The importance of the Ariosto

Posted on December 29, 2022 by Knapp Notes

I have written about a vessel named the Ariosto before – you can click here to check out the post if you haven’t read it.

On the way to the new world – on board a German immigrant ship, woodcut, 1849

It was common in days past for people from the same village or city to travel together to settle in a new place. This is what proved to be the case for several families traveling from Germany to America on the Ariosto. A total of 37 people emigrated on this ship from the Darmstadt, Hesse region of Germany to the same community in Randolph and Suffield Townships, Portage County, Ohio. I could not locate a picture of the Ariosto, but the ullustration above shows us what life would look like during such an ocean crossing during the 1840’s.

While researching on Ancestry.com, I found a document showing that the Ariosto arrived in the port of New York on 16 Oct 1839 after departing from Antwerp, Belgium. The Ariosto‘s home port was Boston, Massachusetts and her captain was Daniel T. Lothrop.

Captain Lothrop’s family and business papers are now a part of the Baker Library Special Collections housed at the Harvard Business School, Harvard University Repository. The collections consists of shipping papers for the vessels Captain Lothrop sailed, including the Ship Ariosto.

This document listed all arriving passengers and crew members for the ship, Ariosto. On it were listed the following people:

LAST NAMEFIRST NAME AGEBORNSEXOCCUPATION
TRARESMatthes481791MaleFarmer
Elizabeth441795FemaleWife
Agnes161823FemaleGirl
John141825MaleChild
Barbra111828FemaleChild
Peter91830MaleChild
Margaret71832FemaleChild
Sebastian41835MaleChild
KLEINPeter491790MaleFarmer
Barbara461793FemaleWife
Adam211818MaleBlacksmith
John191820MaleBlacksmith
John Adam161823MaleBoy
Elizabeth111828FemaleChild
Peter71832MaleChild
MAYGeorge431796MaleTailor
Elizabeth631776FemaleWife
Catharina231816FemaleGirl
George2/121839MaleChild
KLINEPeter291810MaleFarmer
Margaret261813FemaleWife
Catharina21837FemaleChild
Martin1/121839MaleChild
MAYGeorge431796MaleFarmer
Barbara391800FemaleWife
Illegible111828MaleChild
Barbra41835FemaleChild
ANDESFred.241815MaleShoemaker
Margaret251814FemaleWife
Elisabeth2 /121839FemaleChild
MAYJohn481791MaleFarmer
Margaret**461793FemaleWife
John221817MaleFarmer
Anna Maria191820FemaleWife
George171822MaleBoy
Adam101829MaleBoy
Nicholas1 1/81838MaleBoy
Table showing Andes, Klein/Kline, Knapp, May, and Trares ancestors arriving on the vessel Ariosta. Note that Margaret May ** died at sea 22 September 1839, before the ship arrived in New York from Antwerp.

During my next few posts I’ll talk about how these Ariosto passengers are related to the Knapp clan, and share what became of them after they reached America.

Image Information

Repository: Art Resource. Title: On the way to the new world – on board a German immigrant ship. Website: Immigrant Entreprenuership. Access Date: 12/29/22. Publisher: German Historical Institute. Original Published Date: 7/15/2011. Date of Last Update: 8/7/2018.

Posted in Andes, Antes, Anthes, Ariosto, Emigration/Immigration, Kline/Cline/Klein, May, Portage County, Trares | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

It’s family reunion time!

Posted on May 14, 2022 by Knapp Notes

Attention all Knapp clan members: Check out the Reunion 2022 tab to get the scoop about this year’s Knapp Family Reunion. Thank you to Gary Knapp for sending out the email to everyone listing all of the details.

Guess who will be celebrating a milestone birthday with us this year?

If anyone has any photos, family recipes, or images of heirlooms you want me to share on Knapp Notes, please email me.

Posted in Knapp, Reunion, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 6 Comments

Greetings from Heppenheim!

Posted on October 26, 2020 by Knapp Notes

This week I received a comment on the post I wrote about Barbara Koob, also known in America as Sister Marianne Cope. In case you haven’t read it, you can check it out here.

