Hans Leonard Knecht (1737 - 1789)

Hans Leonard Knecht was the son of  George Peter Knecht, who arrived here on the Pink Plaisance in September, 1732,  and who married Anna Christine Hirtzel.    Born January 18, 1737, Hans Leonard's  birth record is found  in the records of the New Goshenhoppen Church  which was then in Lower Saucon township, Northampton Co., Pennsylvania. 

He married Maria Margaret Schlauch  on January 1, 1760 at the  German Reformed Church, Tohicken, Bucks, Pennsylvania.  Also known just as Leonard Knecht in many records, he  was a farmer in Bethlehem township and also in Lower Nazareth township, Northampton Co., PA.    Paul Swan from his online book, The Hartzell Chapter has this to say:  "Of  the two children of George Peter and Anna Christina (Hirtzel) Knecht:    Hans Leonard, son, b 18 Jan 1737. Hans Leonard was married 1 Jan 1760 to    Margaret Schlauch {b 9 May 1739, daughter of Philip and Anna Margaretha (Hertzel)Schlauch and d 20 Apr 1810}. Margaret and her sister Maria Catharina married brothers. She and Hans Leonard had six children, Maria Margaret, Christine, Clara Catharine, Sarah, John, and Anna Dorothea born 1760 through 1779."

Burial card via Ancestry.com.

Here is the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Military Affairs Burial Card for Leonard Knecht.   The Pennsylvania Archives, 5th Series, Volume 8 shows that  Leonard Knecht served several terms under the command of Captain John Santee in 1780, 1781,1782  and 1783.  I also found a Record of Service  listed with Daughters of the American Revolution for Leonard Knight (Knecht). He is Ancestor #: A066531.

Find A Grave Memorial# 70168549

He died October 18, 1789 and was buried in the Dryland Cemetery, Hecktown, Pennsylvania.  His gravestone is no longer in existence, but his name appears on the Veteran's Memorial Stone there.


Hans Leonard Knecht had a son also named Leonard who married Christina Schott.  They lived in the Moorestown area of Northampton Co., Pa.  Leonard and Christina  were the parents of Salome Knecht who married George Kunkle.  Salome died after the birth of her son Charles  who was the grandfather of Estella May Kunkle, Ron's great grandmother.
           

   

                                             
Sources:

• Egle, William Henry, 1830-1901. Names of Foreigners Who Took the Oath of Allegiance to the Province And State of Pennsylvania, 1727-1775: With the Foreign Arrivals, 1786-1808. Harrisburg, Pa.: E. K. Meyers, 1892. 
• Charles Kunkle 1825 - 1890,  http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~chsmith/kunklelines.html
• "Pennsylvania, Marriages, 1709-1940," Index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/V26H-1LL : accessed 22 Sep 2012), Leonhard Knecht and Marg. Schlauch, 1760; citing reference , FHL microfilm 974.8 B4PG V.31.
• Paul R. Swan, "Hartzell Family History, Hartzell Chapter", online at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~paulrswan/Hartzell_Lineage.html.
• Linda Klosek, "The Knecht Family History", 1702-1987. 
• Pennsylvania Archives, Series 5, Volume 8, page 126, 152, 197, 222.

                           Please see this list of all My Revolutionary War Ancestors.

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