Thanks goes to Jack W Ralph for this UPDATE on the subject message sent out earlier today. --------------------------- > Even though the story is certainly no hoax, perhaps it has been blown out of > proportion somewhat. I don't know who to believe yet. Here is the third > article on the subject. > > >Please bear with me for this last, long email. There was a third story > >published today, June 26, by the WV Times about Marion County, and to be > >fair, it should be available to the same people who have read the first two > >stories. It was, as follows: > > > >* * * * * > >By Theresa Haynes > >Times West Virginian Staff Writer > > > >FAIRMONT - > >Local genealogists searching for an old marriage record or birth > >certificate do not need to go sifting through the trash. > > > >Marion County Clerk Janice Cosco said her department did not throw away any > >permanent records from the Jacobs building earlier this month when > >maintenance workers cleared away six BFI Dumpsters of outdated files and > >papers from the historic building. > > > >"Everything we are charged by law to keep was not thrown away," she said. > >"No permanent records, that I know of, were thrown away." > > > >Cosco, who has been the county's clerk for 18 years, said she still has > >original copies of wills, birth certificates, death certificates, deeds, > >marriage certificates, land transfers, voter registration records and > >county commission records dating back to the county's inception in 1842. > > > >She said her department discarded old fiscal records, pieces of paper > >recording every penny spent at the county clerk's office, and outdated > >universal consumer code slips, which record credit transactions. > > > >Cosco said she is legally responsible to save the receipt books for 10 > >years and the consumer code slips for seven years, but she boxed and stored > >the records for at least two decades. > > > >For years the Jacobs building housed these outdated records, but earlier > >this month Cosco gave maintenance workers permission to trash the papers > >including some receipt books dating back to 1920. > > > >The county clerk said she would have liked to save everything but there > >just was not room to house it all. "The public needs to understand that > >in order to keep their precious records we have to have a place to put > >them," she said as she stood inside one of the courthouse's many fireproof > >vaults filled with old wills and birth, marriage and death records. > > > >"(Marion County Commissioner) Cody Starcher has gotten all kinds of flak > >over this, but Cody should get an award," she said. "He found the money to > >restore the Jacob's building so we could have a place to put the permanent > >records." > > > >Last year Starcher was instrumental in getting the state to approve > >transferring $330,000 from the jail improvement fund to renovate the > >dilapidated Jacobs building. > > > >When renovations are complete, the old building will be used for office > >space and record storage. > > > >Starcher, who is also overseeing the Jacobs building cleanup, said he did > >not sort through the five floors of piled papers and books, but allowed the > >county clerk, circuit clerk, prosecuting attorney and assessor to walk > >through the building and take what they wanted. Everything else was > >discarded. > > > >Local historians believe some records, including 10 leather-bound pre-Civil > >War Justice of the Peace books, were thrown away because no one in the > >courthouse set them aside to be kept. > > > >Because Justice of the Peace books are not considered permanent records, > >Starcher said the county could have thrown them away years ago. > > > >But the former Justice of the Peace said he does not know for sure if the > >Justice of the Peace books dating back to 1842 were destroyed because he > >does not know what the historical books look like or why anyone would want > >them. > > > >"I don't know why anyone would want to look at those anyway," he asked. "I > >guess it is all in the eye of the beholder." Starcher said even if > >historians thought the information in the books was valuable, the books > >themselves were damaged from years of sitting in a dusty, nearly abandoned > >building. > > > >"That building was burned three times and everything in there was rained > >on. Some of the windows were broken out," he said. "Anything in there was > >scarred, scratched or torn up." > > > >The county commissioner said the Jacobs building still is in such poor > >condition he is afraid to allow genealogists and historians to search > >through the remaining records at the old building. > > > >"We couldn't keep all five floors of junk and garbage and renovate that > >building," he said. "We thought we would do something better for the town > >and the county and renovate the building. That took precedence over a > >couple of books that might have been thrown away." > >* * * * * > > > >MY COMMENTS: > > > >First of all, thank each of you who have contributed your emails and > >letters in protest of the actions by the Marion County Commissioners. I > >was amazed at how quickly the masses responded despite our physical > >separation (this 'ole Internet is pretty good, eh?). The pressure we > >created was felt by all the local government, citizens and especially the > >county commissioners of Marion County. > > > >The jury is still out on whether all the materials that were dumped were, > >indeed, unrelated to the object of genealogy or historian researchers. I > >don't feel comfortable that their "definition" of what was thrown away > >excludes materials that would be of benefit to some! We imagined the > >worst, since Mr. Cody Starcher admitted there was not an inventory of what > >was tossed. With no inventory, we were all free to imagine what was in > >that pile, and Mr. Starcher can not prove us wrong. He has no idea he > >didn't toss some historical or cultural treasure, no matter how minor it > >may have been to him. > > > >This is a democracy, and we do have a right to be told before public > >records are thrown away. Our outrage continues to be about our paid > >officials making unilateral decisions such as was made. They should not be > >allowed to decide who to invite in to "take what they want" and then to > >decide to have the rest hauled away before anyone else could see it. > > > >It was Cody Starcher's secretive actions that raised the suspicions of the > >local Marion County historians and, eventually, the newspapers and then > >each of us. We were all outraged over Commissioner Starcher's arbitrary > >exercise of power, and we've done well to spotlight it! We have all acted > >in the spirit of the early American Revolutionaries (many of our ancestors) > >who demanded public officials be accountable to the public. As a friend > >said, "we showed up with Email pitchforks, and Cody didn't like it." > > > >Hopefully, our actions this week will serve to keep records that are left > >in Marion County and elsewhere preserved. Thank you again for helping to > >spotlight a wrongful action. If you should want to continue that pressure, > >that is up to you. An address list of the Marion County Commissioners is > >below: > > > > > > BOARD OFCOMMISSIONERS > > > >PRESIDENT, James E Sago (304-367-5400) > >200 Jackson Street / Fairmont, WV 26554 > > > >Commissioner Cecily Enos (304-367-5400) > >200 Jackson Street / Fairmont, WV 26554 > > > >Commissioner Cody Starcher (304-367-5400) > >200 Jackson Street / Fairmont, WV 26554 > > > >Assessor Thomas Davis (304-367-5410) > >200 Jackson Street / Fairmont, WV 26554 > > > >Circuit Clerk Barbara Core (304-367-5360) > >PO Box 1269 / Fairmont, WV 26554 > > > >County Clerk Janice Cosco (304-367-5440) > >PO Box 1267 / Fairmont, WV 26554 > > > >* * * * * > > > >Pam Mullinax > >E-Mail: > > [email protected] > >

