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Note: Edward M Knapp
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Birth: Aug. 14, 1871
Death: Dec. 26, 1910
Burial:
Marler Memorial Cemetery
Destin
Okaloosa County
Florida, USA
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Created by: Jeremy R. Abbott
Record added: Aug 28, 2006
Find A Grave Memorial# 15542218
1 June 1900 Havana, Cuba pg 300
Headquarters, Dept of Matanzas and Santa Clara Hospital Corps; Armed Forces-Foreign Co.,
Edward M. Knapp Aug 1871 29 Married 3 years Ill Ill Ill clerk
Cecily Feb 1873 26 0 children MO Mo CT
20 April 1910 Pct 5 Washington District of Columbia pg 166
Mark B. Edwards 38 married 13 years Ill Ill Ill white
Sisley F. 37 5 children 4 live MO Ire Ct mulatto
Nathan 8 Cuba Ill Mo mulatto
Rhoda 4 Mo Ill Mo white
Elmer 3 DC ILL MO white
James M. 1 DC ILL MO white
1920 St. Louis, St., Louis Co., Missouri pg 283
Cecili Knapp 45 widow MO Ire Ct
Nathan 18 Cuba Ill Mo apprentice Electric
Rhoda 13 Mo Ill Mo
Harry Dierker 25 Mo MOMO
1930 St. Louis, St., Louis Co., Missouri
Rufus L. McChesney 64 Ill
Cecily F. 57 Mo Ire Ct
Nathan Knapp 28 Cuba Ill Mo stepson
Rhoda 23 Mo Ill Mo stepdaughter
Febuary 15, , 1898 The USS Maine explodes in Havana Harbor, Cuba; Start of the Spanish American War
Edward Morris Knapp enlisted August 3, 1898 in Co. M, 3d Regement, U.S. Volunteers, Engineers
Discharged April 12, 1899
Clerk engineer Dept., at large-April 17, 1899 to May 20, 1902 under engineer . officers Territory Depts in Cuba.
July 31, 1902 under executive order was appointed clerk in classified service (civil service act) --resigned November 30, 1910.
July 16., 1898 In Santiago de Cuba, Spain and the U.S. sign a peace agreement.
December 16, 1903. The U.S. signs a treaty with the Cuban government leasing Bah�a Honda and Guant�namo Bay. There is no 99-year clause, and the treaty can only be terminated when both governments agree to the termination.
The Mystery in Marler Memorial Cemetery
Who is this stranger, Edward M. Knapp, buried among the Marler-Destin relatives in the family cemetery? He had the tallest, most decorative tombstone in the cemetery, the only "Woodsman of the world" tombstone, (These were provided to members of the Woodsman of the World life insurance organization upon their deaths before 1915). No relationship to anyone buried there.
We set out to find out who Edward Knapp was.
First we found him in Cuba in the Spanish-American war. Edward Knapp is on the 1900 census with his wife, Cecily in Havan, Cuba at Headquarters, Dept of Matanzas and Santa Clara Hospital Corps; Armed Forces-Foreign Co., this provided his age and where he was from, he dad blue eyes, brown hair and was 5 foot 6 inches tall. He was assigned to a civil engineer group in Havana. The Spanish-American War (1898) was a conflict between the United States and Spain that ended Spanish colonial rule in the Americas and resulted in U.S. acquisition of territories in the western Pacific and Latin America.
The war originated in the Cuban struggle for independence from Spain, which began in February 1895. Spain�s used force to stop the rebellion and the American people supported the rebels . The growing popular demand for U.S. intervention after the unexplained sinking in Havana harbour of the battleship USS Maine on Feb. 15, 1898; A massive explosion of unknown origin sinks the battleship USS Maine in Cuba's Havana harbor, killing 260 of the fewer than 400 American crew members aboard, Which it was rumored to have been sunk by a Spanish mine at the time. (In 1976 Naval investagators determined that the cause of the explosion was caused by a fire that set off the ammunition stores.) One of the first American battleships, the Maine weighed more than 6,000 tons and was built at a cost of more than $2 million. Havana in which had been sent to protect U.S. citizens and property after rioting in Havana. Spain announced an armistice on April 9 and grant Cuba limited powers of self-government, but the U.S. Congress soon afterward issued resolutions that declared Cuba�s right to independence, demanded the withdrawal of Spain�s armed forces from the island, and authorized the President�s use of force to secure that withdrawal while renouncing any U.S. design for annexing Cuba.
