My Genealogy Hound

WILLIAM KNODERER, superintendent of farm of the West Pennsylvania Hospital for Insane, at Dixmont, was born in Alsace, France (now Germany), and came here with his parents, Christian and Margaret S. (Wagner) Knoderer, when young. His father was captain in Napoleon’s army for seventeen years, and in the Russian campaign he went in with 386 men, and came out with five besides himself. He was an able swordsman, and was severely wounded in a hand-to-hand contest with three men armed with sabers. He came to this county in 1844, and purchased a farm of 106 acres in Ohio Township, where his widow, who was born in 1804, still resides. He was born in 1792, and died at the age of eighty-five years. William Knoderer attended the schools of the township. He was married, at the age of twenty-one, to Margaret A. Merriman, of Ohio Township this county, daughter of Samuel and Sarah (Merriman) Merriman, and they had four children, two of whom died when small. Those living are Emma, now transcriber in recorder’s office, Pittsburgh, and Margaret Sarah, at home. After marriage, Mr. Knoderer followed the Ohio River a short time but gave most of his time to the farm. In 1864 he began work at the Dixmont Hospital for the Insane, as general carpenter, and in eight years was made superintendent or the farm and all outside building. Mr. Knoderer has been delegate to county conventions and member of the county executive committee. He served two terms as street commissioner, and is now filling his second term as justice of the peace of Kilbuck township. Mr. Knoderer is a 32° Mason and a K. T.; he is a republican.