| 1. Helen B KNIBBS, b. abt. 1863 | |
| 2. Mary Catherine KNIBBS, b. March 1859 | See Ira BARNES & Mary Catherine KNIBBS |
| 3. Hattie E KNIBBS, b. abt. 1869 |
Notes for John KNIBBS:
John can be seen at the 1841 census for Oxfordshire and N. Berkshire, living at Woodstock, Oxfordshire, aged 13 years. He appears to be living alone, but as this was taken from an Knibbs extract of the 1841 census, it would indicate he was living with a family other than Knibbs. His mother had died in 1837 and his father remarried in 1839, so quite why John wasn't living with his father and step-mother I don't know. I can see that his step-mother had two babies in quick succession in 1840 and 1841, so perhaps they simply farmed John out.
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John can be seen in 1851 in Oxfordshire living as a tenant in Woodstock, Oxfordshire:
KNIBBS John 23 Butcher Man
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It is understood from Cathy Cliff, a direct descendant on John's sister Ann Knibbs who married George Brashier, that John emigrated to Wisconsin, USA and was married in 1858.
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John Knibbs was a Methodist Circuit Rider Minister in Crawford County. He did his first Mission in Crawford Co in 1856 and later also in Iowa, Lafayette and Grant Co's.
A story passed down within the family has it that one winter night he was out on a call near Barnum and got lost in a blinding snow storm. He froze his feet, but found his way home. They took him to Prairie to the hospital and his feet had to be amputated. This however didn't help and he died a few days later. (See the correct version of the story in more detail below). His wife Amelia was from Iowa and it is believed she went home to Iowa. A few years later she came back and had him exhumed and moved to Iowa to be buried near her...maybe near Des Moines. This is in the Crawford County History at the Courthouse.
Cross refer to Prairie du Chien Obituary in Amelia's file.
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My thanks go to Tim Stowell who made the following two articles available on the Internet at http://www.rootsweb.com/~wicrawfo/chap33.htm and http://www.rootsweb.com/~wicrawfo/chap36.htm:
The Methodist Episcopal Church of Prairie du Chien was organized in 1836, by the Rev. Alfred Brunson, superintendent of the M. E. mission, of the upper Mississippi and Lake Superior. Mr. Brunson came here in the fall of 1835, from Meadville, Penn., and returned home the same autumn. In the spring of 1836 he came back with his family, purchased a farm and built a house, the materials of which were brought by boat from his old home in Pennsylvania. He soon organized a society.
Mr. Brunson says: "We reached Prairie du Chien July 16, 1836. I organized a class of ten members out of those who came with me, being the first class of Methodists ever formed north and west of the Wisconsin river.
Rev. John Knibbs, pastor of the M. E. Church of Prairie du Chien, was born in Oxford, England, March 2, 1826. He emigrated from England to America, in 1855, joined the West Wisconsin Conference, in 1856, and has been in active service now about twenty-seven years. In the winter of 1856-7, while a stranger in the land, Mr. Knibbs was engaged by the Rev. Alfred Brunson, to officiate at Eastman, in place of a brother minister who was prevented by sickness, from keeping his appointment. He started to travel some five miles over the hills. The snow being nearly three feet deep and covered with a sharp crust, as no road was broken, he soon lost his way, and wandered about a considerable time. His horse becoming exhausted he tied him to a tree and tried to make his way on foot. Like many others when lost he traveled in a circle and soon came back to his horse. Again he tried to make his way out only to find himself back to the horse again. When night came on he crawled into the snow for protection. The following day he tried again but with no better success. Four days and three nights were spent in these vain attempts --- his feet, hands and face were frozen and he was nearly starved. At last he sighted smoke from a chimney and was barely able to reach the house. The people only supposed one foot to be frozen, which they thawed out with spring water. This foot was saved and the other that was thought uninjured was so badly effected that amputation of a part of the foot was necessary. More recently three different amputations of the limb have been made, one in 1883, nearly twenty-seven years after his exposure. Mr. Knibbs has in spite of his physical disabilities done effective work as a mission preacher. He is a man of fine ability and great earnestness of purpose. The past two years he has filled the pulpit at Prairie du Chien and at the last conference was appointed to his second term at this point. Mr. Knibbs does not feel hopeful of filling the term of his appointment, but expects to be soon retired from active service.
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The following is the same story as furnished by Rev. John Knibbs himself:
"I was sent in September, 1856, to the mission which included the town of Utica; I found the country new and rough, and the people few and far between. I can hardly remember where I preached first, but I think it was at the double log tavern of William McAuley, who I believe still resides at Mt. Sterling. If I remember aright, my first class was formed at Bro. Ezekiel Tainter's or "Uncle Zeke," as he was generally known; whether a class was then formerly organized or whether, like Topsy, it "grew" I cannot now remember. We had several good Methodist members in that region, who came principally from Ohio.
"Among them were Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur, Mr. and Mrs. Tallman, Mr. Roger's family, and two brothers named Peck. There were several others whose names I do not remember. The minister appointed by the conference to succeed me, was brother T. C. Clendenning, now of Rock River Conference, but I have long since lost sight of our Church in that region of the county.