This query was forwarded to me recently. I think I have an idea about the line of Knapp's that this relates to, but I am looking for some confirmation. Can anyone help? My father's grandfather's name was Charles Knapp Newberry. He was a trustee of a Rochester NY Presbyterian church. My father was born in 1912 so I assume his grandfather was probably born in the mid 19th century. Do you know whether this person is a relative of the Knapps to whom you are related? -Stephen

If you have Marion Co, WV ancestry 1842-1880, be sure & read this! > > > > Subject: CALL TO ARMS > > > > Date: Saturday, June 27, 1998 1:03 AM > > > > > > > > This came from another Rootsweb List and we were so outraged at > reading > > > > this that we felt morally bound to pass it on. Keep in mind, these > > are > > > >"elected" officials!! > > > > We hope you will flood the newspaper mentioned below with letters to > > the > > > > editor. > > > > > > > > Ike and Nancy Watrous > > > > [email protected] > > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > > > I thought this might be of interest to anyone with VA/WV ancestors. > > > People > > > > like this need to be stopped, and we all need to ensure that this > type > > > > of thing NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN. > > > > > > > > Sheila I Hale > > > > Fort McMurray,AB,Canada > > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > > > > > > > Please forward the news of this Marion County, West Virginia travesty > > to > > > > every genealogy group or historical society that you belong to. Also, > > if > > > > you have any media contacts or government contacts please forward > this > > > > information to them. > > > > > > > Let's make Cody Starcher infamous! > > > > > > > > From: Pam Mullinax > > > > E-Mail: [email protected] > > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > > > > > > > Fairmont -- Leatherbound books recording transactions between 1842 to > > > > 1880 have been important to local genealogist, but now the historical > > > > books are gone - buried with the five bins of trash the Marion County > > > > Commission hauled away from the Jacob's building last week. > > > > > > > > Along with books were, boxes and files of papers dating back to > Marion > > > > County's inception in 1842. There were five floors that had books, > > boxes > > > > and files to be removed. > > > > > > > > Some of the books were Wills; others were Justice of the Peace books. > > > > > There may have been other records, but the article didn't say what > all > > > > had been destoyed, because they didn't know. The article was a large > > > > > article for the paper. The historical and genealogical societies were > > > > NOT notified that the county had planned to discard the handwritten > > > > record books, files and other etcs. > > > > > > > > It seems the decision was made by the county commissioners (namely, > > Cody > > > > Starcher) to clear out several floors from the Jacobs building > > (scheduled > > > > for renovation) in which these historical documents were stored. > They > > > > decided on their own that no one would want to go through all the > files > > > > to separate out the salvagable and SO DECIDED NOT TO TELL ANYONE. > > > > They then had the local garbage collectors come and clear out the > books > > > > > > and documents. > > > > > > > > ************* > > > > > > > > The story about the above first appeared in the Times West Virginian > > > > (Fairmont, WV) Sunday,June 21, 1998. On Thursday, June 25, 1998 the > > > > below follow-up story was published. > > > > > > > > * * * > > > > Dump off limits to historians > > > > > > > > By Theresa Haynes > > > > Times West Virginian Staff Writer > > > > > > > > FAIRMONT - > > > > Genealogists who wanted to dig through the landfill in search of the > > > > county's discarded pre-Civil War record books will not be allowed to > > > > excavate the dump.   Ron Chrislip, a local historian who has > researched > > > > Marion County's past for more than 30 years, said he and four other > > > > people were prepared to go to the Meadowfill Landfill in Bridgeport, > > [WV] > > > > to search for the record books tossed last week. > > > > > > > > But landfill officials halted the group's plans at the request of the > > > > Marion County Commission. > > > > > > > > The day books dating back to 1842 were among several tons of outdated > > > > files, books and papers the commission removed from the historic > > Jacob's > > > > building, which is undergoing renovation. > > > > > > > > Chrislip said he and other genealogists wanted to dig up the > > historically > > > > valuable record books when they learned the books had been hauled > away > > to > > > > the dump, but the landfill told them there were confidential files > > among > > > > the garbage. > > > > > > > > Commissioner Cody Starcher said in an interview last week that the > > county > > > > had received special permission from the state to include old > juvenile > > > > records in the six BFI Dumpster trash bins hauled to the dump. > > > > > > > > "We are allowed to throw the juvenile records away after 20 years," > he > > > > said. "But they usually have to be shredded and burned." > > > > > > > > Now local historians are concerned they will never see the priceless, > > > > handwritten books again. > > > > > > > > "I don't see how they will be retrieved," Chrislip said. "As a > > historian > > > > I have to be realistic. Now hopefully the county will preserve what > is > > > > left." > > > > > > >Chrislip said the leather-bound books were particularly valuable > > > > because they recorded everything from the county clerk's office. > > > > > > > > "Record keeping then was a very different process," he said. "We were > > > > still in Virginia and documents like that are very, very rare." > > > > > > > > The historian said the records gave insight into a lifestyle long > gone. > > > > > > > > "There is no oral history from that time, no photography and very > > little > > > > written history. Through the day books we had a great deal of > > information > > > > to interpret history," he said. > > > > > > > > Chrislip agrees with the county commission that the books had no > > monetary > > > > value, but he said the county has lost something culturally valuable. > > > > > > > > He said 20 years ago he had searched for day books like the ones > thrown > > > > away and was told they did not exist. Years later he learned they > were > > in > > > > existence, but in "dead" storage. > > > > > > > > The historian said he and other people interested in genealogy would > > have > > > > liked to have been given access to the books before they were > > discarded. > > > > > > > > County Commission President James Sago and Starcher were not > available > > > > for comment Wednesday evening. > > > > * * * > > > > > > > > If you'd like to write the Editor of the WV Times, > > > > > > > > The email address is: > > > > [email protected] > > > > > > > > LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: > > > > All letters for publication should be so stated. > > > > Requests for publication must include address & telephone number. > > > > phone: (304) 367-2500 * Fax: (304) 367-2569 > > > > > > > > Or postal mail to: > > > > Times West Virginian > > > > PO Box 2530 > > > > Fairmont, WV 26555-2530 > > > > > > > > > > > > ==== BP2000 Mailing List ==== > > > > Have you considered joining the Rootsweb Genealogical Data > Cooperative? > > > > Voluntary support helps keep access free. > > > > http://www.rootsweb.com/rootsweb/how-to-subscribe.html > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >

