Thursday, February 1, 2018

1889-1910 Autograph Album of Charles Herbert Knapp of Vassar, Michigan


Autograph album with inscriptions from 1889 to 1910 that belonged to Charles Herbert Knapp of Vassar, Michigan.   Most of the entries are in the 1890s, with the lone late entry being that of Charles' daughter Verna Vivian Knapp in 1910.


The album measures approximately 6" by 4" and contains the sentiments of about 20 of Charles' relatives and friends.  An alphabetical list of the inscribers, together with any personal information they offered, appears at the end of this post.

Surnames in the Album
  • ?
  • Akins ?
  • Baker
  • Hall  [2]
  • Hancock  [3]
  • Hiney  [2]
  • Knapp  [5]
  • Lafferty  [2]
  • Raymond  [2 or possibly 2 entries by same person]
From brief online research, hopefully correct - corrections and additions requested:

Charles Herbert Knapp was born May 12, 1875 in Michigan, the son of Stephen Knapp and Eliza (Holmes) Knapp.  Eliza inscribed a page in Charles' album; at the time she was married to her second husband Lewis C. Knapp, who also inscribed a page.



At least three of Charles's siblings inscribed pages in his album: brother George W. Knapp and sisters Bertha Knapp, Julia Knapp and Lanie Knapp.  Below, the facing pages inscribed by George W. Knapp, then at Thompsonville, Michigan, and his future wife Laura Raymond of Lansing, Michigan.



On April 11, 1897 at Thompsonville, Michigan, Charles Herbert Knapp married Stella Blanche Hiney of Thompsonville.  Stella inscribed a page in Charles' album on March 6, 1897, in the month before their marriage.


Charles and Stella had at least three children, at least one of whom died young.  Daughter Verna Vivian Knapp inscribed a page in her father's album at Hackley, Wisconsin, now Phelps, Wisconsin, on February 17, 1910.


It appears that Charles and Stella parted ways in the early 1900s, as Stella married Albert Straubel in 1904, and Charles married Nina Gordon at Homestead, Michigan, on August 22, 1906.   Charles had at least three more children with Nina.

Charles died in 1959 and is buried in the Langlade Cemetery at Langlade, Wisconsin, with wife Nina and at least one of their children.

If you have corrections and/or additions to the information above, or information on any of the inscribers listed below, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

Sources
Michigan Marriages, 1822-1995
Michigan Marriages, 1868-1925
U.S. Federal Censuses
United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
FindaGrave.com

Inscribers in the Album
  • Eliza; inscribed on October 11, 1893
  • F. A. F., inscribed at Marion, Michigan, on May 3, 1892
  • Gertie; inscribed at Marion, Michigan; on September 25, 1889
A
  • Miss Dellie Akins; not sure of surname; inscribed at Vassar, Michigan, on November 9, 1890
B
  • Guy D. Baker; inscribed at Denmark, Michigan, on November 13, 1890
H
  • Blanche Hall; inscribed at Marion, Michigan, on June 4, 1893
  • Miss Clara Hall; inscribed at Marion, Michigan, on June 4, 1893
  • Eliza Hancock; inscribed at Vassar, Michigan, on October 18, 1890.  She was Charles' mother Eliza (Holmes) Knapp Hancock, husband of inscriber Lewis C. Hancock
  • L. C. Hancock; inscribed on November 9, 1890.  He was Lewis C. Hancock, second husband of Charles' mother Eliza (Holmes) Knapp Hancock.
  • Miss Nettie Hancock; inscribed at Silverwood, Michigan, on January 23, 1894
  • Stella Hiney; inscribed at Thompsonville, Michigan, on March 6, 1897.  She was Charles' future wife Stella Blanche Hiney; they would marry the next month.
  • Mrs. G. W. Hiney; inscribed at Thompsonville, Michigan, on February 7, 1897
K
  • Charles Knapp of Vassar, Michigan; album owner
  • Lanie Knapp; inscribed at Vassar, Michigan, on October 18, 1890.  Charles' sister
  • Verna; inscribed at Hackley, Wisconsin, now Phelps, Wisconsin; on February 17, 1910.  She was Charles' daughter Verna Vivian Knapp
  • Bertha Knapp; inscribed at Marion, Michigan, on January 10, 1895.  Charles' sister
  • G. W. Knapp; inscribed at Thompsonville, Michigan, on February 25, 1897.  Charles' brother George W. Knapp
L
  • Minnie V. Lafferty, or Mamie V. Lafferty; inscribed on February 10, 1895 at Marion, Michigan
  • Effie Lafferty; inscribed on February 10, 1895.  Miss Effie Lafferty was Charles' sister-in-law
R
  • Laura Raymond of Lansing, Michigan; inscribed at Marion, Michigan, on February 7, 189x [last digit too faint to decipher].  Future wife of Charles' brother George W. Knapp and presumably the L. R. who inscribed another page.
  • L. R. of Lansing, Michigan; inscribed at Marion, Michigan on February 11, 1895.  Possibly Laura Raymond, future wife of Charles' brother George W. Knapp.  Laura also inscribed the last page in the album.


4 comments:

  1. Please, please..is there any way that I can obtain this album? Verna Vivian Knapp is my great grandmother who was married to Byron Covert Keebaugh. Their daughter, Myrtle Louise is my grandmother. I would so love to be able to get this and share this album with my mother, Joyce Grabrick Conley. Verna Vivian later married John Mattson. They are buried in the Lakeside Cemetery in Wakefield, Michigan.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wonderful! Yes,it's available. Please look for my email address under Inquiries near the top of the right margin on the blog post. Also sent you a message through FB.

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  2. Is there a way to get a copy of this? Charles H Knapp is my Great Grandfather and I would love a copy!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry, this album has been sold to someone in Michigan. If you contact me, I will send your contact info to the buyer and perhaps you can collaborate. You'll find my contact info on the blog post in the right margin under Inquiries.

      Delete