Patch Readers help Knauss Relative Learn Family History

Emmaus Patch was recently contacted by one of our readers looking to learn more about his Knauss family ancestors. . Here’s some of what we found out:

Linda Knauss Burkardt was the first to respond to our call for help with the following email:

“I am a ninth generation descendant of Sebastian Knauss and have genealogical records of the Knauss family dating 1563 to present,” Burkardt wrote. “Very many residents of the Lehigh Valley are able to trace their lineage to Ludwig Knauss, who arrived in America from Dudelsheim, Germany in 1723; and are unaware of the connection.”

Anyone who has further information about the Knauss family to share with our reader can do so in the comments section below or by emailing jennifer.marangos@patch.com.

Burkhardt points out that there’s a good opportunity coming up to visit the house built in 1777 by Sebastian's son, Heinrich (the ), during the Wunnerfitz Tours held during Preservation Weekend in Emmaus, Sat., May 19 and Sun., May 20.

During a telephone conversation with Emmaus Patch, Burkhardt made a membership plug for the Knauss Homestead Preservation Society, saying that new members are needed to help pay for the maintenance and upkeep on the Knauss Homestead.

The Homestead has some pretty hefty bills coming due, she explained, due to a flood in the basement about a year ago.

Burkhardt has given Emmaus Patch permission to provide her telephone number to the Patch reader who reached out to Patch to find more information about his heritage. Hopefully they will connect soon.

Kelly Bly, of Macungie, also responded to our initial article seeking information on the Knauss family. She, too, says our reader is free to contact her on the topic.

Bly wrote: ”I was born in Dansville, N.Y. and grew up outside of Rochester, N.Y. My husband's career moved us to Macungie 25 years ago, from Ohio. Did not really know any thing about this area, when we purchased our house. About 14 years ago, I was contacted by someone doing extensive genealogy research. He informed me of relatives on my mother's side that resided in the exact same town as I do now, but during the 1700s.

“His name is Andrew Burdett. He has a family website at: www.ournorthernroots.com Knauss or even Knause is a name directly connected to me. The only info I have is info I have obtained either through Andrew's website or through Ancestry.com (where I have public family trees),” Bly wrote.

Anyone who has further information about the Knauss family to share with our reader can do so in the comments section below or by emailing jennifer.marangos@patch.com.