I blogged about Walter D. Knapp, my husbands paternal great great great grandfather back in 2010. Walter and his brother, Isaac Knapp, both sons of Benjamin and Katherine Knapp removed to the Detroit area of Michigan before coming to Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio circa 1814. Their exploits in the War of 1812 and as early mail carriers in the area are retold in numerous Fremont/Sandusky County history books in on Flipside.
This year I have been working to blog about my husband's family. I have bits and bobs on Flipside; however, have not tied them all together. The time of Knapp has arrived, although I am working backward. I have covered Walter's wife, Catherine Huffhine Knapp and several of their children, but not the patriarch of the family.
As mentioned earlier, Walter found a home in Fremont, Sandusky, Ohio as early as 1814. He has a War of 1812 document, although I have not found him on any Ohio or Michigan War of 1812 Rosters or the name of his Captain.
Unfortunately, there is not much information regarding Walter Knapp, his more illustrious brother, Isaac Knapp, was very active politically in Sandusky County, Ohio.
Walter is MIA in the 1820, 1830 and 1840 census enumerations. He may have been enumerated with a family and not under his name.
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| 1841 Pickaway County Ohio Marriage Record page 38 |
Walter was present in Pickaway County in 1841. At age forty-one he married twenty-seven year old Catherine Huffhine (Huffine) on Mat 27, 1841. Catherine was the daughter of Isaac Huffhines and Eleanor Hendrickson.
During the first decade the Knapp family grew by five children. Together they had eight known children:
- Ellnor (Elinor, Ellen) Knapp 1841-1927
- John W. Knapp 1843-1906
- Joseph C. Knapp 1845-
- Drusilla Knapp 1848-1925 (my husband's great great grandmother)
- Walter Knapp 1849-1877
- Ezra Knapp 1850-1931
- Hannah Knapp 1854-
- Isaac Knapp 1859-1883
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| 1850 Ohio Census Madison Township District 38 Franklin County November 11, 1850 |
Catherine Knapp, age 30, female, born in Ohio
Elinor Knapp, age 10, born in Ohio
John Knapp, age 7, born in Ohio
Joseph Knapp, age 5, born in Ohio
Drusilla Knapp, age 3, born in Ohio
Walter Knapp, age 1, born in Ohio
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| History of Madison Township including Groveport and Canal Winchester Fulton County, Ohio page 470 |
There is a curious record regarding a Hannah K. Knapp daughter of Walter and Druscilla Knapp. She was born in 1836 and died in 1858. On Find A Grave, Walter Knapp born in Canada is listed as her father and Druscilla Knapp, possibly deceased by 1850, her mother. Could this mean that Walter was married before Catherine and had children by this marriage? Or was the reading of this tombstone after so many decades not accurate? My husband's paternal great great grandmother was one of Walter and Catherine's children and she was named Drusilla. Where did that name come from?
It is my understanding from the book this information was taken from actual readings done in the spring of 1899. And Water and Catherine did have a daughter named Hannah who was born in 1854. She is enumerated at age six on the 1860 census; however is not enumerated on the 1870 census.
Sometime between 1850 and 1860 the Knapp family removed from Franklin County to Sandusky County. In 1860 Walter was farming in Ballville Township and by 1870 they were in Riley Township.
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| 1860 Ohio Census Ballville Township, Ballville Post Office Sandusky County July 15, 1860 |
Walter Knapp, age 68, male, master farmer, born in Canada
Catherine Knapp, age 38, female, born in Ohio
John W. Knapp, age 15, male, born in Ohio, attended school
Joseph Knapp, age 12, male, born in Ohio, attended school
Rusilla Knapp, age 11, female, born in Ohio, attended school
Walter Knapp, age 10, male, born in Ohio, attended school
Azro Knapp, age 8, male, born in Ohio, attended school
Hannah Knapp, age 6, female, born in Ohio, attended school
Isaac Knapp, age 1, male, born in Ohio
Continuing to reside in Sandusky County, Walter moved to a cabin in Riley Township before 1870.
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| 1870 Ohio Census Riley Township, Fremont Post Office Sandusky County June 6, 1870 |
Knapp, Walter, age 71, male, married, day laborer, no stated real or personal estate, born in Canada, both parents foreign born, male citizen of 21 years
Knapp, Catherine, age 64, female, married, keeping house, born in Ohio, cannot write.
Knapp, Isaac, age 11, make, single, at home, born in Ohio, father foreign born, attended school, cannot write
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| The Democratic Messenger November 2, 1871 page 4 |
Walter kept a pretty low profile throughout life following his early days as a mail carrier and escape from a Canadian prison. There are very few mentions in newspapers or history books. I was happy to find this 1871 mention as a hired ditch digger for the Sandusky County Infirmary.
On September 1, 1877 the Knapp Family became infamous from the details of their youngest son, Isaac, killing his brother Walter over a debt owed. Isaac was tried and convicted of second degree murder and sent to the state penitentiary. The murder occurred in the cabin of Walter Knapp with both Walter and Catherine present.
Walter D. Knapp died at age eighty-four from consumption on February 8, 1878 in Sandusky County, Ohio. The record is on the Family Search database, Ohio, Deaths and Burials 1854-1997.
To date there is no record of Walter D. Knapp's burial or that of his son, Walter Knapp.
Works Cited
Baries, Geo, History of Madison Township Including Groveport and Canal Winchester, Franklin County, Ohio. Geo. F. Baries, Publisher, 1902
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