Among the progressive and public spirited citizens of Hancock county, Indiana, is John W. Knoop, a farmer of Sugar Creek township, who was born in that same township, December 2, 1868, a son of William and Louisa (Roesner) Knoop.

William Knoop was born in Germany in 1841, a son of Christian and Christina Knoop, both natives of that land, who emigrated to America and settled in Hancock county in the early history of this section. They were the parents of six children, Christian, William, a daughter, Charles, Henry and August, all of whom are deceased and at the time they came to this county, there were but two children, Christian and William. The father was a miller in his native land and after coming to this county he purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land located about two miles north of New Palestine. The place was but slightly improved and he and his good wife established themselves like other pioneers of the section and bravely set out to bring about better conditions of living. Christian Knoop prospered and about 1870 he purchased an additional tract of forty acres, about one mile east of his old home and on this latter farm passed his declining years, passing away about 1888. His widow survived him for four or five years.

William Knoop passed his youth on the original farm home in Sugar Creek township, receiving such education as the schools of this section at that time afforded and was still quite a young man at the outbreak of the Civil War. When twenty-one years of age, in 1862, he enlisted as a private in Company D, Seventy-ninth Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war. He participated in some of the most important battles of the Rebellion, among them being Lookout Mountain, Kenesaw Mountain, Atlanta, Stone's River, Franklin and Nashville. He was wounded in the leg and his health completely undermined by the exposure to which the soldiers were subjected. He never fully recovered and hence his death in 1878 at the early age of thirty-seven. After his return from the army, he was united in marriage with Louisa Rosener, who was born in Sugar Creek township in September of 1844, a daughter of William L. and Christina (Braedemeier) Rosener, both natives of Germany and among the early settlers of this section. Louisa (Rosener) Knoop, who still survives, was one of eight children, four boys and four girls, of whom but three others survive, William, Henry and Anton. William Knoop was a devout member of the Lutheran church, a Democrat in politics, and spent his declining years on the old homestead where he was born and reared.

John W. Knoop is one of eight children, the others being Mary, Emma, Louis, William and Louisa (twins), Carrie and a daughter who died in infancy; all of whom are living except Emma and Carrie. John Knoop spent his boyhood on the old farm his grandfather had purchased, receiving his education at district No. 4 and the German school, and at the early age of fifteen, on account of the death of his father, he was forced to shoulder the responsibility as the head of the family and together with his younger brothers he managed the work of the farm.

At the age of twenty-five he was married, May 6, 1894, to Carrie Harvey, born in Buck Creek township, this county, April 17, 1870, a daughter of Milton and Sarah (West) Harvey, both natives of this state. Milton Harvey was born in Fayette county on April 29, 1833, and passed from this life at his home in Buck Creek township, September 23, 1909. He was the son of William and Jane (Eastes) Harvey, both also natives of Indiana. Sarah West Harvey was the daughter of Israel West and wife, the latter of Irish parentage. Carrie (Harvey) Knoop is one of a family of ten children, those surviving being William, John, Maggie, Dena, Carrie, Tillie, Lee, Katie and Bennie, the one deceased being Gary. After marriage, John W. Knoop and wife took up their residence on the old Knoop homestead, where they remained but a year, and then moved to the east forty, where they have since resided. Mr. Knoop manages his mother's farm of two hundred acres and is regarded as one of the more advanced agriculturists of this section.

There are two children in the Knoop family: Raymond M., born on July 11, 1896, and Gladys Louise, born on February 13, 1900. The family are members of the German Lutheran church, and politicially Mr. Knoop advocates the principles of the Democratic party. For four years he served as deputy assessor of Sugar Creek township and is one of the most highly respected citizens of this part of Hancock county.

Transcribed from History of Hancock County, Indiana, Its People, Industries and Institutions by George J. Richman, B. L., Federal Publishing Co., Indianapolis, Indiana, 1916. Page 1020-1021.

Submitted by Sylvia (Rose) Duda, Laingsburg, MI October 25, 2001.

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