Elizabeth Knupp, also known as Bettie, was one of my 3rd great grandparents on my maternal side. She was born November 1, 1857 to Abraham and Catherine (Good) Knupp, the second of five known children.
The Knupp family lived in Augusta County where Abraham was a farmer. Sometime between 1860 and 1870 the family moved to Shenandoah County, where Abraham was originally from. Abraham served in the 12th Virginia Calvary Regiment, which may account for the 10 year break between their second and third child. I could find no record of additional children being born or having died.
Bettie Knupp married John Joseph Coffman January 16, 1879 in Shenandoah County, Virginia, and they soon moved to Rockingham County, Virginia. John was also a farmer. The couple had five children.
Unfortunately, I don't know much more about Bettie, other than she had five children and was a farmer's wife. I did receive a photo from a relative in Virginia that is believed to be Bettie. It was in the same frame as a photo with John Joseph Coffman and his second wife, Mary Garber.
I think it is possible that it is her, especially when compared to photos of some of her granddaughters. I also was able to determine how Bettie died.
Bettie sadly committed suicide just seven months after the birth of her last child and only two days after her own thirtieth birthday. I have to wonder if she might have had post-partum depression that she just couldn't shake. I'll never know the real reason.
John Joseph Coffman went on to marry again and had four more children. Bettie is buried in the Flat Rock Brethren Cemetery, Forestville, Shenandoah County, Virginia.
I'm not even sure what church Bettie attended. There just isn't much information on her. Even in the family files. Here are some of my due-outs on Bettie.
1. Try to locate her obituary.
2. Track down possible church records.
Sources:
- Dodd, Jordan, Liahona Research, comp. Virginia Marriages, 1851-1929 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000. Original data: Shenandoah County, Virginia Marriages, 1851-80. County court records located at Woodstock, Virginia or Family History Library microfilm #0033929.
- Fridley, Beth. Rockingham County, Virginia Deaths, 1886-95 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2000. Original data: Bureau of Vital Statistics - Death Register for Rockingham County, 1886-1895. Taken from a microfilm copy of located in the Library of Virginia at Richmond, VA, USA.
This post is part of my on-going goal of 2013 to research each of my 32 3rd great-grandparents more in-depth. Bettie is #32 on my list.
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