Knowles Family [RG3943.AM]

NEBRASKA STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY MANUSCRIPT FINDING AID



RG3943.AM:  Knowles Family



Papers:  1893-1927, n.d.

Cass County and McCook, Red Willow County, Neb.:  

Size:  4 folders



BACKGROUND NOTE



David Knowles was born in Manchester, England in 1811. His father died soon after his birth, and David and his mother moved to his mother’s country of Wales. Knowles’ first job was as a clerk in Liverpool and London. He also taught school in Wales. In 1845 Knowles moved his family to America, settling in Iowa Territory. On January 1, 1846, he was commissioned to preach by the American Home Missionary Society. He organized several Welsh Congregational churches in Iowa and also preached at local English churches. His missionary work in Iowa ended in 1868 when Knowles moved to Cass County, Nebraska, where he lived with his son until his death in 1899. R.G. Knowles, son of David, was a train dispatcher in McCook, Red Willow County, Nebraska. His son, Griffith R. Knowles, served in World War I as a Sergeant in Company F of the 89th Division, 355th Infantry.



SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE



This collection consists of manuscript material arranged in three series: 1) Reminiscences, 1896; 2) Correspondence, 1918-1919; and 3) Claude Knowles Family materials. This material relates to the missionary work of David Knowles and the correspondence between members of the Knowles family during and after World War I.



Series 1 contains the reminiscences of David Knowles, a Congregational minister who did missionary work in Cass County, Nebraska. Two copies of the reminiscences, written in 1896 and delivered as a speech at the district convention of the Christian Endeavor Society at Trenton, Nebraska, are included. Also a part of this series is an obituary for David Knowles.



Series 2 consists of correspondence dating from 1918-1919. The material in this series consists of letters written by R.G. Knowles, a train dispatcher in McCook, Nebraska to his son, Griffith R. Knowles, while the latter was serving in World War I as a Sergeant in Company F of the 89th Division, 355th Infantry. These letters discuss events on the home front, including the flu epidemic of 1918.



Series 3 contains miscellaneous materials and a few letters relating to Claude Knowles and family.



The first two series of this collection were loaned for copying in March of 1979. The third series was added in 2004.



DESCRIPTION



Series 1 – Reminiscences, 1896


Folder


    1. Two copies of the reminiscences of David Knowles; obituary of David Knowles also included.



Series 2 – Correspondence, 1918-1919




    1. Letters from R.G. Knowles to Griffith R. Knowles, 1918-1919, while Griffith was serving as a Sergeant in Company F of the 89th Division, 355th Infantry.



Series 3 – Claude Knowles family materials




    1. Correspondence: 1893, 1924, 1927, and undated

    1. Marriage certificate, genealogy chart, and miscellaneous



 


ADDED ENTRIES:

Cass County (Neb.) — History

Clergy — Nebraska

Congregational Church in Nebraska

Influenze

Knowles, Claude

Knowles, David, 1811-1899

Knowles, Griffith R.

Knowles, R.G.

Knowles family

Missionaries — Nebraska

World War, 1914-1918 — Nebraska



 



AIF/pjm   02-01-1980

kfk   12-31-2003

revised kfk   06-04-2004

11-09-2009   Revised TMM/tmm

Become a Member!

Our members make history happen.

Join Now

You May Also Enjoy

Marker Monday: Pawnee City

Marker Monday: Pawnee City

The Headless Ghost of Redington, Nebraska

The Headless Ghost of Redington, Nebraska

Nebraska History Spotlight: Haigler Community Foundation

Nebraska History Spotlight: Haigler Community Foundation

About NSHS

The Nebraska State Historical Society was founded in 1878 by citizens who recognized Nebraska was going through great changes and they sought to record the stories of both indigenous and immigrant peoples. It was designated a state institution and began receiving funds from the legislature in 1883. Legislation in 1994 changed NSHS from a state institution to a state agency. The division is headed by Interim Director Cindy Drake. They are assisted by an administrative staff responsible for financial and personnel functions, museum store services, security, and facilities maintenance for NSHS.

Explore Nebraska

Discover the real places and people of our past at these NSHS sites.

Upcoming Events

View our new and upcoming events to see how you can get involved.

Become a Member

The work we do to discover, preserve, and share Nebraska's history wouldn't be possible without the support of NSHS members.

NSHS Education

Learn more about the educational programs provided at our museums, sites, and online.

Education Digital Learning Resources

Find games, lists, and more to enhance your history education curriculum.

Latest Hall of Fame Inductee

The Nebraska Hall of Fame was established in 1961 to officially recognize prominent Nebraskans.

Listen to our Podcast

Listen to the articles and authors published in the Nebraska History Magazine with our new Nebraska History Podcast!

Nebraska Collections

NSHS's mission is to collect, preserve, and open our shared history to all Nebraskans.

Our YouTube Video Collection

Get a closer look at Nebraska's history through your own eyes, with our extensive video collections.

Additional Research Resources

NSHS's Research and Reference Services help connect you to the material we collect and preserve.

NSHS Services

Digital Resources

Find all of our digital resources, files, videos, and more, all in one easy-to-search page!

Support The Historical Society

Make a cash donation to help us acquire, preserve, and interpret Nebraska’s history. Gifts to the Nebraska State Historical Society help leave a legacy and may help your taxes, too! Support the work of NSHS.

Volunteers are the heroes of NSHS. So much history, so little time! Your work helps us share access to Nebraska’s stories at our museums and sites, the reference room, and online.