Spain declared war on US on April 24 1898 and the US declares war on April 25, 1898. Commodore George Dewey took over the Phillipines
on May 1, 1898 and destroyed the Spanish fleet. Gen. William Shafter located the Spanish Carribean Fleet in Santiago, Cuba. They ran from the harbour on July 3, 1898 and by July 17, 1898 the ships came under fire by US forces and they sank or were beached, burning.
This ended the war by gun fire. A total of 274,000 U.S. soldiers were sent to Cuba. Of the 5,462 who died, only 379 were killed in battle. The others died from tropical disease and unspecified "other causes," including malaria, yellow fever, and dysentery.
By the Treaty of Paris (signed Dec. 10, 1898), Spain renounced all claim to Cuba, ceded Guam and Puerto Rico to the United States, and transferred sovereignty over the Philippines to the United States for $20,000,000.
On January 1 1899, General Brooke took formal control of Havana. And within the year American corporations had invaded Cuba, buying up farm land to control the sugar, tobacco and mines. Edward Knapp was sent out with other American soldiers to villages across Cuba to convience the Cuban people to vote in the election for annexation to the United States, exsplaining the benefits to them.
On June 16 1900 the Cuban people went to vote for independence or for annexation to the United States, they voted for independence.
The Cuban flag flew over Havana again on May 20 1902, when Tom�s Estrada Palma was sworn in as the first president of the new Republic of Cuba.
December 16, 1903. The U.S. signs a treaty with the Cuban government leasing Bah�a Honda and Guant�namo Bay naval bases for $2,000 a year. There is no 99-year clause, and the treaty can only be terminated when both governments agree to the termination, these were for deep water naval bases. Bah�a Honda was abandoned in 1912 for exspansion of land leased around Guant�namo Bay. In 1959 the new Cuban governmend requested the return of Guant�namo Bay, but the U.S. banned it`s soldiers from entering Cuban territory, and tells Castro, NO. And reinforces Guant�namo Bay by installing mines and wire. Then Castro takes control over all of the American companies in Cuba.
The United States is asked by Cuba to takes control over the government and our president appoints a Military Govenor of Cuba. January 28, 1909, A total of 92 kilometers of new roads were constructed during the occupation and the army manned about thirty different posts. The second U.S. military occupation of Cuba ends. Revolutionary forces are still fighting in Cuba in 1910, fighting stops with the arrival of additional mititary personnel. The United States has been in Cuba since the Spanish American war. From 1880 to 1959 there has been a revolutionary movement in Cuba.
When Edward Knapp left Cuba in not known, but he may have gone to Panama to work on the Canal. His sister, Josephine B. Knapp was located in the Panama Canal Zone on 4 August 1912 leaving Cristobal on the ship "Colon" for New York City. Then again on November 22, 1913, after the Canal has opened, leaving from Cristobal on the ship "Panama" going to New York City. She listed her home residence as Destin, Florida. She was found in 1920 in St. Louis, Missouri as a nurse, so she could of been transporting the sick aboard ships back to New York.
This is what took place in Panama in 1904 the United States took over the construction of the Panama Canal. In 1905 President Roosevelt sent a team of engineers to Panama, Edward Knapp could of been with them. They had to build places for workers to live, baseball fields, billiard rooms, an assembly room, a reading room, bowling alleys, dark rooms for the camera clubs, gymnastic equipment, an ice cream parlor and soda fountain, and a circulating library, Hotels and stores were built. The project was mammoth, they built two lakes, cut through mountains and constructed two dams and many locks.
The Canal opened on October 10, 1913, the dike at Gamboa, which had kept the Culebra Cut isolated from Gatun Lake, was demolished; the initial detonation was set off telegraphically by President Woodrow Wilson in Washington. On January 7, 1914, the Alexandre La Valley, an old French crane boat, became the first ship to make a complete transit of the Panama Canal under its own steam, having worked its way across in the final stages of construction. There were 40,000 workers working on the Canal. According to hospital records, 5,609 workers died from disease and accidents during the American construction of the Canal.
