Carl Knappe Biography


	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1899. Page 523

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 

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CARL KNAPPE. A striking example of what can be accomplished by 
persistent industry and strict attention to business is afforded in the 
life of Carl Knappe, one of the leading and well-to-do citizens of 
Baker township, Davison county. His farm consists of four hundred and 
eighty acres of land, is well improved and is furnished with an 
attractive and cozy home.  

Mr. Knappe was born September 29, 1861, and is a native of Schlesien, 
Germany, and migrated from there, when a young man, to America. When he 
reached this side of_the Atlantic, his finances were at a very low ebb, 
but he soon made his way as far west as Dakota where he filed a claim 
to government land, erected a sod house 16 x 24 feet, moved into 
bachelor quarters and began to improve his farm and lay the foundations 
for a more pleasant mode of living. In 1884, he was united in marriage 
to Miss Elizabeth Deering, who assumed the management of his household 
affairs, and the young couple made their home in the sod house until 
1888, when it gave place to a more modern, as well as a more 
comfortable and attractive farm house. Mr. Knappe has also added to his 
farm both in extent and improvement until at present he owns four 
hundred and eighty acres of land and has it furnished with such barns 
and outbuildings as are necessary to carry on a general agricultural 
business. It is his purpose, in the near future, to sink an artesian 
well, and should this venture prove a success, he will develop a stock 
industry. In politics, Mr. Knappe uses his elective franchise in the 
support of the candidates of the Populist party, and in religious 
affairs he is identified with the German Lutheran church. He performed 
the duties of the office of township treasurer for two years, and for 
four years he was town clerk and for a number of years he was chairman 
of the township board of supervisors.  

In 1897, Mrs. Knappe was taken from her home by the hand of death, and 
in the year 1898, our subject married Mrs. Augusta Esar (nee Lubcka) To 
his first marriage were born seven children, six of whom are now 
living, and their names in the order of their birth are as follows: 
Clara E., Meta A., Adam N., Elizabeth K., Hattie B., Minnie Matilda and 
Lydia, deceased. By his second marriage there is one child, Erna Manda.