#768 Solomon Knepper ( Peter Knepper • Peter Knepper • Wilhelmus Knepper • Hans Peter Knepper◊ • Tilmann Knepper◊ )

Solomon was born 10 Apr 1805 in Quincy Twp., Franklin Co., Pennsylvania. He died 22 Sep 1877 in Quincy Twp., Franklin Co., Pennsylvania. He was buried in Center Cemetery, Quincy, Franklin Co., Pennsylvania.

In 1850 Solomon was a farmer in Quincy Twp., Franklin Co., Pennsylvania. His real estate was valued at $4500.

The following was written by Brint Knepper, great-grandson of Solomon.

HISTORY AND EVENTS OF SOLOMON KNEPPER FAMILY

Solomon was born April 10,1805, the son of Peter Knepper, 2nd and Regina Wolf Knepper. He was born in the Quincy area of what is now Franklin County, Pa.

Solomon married Esther Yaukey and lived in the Quincy Area, the McConnellsburg Area, and the Center Church Area of what is Taylor Twp., Fulton County now. He died Sept 22,1877. Esther was born, died Sept 6, 1896. They are buried in the front row of the Center Cemetery. According to obituaries these children were all born in

the Quincy Area:

Sarah Aug 16,1846 Dec 13,1907 Clear Ridge

Amanda Apr. 11,1848 July 2, 1933 Union

Charlotte Aug 22,1849 Mar 13,1923 Oak Ridge

Aaron Dec 28, 1850 Jan 1,1938 Center

David May 29, 1853 Sept 11, 1942 Center

Peter Apr. 10, 1855 March 14,1937 Center

During the Civil War they lived near the resevoir above McConnellsburg. Aaron, my grandfather, called it the Peter Morton farm.

My brother, Harry, told about Aaron, his granddad. Aaron as a 12 year old boy in the summer of 1863, having some horses at a blacksmith shop in McConnellsburg when they heard the Confederates were coming. Likely this was June 18,1863. Aaron must have taken the horses from the blacksmith shop to his home and gotten the other horses. Aaron told me that he and John Cook, a neighbor boy, took the horses of both families down across the fields to the road. This would be on route 522 near where Thomas's Chevrolet Garage now stands. A couple of Rebs on horses took after them but turned back as they got near the road because Union Troops were on the road marching toward McConnellsburg. Aaron told about bullets striking the rail fence as they opened the fence onto the road. The boys fled north with the horses and stayed in the Center Church area of Taylor Twp. while the battle of Gettysburg was fought.

John Cook's home was the old log house with a stone chimney to the right of the new U.S. 30 as you start up Tuscarora Mountain from route 522. I asked Aaron where they stayed with the horses He said that he was not sure but he thought it must have been in the woods at the Harper Tract. The Harper Tract lays between Center Church and Waterfall. There were two sets of farm buildings located there.

No Kneppers lived in Taylor Twp. then. There was a public road from just northwest of Center Church thru an area to a lane on 655 just below where Elizabeth Cutchall lived. Aaron said that the people of that area were good to them. They had heard of a big battle battle being fought across the Tuscarora Mountain. People, who had sons in the war, were worried that some might be killed in the battle.

When the boys heard it was safe they took the horses back to their homes.

After Aaron and the Cook boys fled north with the horses there were different Confederate raids and a firefight in McConnellsburg. On June 18,1863, the day, most likely, the boys had fled north with the horses, a raiding group led by Ferguson, under Brig Gen. Alfred Jenkins orders, raided the McConnellsburg area. Besides stores and shops being emptied by "purchases" with confederated money over $12,000 worth of cattle, over 100 horses, and several black children were taken from area farms.

On June 23, 1863 a brigade of 2500 men, 300 cavalrymen, and 6 cannons, commanded by Brig Gen George Stewart was ordered by Brig Gen. Edward Johnson to raid Mercersburg and McConnelsburg areas for more horses and cattle.

About noon June 29, 1863 a Union Scouting force of 38 men, led by Capt. Jones came to McConnellsburg from Everettt. From the opposite direction came Confederate Capt Irvine with 68 mounted men on a scouting mission ahead of Gen. Imboden's main force at Mercersburg.

When the Union Scouts reached The Fulton House they learned of Confederates coming from Mercersburg. They pretended to retreat as far west as the stream west of town.

As the Confederates reached The Fulton House, Capt. Irvine gave the order to charge. But at the intersection of the street from the courthouse he saw about 50 uniformed Union home guards from Orbisonia. Not wanting to risk an attack on their front and right the Confederates retreated toward Mercersburg. This was the time for Union Capt. Jones and his men to attack. During this attack one Union and two Confederates were killed. 32

soldiers and 33 of their horses were captured. Union Capt. Jones anticipated that this smaller contingent of soldiers would be followed by a large force of Confederates, so he withdrew. The Union soldiers, marching toward McConnellsburg, when the boys were opening the rail fence onto the road for their horses, could have been the Home Guard from Orbinsona on their way to McConnellsburg.

When the boys returned home with their horses they found the Rebs. had bivouaced on the Knepper family farm. The Knepper Mother and her daughter had been made to bake bread all night until they ran out of flour. The Confederates had butchered their hogs and a sow and her little pigs. Troops filled canteens at the spring house. An officer saw a soldier drinking milk out of a crock. He made the soldier quit drinking and place the wood lid back on the crock. Aaron and the Cook boy had taken all of the horses, except one old sway back horse into hiding. A Reb. was taking this old horse away when Peter, a small boy, came out crying not to take his horse. A sargeant saw this and told the soldier, "Let the little fellow keep his horse. The horse is no good anyway."

Another Sargeant said to Solomon, the father, "You have wagons and machinery, where are your horses?" When Solomon told him he didn't know where the horses were the Sargeant said, " You have until four o'clock to have the horses here or we will burn your house and barn." Solomon told the Sargeant he couldn't have the horses back by 4 o'clock. The sargeant snapped, "The horses back by 4 o'clock or your house and barn burn." But by 4 o'clock the Rebs were hastily moving toward Chambersburg.

The following year, June 30, 1864 the Confederates had just burned Chambersburg. They were moving back south through McConnellsburg. Their bivouac was over a mile long in Patterson's meadow, south of McConnellsburg. This time, when they learned the confederates were coming, Aaron and John Cook took the horses north again. I believe that Aaron told me they took the horses to the woods above Knobsville, most likely The Narrows.

In 1867, The Solomon Knepper family moved to the farm near Center Church, which David Knepper, his son, later acquired. After David's death it was bought by Harry Knepper, grandson of David.

∞ Solomon married #777 Esther Youkey.

Esther was born 3 May 1814 in Pennsylvania. She died 6 Sep 1896. She was buried in Center Church Cemetery.

Children of this relationship:

Bill Terrill, Descendants of Tilman Knepper and Christina Boegel, (unpublished, 30 Jun 2009). Ref. as [Terrill].

Clifford T. Wig & Dorothy H. Wig, The Knepper Family Tree, (unpublished, Apr 1997). Ref. as [Wig].

Line Generation: 6

Relationship: Third Cousins Five Times Removed through Hans Peter Knepper◊