Then, his parents were found in Point Washington, Washington Co., Florida in 1910, John Sullivan Knapp born 1844 in Illinois and his wife Christina born in 1853 in Missouri. It was decovered that Edward Morris Knapp was born in Asley, Scott Co., Illinois and grew up in Westchester, Scott Co, located north of Asley. Scott County had a population of 10,500 when Edward was born in 1877. Today the population is 5200. The increse was do to the arrival of the railroad in 1850`s. It was a farming cummunity where work was hard, even for a young boy. Edward`s father John was a Lieutenant in the Illinois infantry during the civil war and was wounded and became disabled from a gun shot. He was a Agriculture inspector in 1880 in Scott County Illinois. Edward Knapp had three brothers and one sister. Josephine born 1874 was a nurse and transported sick by ship from Panama Canal to New York City 1912-1913 and is in St. Louis in 1920, no records of her after this. Brother, Hiram Henry Knapp born 1877 was in St. Louis in 1910, then 1920 Iowa and settled in Kansas City in 1930 and died there. Brother Henry Harper Knapp born 1883 went to Omaha, Douglas Co., Nebraska about 1903 married, raised a family became a farmer and died there.Brother George Delbert born 1888 shows up in Florida about 1911, but could of been there earlierand departs Florida about 1918 and moves to Nebraska, where his brother Henry lives, in 1920 he is married and settles in Wilber, Saline Co., Nebraska and farmes and raises his family. Last brother is Lester Leroy Knapp born 1893. He registers for the draft in Pike Co., Illinois in 1917, goes into the army and is in Germany in 1920 in an 1St. engineering division. When he comes home, he gets married in Pennsylvania and lives there until his death in Philadelphia in 1967.There social time was usually Sunday. Went to church in the morning, then had a picnic lunch at Church. The men would have a ball game and talk politics and the boys would play. The ladies would socialize about family news.
Edward Knapp was living in Saint Louis Missouri in the 1890`s, likely going to school. On March 02, 1897 he married Cecily Flynn in Clayton, St. Louis Co., Missouri. As before stated in 1900 they are in Cuba. On December 14, 1901 in Havana, Cuba they have a son, Nathan born. His military service records stated. He enrolled August 3, 1898 and discharged April 12, 1899 per S.O. #82 headquarters, department; camp Michie, Matanzas, Cuba as of Compamy M to which transfered August 29, 1898. He held the rank of Private, Corporal, Sergeant. Amazing for his eight month career. What was he really doing. Then he served as clerk, engineer Deptment at large, April 17, 1899 to July 31, 1902 in Cuba, engineer offices Territorial Department. Then the same day, July 31, 1902, under executive order, President Grover Cleveland established the civil service on May 6, 1896, was appointed clerk in classified service in Cuba.
The next we know of Edward is when his wife has a baby in St. Louis, Rhoda I. Knapp born April 9, 1906. It can only be speculated as where he served from 1902-1910 in the civil service. On 1914 his father, John S. Knapp is granted Lots 1 & 2 in section 29 in township2-south range 21 west containing one hundred and forty-four and 15/100 acres by President Woodrow Wilson under the Homestead Act , but one of these lots could of been Edward Knapps before he died. Under the homestead act, one had to file a claim for a property, make improvements on the land, as home, barns, planting crops. Live there six months of every year. After 5 years one applied for title to the property. Then was granted by the president of the United States. This tells us that John Knapp filed his claim in 1909. Edwards brother, George Delbert Knapp also was granted a homestead on 21 Febuary 1917 by President Woodrow Wilson for one hundred and sixty acres
in northeast quarter of section 30 in township 2, south of range 21 west.
How did Edward Knapp hear about Florida and why come here? Could be that he met people from Destin. Or for the homestead act. It happens that before 1910 there was Andrew Destin stationed as a lighthouse keeper in Guant�namo Bay naval base and his brother, Alfred was 90 miles north in Boat Key, Florida as a lighthouse tender also. These were the youngest sons of Leonard Destin, both had families and died in Miami, Florida.
Edward Knapp resigned November 30, 1910 from the civil service and relocated to Shoals, Washington Co., Florida. it does seem that he was in the area before 1910, because he was well known. Shoals was located on the south side of Choctahatchee bay at the end of the Moreno Point military reservation, which became the boarder of Okaloosa and Walton Counties in 1913 about five miles east of Destin. In 1913 Shoals became part of Walton county, Florida. In 1925 the population of Shoals was 32 and Destin was 32. They were the same size. Destin had a post office and a store ran by Billy Marler. Billy was the postmaster, store operator, and the light tender at the the old east pass. Located Choctahatchee bay. From a map drawn in 1927 of Destin we find the only mention of the Knapps`. On this map is the Knapp road that went from Billy Marler`s post office to Shoal. One of the Knapps built this road. Edward and Lester were with engineers, George or his father, John could of built it. It was the only road in Destin until highway 98 was built.
On December 26, 1910, four weeks after Edward retired from the government he died in Choctahatchee bay betwwen Santa Rosa and Shoal when he fell off his motor boat while moving furniture to his home in Shoals. (He has a home and motor Boat, which showes he has been here longer than a month). He was pulled from the water, but no one knew how to resuscitate him. From an affidavit from Billy Marler we know what happened to him. Billy helped conduct the funeral service and place the woodman of the world tombstone in place. It came over from Niceville, Florida. Bill was the postmaster since 1899. Bill and his son, Billy both knew Edward and were friends of his, both were at his funeral. The whole community of Destin would come together to take care of there neighbors and allow this stranger to be buried in their cemetery. This is Destin. Edward`s family was there too. Cecily, his wife and son, Nathan, and daughter, Rhoda. After Edward`s death Cecily and the children moved back to St. Louis. The children grew and married, but had no children. Cecily remarried and out lived her husband, she died in 1954 in St. Louis.
