Family Tree Maker's Genealogy Site: User Home Page Genealogy Report: Descendants of Abraham Knerr, Sr

[ Home Page | First Page | Previous Page | Next Page | Last Page ]

Descendants of Abraham Knerr, Sr

Generation No. 1

      1. Abraham¹ Knerr, Sr was born 1716 in near Diedendorf, Saar, Germany, and died April 21, 1793 in Lowhill Twp, Lehigh County, Pa. He married Maria Eva Faess Abt. 1741 in Germany, daughter of Andreas Faess and Anna Eichenberger.

Notes for Abraham Knerr, Sr:
Written up in the Lehigh County, Pa history book.
Buried in Unionville, Low Hill Twp near Allentown, Pa
Occupation: Farmer
Came to America on the ship Lydia on 29 September 1741 and landed in Philadelphia, PA. James Allen was the master of the ship. The ship sailed from Rotterdam and arrived in Philadelphia, PA
Alternate birth date: 1714 & 1713
The History of Schuylkill Co., PA, Schuylkill Archives: it states that Abraham Knerr came to Lowhill, Northampton/Lehigh Co.,PA in 1748
Reformed Lutheran
From the History of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, page 450.
Abraham Knerr, with his wife Maria Eve, came from Germany, or more probably from the German part of Switzerland, some time previous to the year 1748, and settled in the eastern part of Weisenberg, about a quarter of a mile from the present village of Claussville, on a tract of land called by him Pleasant View, which is now (1884) owned by his great-grandson, Levi Knerr, of Claussville. He took up large tracts of land and divided them among his children. He had a large family of sons and daughters, among whom were the following: Christopher, who married, had several children, and then moved to other parts; John Jacob, who probably went to other parts before he was married; Andreas, who married a Miss Schall and settled at the Jordan, and became the father of the Jordan branch of the Knerr family; Abraham, who settled at what has since become the village of Lyon Valley; and John, who received the old homestead. Of the daughters, one, Barbara, married Jacob Horner, another married a Mr. Stettler, and still another a Mr. Hartman.
...pg 288 History of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania
Abraham Knerr, the ancestor of the Knerr's of Lowhill, was born in the year 1714 (but where is not known), probably in Germany. He came to Lowhill between the years 1748 and 1750 and took up a tract of land at the Jordan
about three hundred acres. He had two sons, John and Andrew.
He died April 21, 1793, at the age of seventy-nine years. He lived in wedlock fifty-two years.
Notes from Marilyn Knarr Green - 2/22/1997
Born 1714 Pirmasens area, Duchy of Zweibruecken
Buried: Unionville Church Cemetery, by Rev Blumer, no stone
Notes: Sandra Hart 2/1997
From the LDS center in Kensington, MD
Book: Index of Wills and Administration Records
Northampton County 1752-1850
Lehigh County 1812-1850
pg 59:
1777 KNERR, Abraham            Will      722 (possibly a match)
1793 KNERR, Abraham      Lowhill      Adm.      1568 (match)
1777 KNERR, Christopher            Adm.      774 (match)
1844 KNERR, Catharine      Weisenberg      will      1854
1825 KNERR, John            Weisenberg      Adm.      623
1837 KNERR, William      Northampton      Adm.      1403
Tax List, Lowhill Twp, PA - acres horses cattle sheep tax
1761                        16 (+5 in Weisenberg)
1762 14
1773
1779 160
He called his homestead "Pleasant View" (source Tim Conrad)

