Nathaniel Knipp was born in Virginia or Kentucky in Jan 1836 the son of Edmund Knipp & Unknown. Nathaniel's father remarried to Sarah Coons in Hamilton Co., Illinois in 1848. From this second marriage, Nathaniel had a brother Martin VanBuren Knipp, born 27 Feb 1850. Nathaniel & his family migrated to Callaway Co., Missouri by 1862.

Nathaniel married Adra Elizabeth English on 15 May 1862 in Callaway County. She was the dfaughter of William English and Mildred Robertson, both originally of Franklin County, Virginia. Adra died 3 Mar 1863 due to childbirth complications and is buried in the English Cemetery near Harmony Baptist Church in Callaway Co., Missouri.

Nathaniel served as Sergeant in Perkin's Battalion, Company D, Recruited by a Capt. Caleb Perkins. It was composed primarily of men recruited North of the Missouri river. It started off being a Cavalry unit. Around Sept. 1864 it managed to cross the Missouri river and head South. Perkins' Battalion was assigned to Col. Chas. H. Tyler's brigade of Mo. recruits. Lt. Col. Caleb Perkins was 1st Commander and later commanded by Lt. Col. Quinton Peacher. It accompanied Gen. Sterling Price on his 1864 Missouri raid. In Dec. 1864 the unit was dismounted and used as infantry. In April 1865 it was assigned to Mitchell's Infantry brigade, Parson's Division.

Perkins' battalion was paroled June 7th at Alexandria, LA.

After the war, Nathaniel married Martha Scott the daughter of James Knox Polk Scott, who had served with Nathaniel during the war. Nathaniel and Martha had four daughters; Margaret, Sarah, Nancy, Mary.

Nathaniel died 1 Apr 1904. He and Martha are buried at the Old Auxvasse Cemetery in Callaway County, Missouri.

Nathaniel is the great granduncle of James Knipp, and the great, great granduncle of Jeffrey E. Knipp, both Elijah Gates Camp members.