KNEASS, Strickland, civil engineer, b. in Philadelphia, Pa., 29 July, 1821; d. there, 14 Jan., 1884. His father, William Kneass, was for many years engraver of the U. S. mint. The son was graduated at Rensselaer polytechnic institute, Troy, N. Y., in 1839. From that time until 1855, when he was chosen chief engineer and surveyor of the consolidated city of Philadelphia, he was employed in his profession in various important works. He served with ability in the office of chief engineer of Philadelphia until 1872, when he resigned to accept the post of assistant to the president of the Pennsylvania railroad. He afterward became president of the Pennsylvania and Delaware and other railroads.
KNEELAND, Abner, editor, b. in Gardner,
Mass., 6 April, 1774; d. near Farmington, Iowa, 27
Aug., 1844. He was first a Baptist clergyman, then
became a Universalist, and finally a Pantheist. He
edited a Universalist magazine in Philadelphia in
1821-'3, conducted and edited the “Olive Branch
and Christian Enquirer” in New York city in 1828,
and founded in 1832 “The Investigator,” an organ
of free-thought, in Boston. In 1836 he was tried in
Boston for blasphemy, before the supreme court of
Massachusetts. See “Review of the Prosecution
against Kneeland for Blasphemy, by a
Cosmopolite” (Boston, 1836). Kneeland published “A
Columbian Miscellany” (Keene, N. H., 1804); “The
Deist” (New York, 1822); a “Translation of the
New Testament from the Greek” (Philadelphia,
1822); “Lectures on Universal Benevolence” (1824);
“Lectures on the Doctrine of Universal Salvation”
(1824); and “Review of the Evidences of
Christianity” (New York, 1829).
KNEELAND, Samuel, printer, b. in Boston,
Mass., in 1696; d. there, 14 Dec., 1769. He was
apprenticed to Benjamin Green, and for many
years was printer to the government and council,
printing also the laws and journals of the house of
representatives. Besides many religious books and
pamphlets, he published “The Gazette” from 1727
till 1741, and “The New England Weekly Journal”
from 1741 till 1752.
KNEELAND, Samuel, naturalist, b. in Boston,
Mass., 1 Aug., 1821. He was graduated at
Harvard in 1840, and at the medical department in
1843, taking the Boylston prize for his thesis on
“Contagiousness of Puerperal Fever,” and again,
in 1844, for his essay on “Hydrotherapy.”
Subsequently he spent two years in professional studies
in Paris, and then began the practice of his profession
in Boston, meanwhile serving as demonstrator
of anatomy in Harvard medical school during
1845-7, and as physician to the Boston dispensary.
He then passed some time in Brazil, and also visited
the Lake Superior copper region. During the
civil war he entered the army as acting assistant
surgeon from Massachusetts, was assigned to duty
with Gen. Burnside, and accompanied the expedition
to New Berne in March, 1862, after the capture
of that place being assigned to duty at the Craven
street hospital in New Berne, and at the hospital in
Beaufort, N. C. In October, 1862, he was
commissioned surgeon of the 45th Massachusetts regiment,
and served in that capacity in New Berne
till the regiment was discharged in July, 1863.
He then entered the corps of surgeons of volunteers,
and was placed in charge, successively, of
the University hospital in New Orleans, and of
the Marine hospital in Mobile. In 1866 he was
mustered out of the service with the brevet rank
of lieutenant-colonel. He then returned to Boston,
and became associated in the work of the
Massachusetts institute of technology, holding the office
of instructor in 1867-'9 and professor of zoölogy
and physiology in 1869-'78, also acting as secretary
of the corporation in 1866-'78, and of secretary of
the faculty in 1871-'8. Dr. Kneeland then
returned to literary work and lecturing, which he
has since followed in Boston and to the Philippine
islands. He has travelled extensively in
search of information concerning earthquakes and
volcanic phenomena, having made visits to the
Hawaiian islands and to Iceland in 1874, at the
time of its millennial celebration, for this purpose.
He is a member of numerous scientific societies,
and has held the office of secretary to the American
academy of arts and sciences, and to the Boston
society of natural history. Dr. Kneeland has
contributed largely to current medical literature,
and was the author of many articles, mostly on
zoölogical and medical subjects, in the “American
Cyclopædia.” He edited the “Annual of Scientific
Discovery” (1866-'9); a translation of Andry's
“Diseases of the Heart” (Boston, 1847); and Smith's
“History of the Human Species” (1852). His own
works include “Science and Mechanism” (New
York, 1854); “The Wonders of the Yosemite Valley
and of California” (Boston, 1871); and “An
American in Iceland” (1876).
KNICKERBOCKER, Johannes, soldier, b. in Schaghticoke, N. Y.. in 1749 ; d. there about 1827. He was descended from Herman Jansen
Knickerbocker, of Friesland, Holland, one of the
earliest settlers of the state of New York, and inherited the Knickerbocker estate at Schaghticoke from his uncle Herman. This was a grant from the city
of Albany, to whom it had been conveyed by the Duke of York, and was
subsequently divided between his sons. The homestead (see next page)
is still standing on the site of the
old fort built by the Duke of York
as a defence against the French and
Canadian Indians, being the extreme
northern outpost of
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the colony at that time. The tree of peace, planted by Gov. Dongan in the presence of the friendly Indians, is in the immediate vicinity of the mansion. Col. Knickerbocker served hi the army of the Revolution, and was at the surrender of Burgoyne at Saratoga. He subsequently represented the county of Rensselaer in the legislature.— His son, Herman, lawyer. b. in Albany, N. Y., 27 July, 1782; d. in Williamsburg. N. Y, 30 Jan., 1855, received a classical education, studied law, and began practice in Albany. Inheriting a large property, he removed to Schaghticoke, N. Y., where he dispensed such generous hospitality that he became known as the "Prince of Schaghticoke." He was elected to the 11th congress as a Federalist, and served from 22 May, 1809, till 3 March, 1811. In 1816 he was chosen to the state assembly, and also filled the office of county judge. He is alluded to by Washington Irving, in "Knickerbocker's History of New York," as "My cousin, the congressman"; and when Mr. Irving visited Washington he introduced him to President Madison as " My cousin, Diedrich Knickerbocker, the great historian
