Person:George Knauss (2)

GEORGE KNAUSS. The history of this leading farmer and prominent citizen of Plain township, if written out in full would be an interesting story of the trials and hardships of pioneer life in the early days of this great State, and also an illustration of what may be accomplished by a strong will and persistent energy in the face of all obstacles.

Mr. Knauss was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, March 21, 1830, and when a young man of eighteen years came with his parents to America. He had obtained a good education in the excellent schools of his native land, but could not speak' a word of English. On November 23, 1852, he was married to Miss Catharine Hirsch, also a native of Germany, born May 23, 1829. They settled on a rented farm in Medina CO, OH, and from there came, in 1854, to Wood CO, where our subject worked for his father for two years, receiving for his services thirty-three and one- half acres of land. On this the young couple settled in a log house which Mr. Knauss built, and then the hard work of his life began. During the daytime he worked for neighboring farmers at fifty cents a day, and at night cleared his own land, and made such improvements as he was able. Many a time the sound of his axe was heard, while the blaze of his fire,

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burning the brush, was seen long after midnight, and daylight of the next morning found him up and ready to go to work again for the small pittance which supported himself and wife.

In 1856 Mr. Knauss rented a piece of prairie land, broke it up, and raised a good crop by which he cleared $600. This was his first real start in life, and this money was made under the greatest difficulties, for he was afflicted with that scourge of the early settlers, chills and fever, and worked straight on when really not able to be on his feet. Often when his wife brought his dinner to the field, so that he could eat while the ox-team was feeding, she would find him lying on the ground too sick to taste the food. Yet in spite of all this he persevered, and soon was on the high road to prosperity. A man with such pluck and endurance is bound to win in the end; and now Mr. Knauss, with his fine farm of 500 acres, his handsome home, one of the best in the CO, and filled with all the comforts and luxuries one could wish-surrounded by affectionate children and grandchildren, and with the loving companionship of his faithful wife who with him has borne the burden of care-can look back upon the hardships of his early years with complacency, and spend the remainder of his days in peace and contentment.

Ten children have blessed this happy home, of whom the following record is given: (1) Katie W., born September 5, 1853, is the wife of August Kaeding; they have seven children-George, Martin, Bertha, Edward, Adolph, Minnie, and Meta L. (2) George G., born May 23, 18 is unmarried, and lives with his parents. (3) Mary J., born October 13, 1857, is the wife of John Hilt, of Fremont, OH, and has two childrenGeorge and Theodore. (4) Matilda B., born December 16, 1859, is the widow of William Friedrich. (5) Adolph C., born March 9, 1862, married Mary Knettle (they live in Wood CO, and have one child, Katie). (6) Anna E., born November 20, 1864. (7) Fred C., born May 13, 1867. (8) Helena C., born December 16, 1869, married James Brim, and they have three children-Walter, Ethel and Mabel. (9) Louise M., born February 2, 1873, died July 21, 1875. (10) Bertha O. L., born February 9, 1876. These children are all members of the Lutheran Church, and were educated in the district school.

Our subject's parents were George and Elizabeth (Barbera) Knauss, both born in Wurtemberg, Germany, the former on January 23, 1803, and the latter on February 12, 1809. They were married in Germany, and came to America in 1848, locating first in Medina CO, OH, and in 1854 removing to Wood CO, where the father died at Bowling Green April 10, 1879, and the mother on October 29, 1880. Fifteen children were born to them, of whom five grew to' maturity, as follows: George, the subject of this: sketch; John, a farmer in Wood CO; Amelia,. wife of C. Heiser, of Riga, Mich. ; Paulina, married to Levi Linegar, and living in Nebraska; Gilbert, a farmer in Wood CO.

Mr. Knauss is known throughout the CO as a progressive, public-spirited man, in favor of public enterprises, and always ready to assist in projects for the welfare of the people. He was the chief advocate of the stone road north of Bowling Green, and contributed time and money for building the same. He gives it as his opinion that the chief reason why the German born citizens, who located in this part of OH, have outstripped the native-born farmers in the accumulation of wealth, is because of the superior education of the Germans in agricultural matters, they having a better knowledge of the proper methods of tilling the soil, drainage, etc., and being able to make their land produce all it is capable of. Mr. Knauss is a well-informed man, a capable manager, and is highly esteemed by all who know him. In his political predilections he is a Democrat, but in voting he selects the man who, in his estimation, is best fitted for the place. He and his family are all members of the Lutheran Church.