From History of Walworth County Wisconsin by Albert Clayton Beckwith, Vol. II, 
publ. 1912, Page 1477-1479
 
PETER KNIEP.  The great task of clearing the land of its timber in early years 
can scarcely be realized by the people of today.  Not a crop could be sown nor 
an orchard tree planted until the large trees had been cut down and removed 
with fire or with a team of horses.  Even then the stumps were a great 
hindrance and it is doubtful if so much as half a crop could be raised until 
they had been pulled out or burned up.  The amount of hard labor required to 
remove the dense forest growth in Walworth county seems almost incredible.  It 
was a task that seemed never to end, and all members of the family were 
required to assist early and late and at all seasons of the year.  The subject 
of this sketch, and especially his father before him, had their full share of 
this work and they did it well, as may be surmised in looking over the KNIEP 
homestead in Spring Prairie township.  They came of a race that never quailed 
before obstacles and hardships, never swerved aside from tasks, no matter how 
arduous or dangerous, if they believed it their duty to perform them, so it is 
no wonder that they succeeded, for such men are those on whom the sunshine of 
fortune delights to shine and who are the builders of empires.
 
Peter KNIEP was born in Spring Prairie township, this county, on August 1, 
1853, and here he has been content to spend his life.  He is the son of John 
and Mary (MEDDLE) KNIEP, both born in Germany, where they spent their 
childhood and from which country they emigrated to the Untied States, locating 
in Spring Prairie township in 1848.  He settled on a farm of forty acres, to 
which he later added until he had eighty-four acres of good land and there 
spent the balance of his life, dying in 1887 at the age of seventy-one years, 
his wife having preceded him to the grave in 1877, at the age of sixty-four 
years.  They had a family of three sons and one daughter.  Mr. KNIEP was a 
hard worker and a good citizen.  Politically, he was a Democrat, and a member 
of the Catholic church.
 
Peter KNIEP of this sketch was reared on the home farm, where he became 
acquainted with the routine of husbandry when but a boy, and during the winter 
months he attended the public schools.  Early in life he turned his attention 
to farming and has been very successful as a general farmer and stock raiser, 
now owning one of the choice farms of Spring Prairie township, consisting of 
three hundred and twelve acres, which he has brought up to a high state of 
improvement and cultivation, making a specialty of dairying in which he has 
been very successful, his products finding a very ready market.  He has been a 
close observer and a wide reader of everything that pertains to farming, stock 
raising and dairying and has kept fully abreast of the times and it would be 
hard to find a more careful or scientific all-around agriculturist within the 
boundaries of Walworth county.  He has a commodious and attractive residence 
and substantial outbuildings - everything, in fact, being in "ship-shape" 
about his place.
 
Politically, Mr. KNIEP is a Democrat and he takes a good citizen's interest in 
everything that has for its object the betterment of his township and county, 
taking an especial interest in educational affairs having been treasurer of 
the local school board for a period of twenty years.  He is a faithful member 
of the Catholic church.
 
Mr. KNIEP was married on September 20, 1871 to Ida BUSHMAN, who was born in 
Spring Prairie township, the daughter of Henry and Elizabeth (LUCUM) BUSHMAN, 
a complete sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume.  Mrs. KNIEP was 
reared and educated in her home township.  Five children have been born to Mr. 
and Mrs. KNIEP, namely: John Peter, Carrie Annie, Lawrence Frank, Harry Henry 
and Olive Christina, all living.
 
Submitted by Carol