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Joseph Wampler Knifong
1811 - 1880 (69 years)-
Name Joseph Wampler Knifong Born 11 Apr 1811 Lee, Virginia, United States 
[1] Gender Male AFN S1SX-MH Buried May 1880 Willamina, Yamhill, Oregon, United States Died 5 May 1880 Polk, Oregon, United States Person ID I4390 Wagner-Thomas | Hallmark Last Modified 11 Jan 2014
Family 1 Rhoda Ann Thurlo, b. Abt 1826, Morgan, Ohio, United States , d. Aug 1852, Ione, Amador, California, United States (Age ~ 26 years) Married 1845 Sullivan, Missouri, United States [2, 3, 4] Children + 1. John Martin Knifong, b. 6 Apr 1846, Sullivan, Missouri, United States , d. 22 Nov 1895, Waterloo, Linn, Oregon, United States (Age 49 years)+ 2. Pasca Henriette Knifong, b. Abt 1849, Sullivan, Missouri, United States , d. Yes, date unknown+ 3. Olive E Knifong, b. 1851, Sullivan, Missouri, United States , d. 1938, Yamhill, Oregon, United States (Age 87 years)Last Modified 22 Nov 2014 Family ID F1143 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family 2 Elizabeth F Mary Owen, b. 12 Sep 1821, d. 29 Apr 1897, Oregon, United States (Age 75 years) Married 19 Feb 1854 Oregon, United States Children 1. Mary Knifong, b. 2 Jul 1854, Polk, Oregon, United States , d. 25 Aug 1863, Polk, Oregon, United States (Age 9 years)2. Ella Knifong, b. Aug 1856, Tillamook, Oregon, United States , d. Aug 1863, Polk, Oregon, United States (Age ~ 7 years)3. Rhoda Ann Knifong, b. Abt 1857, Polk, Oregon, United States , d. Aft 1881 (Age ~ 25 years)4. James Knifong, b. Feb 1858, Polk, Oregon, United States , d. Feb 1858, Polk, Oregon, United States (Age ~ 0 years)5. Stephan Knifong, b. Dec 1859, Polk, Oregon, United States , d. Dec 1859, Polk, Oregon, United States (Age ~ 0 years)6. Thomas Knifong, b. Dec 1859, Polk, Oregon, United States , d. Dec 1859, Polk, Oregon, United States (Age ~ 0 years)7. Clara Knifong, b. 19 Jun 1864, Polk, Oregon, United States , d. 18 May 1874, Polk, Oregon, United States (Age 9 years)8. Leuella Knifong, b. Aug 1864, Polk, Oregon, United States , d. Aug 1864, Polk, Oregon, United States (Age ~ 0 years)9. Leuvicy Knifong, b. Aug 1864, Polk, Oregon, United States , d. Aug 1864, Polk, Oregon, United States (Age ~ 0 years)Last Modified 22 Nov 2014 Family ID F3046 Group Sheet | Family Chart
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Event Map 
Born - 11 Apr 1811 - Lee, Virginia, United States 
Married - 1845 - Sullivan, Missouri, United States 
Married - 19 Feb 1854 - Oregon, United States 
Buried - May 1880 - Willamina, Yamhill, Oregon, United States 
Died - 5 May 1880 - Polk, Oregon, United States = Link to Google Earth
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Notes - 1811 BIRTH: VA,Lee Co: Joseph W Knifong was born 11 April 1811, the son of Martin Jesse Knifong, Jr and Eve Wolfe
Family Group sheet: born Russell Co, VA
1845 MARRIAGE: MO,Sullivan Co: Joseph W Knifong md Rhoda Ann Thurlo in 1845; 3 children
Descendants of John and Abigail Thurlo
AF submission FHL: Joseph W Knifong w/father Martin Jessee Jr, w/wife, Clarice N Raine, 1106 C Street, Reading CA 96002
1850 CENSUS: MO,Sullivan Co: 19 Sep, Dw 221:
KNIFONG, Joseph W 39/VA farmer; Rhody Ann 27/OH; John M 4/MO; Paschon
1/MO; Robert Darr 14/VA; Maryann Darr 13/VA.
