This blog is for the descendants of Franz Adam Knapp, a German farmer who settled in Portage County, Ohio in 1831. He is the immigrant ancestor of the U.S. branch of the Knapp clan in northeast Ohio.
Franz Adam KNAPP was born 12 Aug 1783 in Wald-Erlenbach, Hesse, Germany, eldest son of Johann KNAPP and Anna Elizabeth JAKOB. Franz was a veteran of the Napoleonic Wars. This was one of the things that spurred him to emigrate from Germany to the United States. Franz Adam KNAPP married Eva Elizabeth JUST/JOST on 10 Aug 1812 in Heppenheim, Starkenburg, Hesse, Germany. She was born 17 Feb 1789.
This couple had the following children:
1. Margaretha KNAPP, born 5 May 1813. Margaretha KNAPP married John Joseph SPILLMAN sometime before 1828. The couple migrated to Pekin, IL in Tazewell County sometime before 1845. The couple had ten children, so I am positive there a lot of SPILLMAN descendants in Pekin, IL to this day.
2. John Adam KNAPP, born 24 Oct 1815. John Adam KNAPP married Agnes TRARES sometime before 1842. Agnes was the daughter of Matthias TRARES and Elizabeth HELMLING. She was born 30 June 1823 in Kirschhausen/Kreis Bergstraße/Hesse/Germany (former Hesse-Darmstadt/Germany). Kirschhausen is now part of Heppenheim (thanks to Manfred Bräuer, Heppenheim, for providing this information about her birthdate and place of birth!). She died on 4 April 1901 in Randolph Twp., Portage County, Ohio. John Adam KNAPP died 5 Feb 1898 in Randolph Twp., Portage County, Ohio. Both are buried in St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Randolph. John Adam KNAPP was a cobbler (shoemaker) by trade.
3. Gerhard KNAPP, born 11 Dec 1816 in Wald-Erlenbach, Hesse, Germany. I have little information on him.
4. Elizabeth KNAPP, born 15 Nov 1820 in Wald-Erlenbach, Hesse, Germany. I don’t have any information on her yet, either.
Franz Adam KNAPP had the following brothers and sisters:
1. Anna Barbara KNAPP was born 23 Apr 1785 in Wald-Erlenbach, Hesse, Germany. She married Nikolaus TAUFERTSHOFER 3 May 1808 in Morlenbach, Hesse, Germany. She died 14 Jan 1847 in Morlenbach, Hesse, Germany.
2. Maria Katharina KNAPP was born 8 June 1788 in Wald-Erlenbach, Hesse, Germany. She married Johann Adam FABIAN on 28 Nov 1815 in Furth (Odenwald), Germany. She died 5 Jan 1849 in Furth, Odenwald, Germany. One of her daughters, Elisabeth, emigrated from Germany to America. She married Peter Phillip HELFERT in Posey, Indiana. Eventually the couple settled in Ste. Marie Twp., in Jasper, Illinois.
3. Johann KNAPP was born 10 April 1791 and died sometime before 1793.
4. Johann KNAPP was born 15 October 1793 and died 15 Sep 1866 in Furth, Odenwald, Germany. I believe Johann fought in the Napoleonic wars with his elder brother, Franz Adam KNAPP.
5. Anna Elisabeth KNAPP was born 4 June 1796 in Wald-Erlenbach, Germany. She died 14 Nov 1856 in Krumbach, Germany.
6. John Adam KNAPP was born 21 Oct 1800 in Wald-Erlenbach, Hesse, Germany. He was a cobber (shoemaker) by trade. He married Elizabeth ANDES, daughter of Peter ANDES and Maria Anna ARTZ, 28 July 1829 in Heppenheim, Starkenburg, Hessen, Germany. The couple had seven children, including: Nancy Maryann, Elizabeth, Eva, Peter, Rosina, Margaret, and Mary. John Adam KNAPP made the journey to America, following his elder brother, Franz Adam KNAPP, to Portage County, Ohio about 1831.
7. Elisabeth KNAPP was born 5 Oct 1803 in Wald-Erlenbach, Hesse, Germany. It is believed she married Johann KLEIN.
Knapp Notes 
Agnes Trares who married John Adam Knapp was born 30 June 1823 in Kirschhausen/Kreis Bergstraße/Hesse/Germany (former Hesse-Darmstadt/Germany). Kirschhausen is now part of Heppenheim
Manfred Bräuer, Heppenheim
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The third child and second son of Franz Adam Knapp and Eva Elisabeth nee Jöst was baptized as Gerhard. He is called Johann at the latest when immigrating to the USA. Agnes Trares married him (John) and not Johann Adam Knapp (* and † 1815).
Manfred Bräuer, March 2023
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Hello! I’m researching my husbands genealogy for our children and came across your website. My husbands mother is a Knapp, from the Randolph/Suffield township areas of Portage County. She is the granddaughter of Edward John Knapp and Mary Ann Elmerick (both born in Randolph). Edward is the son of Lawrence Knapp and Margaret Goothier. And Lawrence was the son of Michael Knapp and Magdalena Rothe. On Sept 6, 1828, Michael and Magdalen, and their children Joseph, Magdalena, and Mary Ann, arrived in Philadelphia. By 1840, they were living in Randolph, Portage, Ohio. Michael and Magdalena were listed as being from Alsace. Magdalena’s brother, Lawrence Rothe (whose descendants now go by Rhoads), was also on the ship. I’m trying to figure out if this Knapp family is related to Franz Adam Knapp’s family. I have found no connection to the Knapp’s who came from New England to Portage County, but only just realized there could be three separate Knapp families in Portage County! Any assistance you can provide would be appreciated! Also, my husband has had his DNA tested through ancestry.com, so we can look at that if you are willing.
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I am also a descendent of immigrants Jean-Michael Knapp and Magdalena Roth. I have family history on the immigrants and their children which I will share. Miriam Knapp Baughman, m.baughman@att.net
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Looking for a Raymond Henry Knapp born in 1885 in Rootstown, Ohio. He married a Daisy Painter and had a son, Raymond in Cleveland. Would love to find relatives on this side! If this rings a bell for anyone, please respond. Thanks.
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We know that the Knapp sisters were in Fort Wayne in 1838 but we don’t know when or how they got there. Catherine Knapp was married in Fort Wayne, records for Maria other than she attended church in 1838 have not me found, Maria was already married to Heinrich Harmeyer (Harmeier) in 1838.
Franz Adam KNAPP, maybe a brother, cousin, they might have stopped in Ohio and the girls traveled on???
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Elaine:
Thanks for writing! I don’t think our Knapp lines cross, at least with the information I have right now. of course, I have learned to be patient, because surprises can always happen.
If your Knapp line had originated in Hesse, Germany, then yes I would think they could be related. But according to a family tree on ancestry.com, your Knapp sisters hail from Hanover, Stadt Hannover, Niedersachsen, Germany per a tree I found there.
Did you know that Maria remarried Conrad Salge on 26 April 1857 after Heinrich died in 1855? The marriage took place in Fort Wayne, according to this person’s tree. If this is all new information, drop me an email offline at knappnotes@gmail.com.
Knapp Notes
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Enjoyed reading about your family. Looking for Maria ‘Mary’ Agnes Knapp b. 1808 d. 1872 in Fort Wayne IN. Was married to Heinrich Harmeyer b. 1810 d. 1855 Fort Wayne IN. Maria had a sister Catherine Knapp b.1816 m. 13 Dec. 1843 Hermann Gerding Fort Wayne, IN.
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