LAST WILL OF ABRAHAM KNERR, 1717-1793

In the name of God Amen the second day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand seven Hundred and Ninety I Abraham Knerr of Lowhill Township in the County of Northampton and state of Pennsylvania Yeoman? being old and weak in Body but of perfect mind and memory Thanks be given unto God therefore calling into mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to dye do make and ordain this my last will. That is to say principally and first of all I give and recommend my soul into the hands of almighty God that gave it and for my Body I recommend it to the Earth to be buried in a Christian like and decent manner at the discretion of my Executors nothing doubting but as the grand resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God And as touching such worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to Bless me in this life I give devise and dispose of the same in following manner and Form. Imprimis it is my will and I do order that in the first place that all my Just debts be paid and satisfied. Item it is my will that my Grand children son and daughters of my Eldest son Christopher Knerr dec. shall have Ten pounds together namely Andrew, Barbara, Susanna, Maria Eve, in specie lawful money of the state of Pennsylvania and the said Andrew shall have Five pounds advance and the other five pounds shall be equally divided amongst them all and ninety pounds my said son Christopher Knerr dec. received of me in his life time which makes together one hundred pounds which is their portion and it is my will as follows that my daughter Barbara Horner has received of me one hundred pounds which is her portion, and my daughter Maria Eve Fenstermacher has received of me one hundred pounds which is her portion, and my son John Knerr has received his portion in the plantation where he lives on in Weisenberg Township and county aforesaid but he shall have the great Bible yet after my decease and no more, and my daughter Anna Barbara Giess has received of me one hundred pounds which is her portion and my grand children sons and daughters of my son Abraham Knerr deceased shall have sixty-seven pounds together Namely Andrew Abraham, Anna Elizabeth, and Susanna, which money shall be Equally divided amongst them all, and thirty three pounds my said son Abraham Knerr received of me in his life time which makes together one hundred pounds which is their portion and my daughter Susanna Hartman shall have twenty two pounds in money yet for her use, and seventy eight pounds she and my son in Law Peter Hartman deceased received of me in his life time which makes together one hundred pounds which shall be their portion, and my Grand child Jacob Rau said grand child Jacob Rau shall have one hundred pounds in money when he comes to his full age of twenty one years for his portion and that shall be his share in full, and if in case my said grand child Jacob Rau should happen to die before he arrives to his age of twenty one years and leaving no children then and in such case it is my will that my said daughters which are yet living Namely Barbara Horner, Maria Eve Fenstermacher, Anna Barbara Giess, Susanna Hartman, and Dorothy Stettler, and also my two sons John Knerr and Andrew Knerr, shall be in equal shares thereof of the said hundred pounds, and my Daughter Dorothy Stettler shall have forty pounds in money yet and sixty pounds she has received of me which makes together one hundred pounds which is her portion And my Youngest son Andrew Knerr who is bound in a certain article of agreement to maintain and to give the yearly subsistence to me and his mother Eve during our natural lives It is my will that he has received his portion in the plantation and premises where we now live on in said Township of Lowhill in full for his share, and further it is my will that if there should be any remainder further in money that the same shall be divided in equal shares amongst my said Daughters Barbara Horner, Maria Eve Fenstermacher, Anna Barbara Giess, Susanna Hartman, and Dorothy Stettler, and my grand children of my son Christopher Knerr dec. together a share, and my grand children of my son Abraham Knerr dec. together a share, but the household Goods and one cow shall be in use for my beloved wife Eve during her natural life and after her decease then to be divided in equal shares amongst my said daughters namely Barbara Horner, Maria Eve Fenstermacher, Anna Barbara Giess, Susanna Hartman, and Dorothy Stettler, and I do hereby constitute make and ordain Jacob Horner and Philip Stettler sole Executors of this my last Will and Testament, and I do hereby utterly disallow revoke and disannul all and every other former Testaments wills Legacies and Executors by me in any wise before this time named willed and bequeathed Ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and Testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and seal the day and year above written Abraham Knerr his () mark ? ? ? ? ? ? Northampton County is on the third day of May in the year of our Lord 1793 Before me John Arndt Register for the Probate of Wills & for said county personally came Peter Kocher and Peter Knoe? Two of the witnesses to the within written Last Will and Testament of Abraham Knerr deceased who being duly sworn according to law Saw did respectively depose and say that they were present and did see and hear the said Testator sign his mark, expressed to be the mark of Abraham Knerr: seal publish and declare the same as and for his last Will and Testament and that at the doing thereof he the said Testator was of sound mind memory and understanding to the best of their knowledge and Belief. And also that they these deponants together with John Kieffer subscribed their names as Witnesses to the same in the presence and at the request of the said Testator and in the presence of each other Witness my hand.
John Arndt Register

NOTE:Query: Does anyone know who has possession today of the "great Bible" bequeathed by Abraham to his son John?? If you have any information about this Bible, please notify me. That particular family heirloom would have genealogical significance if legible references were made to the lineage and the birth and marriage dates for Abraham.

