John Knoll was born in the province of Bavaria, Germany.
His father Andrew was in the Napoleon war. In May 1832, 
John Knoll, his sister, Mary, and her husband Andrew 
Graber and baby,Sebastian, left Germany and came to the 
US to find a home. Due to stormy weather, they were on 
the ocean during May, June and part of July. John Knoll 
used to relate how during the storm he would stay near 
the captain of the vessel so that he might judge by the 
captain's actions when they were in great danger. They 
reached New York City in July 1832.From that city they 
went to Albany, Buffalo,Cleveland Ohio,Cincinnati Ohio, 
and stopped at Richmond IN. At sunrise in a small town 
16 miles west of Richmond, IN- Andrew Graber died of 
cholera. John Knoll married Susannah Knipes in 1834. 
She was 16 years old, they began married life on the 
second floor of a large brick house a few miles south 
of Abingnon, IN. In 1840 they moved from Union County 
to Owen County,IN, making the journey over the National 
Road( now W. Washington Street) in a covered two horse 
wagon. At this time John Knoll was 27 and his wife 
Susannah was 22. They had 2 children with them, William, 
age 5 years and Margaret, an infant less that a year. 
When John Knoll first reached Owen County, in the year 
1840, the country was almost an unbroken forest. He 
lived in a log cabin in Jennings Twp, about 1/4 mile 
south of the present home of Elmer Knoll. It is said 
he laid out the first public road that lead from his 
cabin over the hill and crossed Doe Creek a short 
distance down stream from the present bridge.John 
Knoll blazed the trees in the forest so the children 
might find their way to school. On May 9th 1846 John 
purchased from Richard Magg the land now owned by 
Dora Rouck in Jackson Twp Owen county, situated NW 
of Cunot and moved there shortly after that date. 
In 1852 he built a house, which he moved into in 
January of 1853. Prior to this date he lived in a 
log house of one large room which was located about 
50 yards NE of the one he built. At this time he 
had a family of 8 children, Mary Knoll being 2 weeks 
of age.Grandmother Knoll used to relate how Aunt 
Elizabeth age 5 carried Aunt Mary at 2 weeks old, 
head down and feet up from the old house to the new 
one when they were moving. 


BIOGRAPHY SUBMITTER: Debbie Jennings