Revolutionary War Soldiers Series: Remembering Jacob Nicely/Knisley/Kneisley
By Betty F. Crum and Pat Young
Waw-wil-a-way Chapter Daughters
of the American Revolution, 250 Project
Note: This year, the United States of America will celebrate its semiquincentennial, its 250th anniversary. The semiquincentennial marks the first nationwide celebration of America's birth since the bicentennial in 1976. Of course, America's independence cannot be celebrated without also honoring the efforts of the Revolutionary War soldiers that led to independence. The Waw-wil-a-way Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, along with the Southern Ohio Genealogical Society, is presenting a series of articles featuring Revolutionary War soldiers who lived and died within the borders of Highland County.
Jacob Knisley/Nicely/Kneisley was born in 1748 Woodstock, Shenandoah Co., Virginia. It is thought his parents were Anthony II and Anna Barbara (Doerr) Knisley.
He entered service March 22, 1776 in the 8th Virginia regiment. He served as a Sergeant in Capt. Jonathan Clark’s Co. until the termination of the war. To further document Jacob’s service in the Revolutionary War, on 28 May 1829 appeared in Fayette County, Ohio court one Joseph Pannell/ Parrett Senior stating that he had known the said Jacob Knisley since his enlistment and had witnessed him serving as such as they both served under Capt. Jonathan Clark in the 8th Virginia regiment and also recalls numerous interviews with said Knisley regarding the war.
Jacob was enumerated in the 1880 and 1810 Shenandoah County, Virginia census. He left Virginia after the enumeration of the 1810 census and settled in Brush Creek Township where he appears on the 1811 census, as do the sons David and Jacob Jr. He was granted a pension in 1829 in Highland County, Ohio, residing at the time in Brush Creek Township.
Jacob married and had the following known children as documented in Highland County, Ohio, Common Pleas Court Records, Order Book No. 5. 1829-1834, page 343, Apr. 10, 1833.
"It was this day proved in open court by the oaths of George Bell and John Roads to the satisfaction of the court that Jacob Knisley Sr. a Soldier of the Revolution departed this life intestate about the month of March A.D. 1830 & that Polly Rhodes deceased late wife of John Roads, Jacob, Barbara wife of Hezekiah Pommel, David, Samuel, Elizabeth wife of Simon Shoemaker, Susan wife of Daniel Zink & Adam Knisley are the children and heirs at law of said Jacob Knisley Sr. deceased, Also that Jacob, Elizabeth, David, Susan, John, Mary, Amelia, Noah and Isaac Rhoads are the children and only heirs at law of the said Polly Rhoads deceased and ordered to be certified accordingly.”
Original Deed Book 1, page 546, 1 April 1833 showed “Sam’l Knisely and Mary hw of Adams Co., Ohio, Jacob Knisely and Elizabeth hw, Barbara Pummell, Simon Shoemaker and Elizabeth hw, Daniel Zink and Susan hw, Adam Knisely and Catherine hw, Jacob Roads and Sarah hw, Dan’l Roads and Sophia hw, John Roads and Catherin hw, Elizabeth, Susan and Mary roads, all of Highland Co., heirs of Jacob Knisely, late of Highland Co., dec’d to David Knisely of Highland Co., 100 A.” This document provides the wives of the sons of Jacob and the location where they were living in 1833. John David, b-22 Nov. 1768, d-14 Oct. 1880, buried Fairview-Kneisley Cem, Pike Co., OH, m-Mary Rhoad, 1804; Mary “Polly” Knisley, b-1785, d-1825, buried Old Dutch Cemetery, Highland Co., OH, m. John Rhoads, 26 Feb. 1803, Shanandoah Co., Va.; Barbara Knisley, b-Feb. 1788, d-10 Aug. 1833, buried Pumill Family Cem, Highland Co., OH, m.Hezekiah Pommel 27 May 1808, Shenandoah County, Va.; Samuel Knisley, b-1794, D-12 Feb. 1859, buried Newton Cem., Fountain Co., IN, m-Mary Zink, 30 Nov. 1815; Elizabeth Knisely, b-9 June 1795, d-16 Dec. 1862, buried Old Dutch Cem., Highland Co. OH, m-Simon Shoemaker 2 Jan. 1815; Susan Knisely, b-1 Nov. 1799, d-22 Sept 1870, buried Zink Family Cem, Highland Co., OH, m-Daniel Zink; Adam Knisley, b-1 Mar 1801, d-12 Jul 1878, buried Olive Branch Cem., Highland Co., OH, m-Catherine Fisher; Jacob Knisely, Jr., m-Elizabeth.
It is stated that Jacob Knisely died 1 March 1830 and was buried in the Old Dutch Cemetery, Brushcreek Township, Highland County, Ohio. No stone has been found. Wills, Administrations, Guardianships and Adoptions of Highland County, Ohio, 1805-1880, By David N. & Jane N. McBride, Page 140 has the following entry: “July 21, 1830, Jacob Knisley appointed Administrator of the estate of Jacob deceased, Sureties: Peter Miller, Michael Coons, Appraisers: George Bell, Isaac Garnigan, Thomas Courtney.” It is thought that he was married twice, based on the birth year of his son, John David Kneisley in 1768. Information regarding the first wife is unknown. He married second, Susan (Nye), 17 March 1782, Woodstock, Shenandoah County, Virginia by the Rev. Peter Muhlenberg. Susan was the mother of Mary Catherine “Polly” Rhoads, Barbara Pummel, Samuel, Elizabeth Shoemaker. NSDAR Database, Ancestor # A066347, Descendants continue to document this patriot in lineage societies. -- Researched and assembled by Betty Crum and Pat Young.