Charles Knell was born about 1841 in Germany to Phillip and Elisabeth Knell.
Charles Knell—listed as "Carl"—arrived with his parents and some of his siblings in New York on the Orpheus on 23 February 1858. The ship's passenger list shows that the family was going to Illinois. In 1860, "Chas. Cornell" was enumerated with brother-in-law Ernest Beekman in Kane County, Illinois; both men were farm hands.
Charles Knell and Catherine "Hilberry" were married on 9 April 1862 in Champaign County. He thus acquired a share of the farm of his late father-in-law, Harmon Hillsberry, in the county's East Bend Township, near the (now-extinct) village of Houstonville.
In a June 1863 military census, Charles Knell, age 23 (as of 1 July 1863), was enumerated in East Bend Township, along with his brothers Christian and Phillip.
Charles Knell on 23 February 1865 enlisted as a corporal for one year of service and mustered in Company I, 155th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment. (His brother-in-law Moses Hillsberry enlisted and mustered in the same company on the same day.) The 155th guarded a 50-mile section of a Tennessee railroad between Nashville and the Duck River. Corporal Knell mustered out with the regiment on 4 September 1865. According to his enlistment record, he was age 24, a farmer born in Germany, and resident in Rantoul, Champaign County. He was 5 feet, 4 inches tall, and had dark hair, blue eyes, and a fair complexion.
Charles Knell was naturalized on 27 October 1868. In 1870, he was enumerated in East Bend Township with his wife and their two eldest children. He was a farmer with land worth $1,000.
His veterans' headstone card is the only known record showing his date of death.
Charles Knell—listed as "Carl"—arrived with his parents and some of his siblings in New York on the Orpheus on 23 February 1858. The ship's passenger list shows that the family was going to Illinois. In 1860, "Chas. Cornell" was enumerated with brother-in-law Ernest Beekman in Kane County, Illinois; both men were farm hands.
Charles Knell and Catherine "Hilberry" were married on 9 April 1862 in Champaign County. He thus acquired a share of the farm of his late father-in-law, Harmon Hillsberry, in the county's East Bend Township, near the (now-extinct) village of Houstonville.
In a June 1863 military census, Charles Knell, age 23 (as of 1 July 1863), was enumerated in East Bend Township, along with his brothers Christian and Phillip.
Charles Knell on 23 February 1865 enlisted as a corporal for one year of service and mustered in Company I, 155th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment. (His brother-in-law Moses Hillsberry enlisted and mustered in the same company on the same day.) The 155th guarded a 50-mile section of a Tennessee railroad between Nashville and the Duck River. Corporal Knell mustered out with the regiment on 4 September 1865. According to his enlistment record, he was age 24, a farmer born in Germany, and resident in Rantoul, Champaign County. He was 5 feet, 4 inches tall, and had dark hair, blue eyes, and a fair complexion.
Charles Knell was naturalized on 27 October 1868. In 1870, he was enumerated in East Bend Township with his wife and their two eldest children. He was a farmer with land worth $1,000.
His veterans' headstone card is the only known record showing his date of death.
Charles Knell was born about 1841 in Germany to Phillip and Elisabeth Knell.
Charles Knell—listed as "Carl"—arrived with his parents and some of his siblings in New York on the Orpheus on 23 February 1858. The ship's passenger list shows that the family was going to Illinois. In 1860, "Chas. Cornell" was enumerated with brother-in-law Ernest Beekman in Kane County, Illinois; both men were farm hands.
Charles Knell and Catherine "Hilberry" were married on 9 April 1862 in Champaign County. He thus acquired a share of the farm of his late father-in-law, Harmon Hillsberry, in the county's East Bend Township, near the (now-extinct) village of Houstonville.
In a June 1863 military census, Charles Knell, age 23 (as of 1 July 1863), was enumerated in East Bend Township, along with his brothers Christian and Phillip.
Charles Knell on 23 February 1865 enlisted as a corporal for one year of service and mustered in Company I, 155th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment. (His brother-in-law Moses Hillsberry enlisted and mustered in the same company on the same day.) The 155th guarded a 50-mile section of a Tennessee railroad between Nashville and the Duck River. Corporal Knell mustered out with the regiment on 4 September 1865. According to his enlistment record, he was age 24, a farmer born in Germany, and resident in Rantoul, Champaign County. He was 5 feet, 4 inches tall, and had dark hair, blue eyes, and a fair complexion.
Charles Knell was naturalized on 27 October 1868. In 1870, he was enumerated in East Bend Township with his wife and their two eldest children. He was a farmer with land worth $1,000.
His veterans' headstone card is the only known record showing his date of death.
Charles Knell—listed as "Carl"—arrived with his parents and some of his siblings in New York on the Orpheus on 23 February 1858. The ship's passenger list shows that the family was going to Illinois. In 1860, "Chas. Cornell" was enumerated with brother-in-law Ernest Beekman in Kane County, Illinois; both men were farm hands.
Charles Knell and Catherine "Hilberry" were married on 9 April 1862 in Champaign County. He thus acquired a share of the farm of his late father-in-law, Harmon Hillsberry, in the county's East Bend Township, near the (now-extinct) village of Houstonville.
In a June 1863 military census, Charles Knell, age 23 (as of 1 July 1863), was enumerated in East Bend Township, along with his brothers Christian and Phillip.
Charles Knell on 23 February 1865 enlisted as a corporal for one year of service and mustered in Company I, 155th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment. (His brother-in-law Moses Hillsberry enlisted and mustered in the same company on the same day.) The 155th guarded a 50-mile section of a Tennessee railroad between Nashville and the Duck River. Corporal Knell mustered out with the regiment on 4 September 1865. According to his enlistment record, he was age 24, a farmer born in Germany, and resident in Rantoul, Champaign County. He was 5 feet, 4 inches tall, and had dark hair, blue eyes, and a fair complexion.
Charles Knell was naturalized on 27 October 1868. In 1870, he was enumerated in East Bend Township with his wife and their two eldest children. He was a farmer with land worth $1,000.
His veterans' headstone card is the only known record showing his date of death.
Inscription
CORPL.
CHAS. KNELL
CO. I
155TH ILL. INF.
Family Members
Siblings
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