The Heinrich Knauss House has been home to many generations of the Knauss family from the time of the American Revolution right up until the Great Depression.
Ownership of the house (or “dwelling” as many referred to it) was only ever transferred four times. These transfers happened by Will of the owner upon their passing. The home was never actually sold until the passing of Maryellen Knauss, the last Knauss to own the home, in 1935.
Below, you can see a list of each and every Knauss to have lived at the homestead. Almost all of them were born in the house and spent their childhoods there, only leaving upon marriage. Even after starting families of their own, most of the children remained close, some settling their own homes just a stones throw away.
period
1777-1809
Owners
Anna Catherina Transue Knauss
(Widow of Sebastian)
Heinrich Sebastian Knauss
Anna Maria Ehrenhardt Knauss
Children
Susanna Knauss
Catherine Knauss
Anna Barbara Knauss
Heinrich Knauss
Elisabeth Knauss
Jacob Knauss
Anna Maria Knauss
Daniel Knauss
Magdalene Knauss Doll
Joseph Knauss
Anna Salome Knauss
Thomas Knauss
census forms
period
1809-1853
Owners
Jacob Knauss
Anna Maria Tool Knauss
Children
Anna Maria Theresa Knauss
Heinrich Knauss Jr.
Eleanora Knauss
Stephen Israel Knauss
census forms
period
1853-1889
Owners
Heinrich Knauss Jr.
Mary Anna Christ
Children
Sophia Louisa Knauss
Clarissa Knauss
Herman S. Knauss
Caroline Knauss
census forms
period
1889-1935
Owners
Herman S. Knauss
Mary Ellen Adrain
Caroline Knauss
(Disabled Sister of Herman)
Children
Wilson E. Knauss
James H. Knauss
Ellen M. Knauss
Howard N. Knauss
Charles R. Knauss
Sarah E. Knauss
George L. Knauss
census forms
This is when the homestead is sold outside of the knauss family for the first time.
When Maryellen passed away in 1935, the house was put up for sale and purchased by Detroit attorney Dewey Marcks for his sister Verna.
She preferred to live in her home at 401 Chestnut Street, near the Emmaus Triangle, so the home was used as a weekend retreat, and for family events. At this time, the Knauss Homestead still included a substantial Peach Orchard to what is now the rear of the property. The article attached describes the huge haul of Peaches harvested during the first year of their ownership.
From here, the Homestead is remodeled to include a “modern” kitchen and bathroom, electricity, and an oil furnace.
Verna Marcks was a school teacher in the Salisbury school system, and a patron of the arts. She passed away in 1987 at the age of 93.
From about 1972 to 1992 the Homestead sadly sat vacant and fell into disrepair before it was purchased by the Borough of Emmaus, and the Knauss Homestead Preservation Society was born soon after. But that’s another story.