Abraham Knerr was a farmer in Lowhill Township, Northampton now Lehigh
County, PA. The main source of information on his immediately family is
the book: "Lehigh Co, PA. History and Genealogy", vol.2, written by Charles
Rhoads Roberts in 1915. We are not positive about his wife's maiden name,
but one of his descendants tells us she read somewhere that she was a
Vogelsang. We are just guessing about her parentage. We lack both a
birth record and a marriage record for Abraham. It is possible that he changed
his Christian name after arriving in America. There is a conflict about his
birth date. Burial record says 1714 and ship passenger list indicates 1717.
Came to Pennsylvania on ship LYDIA which landed at Philadelphia on Sep.
29, 1741. His birthplace was listed as Zweibruecken which at that time
covered a very large area. We think it was probably at Dellfeld.
Abraham owned 300 acres along Jordan Creek plus another 166 acres
nearby. He is listed as a member of the General Committee and Observation
for Northampton Co. as of June 18, 1776. He had become a naturalized
citizen on Oct. 11, 1765. His will was written Feb. 2, 1790 and probated on
May 3, 1793. He is buried at Unionville Reformed Church Cemetery in what
is today Lowhill Twp, Lehigh Co., PA. The name was originally spelled
KNOERR in early Lowhill Church records.

Naturalizations in American and the West Indies
Naturalizations of Foreign Protestants in the American and West Indian Colonies.
[The following certificates for this Colony have not been entered into the Entry Book.] C. O. 5. 1276.
Jurors' Names.: ABRA'M KNERR.
Township.: Lowhill.
County.: Northampton.
Sacrament when taken.: Oct. 11th, 1765.

Rhoads Roberts in 1915. We are not positive about his wife's maiden name,but one of his descendants tells us she read somewhere that she was a Vogelsang. We are just guessing about her parentage. We lack both a
birth record and a marriage record for Abraham. It is possible that he changed his Christian name after arriving in America. There is a conflict about his birth date. Burial record says 1714 and ship passenger list indicates 1717. Came to Pennsylvania on ship LYDIA which landed at Philadelphia on Sep.29, 1741. His birthplace was listed as Zweibruecken which at that time covered a very large area. We think it was probably at Dellfeld.

Abraham Knerr was a farmer in Lowhill Township, Northampton Co., PA no Lehigh Co., PA. The main source of information on his immediate family is the book: "Lehigh Co., PA History and Genealogy", vol 2, written by Charles Rhoads Roberts in 1915. There is a conflict about his birth date. Burial record says 1714 and ship passenger list indicated 1717. Came to Pennsylvania on Ship Lydia which landed at Philadelphia on Sept. 29, 17141. His birth place was listed as Zweibruecken, Germany.
Abraham owned 300 acres along Jordan Creek plus another 166 acres nearby. He is listed as a member of the General Committee and Observation for Northampton Co., PA as of June 18, 1776. He became a naturalized citizen on Oct 11, 1765. His will was written Feb 2, 1790 and probated on May 3, 1793. He is buried at Unionville Reformed Church Cemetery in what is today Lowhill Twp, Lehigh Co., PA. The name was originally spelled Knoerr in early Lowhill Church records.