1852 DEATH OF WIFE, HISTORY: CA to OR: 1994 letter from Richard C Smith: "...20 Apr 1852 Joseph & Hatcher fam started for gold fields of CA. After several hard months on trail, Rhoda Ann became ill in Sierra Nevada mtns, arriving in Ione Valley CA 2 Aug 1852 where Rhoda dd. Leaving children with Hatcher fam, Joseph went to OR where arrived 16 Nov 1852. He returned to CA to get children, returned to Polk Co, OR..."
Richard C Smith letter 1994, Newspaper account contained in book, "The Knifong Family & it's Related Families" by Mrs Ruby Wallace Knifong, article sub-titled "Moving on West" pg 24, written by Mrs Frances Hatcher Feb 1921: "Mrs Knifong, her 3 children...went with wagons west...Mrs Knifong dd
after taking sick in the Sierra Nevada mtns. I kept the 3 children till spring & then Mr Knifong took them & went to Oregon."
Browning MO 24 Feb 1921 "Crossing the plains to California". We left our home in Sullivan Co MO the 20th day of April 1852 & arrived the 2nd of Aug in Ione Valley CA & in Sep 1852 we came to Yolo Co which has been our home ever since. When we left our home we did not intend to stay away but 5 yrs;nevertheless it was a sad parting from our home & loved ones as we knew it was a long &
venturesome trip. We started with 3 wagons which were to meet at a certain place on the road. A neighbor man came with a small wagon to take Mrs Knifong, her 3 children, myself & children to where the wagons were. We were each at our mother's home. How well I remember when I bid my mother goodbye & we waved at each other as far as we could see. Mrs Knifong was in the wagon crying when they came by for me. She had a short time before told her mother goodbye. We both cried, going about a mile before we spoke to each other & then I said brokenly "It is awful hard to part with a mother." & then she answered bursting into tears again, "It is hard."
Though we started with 3 wagons, in a few days Pockman's with 3 wagons joined us & a little later 3 from Ill joined us.
My 2nd day's experience was when we crossed Medicine Creek MO. The creek was pretty deep to ford. The men thought the women had better ride behind the men on horseback. I rode behind a young man with my baby Columbus in his arms. When we crossed over, the horse got in the mud, foundered & threw me off in the water. The man threw the baby on one side & he jumped off the other. I got out of the water, ran & picked up my baby, went up the hill, all dripping with mud & water. They all laughed at me & I told them after this, I was going to stick to the wagon.
With our train of 6 wagons there were 5 yoke of oxen to each wagon & we had quite a lot of stock. There were 19 grown persons & 10 children. Later other trains joined us. We had pistols & guns in our original wagons that would shoot 52 times w/o reloading. We had to stand guard every night as the Indians were very bad. They tried to stampede our cattle before we got very far from Little Blue River. In many places the roads were 200 yrds wide as there was so much stock. Whenever there was a good camping place a large no of trains would stop, there being so many tents it reminded one of a city. By the time we got to the Laplatte river, smallpox & cholera broke out in almost every train. Mr Pockman & dau Harriett dd with cholera in our train. Mr Pockman was bur at Laboute stream & Harriett at Independence Rock. When Harriett dd were 2 miles ahead & they sent a runner to stop us. Mr Hatcher went back to help guard the body from the coyotes, for they would howl all night long. The guards dared not shoot at them, as it would disturb the campers & they would think the Indians were attacking us & come to our aid. My baby & I were all alone in our wagon & you know a lonesome night it was for me.
When were going up the Platte River, we saw a great many campers. Some big trains would bury from 8-10 persons before breakfast that died of cholera or smallpox. We would frequently pass newly made graves, some of which had been torn open by the coyotes & wolves. One circumstance nearly broke my heart. A woman had been buried that had left 10 children. All of the children & husband
were standing around the grave crying, 1 of the girls holding the infant baby. We passed by a tent one day & the men went & peeped in. A horrible spectacle met their gaze, for within lay 3 dead bodies. The men got away as quick as they could.
As we traveled up the Platte River, there was not as much as a switch in the way of wood & we cooked with Buffalo chips for 700 miles.