Edwards father, John, stayed in Shoal, Florida on his homestead, as did his son George and Josephine was here also. Before 1914 John and his wife, Christina went into the old soldiers home in Quincy, Riverside, Adams Co., Illinois where they both died, John in 1921 and Christina in 1937. Josephine went to St. Louis and George went to Nebraska in 1917.
Over the years both homesteads are owned by all members of the Knapp family named here, even Edwards` children. The property is finally sold by George D. Knapp and Harry H. Knapp on 11 Febuary 1937 in Douglas Co., Nebraska to the DeDuniak Naval Stores Company for $100.00 for 304 acres. There was a blight on the trees in this part of Florida so most of the trees were burned to stop the spread of disease. This could of lead to the decrease in value of the homesteads. They tried for years to sell, back to each other for $1.
This ends the mystery of how a growing community came together to take care of an outsider.
You also found out how Edward M. Knapp died and that turned out to be so sad. He left the service in Cuba on November 30, 1910, returned to the United States, was going to settle in Walton County near his parents who lived in Point Washington (or more probably Shoals), but less than a month later Edward had drown, died and was buried. So sad!!!
The affidavit from Uncle Billy (William T. Marler) tells a lot also. Uncle Billy took care of his funeral, burial and ordered the beautiful marker that we see today in the Marler Memorial Cemetery. He was most probably buried in Destin because Uncle Billy owned the property where the Cemetery was located and there was probably no cemetery in Shoals.
Bill, you done good, very good!!! This should make an interesting story � The Mystery in Marler Memorial Cemetery.
One question I had is where is Shoals, Florida. I had heard about this small community before. In 1925 there were only 32 individuals living in Shoals and 32 individuals living in Destin also. Shoals is probably where Edward Knapp�s parents lived. Attached is a 1920 map which shows the small community Shoals which was the closest village to Destin, Florida � just across the Walton County line (about where Silver Sands Discount Mall is located today). Of course before 1913 both Destin, Shoals and Point Washington were in Washington County.
Here is a timeline I put together about Edward: from Lisa Oberg;
��1892: St. Louis City Directory: Edward M Knapp, clk, Fraatz Toy & Notion Co., r. 4551 Lucky
��1894: St. Louis City Directory: Edward M Knapp, clk, Mo. Pac. Ry. Co. r 3637 Koeln Ave
��1897: 2 Mar; married to Cecily Flynn at Clayton, St. Louis County, Missouri.
��1898: Served as a Sergeant with the US Army (Company M, 3rd Missouri Engineers) in the Spanish-American War in Cuba. Enlistment: August 3 1898-April 12, 1899.
��1900: Federal Census; enumerated in Havana, Cuba.
��1901: Dec 14; birth of son, Nathan, in Cuba.
��1904: Provided testimony as part of the Dawes Commission in a denied claim to be enrolled as a Mississippi Choctaw while at an Army Post in Omaha, Nebraska.
��1906: Birth of daughter, Rhoda, in Missouri.
� �1909: 30 Mar; arrived at the Port of New York aboard the S.S. Saratoga which sailed from Havana, Cuba, 27 May 1909. Accompanied by wife, Cecily, and children, Nathan and Rhoda.
��1910: Washington, DC, City Directory: Edwd M Knapp, war college, 409 16th se
��1910: Federal Census; enumerated in Washington, DC.
��1910: Dec 26; died at Choctawatchee Bay, Florida, buried at Marler Cemetery in Destin, Florida.
��1911: Washington, DC, City Directory: Edwd M Knapp, war college, 409 16th se
�1912: St. Louis, MO, City Directory: Cecily Knapp wid Edward M r 3859 Flad av
��1919: St. Louis, MO, City Directory: Cecily Knapp (wid Edw M) h3859 Flad av
��1920: Federal Census, Cecily Knapp and children, Nathan and Rhoda, enumerated in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri.
�1930: Federal Census, Cecily McChesney enumerated with her children in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri.
�1940: Federal Census, Cecily McChesney enumerated with her daughter, Rhoda, in Gravois, St. Louis, Missouri.
��1954: Dec 28; death of Cecily (Flynn) Knapp McChesney in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri.?
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