Vernice Aline LATIMER ^4,6,57

	Born: 11 Jan 1904, Cannelton, Perry Co., Indiana 57
	Married (2): 23 Dec 1939 57
	Died: 20 Mar 1993, Cannelton, Perry Co., Indiana 57
	Buried: 23 Mar 1993, Cliff Cemetery, Cannelton Indiana 57

   General Notes:

A native of Cannelton, Indiana, Vernice LATIMER Knapp was a graduate of Cannelton High School in 1922 and attended Lockyear's Business College in Evansville. After graduation, she taught shorthand, typing, and office practice at the college for five years.

Returning to Cannelton, she worked for five years as a secretary to the late Henry M. Clemens, president of the Cannelton Sewer Pipe Co. She was a writer for Perry County's two newspapers for 22 years and for a number of years served as general news correspondent for eleven city papers. She also worked at Preston Minor Insurance Agency and Citizens Building and Loan Association for more than 20 years before beginning her own insurance agency. In 1969, she sold the agency to Paul Strobel. She was also a self-employed insurance agent for Traveler's Insurance.

In the 1930's, Mrs. Knapp also worked with a committee from Chicago to secure the Santa Claus statue in the original Christmas Village at Santa Claus, Indiana. (She was given a replica of the statue which is now in the possession of her great neice, Marilyn Mildred DENNIS)

During World War II, she served as rationing manager at Maxon Construction Co. in Tell City. Rationing was mostly safety shoes, hats, and gasoline for all Perry County.

She was the last living charter member (DAR #222449) of the Lafayette Spring Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, and helped form the local chapter. She served as regent of the chapter from 1932 to 1934. During her regency, the DAR erected a marker on the Perry County Courthouse lawn honoring Revolutionary War soldiers. The Lafayette Spring at Rock Island was purchased during this time. Her first husband, Dr. Conner, donated the property now known as the DAR Lafayette Spring. She donated the land in 1970 for a new chapter house in Cannelton and also provided the funds to build the chapter house which was dedicated in 1971. Mrs. Knapp served a second term as regent when the chapter house was built.

She was a member of St. John's United Church of Christ in Cannelton since confirmation and its Women's Guild. Her hobbies were needlework, crocheting, and playing bridge.

She was a member of the Cannelton Business and Professional Women of which she held several offices. She was cited by the BPW for her service in the business community, and for her many contributions to civic projects. Her contributions included the Cannelton Public Library, Lafayette Spring Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, her church and community groups. She was named Outstanding Woman of the Year by the BPW in 1979.

Vernice resided on Taylor Street, adjacent to the Meyers Grade School, until she moved to the Scenic Hills Care Center in Ferdinand, Indiana, where she died in 1993. She had no children.

   Marriage Information:

Vernice married Dillis S. CONNER. (Dillis S. CONNER died in 1936.)

   Marriage Information:

Vernice also married Carl KNAPP, son of Joseph H. KNAPP and Emma CARLIN, on 23 Dec 1939 ⁵⁷. (Carl KNAPP was born in 1904 in Spencer County, Kentucky ⁵⁷, died on 19 May 1968 in Cannelton, Perry Co., Indiana ⁵⁷ and was buried in Cliff Cemetery, Cannelton Indiana ⁵⁷.)