>Shirley, >HIGGINSON BOOK COMPANY 148 Washington St, PO Box 778, Salem, MA 01970 >Phone: (978) 745-7170 Fax: (978) 745-8025 E-Mail: [email protected] > > >I also ordered the book on 3/29 and I just got it last week. > >I hope this helps, >Harley > >_____________________________________________________________________ >You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. >Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com >Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] Orders to Higginson take something like 8 to 12 weeks. So far as I know, they are reliable. Hope your book arrives shortly, Tom Cornell

Higginson Books take at least 3 months after ordering..... K

Shirley, HIGGINSON BOOK COMPANY 148 Washington St, PO Box 778, Salem, MA 01970 Phone: (978) 745-7170 Fax: (978) 745-8025 E-Mail: [email protected] I also ordered the book on 3/29 and I just got it last week. I hope this helps, Harley _____________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]

does anyone have the address for the KNAPP book by A.A. KNAPP. I sent for it a long time ago and still have not received it. Thanks Shirley F.

I'm Looking for information on Amos Knapp's ancestors. Amos Knapp b. 16 June 1774 in Stephentown, Rensselaer Co., New York d. 26 Jan. 1855 In LaGrange, Lorain Co. Ohio Wife Sally Andrew b. 1 Aug. 1778 in Coventry, Kent Co., R.I. d.26 Sept. 1854 in LaGrange, Lorain Co., Ohio They Moved to Ohio in the 1830s from New York and have many descendants in the Northern Ohio Area. Any Help would be appreciated. TEK

Try looking for your "Delaware" Knapp in York or Adams Co, PA. Delaware claimed this area of PA and people said that they were from Del when they lived in what is now PA. Just an idea. My Penn Dutch fellow who fought in the REV said in 1850 that he was born in DEL and he actually lived near Gettsburg! Sarah

I you emailed me looking for information on Andrew Jackson Knopp, please send inquiry again to [email protected] may have some new information. Thanks Gladys <A HREF="http://members.aol.com/Nlovrekovi/guestbook.html">Nlovrekovi's GUEST BOOK</A> inquiries <A HREF="http://members.aol.com/Nlovrekovi/Genealogy.html">Nlovrekovi's GENEALOGY PAGE</A>

copied from http://php.indiana.edu/~jetorres/ohiorev.html Revolutionary War Soldiers Living in the State of Ohio in 1818-1819 KNAPP, John fifer Virginia also some census info at <A HREF="http://www.census-online.com/links/index.html">Census Online - Links </A>

Ann Daniels, My KNAPP line is through my mother, Bea DANIELS.. Nancy M. KNAPP married James BEVIER in Canesteo, Stueben Co. NY. ca 1860. Their daughter Cora BEVIER married John DANIELS, my mother's grandfather. They called Cora "the Spanish Lady" because of the way she acted and dressed. Nancy's father was Joseph KNAPP, who said he was from Delaware. The only Joseph KNAPP I can find in the 1840 census with matching ages and sexes in the family is in Delaware Co. NY. The people of Delaware Co. NY were mainly from Peekskill, where the BEVIERs lived, and the KNAPPs of that region were from Connecticut. There was a Nancy M. KNAPP in Peekskill in the 1850 census, much older, but I cannot find a connection with my Joseph, other than the coincidence of the name, "Nancy M." Danny

