In 1887, according to the Denison City Directory, two of George's sons, John Simon Knaur and William Elbridge Knaur (operating as Knaur Brothers), owned a cotton gin and corn mill on the west side of the MKT Railway between East Woodard and East Gandy Streets. Both were living with their cousin Lewis S. "Lou" Knaur at 524 West Crawford Street.

In 1888, William E. Knaur married Grace Ruth Carpenter (1865–1944). The next year, John Simon Knaur married Grace E. Clifford (1866–1948).

John Simon Knaur Family

Once married, the two brothers established separate businesses by 1891. As noted above, William E. joined his father in the Denison Foundry. John, who was living with his father at the west end of Bond Street, entered a partnership with Jesse D. Yocom (1842–1920) called Yocom & Knaur. The 1887 Denison City Directory had listed Yocom as connected with T. W. Dollarhide & Co., "groceries, produce, hay, feed and grain," at 323 West Main. Now, in 1891, Yocom & Knaur had a "corn & feed mill, flour, meal, corn, oats, hay, etc." The mill was located at 409 -411 West Chestnut, next door to the Denison Foundry. John and Grace's home was at 518 West Chestnut Street, just up the street from the foundry and feed mill. (This is now the parking lot west of the Palazzo Center, formerly Safeway Grocery, next to Denison City Hall.)

In 1896, Jesse Yocom, always active in local politics, was serving as Mayor of Denison. Yocom now had his own business selling grain and hay wholesale, at 218 West Main. John Simon Knaur too had his own firm, J. S. Knaur & Co., selling "hay, grain, feed, coal, produce, etc.," at 401 West Main.

In February of 1898, John Simon Knaur left with Tom Boldrick and Dave Cummings, lively Denison men, to prospect for gold in the Klondike. By September John was back, having found the work hard and the rewards few. The adventure elicited articles in the Dallas Morning News, however.

In 1901, John Simon Knaur himself was Mayor of Denison. J. S. Knaur & Co. had become a partnership between John and his brother Schuyler C. Knaur. Still at 401 West Main, the business sold "feed, hay, grain, flour, coal." A branch, the corn and feed mill, was on the south side of Chestnut Street between South Houston and South Lamar avenues. Two years later, the Main Street store was "manufacturers of feed and all kinds of ground feed," while the mill was at 108–112 East Chestnut.

By 1905, the Main Street store had closed, and J. S. Knaur & Co. was owned by John Simon alone. The "feed store" was at 118 East Chestnut.

Four years later, in 1909, the Denison City Directory reported that the business had morphed again. John had rejoined brother Schuyler and added a third partner, Brainard J. Lindsay (1866–1934), to form Knaur-Lindsay Grain Company at 116–126 West Crawford Street. Both Lindsay and Schuyler, who had married Bertha Helena Boone (1879–1969) in 1900, occupied the same delightful Victorian house at 527 West Gandy Street. The company expanded, building a tall grain elevator and a new structure to house operations.

After two more years, in 1911, Lindsay had split off, becoming known to local history as "B. J. Lindsay, the Insurance Man." Schuyler and Bertha had moved to 1019 West Gandy. The grain business, now called Knaur Grain Company and operated by John and Schuyler, had expanded to 106–126 West Crawford. Sometimes the address was 110–126 West Crawford.

This was the time when Schuyler Knaur also founded the Diamond Ice Company next door to Knaur Grain, at 106–108 West Crawford.

In 1921, John and Schuyler added a third partner in Knaur Grain Company. This was John's eldest son, George Clifford Knaur (1890–1946). In 1920, he had married Dorothy Griffin (1896–1986).

Around 1925, Schuyler withdrew from the Knaur Grain Company, remaining as president of Diamond Ice next door. Knaur Grain, under John
S. and George C. Knaur, shrank to occupy 114–130 West Crawford.

George C. Knaur, who had been with Knaur Grain for over twenty years except for a stint in the military during World War I, assumed ownership of the company. In 1927, he owned the firm, occupying 106–130 West Crawford. 

John Simon Knaur died in 1933. All remained unchanged until around 1938, when the City Directory carried the business as Knaur Feed Milling Company, "grain, feed, coal and live stock dealers." In 1940, the City Directory listed Knaur Grain Company as "grain, feed, coal." In 1946, Knaur Grain was no more, for George C. Knaur had died unexpectedly that year. He suffered a heart attack while eating at the Nook Cafe on Main Street.

According to his obituary, George had served as chairman of the Denison selective service board since its adoption, was a past president of the Denison Chamber of Commerce, a former bank director, and treasurer and deacon of the First Presbyterian Church. During the First World War, he had served as a lieutenant in the Army.

Upon the death of George Knaur, the Vit-a-Way Company took over operation for thirty-three years. 

Knaur (Vit-A-Way) Grain Elevator
Perhaps this view shows the east side of 106-108 W. Crawford St.

Knaur Family History