Alter Marketplatz in Heppenheim, Germany

The message is from a gentleman in Heppenheim, Hesse, Germany named Manfred Bräuer. Herr Bräuer is a noted lecturer on local history and genealogy and is currently the treasurer of the Historical Society of Heppenheim, according to their website. He is interested in learning more about the families from Heppenheim and surrounding areas that emigrated to America. His message appears below.

Greetings from Heppenheim, Hesse, Germany. It’s true, that Barbara Koob (Marianne Cope) arrived [in] New York on the ship Ariosta on October, 1839 – but as I read, master D. C. Lottrrop signed the passengers list on 10 Oct 1839. The majority of the passengers were families from Heppenheim and the villages [of] Kirschhausen, Sonderbach, and Erbach. Most of them moved to Portage County and there to the Randolph township and to the Suffield township.

One of the passengers, George May, emigrated in 1832 to Ohio, moved back to Hesse to take his mother and two of his sisters to U.S. on the Ariosto.

The other families in the List of Passengers are: Martin Bauer (Bower), Peter Klein (Kline), Mathes Trares (Traris), und Friedrich Antes [Andes] from Kirschhausen. Peter Klein (Kline) from Sonderbach. Adam Hohenadel (Honadel) and Gerhard Breier (Briar, Prier) from Erbach. Martin Mischler (Mishler, Mesler), Georg May, Johannes May, Ignatz Kämmerer (Kimmer), Martin Grosmann and Peter Koob (Cope) from Heppenheim. Also on the ship were Wilhelm Koll from heppenheim and Peter Shäfer (Shefer) from Kirschhausen.

So far I found In the US Census of 1840 Martin Bower, Gahart Prier, Adam Honadel, Peter Cline, Martin Mesler, Mattis Traris (Suffield). From Ohio, some of the emigrants migrated further west, including to Indiana or Illinois.

If you want to learn more about your German relatives from Heppenheim and the hamlets, please write. I am interested in the data of the emigrants from Heppenheim and the surrounding villages. In addition to the names already mentioned, well-known names such as Antes (Andes), Engelhart, Guthier (Gouthier), Jordan, Knapp, Lang (Long), Luley (Luli), or Rothermel – some in Americanized from – descend from this area.

Manfred Bräuer, Historical Society of Heppenheim

It’s a wonderful opportunity to make contact with an experienced genealogist and local historian from the area where our ancestors’ came from in Germany. With Herr Bräuer’s help, perhaps we can learn more about our German ancestors while sharing information about what happened to the emigrants that came to the United States.

Here are some links you may wish to check out:

Historical Society of Heppenheim

Barbara Koob /St. Marianne Cope: A Saint from Heppenheim

Welcome to Heppenheim promotional film

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | 1 Comment

Band of Brothers inspires couple to solve family WWII mystery

Posted on March 15, 2020 by Knapp Notes

When Erik and Sonni Bornmeier spent Memorial Day 2018 watching Band of Brothers, they had no idea the series would inspire them to try to solve the mystery of what had happened to Sonni’s great-uncle, an Army Air Force pilot who was shot down over France during WWII.

The Bornmeiers’ used military records from Fold3, newspaper articles from Newspapers.com, plus some old-fashioned detective work to piece together the story of 1LT George F. Wilson.

On July 8, 1944, Lt. Wilson flew his B-17 with nine men aboard in formation with 23 other “Flying Fortresses” just outside of Normandy, France.

Their targets: Germany’s guided cruise missiles called V1s. The Germans were launching them from ramps in France and sending them across the English Channel to rain down death and destruction on London’s citizens.

Wilson’s B-17 was hit by flak and crashed just minutes before the crew could bomb their target. To his credit, Wilson maintained control of the plane long enough to allow all of the crew to bail out safely. But George “Frankie” Wilson was too badly injured to parachute safely out of the plane before it crashed into a field near the village of Monchy-Cayeux, France.

The Bornmeiers have made trips to France to try and find George’s remains. To support their efforts, they have a Facebook page called “Finding George,” full of photographs and evidence they have collected during their research. It also includes information about what artifacts and information they have found in France. The village of Monchy-Cayeux has also tried to help in the effort to find 1Lt. Wilson and bring him home.

