LOYAL E. KNAPPEN

A Barry County man who has gone out into other fields and attained success, but who still cherishes a lively and sympathetic interest in the county of his nativity, is LOYAL E. KNAPPEN, of Grand Rapids, United States Circuit Judge for the sixth circuit.

Loyal E. Knappen was born at Hastings, January 27, 1854. His father, EDWIN KNAPPEN, was a merchant at Hastings and a member of the merchantile firm of H.I. & E. KNAPPEN, both members of which firm died of typhoid in the epidemic of 1854, Edwin Knappen dying only a few months after the birth of his son, Loyal. The mother was SARAH M. (NEVINS) KNAPPEN and is now the wife of MARCUS W. RIKER. She now lives in Grand Rapids. Both of Mr. Knappen's parents were born in Vermont, his paternal grandfather having moved to the Green Mountain state from Connecticut.

Young Knappen attended the Hastings public schools until he was fifteen years of age, when he entered the University of Michigan, graduating in 1873 with the degree of B.A. and receiving his M.A. three years later.

After receiving his bachelor's degree, Mr. Knappen was assistant principal of the Hastings High School for six months. He then re-entered the law office of Hon. James A. Sweezey at Hastings as a law student, having previously spent some time in the same office. He was admitted to practice in 1875 and became at once the law partner of Mr. Sweezey, continuing in this connection until 1878, when he formed a partnership with his brother, CHARLES M. KNAPPEN.

In 1883 Mr. Knappen became associated in practice with Christopher H. Van Arman. Five years latter he removed to Grand Rapids, associating himself with WILLIAM J. STUART, now Judge of the Superior Court of that city. The firm of STUART, KNAPPEN & VAN ARMAN was thus formed with offices at both Grand Rapids and Hastings. Mr. Van Arman died in 1890 and for about a year thereafter Charles M. Weaver was a member of the firm and had charge of the Hastings office. Upon Mr. Weaver's retirement from the firm in 1891, the office at Hastings was closed and Mr. Knappen's direct connection with Barry County affairs was, of course, materially lessened, although he has always, as mentioned above, been greatly interested in his old home.

While in Hastings, Mr. Knappen held a number of of public offices. From 1879 to 1883 he was prosecuting attorney for Barry County, and from 1880 to 1888 he was United States Commissioner. He was also a member of the Hastings Board of Education for three years, being president one year.

After the closing of the Hastings office, Mr. Knappen continued as a partner of MR. STUART until 1893, the firm name being STUART & KNAPPEN. In 1893 Mr. Knappen became associated with Messrs. Taggart & Dennison under the style of Taggart, Knappen & Dennison. This firm continued six years.

In 1899 Mr. Knappen entered into partnership with George P. Wanty and continued in this relation until his partner was elevated to the federal bench. He then became associated with Jacob Kleinhans in the firm of Knappen & Kleinhans. Later Mr. Knappen's son, STUART E., was taken into the firm, which was then styled KNAPPEN, KLEINHANS & KNAPPEN. It was while Mr. Knappen was still a member of this firm that there came to him, in 1906, an honor for which he was universally held to be splendidly equipped. This was his appointment as United States District Judge for the Western District of Michigan. That this appointment was a fitting one was well shown when a little more than three years later Mr. Knappen was made United States Circuit Judge for the Sixth District, which position he still holds.

Besides his judicial offices Mr. Knappen was a member of the Grand Rapids Board of Education for two years, 1898-1900. For seven years, from 1904 to 1911, he was regent of his alma mater, the University of Michigan, and in 1905-6 he was president of the Grand Rapids Bar Association.

Mr. Knappen is a Mason and a Knight of Pythias.

In 1876 Mr. Knappen married AMELIA I. KENYON, of Hastings. There are three children, all living in Grand Rapids, STUART E., FRED M., and FLORENCE, who is MRS. ARTHUR D. PERRY.

--Potter, Hon. W.W., HISTORY OF BARRY COUNTY, with Prominent Sketches of Prominent Men by Ford Hicks and Edward Butler, The Reed-Tandler Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1912, Pgs. 144-148.

NOTE: AMELIA ISABELLA KENYON, wife of Loyal Edwin Knappen, and CALISTA (KATE) KENYON, wife of William James Stuart, are sisters. They are the daughters of LANSING KENYON & SARAH JANE THOMAS. However, the girls were raised in Hastings by OSCAR & JULIA HADLEY, thus, sometimes the Hadley surname is used instead of Kenyon.