655. Francis Benjamin KNICKERBOCKER
(75) was born on 7 Jul 1835 in Benton,
Yates, NY.(9) He died on 26 May 1914 in
Marion, MI.(9) He was living in Curtis
Rd., Fishville.(9) House Built On Curtis
Rd About A Mile West Of The Fishville School House In Grass Lake Twp. Irving
Knickerbocker As Well As George And His Family Lived Here For A While. Biography
Of Francis B. Knickerbocker By Harry Holmes Raby 1976.
Francis was born in near Naples, New York, on the 7th day Of July, 1835. When
he was a lad of some 10 years, he came to Michigan with his parents and family.
There was a brother Thomas, and a sister called Lot, and perhaps there were other
children whose names have been forgotten, or they may have remained in New York
state. The father, Benjamin, took-up land about a mile east of the Fishville
school, and likely Francis went to school there as a boy. As he grew older,
Francis probably helped his father and the neighboring farmers clear land and
do farm work.
When Francis was 24 years of age, he married Naomi Pixley, a daughter of Jonah
and Maria Pixley whose home was some distance east of the Knickerbocker home.
Naomi and Francis lived most of their life in the Fishville area and owned the
farm that father Benjamin took-up from the Government In 1845 - as well as other
land later sold to Charley Pixley, Naomi's brother.
Although my father, Harve Raby, was some twenty years younger than Francis, they
were very good friends. I as a teen aged lad enjoyed listening to them as they
talked about hunting, their guns and watches. Francis and Harve would at times
discuss the merits of various makes of watches and the marvelous accuracy of
the ones they carried - if correctly wound on time. The hunting stories were
very interesting, as they covered the hunting of wolves, bear, deer, wild turkeys,
prairie chickens and other small game. Francis had children living in northern
lower Michigan, and it was his custom to go north every fall and hunt with them.
Francis was a vetern of the Civil War having enlisted at the beginning under
Capt. Deland of Jackson, and again In 1864 as a substitute for another man who
was drafted into the service.
Francis lost his Wife in March, 1907 and thereafter lived most of the time with
his two sons at Marion. Francis died At Marion in May, 1914. Memorial services
were held in the Norvell Baptist Church, with burial in the Knickerbocker lot
in Norvell cemetery.
(Additional notes: Francis Knickerbocker marriage license 483 Jackson, MI.)
Francis B. Knickerbocker, age 72, from Grass Lake, born in New York state, occupation
Farmer, father Benjamin F., mother's maiden name Miachian. Spouse Eliza Boic
70 years old from Napoleon, born In Michigan. Father's name Henry Luce, Mother's
maiden name unknown. Marriage license applied for on 11-18-1907. Married on 11-25-1907
by Fred G. Jones, Justice of the Peace.
He was married to Elsis BORST (LUCE)
on 25 Nov 1907.(9)
Elsis BORST (LUCE)(76) was born
in 1837.(9) Certificate #190.
Lists Francis Birth Place As Stueben N.Y. Father Was Benjamin F And Mother's
Last Name Was Miachian. Eliza Was 70 Years Old Born In Michigan. Luce Was Her
Maiden Name. Her Married Name Was Borst.
He was married to Naomi Elizabeth
PIXLEY on 22 Feb 1859.(9)
Naomi Elizabeth PIXLEY(75)
was born on 29 Nov 1837 in Royalton, Niagra, NY.
(9) She died on 7 Mar 1907.(9)
Biography Of Naomi Elizabeth Pixley By Harry Holmes Raby
Naomi Was Born In The Town Of Royalton, State Of New York In Nov. Of 1837 And
Came To Michigan With Her Parents, Jonah And Maria Pixley. They Located On A
Farm A Short Distance East Of The Fishville School. There Was Said To Be Eight
Children, And Four Girls, Names Unknown Except For Naomi's. The Father Jonah
Was Born In Scotland In 1801. The Mother Maria, Was Born In The State Of New
York Sometime Before 1812. She Had Sisters; Rebecca Born In Vermont In 1803,
Married Nathan Clark And Lived Near Hanover Mi. Margaret, Born In Vermont In
1808, Married Amos Rathbun And Lived In Northern Ohio.
Maria's Mother Was Sarah, The Wife Of Capt. Moses Fenno Who Lost His Life At
Buffalo, N.Y. In The War Of 1812. Naomi's Grandmother, Sarah, Claimed To Be
A Descendent Of "Mollie Pitcher" Of Revolutinary War Fame. Anyone Interested
In This Is Referred To The Journal Of American History, Vol. 5, P. 81-96. If
Ever Near Carlisle, Pa., Do Not Miss The Statue Of "Mollie" In The
Old English Cemetery, Put Up By The People Of Cumberland Co, Pa In Her Honor.
The Date Of The Pixley's Emigration To The State Of Michigan Is Unknown Other
That It Was After The Birth Of Naomi In 1837.
Probably Naomi Attended The Fishville School As A Girl, And Later Could Have
Been A Teacher In The School As She Was 22 Years Of Age Before She Married Francis.
Twelve Children Grew Up In Naomi's Home And All Of Them Married And Had Homes
Of Thier Own. All Were Good Industrious People And An Honor To Our Creator.
Naomi's Death Occured In March Of 1907, And Burial Was On The Knickerbocker Lot
In The Norvell Twp. Cemetery.
The Graves Of Naomi's Parents, As Well As Thos Of Benjamin Knickerbocker And
His Wife Are Believed To Be In The Old Fishville Cemetery, Though There Is No
Record To My Knowledge. Francis Benjamin KNICKERBOCKER and Naomi Elizabeth PIXLEY
had the following children:
+843 i.
Ida KNICKERBOCKER.
+844 ii.
Adda KNICKERBOCKER.
+845 iii.
Frank Arthur KNICKERBOCKER.
+846 iv.
Fred KNICKERBOCKER.
+847 v.
George KNICKERBOCKER.
+848 vi.
Jay KNICKERBOCKER.
+849 vii.
Eva KNICKERBOCKER.
850 viii.
KNICKERBOCKER was born in Mar 1872.(9)
She died on 8 May 1872.(9) Born
Grass Lake, Cause Of Death Gravition.
+851 ix.
Owen KNICKERBOCKER.
+852 x.
Cora KNICKERBOCKER.
853 xi.
KNICKERBOCKER was born in Jul 1879.(9)
She died on 13 Aug 1879.(9) Born
In Grass Lake Cause Of Death Dropsey.
+854 xii.
Irving KNICKERBOCKER.
+855 xiii.
Emmaline KNICKERBOCKER.
+856 xiv.
Bert KNICKERBOCKER.
857 xv.
Ida KNICKERBOCKER was born in Jan 1897.(9)
She died in 1932 in Tustin, MI.(9)