Wilson is listed on the Tablets of the Missing at the Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, France:

Service # O-759540
Rank First Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Forces
Unit 601st Bomber Squadron, 398th Bomber Group, Heavy
Entered Service From
California
Date of Death July 8, 1944
Status Missing In Action
Memorialized Tablets of the Missing
Normandy American Cemetery

Colleville-sur-Mer, France

Inscribed on the exterior wall of the walkway to Overlook at the Normandy American Cemetery are the words of French President René Coty:

We have not forgotten, we will never forget, the debt of infinite gratitude that we have contracted with those who gave everything for our freedom.

Posted in Genealogy How To's, Genealogy News, WWII | Tagged | 2 Comments

Summit County History

Posted on August 23, 2018 by Knapp Notes

While doing some genealogy research this week, I ran across an obituary for a person who died at Akron People’s Hospital. Since the date on the obituary was 1940, I had no idea which hospital this was since this was more than a few years before my time.

I did a Google search and learned that Akron People’s Hospital was incorporated in 1914 and is today known as Akron General Hospital. Who knew?

But even more important, while satisfying my curiosity about this bit of trivia, I ran across a site I just had to share. Have a few moments to browse collections of some of Summit County’s most interesting historical photographs?

If the answer is yes, then knock your socks off and check out the Summit Memory website.

This site has a treasure trove of various resources (not just old photos!) to share, including:

  • Online Map Room. A collection of historic maps and atlases of Akron and Summit County. This collection was created through a collaboration between the University of Akron Libraries and the Special Collections Division.
  • Reproductions. Want to get a copy of your favorite historical photo to frame and display? Check out the Reproductions tab for more information.
  • Collections. Browse through the list of collections and find something that interests you, such as:
    • Akron Beacon Journal Photo Collection
    • Akron Remembers 1968
    • Alumni Association of Akron City Hospital School of Nursing
    • B.F. Goodrich Collection
    • Civil War Collection
    • Stan Hywet Hall

This is just a small sample of what they have posted.

The Summit Memory project is a countywide, collaborative effort to make available some of the remarkable local history collections maintained by the Akron Public Library’s partner institutions.

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Drop a card to Uncle Don

Posted on June 17, 2018 by Knapp Notes

Don and Virginia KnappWe learned this week that Uncle Don Knapp is having some health challenges and won’t be able to visit this month as he and wife Virginia had planned.

Virginia shared in an email that Don is in a lot of pain due to a back problem. He is disappointed that he can’t make it back to Ohio for a visit.

Virginia has asked the Knapp clan to to pop a card in the mail to let Don know that we’re all thinking of him and hope he feels better soon.

Here is Don and Virginia’s snail mail address, in case you don’t have it. Please send a card to: Rev. Donald H. Knapp, 800 Hausman Rd.  Apt. 412, Allentown, PA  18104.

Please join us in wishing Uncle Don a speedy recovery and praying for relief of his pain.

The photo above was taken in 2012 at a local Kent restaurant, when Don and Virginia were in town for the Knapp Family Reunion.

 

Posted in Knapp | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Tragedy strikes the Wise family

Posted on June 3, 2018 by Knapp Notes

WISE_Joseph E. Family after 1895

The photo above shows the Joseph E. Wise family in a photo taken sometime after 1895. How do we know the date?

Tim De Frange was kind enough to share both the photo and the tragic story behind it on Ancestry.com. According to Tim, the photo was taken about 1896 in Portage or Summit County, Ohio. Below is the caption that appears with the photo:

The Joseph Wise family gathered for a family picture. Seated in front from l to r are Maggie (Margaret) Wise, Joseph Wise, Sr. Mary Andes Wise, Henry Wise. Standing behind them from l to r are Clara Wise, Louise Wise, Joseph Wise , Jr. Petronella Wise, Charles Wise, Jenny Wise and Ed Wise. Not pictured is Augusta Wise (1876-1895) who died at age 18 when she was accidentally shot by one of her sisters who was cleaning and the gun went off. This photo was taken shortly after the tragedy. Vincent Eichler would not reveal which sister caused the accident. He said it was a tragic accident and wanted it forgotten.

I hesitated to write about this subject, since it was such a painful memory for many, but a recent comment made on Ancestry.com revealed that Louisa Wise was the sister who (allegedly) accidentally shot her sister, Augusta. According to the writer, this was the story that was passed down within the family.

If anyone knows more and is willing to share the information, please contact me at Knapp Notes.

