Knies

Kit Carson County, Colorado
Photographs

Kit Carson County Pioneers:

William and Rebecca (Wagner) Knies , 8 South 49 West

In 1885 Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, George Wagner is 53, Margaret 48, Barbara 27, William 25, a painter Dorothy 23 - a seamstress, REBECCA 15, Amelia 13, Louisa 11, Joel 9, Thomas 7, Martin 5, Emma 3., and Jacob 21 a laborer..
George 1826-1911 is buried in Schuylkill County # 112302199.

In 1900 Cedar Falls, Iowa, William Knies is a "general agent", born March 1866, Rebecca Feb 1865, Myrtle Feb 1888, Miriam October 1889, Winfield July 1892,and Atwood Sept 1897, all born in Pennsylvania.

In 1910 Denver, William is an agent for an art company, with Myrtle O. 22, Miriam L. 20, Winfield 17, and Atwood 12.

In 1912 "Misses Knies and Martin" provided music for the Kit Carson County teachers banquet.

In 1915 Mrs. Rebecca Knies of Flagler made a presentation at a sunday school meeting in Hugo.

In 1916 William Knies of Flagler was a candidate for Kit Carson County Clerk.

In 1916 W.L Knies was a teacher in District # 3, Arriba, Colorado.

William proved up two quarters in 25, 8S 50W and 30, 8S 49W in 1916.

Myrtle Olive Knies 1888-1916 is buried in Flagler, # 15794370.

In 1917 W.L. Knies of Flagler is teaching at the Bedford Nelson school district near Seibert.

In 1919, Atwood Wagner Knies of Flagler is enrolled at Colorado College, Colorado Springs.

In 1920 Kit Carson County, William is running a cream station, 51, with Rebecca 51, and son Atwood W. 22 a college student, all three born in Pennsylvania.

W. L. Knies of Flagler, Colorado was enrolled in Colorado State Teachers' College.

Hal Borland, wrote in "Country Editor's Boy"
I wanted to take music lessons, and went to see Mr. Knies "He was a pleasant little man with a bristly brown mustache and a slight German accent. He was in the Beatrice cream station, wearing a long white apron, taking samples in test tubes, adding a few drops of acid, then spinning the tubes in a centrifuge turned by hand crank. When he took the tubes out, the percentage of butterfat could be read on the graduated scale on each tube. Farmers were paid for their cream in proportion to its butterfat content.
He finished, wiped his hands on his apron, and said "My new pupil ! And what are you going to play? Well now, Atwood plays the cornet. Winfield plays the trombone, Miriam plays the cello. But Miriam will be away most of the winter. The cello! That's the instrument for you. Then we have a quintette all winter, with Mama at the piano and me with the fiddle."
So I became a cellist, simply because Miriam Knies was going to be away most of the winter. The Knieses lived in quarters back of the cream station, and for the first month I went down there two evenings a week....
Flagler was a musical town, with enough real talent to be tolerant of beginners... There were two orchestras, that of Mr. Knies, which was basically a family group, and that led by C.A. Anderson, a tall handsome Scandinavian cobbler and harness maker who also played the violin.

1920 - The Commercial Chronicle reported "Flagler, Kit Carson County - NO SALE - The $40,000 6& 15-year water extension bonds were not sod on Jan 30. Wm. Knies, clerk.)The wife of the Mayor died in Denver thta day with the Spanish Influenze, so no action was taken(."

1922 "Knies, William, Cream, Eggs and Poultry, Flagler. Mr. Knies was born in Pennsylvania in 1867, settled in the County in 1911, and married Rebecca Wagner. They have four children."

Atwood Knies graduated from Flagler High School.

Atwood W. Knies is listed in 1922 as the superintendent of the Donnybrook Consolidated School near Minot, North Dakota, living with John Egeburg.

But the stone in the Flagler cemetery says Atwood W. Knies 1897-1923. - # 15794359.