When were coming over the mtns, I had mtn fever & was feeling so miserable I thought if they would only stop & camp under a big tree I would call it home & stay there. We traveled on until we came to Ione Valley. There Mrs Knifong died after taking sick in the Sierra Nevada Mtns. I kept the 3 children till spring & then Mr Knifong took them & went to Oregon.
At the foot of the Sierra Nevada mtns peddlers met us. We paid them $7 for a little piece of bacon & $1 for an onion. The winter we were in Ione Valley we pd $85/100# for flour. $1 worth of potatoes would make about 1 meal for us, as they were so wormy. The flour had little wooly worms in it. I sifted the flour to get them out. Others borrowed my sifter as they had none. At Jackson the flour was $1/#. Chinamen had to carry the flour to these places on foot, which was about 40 miles from Sacramento. They carried 100 lbs at a time, 50 lbs on each end of a long stick swung over their shoulder, resting frequently on the way. I have only told you a small portion of our trip across the plains. It would take a book to tell it all. Mrs Frances Hatcher, Woodland CA Feb 1921
1854 MARRIAGE #2: OR,Polk Co: Joseph W Knifong md widow Mrs (Elizabeth F) Mary White 19 Feb 1854 (Yamhill Co MGs). [Mrs Polly Owen White, wid with 1 dau, re Olive Knifong Hussey, dau of Joseph and Rhoda Ann].Settled Donation land claim #3765 21 Feb 1854, now part of Willamina OR & Cem. Mary brought to mg a 4 yr old dau. Had 9 more children. Only 1 lived past 10 yrs-Rhoda Ann named after 1st wife, who md James H Hunt) Taken from Moving on West by Ruby Knifong, pg 24
OR land claims, state archives, Ruth Stoller Yamhill/Polk historian, Polk Co Census and head stones Willamina Cemetery.
1860 CENSUS: OR,Polk Co: Dw 439:[ck out]
KNIFONG, Joseph 46/IRE farmer; Mary 44/MO; Pascal 13/ILL;
John 13/ILL; Olive 9/ILL; Ellen 4/OR; Rhoda 4/OR;
Mary 2/OR; Elizabeth 10/MO
1870 CENSUS: OR,Polk Co: Dw# 524:
KNIFONG, Joseph 58/VA farmer; Mary 48/NC; (Rhoda)Ann 15/OR;
Clara 6/OR
1880 CENSUS: OR,Polk Co-Douglas Prec: pg 17,18 Jun, Dw 140:
KNIFONG, Joseph W 69/W VA(NC,WV)farmer; Mary 59/NC(NC,NC);
Rody A 23/OR (WV,NC)
NOTES: Check out IGI MG Rcd #M8583203, #31 Morgan Co, Ohio. Shows married to Alexander McKee 8 Jan 1825,SS: 21 Jan 1981 SG. Cleared birth record for 1826 Morgan Co, OH?
"Descendants.."Not in 1860 Sullivan Co census, believed to have moved west. Rhoda reportedly dd in CO, bur there. Joseph to have con't to OR, rmd & had other children. No record of the desc of md to Rhoda."
- 1811 BIRTH: VA,Lee Co: Joseph W Knifong was born 11 April 1811, the son of Martin Jesse Knifong, Jr and Eve Wolfe
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Sources - [S476] Family Rcds: SMITH, Richard C.
Joseph Wampler Knifong born 11 Apr 1811 Lee Co, Virginia to Martin Jesse Knifong, Jr and Eve Wolfe.
1994 letter to Pam Hallmark Wagner - [S193] IGI-International Genealogical Index, IGI 1760721/film: Rhoda or Rady Ann md Joseph Knifong (1845), of Sullivan Co, MO.
Rhoda or Rady Ann md Joseph Knifong (1845), of Sullivan Co, MO. - [S374] History of Linn Co MO, Film 1443382, pg 746.
Joseph Knifong and Miss Thurlo md in 1840, were next md aft Meshack Smith and Adeline Minnis, but born about 1826 the couple found themselves in Sullivan Co when it was organized...old man Knifong died 1841 (husand or father). - [S476] Family Rcds: SMITH, Richard C.
Joseph Knifong md Rhoda Ann Thurlo in Sullivan Co 1845 & had 3 children.
1994 letter
- [S476] Family Rcds: SMITH, Richard C.