Rochus Knebel

As printed in 1912

ROCHUS KNEBEL, father of Reverend Henry A. Knebel, was born in Baden, Germany, and at the age of fourteen years with his parents sailed for America. They sailed from Havre in the early part of 1843, and crossed the ocean, then through the Gulf of Mexico to New Orleans, thence up the Mississippi river to St. Louis, Missouri, where a stop of three months was made. At the end of three months, accompanied by his parents, Rochus went to Centerville, Illinois (now called Mildstadt), St. Clair county. He remained here for nearly seven years, then came to Iowa at the age of twenty-one years. The first stop was at Bloomington (now Muscatine). From there he came to Sharon township, Johnson county, where he bought the "old homestead" of 120 acres from the government at $1.25 per acre. After remaining in Iowa six months he returned to Centerville, Illinois, where he remained for nearly two years. He then returned again to Iowa, where he still lives.

One year after his second trip to Iowa he was united in marriage to Elizabeth Wombacher, by Father McCormick at Iowa City, Iowa.

ELIZABETH (WOMBACHER) KNEBEL was born in Bavaria, Germany, and came to America with her parents when she was five years old. Sailing from Bremen, Germany, they landed at Baltimore, Maryland, in L838, being on the ocean six weeks. She and her parents remained at Baltimore three years, then they moved to Cumberland, Maryland, where they lived for eight years. Their next move was to Wheeling, West Virginia, where they resided a short time, then took passage on a boat down the Ohio river and up the Mississippi river to Burlington, Iowa. From Burlington to Washington, Iowa, the trip was made overland by team. During three years Elizabeth, with her parents, lived just a short distance south of Washington, Iowa. Later they moved to the farm that is known as the F. Heitzman farm, about four miles north of Riverside, Iowa. Finally her parents bought the farm which is now owned by Niclaus Sueppel. Part of this farm is in Johnson county and part in Washington county. This farm was purchased from the government at $1.25 per acre, and Elizabeth Wombacher lived here until her marriage to Rochus Knehel.

As printed in Leading events in Johnson County, Iowa, history (1912). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.