Albert Knapp

Albert Knapp born the 10th of Jul 1824 in Antwerp, Jefferson Co., New York. He served in the Mormon Battalion. He married Rosina Shepard 07 Jan 1849. They had at least six children. He had at least one other wife.

Albert Knapp left his family to pursue mining interests.
He wrote the following letter to persuade one of his daughters to join him.


Dec. 11, 1863
"Dear Daughter [Malinda]:
I receivedf your kind letter last Satuday on the way to the city on business. It ound me in better health than I have been sine last January, the cause I will tell you before I get through.

I saw Survina and John. She and little Johnny were well but his father had been very sick, but he was getting better. They have plenty to eat and wear.

You say you are all well and going to school and step-father is kind to you. I tell you I was truly glad to hear of that and to get those little tender lines written by my own daughter's hand.

I want you write as often as you and I will answer.

You say I have forgotten the ear rings I promised you and Armina. Have you forgotten the Coledonias I sent by Hiram Judd to make sets of to put in them? I you have kepp them until I see you and I will keep my promise.

Bishop Hess and Lott Smith promised me before I left home that my famioy should not suffer while I was gone.

Your mother worked very hard and I will tell you a little what I was doing. I was prospecting for money to send to you and to help myself with. I aws traveling the first summer I left home among the Indians[savage] where my life was in danger all of the time and many and many's the day I had to go hungry and without water to drink and traveling over those hot deserts an sometimes I would get a rabbit and sometims I wouldn't.

Thus I passed off the time when John Hess and I discovered leads in Eldorado Canyon. We located them leads for ourselves and others and formed a company so as to get enough to help ourselves with and get machinery to get out the money with. Thus I worked the next summer from 14-16 hours a day and I wrote your mother every opportunity and told her if she could get along a couple of years longer we would have plenty.

And while I was riding to gather grass for the mules I received a private injury that will last me as long as I live, and I have not done a day's work in the apst year.

One year ago on th 8th of this month I sold Levi Parsons $2,500 worth of the company and went with him to San Fransico to be paid. Providence has seen fit to lead me to this tresury and I am now in possession of means to help myself and my children. I have got it by hard licks the same as I have always got my living and I intend to enjoy som of it myself. When my children can see fit to come to live with me, they can help me enjoy it; While I live and after I am gone. Tell Silas I am glad he is mindful of his father. O I wish I could see and talk with you.

If you were here I could give you a better education than it is possible to get there. There are many young ladies here of your age and older that have a good education to reading, writing, and music. They can sit down adn take the accordian out or the piano and enterain guests and they can have an agreeabale time together with everything else around them to make them happy. o, my children, I cannot explain to you the beauties of this country and climate. It is raining a slight mist and it is warm and the grain is just beginning to start and people are beginning to plow.

I do not know you will believe the half I have written so I will quit. So, goodbye children. Write, I want to hear from you all. Malinda will write for you.

From Albert Knapp to Malinda, Armina, Silas, Justin, Willis and Morgan

He died as a result of a mule kick and was buried in Centerfield, Alameda Co., California.