A prominent citizen of
Preston township, and an honored veteran of the Civil war, has spent his
entire life in Wayne county, his birth occurring in Starrucca, May 26,
1841. His parents, William and Julia (Hine) Knapp, had three sons who
responded to their country's call for aid during the dark days of the
Rebellion, the others being Ira, who was killed in front of Petersburg;
and John, who was wounded in the service.
In 1861 Thomas Knapp enlisted in Capt. Oliver Mumford's Company,
which was raised in Starrucca and vicinty, and became part of the 56th
P. V. I.. In three different battles he was wounded, once in the right
shoulder, and at another time was taken prisoner by the Rebels, who at
the end of the first week of captivity took him to Columbia, S. C.. From
there he was sent to Annapolis, Md., and after being paroled rejoined
his regiment. He participated in the battles of Rappahannock Station,
Sulphur Springs, Gainesville, Groveton, Second Bull Run, South Mountain,
Antietam (first and second), Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, the
Wilderness, the seven-days fight, and other engagements in which his
regiment took part. Col. Osborn and other comrades speak in the highest
terms of praise of his bravery and valor on the battlefield.
At the age of twenty-five years Mr. Knapp married Mrs. M. C.
Thurston, widow of Henry Thurston, who died in the service of his
country, leaving one son, Frank. To this union were born two children:
Jennie, now the wife of Howard Wolfe, of Scranton, Penn.; and Frederick
D., of Preston. After the death of the mother of these children, Mr.
Knapp married Miss Phebe Carpenter, a daughter of John Carpenter, a
soldier of the war of 1812, and by this union Mr. Knapp also has two
children.
Although our subject still suffers from the wounds received in the
army, he is always cheerful, and his genial, pleasant disposition wins
for him the friendship of all who know him. He is a prominent member of
Capt. Oliver Mumford Post, No. 373, G. A. R. of Starrucca, and in
politics he is an ardent Republican.
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