OBIT: Benjamin Charles KNEPPER, 1907, Altoona, Blair County, PA

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OLD-TIME CONDUCTOR DEAD
Benjamin C. Knepper, One of the Oldest Passenger Conductors in the 
Pennsylvania Service, Died This Morning.

  Benjamin Charles Knepper, who for a period of almost thirty-three 
years served as passenger conductor on the branch railroad, and who was 
one of the best known railroad men in the service of the Pennsy, died 
this morning a few minutes before 9 o'clock at his home, 1603 Seventh 
avenue, of an attack of pneumonia, after an illness of about four 
weeks.  He was stricken down with an attack of grip during the early 
part of March and several weeks later sustained a relapse which 
developed into pneumonia.  His wife and several children were at his 
bedside when the end came.
  Benjamin C. Knepper was born at Summerhill, Cambria county, 
September, 1834.  He received such an education as the community 
afforded and was employed near his home until he was 22 years of age, 
when he started railroading, at which he was employed continuously 
until his retirement, over two years ago, at the age of seventy.
  He was married twice, his first wife being Mary Ellen McCarty.  
Sixteen children were born to this union, eight of whom are living.  
They are: William B. of Greensburg, Calvin M., Albert E. and M. Edward 
of Altoona, Harry H. of Pittsburg, Mrs. Eliza Vaughn of Kittanning 
Point, Mrs. W. H. Shaffer of Pittsburg and Miss Leona Knepper of 
Greensburg.  His first wife dying about twenty years ago, he was 
remarried September 13, 1891, to Carrie E. Welsh, who survives him, as 
do also two brothers and one sister - William B. Knepper of Clairton, 
Pa., Abraham Knepper of Philadelphia and Miss Lucinda Knepper of 
Summerhill.
  Mr. Knepper with possibly one or two exceptions holds a longer and 
more varied record as a railroader than any other employe of the 
Pennsylvania company, having been in almost continuous employment for a 
period of forty-seven years.  His services date from January 27, 1857, 
when he entered the employ of the company as a freight brakeman on what 
was then called the Mountain division.  June, 1861, he was promoted to 
the position of flagman, which position he held for one year, when he 
was promoted to the position of freight conductor.  While employed in 
this capacity during the month of October, 1863, he was thrown from his 
train and sustained injuries which compelled him to lay off work for 
one month.  He returned to work, assuming the position of extra 
brakeman.  December 10 of this same year he quit the services of the 
Pennsylvania railroad company and ten days later entered the services 
of the United States government as a member of a construction corps.  
During his service with the government he served as a conductor on a 
pay train which followed the union armies in various parts of Kentucky 
and Tennessee.  August 15, 1864, he was honorably discharged from the 
service of the government.  October, 1864, he again entered the service 
of the Pennsylvania Railroad company, being given the position of local 
freight conductor.  One year later he was promoted to the position of 
baggage master on the mainline with a run between Altoona and 
Pittsburg.  December 31, 1866, he was promoted to a passenger conductor 
and was employed on the mainline in this capacity until the year 1871 
when he was transferred to the Henrietta branch.  He was conductor on 
the branch from that date until his retirement September 1, 1904, a 
period of almost thirty-three years.  His retirement last September two 
years ago was marked with the proper observance; a number of prominent 
railroad men being present at the ceremonies held in connection with 
the event.
  Conductor Knepper served under Andrew Carnegie, at the time he was 
superintendent of the Pittsburg division and was a personal friend of 
Mr. Carnegie for a number of years.  He was one of the few railroad men 
of this city who drew a pension from the Carnegie pension fund 
established a number of years ago by Mr. Carnegie.
  Mr. Knepper was a member of St. Luke's Episcopal church ever since he 
had been a resident of the city.  He served for a long period of years 
as a vestryman of the church, being re-elected to that office at a 
meeting held by the congregation Sunday night.  He was superintendent 
of the Sunday school conducted with the church for a number of years.  
He was prominent in Masonic circles, being connected with Mountain 
lodge, No. 281, Free and Accepted Masons, and Mountain Chapter, No. 
181, Royal Arch and Mountain Commandery, No. 10, Knights Templar.  He 
was also a member of Jaffa Temple, Mystic Shrine, and the Ben Davis 
lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.  He was also a member of 
the Railroad Relief.  The funeral notice will be announced later.

Altoona Mirror, Altoona, Pa., Wednesday, April 3, 1907

Funeral Notices.

  The funeral of Benjamin C. Knepper will leave the house at 2.30 
Saturday afternoon and proceed to St. Luke's Episcopal church, where 
services will be held at 3 o'clock.  Interment will follow in Fairview 
cemetery.  The services will be conducted by the Blue lodge of Masonry.

Altoona Mirror, Altoona, Pa., Thursday, April 4, 1907