"You ask for some account of my experience while traveling the circuit in the stormy winter of 1856-7. Well, it was a very chilling experience to say the least. I began my mission work in September, and had traversed the county quite thoroughly before winter set in. I had ten preaching places, besides several classes to visit. On the 22d of December, 1856, I started from Prairie du Chien, and preached at Bridgeport in the afternoon of that day. In the evening I went to Stukeville. During the night a hard snow storm came on and I was shut in with no entertainment for myself or horse. So in the morning I started for the house of J. F. Haskins, in Haney valley, but the storm increased and a crust an inch thick formed on the snow. My horse's legs were cut and bleeding and he refused to go further, so I left him and undertook to find a house on foot; but the intense cold and darkness confused me and I wandered about during five days and four nights, at the end of which time I was nearly exhausted. On the fifth day I found Eagle Points saw-mill, Mr. Ralph Smith, proprietor. There I was received and most kindly cared for. On the eighth day, mortification having begun, my left foot was amputated, and I was taken the same day to Prairie du Chien and kindly cared for by Mr. Alonzo Pelton, Drs. Benedict and Mason, and many others. Dr. Benedict afterward said that if my system had contained a particle of alcohol, I would not have survived the first night of my exposure. Many at that time lost their lives who were exposed but one night to the intense cold. This part of my experience I have ever cherished as a valuable temperance lesson."
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The bureau of Land Management shows that John purchased 80 acres of land at Mineral Point, Crawford County, Wisconsin on 7th December 1859. It is described as "the west half of the South East quarter of Section 23 in Township nine North of Range five, West, in the District of Lands formerly subject to sale, at Mineral Point, now La Crosse, Wisconsin, containing eighty acres."
See John's Land Registration Certificate
He went on to have three daughters, one of whom lived in North Dakota, USA.
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There is certainly reference to a burial of John Knibbs, at Woodland Cemetery, Polk County, Des Moines, Iowa, USA. No date of burial is given with the record.
Information re the burials of John, his wife Amelia and daughter Hattie were found at
The Charter-Pierce Memorial Internet Genealogical Society
Sources for John KNIBBS:
Notes for Amelia Ann UNKNOWN:
Obituary from Prairie Du Chien Union 20 Jan 1887 reads:
Mrs. Amelia Knibbs, d. Jan 10 1887 @@ DesMoines, IA, b. Chicago 26 Apr 1829, Widow of Rev Jno
Knibbs who died at Praire du Chien in 1884. Married at Mineral Point in 1858.
(Note: the above obituary is as it appeared and I believe the year when Amelia was born was 1839, not 1829.)
There is a record of Amelia A Knibbs being buried at Woodland Cemetery, Polke County, Des Moines, Iowa, USA on Dec 10 1886. her husband John and daughter Hattie are buried at the same cemetery. An Obituary in a Prairie Du Chien newspaper gave her date of death as Jan 10 1887, one month later.
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The Broadhead Independent Newspaper (Wisconsin) contained the following obituary for Amelia. It was also shown in the Aberdeen Weekly News newspaper (South Dakota), which was where her daughter Mrs Ira Barnes lived:
The tidings of the death on Monday, Jan. 10, 1887, of Mrs. Amelia KNIBBS, will bring sorrow to many hearts in our village where she was widely known and much beloved. Gentle and winning in her ways, yet firm for right and principle, unselfish in thought and deed, she endeared herself to all who came in contact with her, while her thorough consecration of heart and life, combined with the charm of her outward manner, fitted her especially for the difficult role of a Methodist minister's wife. How well she filled this position every heart in the various churches where he husband, Rev. John KNIBBS, so acceptably officiated will testify.
We first made the acquaintance of Rev. and Mrs. KNIBBS in Platteville, in 1869, where Mr. KNIBBS was then in charge of the M. E. Church, and the acquaintance ripened into a friendship which we were only too glad to renew when in the fall of 1879 he assumed the pastorate of the M. E. church in this place. Longer acquaintance and closer knowledge only attached us more and more to them and their lovely daughters, and in this experience we did not differ from all who came within their circle of acquaintance.
During their residence here the eldest daughter, Katie, was united in marriage with Mr. Ira BARNES, of this village, a gentleman highly esteemed. They will have the sympathy of all in this their double affliction, for it was the absence of his wife from home at the death bed of her mother, which prevented Mr. BARNES from being present here with the other sons and daughters at the burial of his mother, Jan. 5.
From this place Mr. and Mrs. KNIBBS removed to Prairie du Chien, and the editor of the Union in that city, to whom we are indebted for an early copy of a well written obituary notice, pays high tribute to her worth. We clip the following paragraph:
Mrs. KNIBBS was a model Christian woman devoted to her home, the church and God, and the influence spread abroad by the useful life she lived on earth will never be forgotten by those whom it reached.
Mrs. KNIBBS was born in Chicago, April 27, 1839, and united with the M. E. church at the age of 16, at Mineral Point, Wis. She was married there in June 1858, to Rev. John KNIBBS, of the West Wisconsin Conference. After his death, which occurred at Prairie du Chien, Feb. 1, 1884, she went to Des Moines, Iowa, to reside, and there the rest of her life was spent. Faithful to her duties to the end, "she rests from her labors and her works do follow her."
Sources for Amelia Ann UNKNOWN:
Notes for Helen B KNIBBS:
Also known as: Nettie or /Nellie/From the Milwaukee State register, (Portage, WI) July 06, 1878:
The High School Graduating Exercises.
The graduating exercises of the High School, were held at the Court House, on Friday afternoon, June 28th, and were decidedly creditable to the graduates and principal.
.......The essay of Helen B Knibbs, on "Amusements" was eminently sensible. The speaker seemed to have a bad cold and was not distinctly heard in all parts of the room..........
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Helen appears in the Des Moines Directory 1889-1891 with the following entry
Name: Helen Knibbs
Location: boards 1417 w Woodland Avenue
Year: 1891
City: Des Moines
State: IA
Sources for Helen B KNIBBS:
Notes for Hattie E KNIBBS:
Hattie is buried at Woodland Cemetery, Polk County, Des Moines, Iowa.
Sources for Hattie E KNIBBS:
Copyright © 2008 Don Knibbs
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