My Genealogy Hound

FREDERICK NEWTON KNEELAND, Cashier of the First National Bank of Northampton, was born in that city on September 8, 1850, son of Isaac Newton and Frances Maria (Strong) Kneeland.

The Kneeland family were originally natives of Norway. They removed to Scotland in the tenth century; and in 1631 some of the descendants came to Salem, Mass., making the voyage, according to tradition, in a vessel laden with grain for the Pilgrims. Edward Kneeland, the great-great-grandfather of Frederick Newton Kneeland, was born about the year 1700. He removed from Boston to Royalton,. Vt.; and there, when he was about eighty years of age, he and his sons, Joseph and Edward, were captured by the Indians. Joseph was killed; while Edward, who was then but eight years of age, was adopted by the savages and roamed with them over their hunting grounds during the next ten years. He was finally purchased from the Indians by a French trader, who took an interest in the boy and desired to adopt him. Some time after, he had settled in Hadley and was engaged in farming. He married Miss Elizabeth Peck, of Rehoboth, Mass.; and they reared four sons and three daughters, all of whom lived to marry and have families. His son Joseph Kneeland, who was also a farmer, married Miss Lydia Champion, of West Springfield, who was born on December 20, 1791. After her death, which occurred on November 4, 1828, he married her sister, Lora Champion. Of his children the living are: Mrs. Laurietta Russell, of Amherst, Mass.; and Mrs. Josephine Stone, a widow, residing in Brooklyn, N.Y. His son, Isaac Newton Kneeland, died in 1860, when but forty years of age. He was at one time a clothing merchant in Northampton, and also followed the business of photographer. His wife, formerly Frances Maria Strong, to whom he was married on August 19, 1841, was born in Northampton on February 4, 1821, and was a daughter of Seth and Phoebe Strong. Seven children were born of their union, two sons and five daughters, of whom Frederick Newton Kneeland and two sisters reached adult life.

Frederick N. Kneeland acquired a good practical education. At fifteen years of age he left the high school to enter a jeweller’s store as clerk, after which he worked for a time in a clothing store. In March, 1869, he secured a position as clerk in the First National Bank; and, beginning at the foot of the ladder, he has worked his way up, so that for the past eighteen years he has filled the position of Cashier with credit to himself and satisfaction to the patrons of the bank. He is also a man of literary ability, and has published a work on Northampton entitled, “Northampton, the Meadow City.” On December 9, 1879, he was united in marriage with Miss Adelaide Frances Dyer, who was born at South Abington, Mass., on December 9, 1855. Their union has been blessed by three children, namely: Doris, born December 6, 1889, who died when she was but seventeen months old; Mary Frances, born January 2, 1882; and Robert Strong, born April 26, 1883.

Mr. Kneeland is a faithful adherent of the Republican party. For over thirty years he has been a member of the Edwards Church, of which he has been Director and Treasurer. He also served as assistant superintendent of the Sunday-school for fifteen years, and has been superintendent for the past three years. In 1882 he purchased the four-acre lot on Paradise Road, near Elm Street, and erected the substantial brick house which has been the family residence since January 1, 1883.