Obit: Knoop, Bertha Mathilda Emelia (1858 - 1939)

Contact:  Crystal Wendt
Email: crystal@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Knoop, Beyer, Brandt, Mannigel, Duge, Bauman, Benke, Wagner, Seehaffer, Handke, Tjaden, Lindow, Meisner, Zilke, Grottke, Benke, Manske, Schmidt, Gloff, Helbling, Barber, Bandel, Teske, Teschner, Cockran, Weisner, Porath, Goldhammer, Moelling

----Sources: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark County, Wis.) Thurs., 8 June 1939

Knoop, Bertha Mathilda Emelia (5 Oct. 1858 - 1 June 1939)

Bertha Mathilda Emelia, wife of the late Ferdinand Knoop, was born October 5, 1858, the daughter of Carl and Wilhelmine Beyer of Germany. At the age of nine years she accompanied her parents to America, living at West Bend in Washington County for two years. In the year 1869, the Beyer family settled in the town of Pine Valley. At the age of 16 years, in the year of 1874, the young woman was confirmed in the Lutheran Church at Mapleworks, Granton.

On June 30, 1876, Miss Bertha Beyer was united in marriage to Ferdinand Knoop, also of Pine Valley. This union was blessed with eight children, three sons and five daughters. Two daughters and one son preceded the mother in death during infancy.

Mr. and Mrs. Knoop shared life’s journey for a little over 50 years. They celebrated their golden wedding June 30, 1926, with a church service, the late Rev. H. Brandt, conducting the rites in the presence of relatives and friends.

Mr. and Mrs. Knoop were pioneers of Clark County. They purchased a tract of wild land west of Neillsville, cleared and improved it, and converted it into one of the finest farms in the community.

Mr. Knoop preceded her in death on December 3, 1926. She remained on the home farm until this winter, when she came to Neillsville to be cared for by her daughter, Miss Clara. After an illness of many weeks, the weary pilgrim departed this life last Thursday morning, June 1, 1939. She had attained the age of 80 years, seven months and 26 days.

She leaves to mourn: two sons, Louis, of Chili; Frank of Pine Valley, and three daughters, Clara of Neillsville; Emma, Mrs. Albert Mannigel, Marshfield and Elsie, Mrs. William Duge, Grant; 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, and many other relatives and a host of friends.

Funeral services were held at the farm home at 1:30 p.m. and at 2 o’clock at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Rev. William A. Bauman conducting the services. Interment took place in the Pine Valley Cemetery.

Arthur Benke, George Wagner, Edward Seehaffer, Carl Handke, George Tjaden and James Mannigel, grandsons of the departed, acted as pallbearers.

The out of town relatives and friends in attendance at the funeral were: Mr. and Mrs. Emil Lindow, Raymond Lindow, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Meisner, Mrs. Fred Zilke, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Grottke, and Mrs. Gertrude Benke and son, Harold, all of Chili; Mr. and Mrs. Carl Manske, Watertown; Mrs. Johanna Schmidt, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Gloff, Stratford; Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Helbing, Merrillan; Mrs. Ward Barber and son, Chad, and Rudolph Knoop, Butternut; Mr. and Mrs. Herman Beyer, Athens; Mr. and Mrs. Hans Bandel, Wausau; Mrs. Ernest Teske, St. Paul; Mrs. Carl Teschner and grandchildren, Stetsonville; Archie Cockran, Marshfield; Mr. and Mrs. Louis Weisner, Mrs. Lillie Porth and daughters, Gladys and Joyce, Lynn; Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Goldhammer, Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Goldhammer, Colby; and Mr. and Mrs. August Moelling, Marshfield.