Source; John Knarr
Abraham was confirmed at Diedendorf in 1733 and married in 1740 at Burbach. The pastor who performed the marriage came from Asswiller, another small village in the immediate area about 40 miles northwest of Strasbourg, Frances

Immigrant's surname: KNERR
Immigrant's given name(s): Abraham
Ship name: Lydia
U.S. arrival date: 29 sep 1741
Port: Philadelphia, PA
Place of origin: Zweibrucken
Source: Hinke
Notes:
Abraham was confirmed at Diedendorf Ref in 1733. Abraham 1716-1793, wf Maria Eva 1713-1792.
He died in Lowhill Twp, Lehigh Co, PA. Children: Christopher, Cath Barbara w/o Jacob Horner,
Maria Eva w/o Philip Fenstermacher, Johannes, Anna Barbara w/o Adam Geiss, Susanna w/o Peter
Hartman, Abraham Jr, Jacob, Dorothea w/o Philip Stetler, Andreas, Anna Elisabeth w/o Jacob Rau.

Abraham Knerr was a farmer in Lowhill Township, Northampton now Lehigh
County, PA. The main source of information on his immediately family is
the book: "Lehigh Co, PA. History and Genealogy", vol.2, written by Charles
Rhoads Roberts in 1915. There is a conflict about his
birth date. Burial record says 1714 and ship passenger list indicates 1717.
Came to Pennsylvania on ship LYDIA which landed at Philadelphia on Sep.
29, 1741. His birthplace was listed as Zweibruecken.
Abraham owned 300 acres along Jordan Creek plus another 166 acres
nearby. He is listed as a member of the General Committee and Observation
for Northampton Co. as of June 18, 1776. He had become a naturalized
citizen on Oct. 11, 1765. His will was written Feb. 2, 1790 and probated on
May 3, 1793. He is buried at Unionville Reformed Church Cemetery in what
is today Lowhill Twp, Lehigh Co., PA. The name was originally spelled
KNOERR in early Lowhill Church records.

Notes for Maria Eva Faess:
referred to a Eve in her husband's will
Possible died in Northampton Co., PA

Children of Abraham Knerr and Maria Faess are:

+	2	i.	Johann Christopher² Knerr, born October 08, 1742 in Lowhill Twp., Lehigh/Northampton County, Pa; died April 05, 1777 in Weisenberg Twp, Lehigh Co., PA.
+	3	ii.	Catharina Barbara Knerr, born August 30, 1744 in Lowhill Twp., Lehigh Co., PA; died February 17, 1803 in Lowhill Twp, Lehigh County, PA.
+	4	iii.	Maria Eva Knerr, born May 27, 1746 in Lowhill Twp, Lehigh County, PA; died December 03, 1802 in Lowhill Twp., Lehigh Co., PA.
+	5	iv.	Johannes (John) Knerr, Sr., born August 11, 1747 in Lowhill Twp, Lehigh County, PA; died June 12, 1825 in Weisenberg Twp., Lehigh Co., PA.
+	6	v.	Anna Barbara Knerr, born January 13, 1749 in Lowhill Twp., Lehigh/Northampton Co., PA; died March 06, 1831 in Menallen Twp., Adams Co., PA.
+	7	vi.	Susanna Knerr, born December 13, 1751 in Lowhill Twp., Lehigh Co., PA; died June 30, 1813.
+	8	vii.	Abraham Knerr, Jr, born 1753 in Lowhill Twp., Lehigh/Northampton Co., PA; died May 12, 1777 in Lowhill Twp., Lehigh Co., PA.
	9	viii.	John Jacob Knerr, born 1755; died 1790.
+	10	ix.	Anna Dorothea Knerr, born August 11, 1756 in Lowhill Twp., Lehigh Co., PA; died March 15, 1818 in Weisenberg Twp., Lehigh Co., PA.
+	11	x.	Andreas (Andrew) Knerr, born June 05, 1758 in Lowhill Twp., Lehigh Co., PA; died December 13, 1840 in Lowhill Twp., Lehigh Co., PA.
+	12	xi.	Anna Elizabeth Knerr, born Abt. 1760 in Lowhill Twp., Lehigh/Northampton Co., PA; died 1790 in Lowhill Twp, Lehigh County, PA.

[ Home Page | First Page | Previous Page | Next Page | Last Page ]