 

Posted in Photos, Wise | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Genealogy e-newsletters worth a look

Posted on May 16, 2018 by Knapp Notes

Recently a reader asked me to provide some tips about how people new to genealogy can learn more about how to uncover their own amazing true stories of their family’s history.

One way is to subscribe to several genealogy-focused electronic newsletters. One of my favorites is the New England Historic Genealogical Society‘s The Weekly Genealogist.

I always look forward to opening the latest issue of The Weekly Genealogist when it arrives in my inbox. It lists upcoming webinars, genealogy and local history events, intriguing answers to reader surveys, information about new databases now available and more.

Note: If you have any ancestors who lived in the New England area as I do (my Powers line came from the New England area before migrating to southwest Virginia), then you should take a moment to check out their website.

Even if you don’t have ancestors from the New England area, there are still resources available which may help you in your quest for information.

Choose to register for a free membership, which provides limited access to some of their online databases or spend a few bucks (less than $90/year) for an individual membership to access all that the Society has to offer.

My favorite section of the Weekly is the Stories of Interest section, which features unusual stories with a genealogy focus. The most recent issue told a story about a retired Japanese American Air Force officer’s search for the Japanese biological woman who had given him up for adoption by an American military family who were stationed in Japan in 1960. His biological mom had never given up hope of reconnecting with her son. Read more about their story here. Learn about his search for his American father here.

The Weekly Genealogist newsletter is included in the free membership. To select the membership that is right for your needs, visit https://www.americanancestors.org/join to learn more.

Another great free resource is to register for Dick Eastman’s well-known genealogy newsletter, Eastman’s Online Genealogy Newsletter. It’s a great resource for learning all kinds of things, including:

You never know what you’ll find in this newsletter – and that’s part of the attraction in it for me. If you’re interested, visit to register for the free version or for the paid version ($19.95/year).

Happy ancestor hunting!

 

 

 

Posted in Best genealogy websites, Genealogy How To's, Genealogy News, Libraries, Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Barbara Louise Kline (1932-2018)

Posted on May 15, 2018 by Knapp Notes

KLINE_Barbara_LouiseWe lost a member of the Kline family this week. Barbara Louise Kline died Thursday, May 10, at her home in Rootstown.

Barbara was born 8 Oct 1932 in Ravenna and was one of 13 children of Joseph Kline and Helen (Knapp) Kline.

Barbara married her high school sweetheart, William Kline, on May 10, 1952, at Immaculate Conception Church in Ravenna, Ohio. Barbara passed away on what would have been their 66th wedding anniversary. William died in 2016.

William built a home in Rootstown, Ohio where he and Barbara raised their five children and where she lived for the remainder of her life.

Barbara is survived by her children Becky (Dan) Bailey of Deerfield, Beverly (Deral) White of Freedom, Bill (Chris) Kline of Rootstown, Kathy (Dave) DeSalvo of Rootstown and Janet (Dale Mickley) Vair of Rootstown; 13 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren;  her brother, James Kline of Rhode Island and Rita (Kline) Starkey of Texas.

Read Barbara’s full obituary here. Condolences and memories may be shared here.

Posted in Kline/Cline/Klein, Knapp, Obituaries | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Close Call in Fallbrook

Posted on December 9, 2017 by Knapp Notes

John R. Knapp, son of John P. and Sophie Knapp, narrowly escaped a fast moving wildfire raging through the San Diego area. Yesterday morning he was forced to evacuate his home in Fallbrook, Calif., after a sheriff’s deputy knocked on his door and ordered him to leave when flames got too close to the Rancho Monserate Country Club retirement community where he lives.

With no time to grab anything, he left immediately, not knowing whether his home would still be standing when he returned.

After watching the fire burn from a safe distance for five or six hours, John returned to his neighborhood. He was shocked to discover that his home had survived the blaze. Unfortunately, many of his neighbors were not so lucky. Dozens of mobile homes in the community were destroyed.

The local TV news crew interviewed John about his narrow escape. While John is thankful his home is still intact, he is very concerned about his neighbors and how they will deal with the loss of their homes.

Related Content:
Live Blog: Lilac Fire blackens 4,100 acres
Evacuation Orders
Photos: Smoke from Lilac Fire seen across San Diego County

Posted in California wildfires | Tagged , , | 2 Comments