Sister Frances Knapp, OSB papers

Sister Frances Knapp, OSB was born Aloysia in the Kingdom of Wurttemberg (present day Germany) on August 25th, 1829. She joined the Benedictine order at Saint Walburg Monastery in Eichstatt, Germany in 1854. As a novice, Sister was sent on mission to the United Sattes in 1855. She was invested at Saint Joesph Convent in St. Marys, Pennsylvania on January 30th, 1856.

In 1856, Sister Frances, along with four other Sisters, founded the Saint Benedict Convent in Erie, Pennsylvania. She made her perpetual profession there on January 15th, 1858. In 1861, Sister Frances, Sister Gonzaga, and Sister Antonia Herman travelled to Chicago, founding the community on August 23rd. Sister Frances is credited with serving as the first community prioress, from 1861-1862. Within the Chicago community, Sister was known for teaching both needlework and music. In February of 1862, Sister was sent to serve as music teacher in Covington, Kentucky.

Seven years later, in 1869, Sister returned to the convent in Erie. Over the course of her life, she was missioned to Nebraska, Tuscumbia, Alabama, Dakota, and Covington, Kentucky. She formally transferred her vows to either Dakota, or the Saint Walburg Convent in Kentucky on January 17th, 1892 (sources disagree). Sister Frances died at the age of 80 on February 7th, 1910. She is buried in Mother of God Cemetery in Latonia, Kentucky.