Our KNOPP family worked in the lime kilns in the mid 1800s. William, my great-great-great-grandfather b. 1796 at Grays m.5 Oct 1823 in Essex Jane VALE b. 1798 in Buttebury in Essex as stated in her death notice.

William was the son of James KNOPP b. 1754 in West Thurrock d. 1826 in West Thurrock m.abt 1790 to Sarah UNKNOWN b. abt 1755 d. 1841 West Thurrock and together they had 7 children: 3 girls, Ruth, Sarah and Charlotte and 4 boys, James, William, John and Isaac.

William and Jane had 6 children:4 boys, James, George, William and John and 2 girls, Eliza and Mary. Their address in 1851 was Little Thurrock, Essex.

So far my research has William, Eliza and their parents joining the Mormons and while William left earlier than his parents (still to research), his parents and Eliza then aged 27 sailed on the Mormon ship CARAVAN, departing Liverpool 18 Feb 1856 and arriving 27 March 1856 at New York, New York. Further details available at

http://www.lds.org/churchhistory/library/pioneercompanylist-information/0,16281,4117-1-2144%20,00.html

(Just enter your ancestor's name in the search box and if you're lucky you'll find him/her and their fellow travellers.)


William was 60 years old and Jane 55 years according to Mormon details. They first stayed in Pennsylvania in which I think Eliza married and stayed (more research) while her parents set off for Utah on the Pioneer Trail of 1860 in a covered wagon leaving July and arriving in September. While it is noted that there was only one adult death (an elderly man in his 80s) and 2 young children and on checking the "Desert News" on the internet (thanks Utah Uni)it is know that William had ongoing mail to collect from the post office. I have found his death in the Deseret News dated 6 March 1877 where he had died in Charleston, Provo Valley on 15 Feb. 1877 having gone to live there from Taylorville in Oct. 1976. One solved and now what was he doing there when his wife was still in Taylorville? Jane died in 1881 in Taylorville now a suburb of Salt Lake City. Her death notice made no mention of William or any of their children.

Son James KNOPP b. 1826 in Little Thurrock, Essex m. 7 July 1851 at St Leonards Church Of Eng., Shoreditch, Middlesex England to Sophia Lydia CLAY b.1828, Purfleet, West Thurrock, Essex.

James and Sophia had 2 children, Emma b. 1853 and James b. 1854 before boarding the "Grand Trianon" to emigrate to Melbourne, Australia.
I will continue with Jame's story next journal.