William Knapp, was born October 9, 1849 in Genoa, Cayuga, New York. and died on April 25, 1933, in Waterloo, Seneca County, New York. (New York State Death Index Cert #26758).
William was a son of Thomas Knapp and Sophronia (Burrill) Leonard Knapp. He and Charles Russell Leonard are said to have had the same mother (Sophronia), making them half-brothers. It seems they also shared a wife (not at the same time, of course) - Luella Schriver. William Knapp married Luella abt. 1864, and they had six known children together including William, Josephine, Elvenia, Ida May, Sophronia, Murray, and Malvina Knapp. What happened with their marriage is a mystery to me, but around 1885, when Luella was 35, they split up and she hitched up with Charles R. Leonard, the supposed half-brother of her husband. Charles was twenty years her elder - about 55 years old at the time. Charles and Luella were counted on the census together in 1892, 1900, and 1905. William may have married Minnie Milliman after their breakup.
This item, found in the Seneca County News, Waterloo, New York, in April of 1933 appears to be William Knapp's obituary:
If anyone has information William or his parents, please comment below or use the Leonard forum to share!