Seeking any information on the ancestry and/or siblings of: Peter KNOPF(F) b.1799 d.1850 Machirville, VA (later Morganstown, then Kaylong) and spouse, Sarah Nancy KIPPS. Their issue include: Hannah, Reuben, John, Jacob, Catherine C., and Michael. I am descended through daughter Hannah. - Debi Lyons Lewis http://members.aol.com/DLewis0991/roots.html

Circa 1840 would be too late? Somebody forgot to tell my ancestors! I have one who served throughout the war who was born in November of 1842 and another who enlisted late -- March of 1865 -- who was not born until 1844. Duncan -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] <[email protected]> To: [email protected] <[email protected]> Date: Monday, June 22, 1998 7:17 PM Subject: Re: [KNAPP-L] JEROME KNAPP, VERMONT BORN, 1816 Finally!!! I am so glad for you. I know what it is to search and search. Wish I thot Darius/Druis had been a veteran, but don't think so. circa 1840 would be too late. Census says OH for him and Eliza/Elizabeth. Will just keep searching. He has to be out there somewhere. Spirit

super!!! congratulations on a good find Rebecca (formerly Knapp) _____________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]

Finally!!! I am so glad for you. I know what it is to search and search. Wish I thot Darius/Druis had been a veteran, but don't think so. circa 1840 would be too late. Census says OH for him and Eliza/Elizabeth. Will just keep searching. He has to be out there somewhere. Spirit

NEWS FLASH: TODAY FROM SEC OF STATE OF IL CIVIL WAR VETS RECORDS Muster and descriptive roll of company I, 49th Inf #36 Jerome Knapp, private, age 45,5ft10in, Sandy hair, gray eyes, light complected, married, CHAIRMAKER, born VT,joined Nov 1, 1861 at Ashley,IL enrolled by JLMcClurkon(?), for 3 years, mustered into service Dec 3l, 1861 at Camp Butler(Springfield,IL) by Capt.WATSON. Residence Tamaroa, Perry Co, Illinios. Killed in battle at Shiloh Tennessee April 7, 1862 † † † born 1816, Married Mary Charlotte Johnson on Dec25, 1842 Tamaroa, IL Children:George W; Alamada; John Henry; Scinthia E.;Jacob Ira;WM Calvin; Newton Issac; Lucy Jane. == We had always heard that he was a barrel and bucket maker also and made his own bicks to build chimneys, using a jk in the mold. traveled far and wide making, baking, laying chimney bricks. Perry Co, IL census has him born in OH, but we always heard it was VT.

I cancelled so many e mail lists when I went on vacation I can't remember which ones. Since I haven't got any mail in days thought I would re subscribe. thanks Shirley

If any one gets an ad in the mail for those phony books that tell all about your family history or it you have purchased them stupidly like I did, then here is a good site to report them. thanks Shirley <A HREF="http://www.ancestordetective.com/watchdog.htm">Genealogical Web Sites Watchdog</A>

Searching for information about Thomas KNAPP (NAPP) b. 1780-90 m. 1806 Mary McCLUNG b. 1780-90 VA (WVA ?) Children: William b. 1807 John b. 1809 Nancy Agnes b. 1811 PA m. 1825 John Richard FIEDLER (FIDLER) Caroline b. 1813 Margaret b. 1815 Betsy b. 1817 Drusilla b. 1819 Melinda b. 1821 In 1830 in Dist. of St. Joseph, White Pigeon Twsp, Michigan, Thomas NAPP was living next door to John FIDLER who was married to Nancy Agnes KNAPP above. There is a large settlement of McCLUNGs in Greenbrier Co., W. VA as well as some KNAPP families in that county listed in early census indexes. Mary McCLUNG is believed to have been an Indian. Can this be verified? Would be interested in any information on Thomas KNAPP and his family above and the KNAPP and McCLUNG families in Greenbrier Co. WVA. Many thanks. Ruth Armstrong [email protected]