THE KNIEPER / KNIPPER FAMILY OF FRENCH CREEK, AVON:

Vincentius Knieper (-aka- Vincent "Zence" Knipper)
arrived in the area along with his wife Anna Marie "Emma"
(nee Klee).

Both were born in Landkern Rhineland Prussia and made
passage to America arriving on June 28, 1861 aboard the
ship "American Eagle".  This ship set sail from London
England and arrived in the Port of New York.

Vincent was registered as husband and wife with he as
passenger #94 and Emma as passenger #95.  They were married
on June 5, 1851 in Katholich Illerich Rhineland Prussia.

Also arriving at the same time were Vincent and Emma's
children;  Petrus Knieper (-aka Peter Knipper) listed
as passenger #96, Johannes Knieper (-aka- John Knipper)
as passenger #97, Jacobus Knieper (-aka-Jacob Knipper)
as passenger #98 and Elisabeth "Lizzie" Knieper as
passenger #99.

Once they arrived in Lorain County they had other children.
The Vincent and Emma Knipper family of Avon was as follows:

Name                Born                     Died

Peter Knipper  9-25-1851  Prussia     1-13-1932   Avon

John Knipper   2-12-1854  Prussia     4-19-1934   Avon

Jacob Knipper  9-8-1858   Prussia

Elizabeth "Lizzie" Knipper  8-5-1860  Prussia

Marie Catherine "Mary" Knipper 1-11-1864 Avon, 1883 Avon

Margaretha Knipper  7-25-1866    Avon, Ohio

Anton Knipper       7-8-1870     Avon, 3-11-1871  Avon

Ana Marie Knipper   12-17-1871   Avon, 8-1-1898   Avon

Anton Knipper       6-12-1873    Avon, Ohio

Emma Knipper        in 1872      Avon, Ohio

Barbara Knipper     5-20-1876    Avon, Ohio

It was common practice that when a child was born and died
later on, another child born would be given the same name
as a remembrance of sorts.  This theory shows up on several
occasions within the Knieper / Knipper families.

Vincent, or "Zence" as he is referred to as, was employed
as a wagonmaker locally.  He was born October 28, 1822
and died in Avon in 1910.  His wife Emma was born in
August 1831 and died on November 21, 1914, also in Avon.
Both were members of St Mary's Catholic Church in Avon
and both are interred within the parish cemetery.

Also arriving on the same ship were Vincent's brother
Johannes Knieper (-aka John Knipper) and his wife
Margaretha (nee Klee) Knieper (-aka Margaret Knipper).
Johannes is registered as passenger #107 and his wife as
passenger #108.  Their two daughters arrived with them
also; Katherine Knieper, registered as passenger #109 and
Emma Knieper who was born enroute.

Johannes was born June 3, 1827 in Sankt Servatius Rhineland
Prussia and died August 14, 1895 in Elyria where he had
settled and made his home.  His wife was born May 6, 1838
in Katholisch Illerich Rhineland Prussia and died July
2, 1898 also in Elyria.  Both were members of St Marys
Catholic Church in Elyria and are both interred at that
parish cemetery in Elyria as well.

A sister of Vincentius and Johannes, Elisabetha Knieper,
came along with them as well on their voyage to America.
She was registered as passenger #110.  She was born in
1838 in Katholich Illerich Rhineland Prussia and her date
of death and marital status are unknown to me as of this
writing yet.

Not only had Vincent and John married sisters but they
also arrived in a new country together as well.

Another brother, Jacobus Knieper (-aka- John Knieper)
immigrated much later in 1883 and after a brief stop in
Lorain County, migrated north to Michigan where he made
his home and raised his family.

Johannes and Margaretha (nee Klee) Knieper were married
on 1-20-1859 in Katholisch Illerich Rhineland Prussia
and their family (better known as the John and Margaret
Knipper Family) was as follows:

Name                Born                     Died

Katherine "Kate" Knipper 1-12-1860  Prussia, 1928

Emma Knipper 6-8-1861 Prussia 4-24-1938  N.  Ridgeville

Vincent Knipper  11-4-1864 Elyria, Ohio, 11-5-1932 Elyria,

Margaret Knipper in 1865   Elyria, Ohio

John A. Knipper  April 1867 Elyria, Ohio, 7-19-1939
Lakewood, Ohio

Margaruite Knipper 10-20-1868 Elyria, Ohio 12-29-1936
Elyria, Ohio

Anton "Anthony" Knipper 9-26-1872 Elyria, Ohio, 12-13-1918
Lorain, Ohio

Nicholas "Nick" Knipper in 1875 Elyria, Ohio, 6-19-1933
Cuyahoga County, Ohio

Elizabeth "Lizzie" Knipper 6-18-1878   Elyria, Ohio
10-23-1968 Oberlin, Ohio

Jacob Knipper 12-29-1882   Elyria, Ohio

Franciscus Knieper born in the late 1790's and Margaretha
Sesterhenn, born June 25, 1797, were the parents of the
following individuals:

Name                Born                     Died

Petrus Knieper  9-1-1821  9-25-1821 Landkern Rhineland
Prussia

Vincentius Knieper  10-28-1822, 1910 Avon, Ohio

Petrus Knieper 9-30-1825 Believed to be in Prussia

Johannes Knieper  6-3-1827   8-14-1895   Elyria, Ohio

Jacobus Knieper   8-31-1837  1910 Maple Grove, Michigan

Elisabetha Knieper 1838 Believed to be in Avon, Ohio

I had always believed that a connection existed between
the Knieper and Knipper family name spelling and that those
in Elyria (my wife's family) were indeed related to those
in the Avon area.

By reviewing parish records from both St. Mary's Catholic
Church in Avon and from St. Mary's Catholic Church in
Elyria, cemetery records, census records and probate court
records along with assistance from a few other dedicated
individuals, I have been able to establish this to be
quite so.

Avon Genealogy Top Home What's New