1929 Steamboat Springs "William Knies, field man for the Windsor Farm Dairy firm, was in Steamboat last week overseeing the new decorating of the Windsor building. The entire interior was newly painted making the station clean, attractive and sanitary."
In 1930 Denver, William, an inspector for a cream factory, and Rebecca are alone.

June 1934 "Being presented a check for payment that was made out over 1S years ago was the unusual experience of the First National Bank here recently. The check was dated June 26, 1916. It had been made out to L. M. Mills by Wm. Knies, who was in the produce business in Flagler at that time. Officials of the bank were a bit dubious about paying the old check so they referred it to Mr. Knies. After looking up his records and finding the check had never been paid, Mr. Knies unhesitatingly made it good. It was in the amount of $4.50. The old check had been endorsed by Mr. Mills and given to R. E. Davidson at Cope, who presented it. It had been laid away and forgotten all these years until it was unearthed recently.
Flagler News. "
August 10, 1937 "W. L. Knies, member of the Colorado State College faculty, was in Denver Sunday to attend the golden- wedding anniversary celebration of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Knies of 3772 Meade street. For Mrs. Knies, it marked, the fifth time in her immediate family that 50th anniversaries have been observed. Mr. Knies, who is 72, is a field representative for the Beatrice Creamery company. Also at the celebration was a daughter, Mrs. B. T. Schwab of Cedar Rapids, Iowa."

In 1940 Denver, William 73 is a "field man" and they are still living alone.

1941 Douglas County Colorado "Mr. Miller and Mr. William Knies, of Denver, were calling on some of their milk shippers on Monday."

Hazleton, Pennsylvania Plain Speaker
September 18, 1947

September 30, 1947

Rebecca's probate record is in Denver in 1947.

Miriam married Benjamin T. Schwab, a minister in Denver Sept 21, 1911.

In 1914 Benjamin, Greeley "Mr. and Mrs. William Knies of Denver will have Greeley guests, Mr. and Mrs. Winfield Knies and Mr. and Mrs. F.S. Kirkpatrick.

Benjamin Schwab, of Clay Center Nebraska, was in Japan with Miriam L. Knies Schwab, born at Pottsville Pennsylvania October 4, 1889 and then residing in Tokyo. He listed children - Dwight Livingstone born March 22, 1913 at Crofton Nebraska, Gladys Myrtle born at Tokyo Oct 2, 1914, and Dorothy Katherine at Tokyo Dec 18, 1918.

November 27, 1929 - In 1930 Pierre, South Dakota they have Dwight 17, Gladys 15, Dorothy 11, and Ward W. 6.

In 1940 Benjamin 53 and Miriam K. 50 are in Jones County, Iowa, with Dorothy 21 born in Japan an educational secretary, Wood W. 16 Colorado, and Galen P. 6 South Dakota.

Winfield L. Knies married Ruth "Kirkpartick" June 3, 1917, recorded in Lincoln County.

November 1930 Greeley, Colorado "Mr. and Mrs. F. S. Kirkpatrick and Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Knies and family of Greeley spent Thanksgiving in Denver as the guests of Mr. and Mrs. William Knies."

Winfield and Ruth had Joanne E. in 1927 and William S. in 1933.

October 30, 1962 "Mrs. Mary Evelyn Kirkpatrick, 92, former Greeley resident and mother of Mrs. Winfield L. Knies of 1854 12th Ave., died Monday morning in a nursing home at Colorado Springs. She had been a patient there for the past four years. Mrs. Kirkpatrick, widow of Fred S. Kirkpatrick, lived in Greeley from 1920 to 1937. She was born in Jasper County, Iowa. She and her husband homesteaded at Arriba in 1909, coming to Colorado from Sterling, Illinois. Later he was proprietor of a grocery store in Arriba until coming here. They moved from Greeley to Denver where he died in 1937. Mrs. Kirkpatrick continued to reside in Denver until entering the nursing home. Besides Mrs. Knies, she is survived by another daughter, Mrs. Mildred Harmon of Colorado Springs, four grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. Funeral services will be held in Denver Wednesday, 1:30 p.m., at Highlands Methodist Church, 3920 W. 32nd Ave. Interment will follow at Crown Hill Cemetery."

