Sacramento County
Biographies
MARTIN KNEPPEL
MARTIN KNEPPEL.--An enterprising man and successful farmer in Sacramento County is Martin Kneppel, who was born near Hamburg, Germany, June 11, 1882, a son of Peter and Katherina (Zornig) Kneppel, who are still living in their old home in Hamburg. Their family of ten children are as follows: William lives in San Luis Obispo County. Peter died in that county in November, 1921. John lives at Clarksburg. Marcus, Herman, and Mrs. Annie Zimmer live in Germany. Martin is the subject of our review. Jacob lives at Point Pleasant; Mrs. Louise Dahlmeier, in Germany; and Henry, at Franklin.
Martin Kneppel was reared to the vocation of farming and received an excellent education in the local schools. From his twentieth to his twenty-second year he served in the German army, being attached to the 31st Regiment of Infantry. Having served the required time, he was honorably discharged and was free to go wherever he wished without hindrance from the government. He then concluded to cast in his lot with the land of the Stars and Stripes; so in 1904 he made the journey to Sacramento County, Cal., where for a time he was employed in a livery stable in Sacramento, and then began working on ranches in Point Pleasant.
In 1908, Mr. Kneppel made a trip back to his old home, remaining a year, and there he was married, on September 19, 1909, to Lina Raulien, who was born near Koenigsberg, Germany, a daughter of August and Johanna (Kasmir) Raulien. Her parents are both living, the father being a tanner. Of their six children, three are in California; Mrs. Kneppel, the third in order of birth, John and Mrs. Bertha Schmidtje.
Returning to Point Pleasant, Mr. Kneppel again took up ranching; and in 1911 he bought his present place of eighty acres, where he has since engaged in dairying and by close application and well-directed energy is making a success of the enterprise. He has two pumping plants, one for domestic use and the other for irrigating his fields of alfalfa. Aside from dairying, he is also engaged in raising poultry.
Mr. and Mrs. Kneppel have two children, Richard and Harry. In religious faith and affiliation, they are Lutherans; and in politics they are ardent Republicans.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Source: Reed, G.
Walter, History of Sacramento County,
California With Biographical Sketches, Page 853. Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA.
1923.
© 2007 Jeanne Taylor.