02/03/2026
Seven generations of The Knauss Homestead begin with Sebastian Knauss.
Born October 6, 1714, in Düdelsheim, Germany, Sebastian and his wife, Anna Catherine Transue, came to Pennsylvania in 1723 seeking religious freedom. A wheelwright by trade, Sebastian worked closely with Henry Antes before eventually making the journey north from Montgomery County to what would become Emmaus.
Sebastian’s son, Heinrich Knauss, built the Homestead for his father in the late 1700s. Heinrich lived only briefly to see the house completed and passed away in 1810, leaving behind a legacy rooted in faith, craftsmanship, and perseverance that would carry on for generations.