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BERKELEY COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA
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Submitted to the West Virginia Biographies Project by:
Valerie & Tommy Crook
vfcrook@trellis.net
November 26, 1999
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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 329-330
Berkeley
FRANK H. KNEISLY. Early in life Frank H. Kneisly
learned to depend upon himself and his exertions, and his
industry and good character have brought him both pros-
perity and the general esteem of the people of Berkeley
County, among whom he has lived the greater part of his
life.
Mr. Kneisly was born in Washington County, Maryland.
His father, Joseph H. Kneisly, was bom on a farm a mile
from Columbia in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and as
a youth learned the trade of shoemaker. This was then a
good business for which to qualify, since there were few
factories for the manufacture of shoes by machinery, and a
shoemaker was in realty the proprietor of an important
local business. However, he did not follow his trade long,
but, moving to Washington County, Maryland, bought land
on the road leading from Hagerstown to Half Way and in
connection with farming he engaged in the transport of
produce and merchandise between Hagerstown and Wil-
liamsport. He lived there until his death at the age of
seventy-three. He married Leah Huber, a native of Lan-
caster County, Pennsylvania, who died in early life, her only
child being Frank H. Kneisly.
Frank H. Kneisly attended public schools, acquired a good
business education, and at the age of nineteen left home and
since then has been self-supporting. He was employed as a
farm hand until 1890, when he moved to Berkeley County
and at Martinsburg established a transfer line, fully
equipped for all the demands put upon it. About that time
he also bought the farm he now occupies on the Martinsburg
and Williamsport Pike, two miles from the courthouse.
This farm has few superiors in that section of the country
in the way of equipment of buildings and other improve-
ments.
On August 28, 1890, Mr. Kneisly married Lucy Helena
Kensel, who was born on a farm in Falling Waters District
of Berkeley County. Her father, John J. Kensel, a native
of Franklin County, Pennsylvania, was left an orphan at an
early age, was reared by an uncle in Berkeley County and
as a youth returned to Franklin County to learn the trade of
tailor. Eventually he returned to Berkeley County and
located in Falling Waters District and engaged in farming.
Subsequently he lived in Arden District eight years, eleven
years in Dry Run District, and then moved to the Williams-
port Pike, where he spent his last days and died at the age
of eighty-two. He married Elizabeth Turner, who was born
in Falling Waters District, daughter of James and Sophia
Turner. Elizabeth Kensel died at the age of eighty-five.
Mr. and Mrs. Kneisly have five children, James Franklin,
Hamilton Bernard, John Joseph Arlington, William Adrian
and Lncy Helen, and they lost a daughter, Berkeley Vir-
ginia, at the age of five and a half years. The son James
married Lucy Shriver, and they have three children: Paul
Preston, James Kenneth and Paulina. The family are all
members of St. Joseph's Catholic Church.
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