father, who was also a physician, and then attended Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, from which he was graduated in 1856. He afterwards practiced medicine in Frederick township for many years, and then removed to Philadelphia, where he conducted a drug store. He next removed to Pottstown and followed his profession, building up a nice practice. At the time of his death he was a member of the medical staff of the Pottstown hospital.

Dr. Knipe took an active part in the affairs of Montgomery county and was elected on the Democratic ticket to the legislature in 1874, serving in the sessions of 1875 and 1877. Dr. F. M. Knipe married Louisa Maria Schneider, December 9, 1856, at Falckner Swamp, Rev. A. L. Dechant officiating. Mrs. Knipe is the daughter of William Henry and Mary (Boorse) Schneider, who always resided at Swamp, where her father was a tanner and farmer. He was also justice of the peace for fifteen years. He died at the age of eighty-six years. He as one of the best known men in the upper portion of Montgomery county. Mr. Schneider was secretary of the Limerick & Colebrookdale Turnpike Company for fifty years. He was also an active member of the Reformed church. He was twice married. The first wife of Mr. Schneider was a Miss Boorse, of Mainland, a daughter of Jonas and Elizabeth (Gottshalk) Boorse, the father a merchant and hotel man at Mainland. By the first marriage there was but one child, a daughter, Louisa, now the widow of Dr. Knipe. The second wife of William H. Schneider was Miss Mary Rhoads, of Oley. The children by the second marriage were: H. W. Schneider, living in Pottstown; Rosa, wife of Frederick Saylor, of Sanatoga; Ella, wife of Henry Ritter; and Susan, wife of Henry Stauffer, of New Hanover. Mr. Schneider owned the grove at Swamp in which the picnics are held.

Mrs. Knipe’s grandparents were Henry and Maria (Nyce) Schneider, who resided at Swamp. Her great-grandparents were Jacob and Rachel (Gerhart) Schneider, who also lived at Swamp. The grandfather of Mrs. Knipe was a colonel in the War of 1812, and an uncle, Benjamin Schneider, the brother of her father, was a missionary at Constantinople. His son-in-law, William Dwight, is a professor at Vassar College, at Poughkeepsie. Mrs. Knipe was born January 30, 1837. Dr. Francis M. and Mrs. Knipe had eight children, of whom five are living, as follows: Ella Olivia, born March 29, 1859, married Edmund W. Lewis, son of David Lewis, of St. Clair, Pennsylvania, whose parents still reside there. He is deceased. Edmund Lewis was a prospector and miner. Mr. and Mrs. E. W. Lewis had two children, one of whom, Francis Marion, is deceased, and the other, Lesley Edmund, is learning the trade of a machinist. The latter was born April 23, 1887. Mary Almeda, born April 9, 1864, died June 27, 1864. Rachel Laura, born November 14, 1865, is unmarried. Rosa Louisa, born February 22, 1868, married Thomas M. Wells, son of William Wells of Reading. Thomas Wells was a merchant in Philadelphia. Dr. William Henry, born December 18, 1870, married Mary Ann, daughter of John B. Pennypacker, of Schwenksville. Dr. William Henry Knipe is a practicing physician at Limerick Square: They have three children: John F., Paul Kenneth and Thomas Wells. Sarah Jane, born September 24, 1872, lives with her sister in Philadelphia. Bertha Schneider, born December 3, 1874, died March 15, 1896. Hannah May, born May 26, 1876, died August 26, 1876. Mrs. Knipe is a member of the Trinity Reformed church of Pottstown, and also of the Ladies’ Missionary Society of that place.