Winfield Leroy Knies lived at 1850 12th Avenue in Greeley - the Rizzolo House "Mr. Knies was born on July 31, 1892, at Pottsville, Pennsylvania. On June 3, 1917, he married Ruth Evelyn Kirkpatrick at Arriba, Colorado. Two years later, the young couple moved to Greeley where Winfield enrolled at the Colorado State Teachers' College. According to his obituary, Winfield became the college's first male president of the student body. Mr. Knies graduated from Colorado State Teachers' College in 1925, and then moved to Seattle where he earned a masters degree in business administration from the University of Washington. He then returned to Greeley where he became a professor of business education. Thirty-five years later, Knies retired from the University of Northern Colorado as an emeritus professor. He passed away on September 18, 1984, at the age of 92, survived by his wife Ruth, two daughters, and a son. "

Winfield's obituary appeared in Greeley September 19, 1984, and Ruth's Octrober 27, 1993.

In 1960 William L. Knies was superintendent of schools in Gill, Colorado.

Tuesday, Dec. 30, 1958
"Wm. Knies To Wed Aurora Teacher
Engagement of Miss Wilma Scheidemat, graduate of Colorado State College and teacher in the Aurora public schools, to William Stanton Knies, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Knies of Greeley is announced by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Scheidcman, of Wheat Ridge A June wedding is planned. The betrothal was revealed at a buffet supper of the two families Christmas Day at the Sclieidcniari home. The bride-elect received her degree in elementary education in 1956. She teaches second grade at Aurora. On campus she was active in her sorority, Sigma Sigma Sigma. Mr. Knies, whose father is a professor emeritus of CSC, was graduated from University of Colorado in 1955, receiving his degree in business. His major was marketing. He is now teaching business."

"Bill and Wilma Knies celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on June 14, 2009. They were married on June 14, 1959 in Wheat Ridge.
They have three children - Kara Roberts, Rich Knies, David Knies - and six grandchildren.
They owned and operated Brownhurst Cottages in Grand Lake from 1976 to 2000 and owned and operated the Grand Lake T-shirt Company, the Winter Park T-shirt Company and Power Mountain Sportswear. Wilma was a member of the Juniper Club and enjoyed playing bridge. In addition to the businesses in Grand County, Bill continued to serve as principal in the Prospect Valley Schools in Weld County for 36 years. He often played the organ at Trinity Church in the Pines.
Bill and Wilma are Colorado natives. Bill was raised in Greeley, while Wilma was raised in Wheat Ridge. Both attended the University of Northern Colorado. Bill received his Bachelor's from the University of Colorado at Boulder. They began their married life on the plains of Colorado in Keenesburg, but the draw of the high country soon brought them to Grand Lake in 1976. All three children graduated from Middle Park High School in Granby. Although they no longer reside in Grand Lake, they have fond memories of the tranquil and beautiful town.
An anniversary party will be hosted by their children on June 21 from 1 to 5 p.m., 4280 Upham Street, Wheat Ridge. "

"Bill" Knies was superintendent at Prospect Valley, Weld County One student wrote "He was very tall & we would tease him about being careful not to bump his head on the ceiling of the basketball court in the old gymnasium when he made a jump shot. 'Corse you couldn't put much of an arch on your shots in that old gym with such a low ceiling."

"William 'Bill' S. Knies, 84, passed away Nov 22, 2017, in hospice care."

Betty J. Wood, born May 28, 1925 in Colorado - father Knies, mother Kirkpatrick, died July 15, 1997 in Santa Barbara.

Thanks to the Knies family for the following:
"William Stanton Knies also had a seventh grandchild that was not mentioned. He lived a year and a half before he passed, and had his Grandfather's name ( William Stanton Knies). He was born with congenital hydrosphere fallacy.
David's wife; Jennifer."

This page is maintained by Steve Stein.