Columbia County PA Archives Biographies.....KNAPP, Christian Frederick 1822 - living in 1899
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  Author: Biographical Publishing Co.
  
  CHRISTIAN FREDERICK KNAPP, one of the most widely known residents of the state
  of Pennsylvania, is one of the oldest and most highly esteemed citizens of
  Bloomsburg. He was born in the city of Besigheim, Wurtemberg, Germany, October
  12, 1822, and is a son of John Baltas and Sophia Dorothea (Kontzman) Knapp.
  
    John B. Knapp was born in the city of Besigheim, Wurtemberg, Germany, in
  March, 1784, and was a vine-dresser until April, 1831, when, with his wife and
  six sons, he came to this country, landing in the city of Philadelphia August 9,
  1831. Later he moved to Kensington, Pa., where he worked twelve years as a
  glassblower; he then moved to Pottsgrove township, Montgomery County, Pa., where
  he spent the remainder of his active days, engaged in the cultivation of the
  soil. He died at the age of eighty-seven years. He was united in marriage with
  Sophia Dorothea Kontzman, who was born in Stadten, Germany, August 9, 1791, the
  nuptials occurring in April, 1814. As a result of this union the following
  children were born to them: Christian G., born August 7, 1819; Louisa Clara,
  born May 7, 1821; Christian F., our subject; Gottleib Ernst, born February 6,
  1825; Charles August, born December 16, 1826; Gottleib, born September 17, 1828;
  William Frederick, born January u, 1830; Caroline Dorothea, born February 3,
  1834, who is the wife of J. E. Van Natta; John George, born May 4, 1836; and
  Jacob, born May n, 1838. The mother of our subject passed from this life at the
  age of fifty years.
  
    Christian Frederick Knapp was educated principally by his father, who was a
  good Latin scholar and took great pride in assisting his children to acquire a
  good education. Our subject inherited many of the good traits of character of
  his father, who was aide-de-camp on Napoleon's staff during the Russian
  campaign, at the burning of Moscow, and at the battle of Berdine. Our subject's
  first active labor was to drive a team on the canal, and while a mere lad he
  passed through various degrees of a boatman's life to captain; he then became a
  teamster during the construction of the first furnace erected there; he then
  chose the trade of a mason and, after serving an apprenticeship for three years,
  became a skilled workman. While working at his trade he fell through a furnace,
  which fall nearly cost him his life; upon recovering his health he was appointed
  assistant revenue assessor and served as such through Lincoln's administration.
  Subsequently he turned his attention to the fire insurance business and
  represented six of the leading insurance companies as agent, and was also
  special agent and adjuster throughout the state for the companies he
  represented. Mr. Knapp erected a fine house at No. 346 East Main street, where
  he now resides.
  
    Our subject formed a matrimonial alliance with Maria Elizabeth Van Natta, a
  daughter of Peter Van Natta of Bloomsburg, and they were wedded October 13,
  1846. She was born in Bloomsburg, October 18, 1825, and died December 21, 1891.
  To our subject and wife were born the following children: Caroline Margaret,
  born July 18, 1847, who is the wife of William F. Bodine, a painter and paper
  decorator; Sophia Amelia, born February 3. 1849, wife of John Harvey Long of
  Madera, Cal., and they have reared two children, Christian Frederick and Carrie,
  another, Harold, having died in infancy; John Ellis, born March 10, 1850, died
  in 1856; Peter Ernst, born September 23, 1853, wedded Clara Wicht, and they are
  the parents of two children, Mary Smith and Jennie Stowell; and Mary Catherine,
  born October 14, 1859, who is the wife of George Sloan Robbins of Bloomsburg,
  who had one child, Katherine Marie, who died May 26, 1897, at the age of nine
  years.
  
    Mr. Knapp joined the I. O. O. F. in 1846; was secretary of Van Camp Lodge, No.
  140, and for thirty-two years district deputy grand master; a member of
  Susquehanna Encampment, No. 60; and district deputy grand patriarch seven years.
  Mr. Knapp is a fine speaker. Certainly there is not another man in the state of
  Pennsylvania, if in the United States, who is as well posted in Masonry as is
  Mr. Knapp. He has traveled all over this state and has been given many banquets;
  a1 so been presented with many valuable and handsome presents in token of his
  services in the Masonic fraternity. On September 23, 1851, he received his first
  degree in Free Masonry, in Danville Lodge, No. 224, F. & A. M.; in October of
  the same year he received the second degree and in November the third degree. In
  January, 1852, he resigned his membership in the Danville Lodge for the purpose
  of starting a lodge in Bloomsburg, and in August a charter was granted by the R.
  W. G. Lodge of Pennsylvania to Washington Lodge, No. 265, to be held in
  Bloomsburg, and C. F. Knapp was named in the warrant as its first Junior Warden.
  In December he was elected W. M. of the lodge and served until December, 1854,
  when he was elected secretary, having served as such up to the present time. He
  was appointed by the R. W. G. M. as D. D. G. M. for the counties of Union,
  Snyder, Northumberland, Montour, Columbia and Wyoming, and served as such for
  eight years, when he resigned. He received the Mark Master Degree in Girard Mark
  Lodge, No. 214, at Philadelphia, from Harman Bauch, Grand High Priest; November
  21, 1855, he received the Most Excellent and R. A. degrees in Catawissa Chapter,
  No. 178; passed the chairs of said chapter and was appointed and served as D. D.
  G. High Priest for six years; in 1869 he resigned from the Chapter and obtained
  a charter for Bloomsburg Chapter, No. 218, R. A. M., and has since served as
  secretary of the same. On March 6, 1856, he was Knighted in Park Encampment, No.
  ii. K. T., and appendant orders by Charles Blumenthal, Grand Master; in May,
  1856, received a charter for Crusade Commandery, No. 12, K. T., and was named
  in- the same as the first Eminent Commander, and served as such for three years:
  also served as recorder since. In May, 1857, our subject was elected G. Captain
  General; in 1858, G. Generallissimo; in 1859, G. Deputy G. Commander; and in
  1860, G. Right Eminent G. Commander of the Grand Commandery of Pennsylvania. In
  May, 1861, he was elected G. Lecturer of the Knights Templar of the state and
  served in 1862-63; and in 1864 was elected G. Division Commander of the state of
  Pennsylvania and served as such in 1864 and 1865.
  
