Knatz Trip over the Pass to Dawson (Photo from Charles Edward Knatz, the 7th)
In 1985, I made contact with Lois Knatz who was living in Seattle Washington. I had sent her a letter asking about her family and she kindly shared information with me. Her grandfather’s name was Henry Knatz and her grandmother’s name was Elizabeth Weigan Knatz from Lonaconing, Allegany County, Maryland. She was aware of four children, three boys, Henry, Bill, and Charles and a daughter.
The 1870 census for Maryland shows Henry Knatz, shoemaker, age 50, married to Elizabeth, age 40, livingin Lonaconing, Allegheny County, with 6 children:
Matilda, age 11
Elizabeth, age 16
Henry, age 14
William, age 9
Charles , age 6
George, age 4 months
At the same time, the 1870 census shows August Knatz , single age 18 living with a Geiger family of which the father John was a confectioner. I have always assumed, although his age is not correct that this August is my immigrant ancestor August who upon arriving in New York, traveled to Baltimore where he had family and learned to become a baker, a craft he practiced in New York. The 1870 Maryland census also shows a Philip Knatz, age 32 a grocer, living in Baltimore with his wife Christiana, and children Edward, Llily and Philip.
Charles Knatz married Anna Carsten and they had two sons, Dawson was born at Dawson, Yukon Territory and Charles Jr. born April 5th 1903 in Butte Montana. Lois was married to Charles Jr. When Charles Jr. was 9 years old he took a trip to Lanaconing, Maryland and according to Lois, he remembered staying with his Aunt Eilzabeth. Lois remembered Charles’ grandfather being a bootmaker.
Lois and Charles have two children, Charles Jr. living in Lynnwood Washington and Mary Ellen Phillips, living in Albany Oregon. At the time I wrote Lois in 1985, her husband has cancer and she was taking care of him. She told me that some time ago she and her children put together a poem about their grandfather who they considered a colorful character. She only had one copy but offered to type one up for me. I still have the letter Lois had written me in 1985 but I am not sure if I ever wrote her and asked for the poem.
The 1920 census lists a Dawson Knatz, age 20, born in Yukon territory, living with another family with his occupation listed as laborer.
In 2007, I was contacted by Charles Edward Knatz, the 7th who was living in Hawaii, inquiring about his family. He has a brother Daniel. He mentioned his Uncle Dawson and sent me the following pictures of Dawson Knatz and the Knatz family trip through the Yukon to Dawson. I would be interested in any information that could take this family line further as I have not had time to research it myself.
Dawson KnatzKnatz Trip Over the Pass