    On November 21, 1856, Mr. Knapp took the council degrees in Palestine Council,
  No. 9, of R. & S. Masters, at Pottstown, Pa., and resigned for the purpose of
  starting a Council of S. M. at Bloomsburg; was made, by Alfred Creigh, L. L. D.,
  M. P. G. Master of Pennsylvania; obtained a charter for Mt. Moriah Council, No.
  10, in the same year, being mentioned in the warrant as the Second Officer; in
  December, 1857, was elected as T. I. G. M. and served four years; in December,
  1861, was elected recorder of same and has since served in that capacity; in
  May, 1868, was elected M. P. G. M. of Pennsylvania, and was re-elected until he
  retired, in 1876.
  
    In May, 1856, he received the degrees A. A. S. Rite from the. 4th to the i8th,
  inclusive, in Harrisburg at the hands of R. H. Van Rensalier, G. Commander, N.
  M. Jurisdiction, and during the same year received the degrees from the i8th to
  the 32d, inclusive, Harris-burg Consistory, S. P. R. S.; in May, 1857, received
  a charter for Enoch Lodge of Perfection, 14th Degree, and the charter for
  Zerrubbabel Council, P. of Jer., 16th Degree, and Evergreen Chapter of Rose
  Croix, 18th Degree, serving as first officer in each of the three bodies for one
  year, and then as secretary of each body up to 1879. In May, 1858, he received
  the charter for Caldwell Consistory, S. P. R. S., 32d Degree, and was named as
  its first Ill. Com.-in-Chief, serving as such twenty-six years; in May, 1868,
  was elected an honorary member of the Supreme Council and received the 33d
  Degree at Cincinnati, O.; in 1870 he was elected to the active 33d Degree in
  Supreme Council and was crowned as such in New York City. In September, 1879, he
  resigned his active membership and returned to the honorary rank; December 7,
  1870, he received the order of Knights of the Red Cross of Rome and Constantine,
  Knights St. John, Viceroy Eusebeus Prince Mason and Holy Sepulchre, at the hands
  of Sir Alfred Creigh, L. L. D., in the city of Philadelphia, he being the Chief
  Intendant General for the U. S. of A., by authority of the Imperial Council of
  England, and from him obtained a charter for Orient Conclave, No. 2, to be held
  in Bloomsburg, his name being enrolled on the book of the Imperial Council in
  London, England.
  
    On December 16, 1876, the number, 15, of Orient Conclave was changed to No. 2,
  as above, C. F. Knapp being the first Sovereign of the same. In 1872 he retired
  from that position, having served during the years 1871 and 1872. In December,
  1872, the Grand Council of Pennsylvania being formed at Reading (independent of
  England), he was elected as G. Viceroy and served three years. In February,
  1875, he was elected G. Sovereign of the Grand Council of Pennsylvania, in
  Harrisburg, and served as such one year. June 1, 1875, the G. Imperial Council
  of the U. S. was formed and Mr. Knapp was elected Grand Senior General of that
  body; was elected Deputy G. Master of the G. Imperial Council for the U. S. in
  the city of New York; in 1877 he was elected Grand Master of that body in
  Rochester, N. Y.
  
    In February, 1874, he received the order of Grand Cross at the hands of C. L.
  Stowell, G. Sovereign of Pennsylvania, at the age of fifty-two years. No nation
  can have more than fifty living members of this order. In June, 1877, at a Grand
  Chapter of Grand Crosses, he was elected a second time as the second grand
  officer of that body for the United States. In June, 1879, at a Grand Chapter of
  Grand Crosses, he was elected as Grand Master of the U. S. In June 1880, Mr.
  Knapp retired from that office.
  
     The publishers of this work take pleasure in announcing that a portrait of
  Mr. Knapp is presented on a preceding page.
  
  
  Additional Comments:
  Extracted from 
  
  "Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of the Seventeenth Congressional
  District, Pennsylvania" Biographical Publishing Co., Chicago, Ill. and Buffalo,
  NY (1899)
  
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