Seaman A. Knapp Papers, Finding Aid

RS 2/2

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY Special Collections Department 403 Parks Library Ames, IA 50011-2140 515 294-6672 http://www.lib.iastate.edu/spcl/index.html

RS 2/2 Seaman Asahel Knapp (1833-1911) Papers, 1867-2008, n.d.

RS 2/2

2

Descriptive summary creator:

Knapp, Seaman Asahel (1833-1911)

title:

Papers

dates:

1867-2008, n.d.

extent:

2.8 linear ft. (2 document boxes, 1 half-document box, 2 oversized boxes)

collection number:

RS 2/2

repository:

University Archives, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University.

Administrative information access:

Open for research

publication rights:

Consult Head, Special Collections Department

preferred citation:

Seaman Asahel Knapp Papers, RS 2/2, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library.

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS DEPARTMENT

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

RS 2/2

3

Biographical note Seaman Asahel Knapp was born December 16, 1833, in northern New York. At sixteen, he attended the Troy Conference Academy (Green Mountain College) at Poultney, Vermont, where he met his wife. He graduated from Union College in Schenectady, New York, in 1856 with Phi Beta Kappa honors. Knapp and his wife went to Fort Edward Collegiate Institute where they both took teaching positions and Mr. Knapp soon became Vice-President (1856-1863). He later served as the assistant manager (18641865) of the Ripley Female College (Green Mountain College). In 1866, Knapp and his family traveled west to Iowa. While in Iowa, Knapp was pastor of a Methodist church, Head of the Iowa College for the Blind, and editor of an agricultural paper. Knapp was appointed to head the agriculture program at Iowa State Agricultural College (Iowa State University) in 1879. He later served a one-year term as Iowa State’s second president (1883-1884) before moving to Louisiana and having a distinguished career in southern agriculture. While at Iowa State, Knapp was the first Chair of Agriculture. He was responsible for developing the agricultural curriculum and conducting early experiments in animal husbandry, dairy industry, and farm crops. Knapp also helped draft the 1883 Experiment Station Bill that was presented to the United States House of Representatives. After leaving Iowa in 1885 he continued to pursue his agricultural interests and is credited for starting the first agricultural demonstration farm at Terrell, Texas. Knapp married Maria Elizabeth Hotchkiss in 1856 and they had six children. Knapp died April 1, 1911, and was buried in Ames, Iowa, at the college cemetery. Collection Description The collection includes biographical materials, correspondence, written addresses, lectures, writings, and family genealogy. Included with the family genealogical papers are interviews with his grandson, Seaman A. Knapp. Also included are clippings and booklets related to the anniversary of the creation of the first cooperative demonstration farm at Terrell, Texas. There are two family scrapbooks included in the collection. One scrapbook is from Jeanette Knapp, Seaman Knapp’s granddaughter, and the other from her husband, Alexis E. Stoddard. Organization The collection is organized alphabetically.

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS DEPARTMENT

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

RS 2/2

4

Container List Box

Folder

Title

Dates

1

1

Addresses

1884-1906, n.d.

1

2

Ag Extension – 25th Anniversary Celebration

1928-1929

1

3

Ag Extension – 50th Anniversary Celebration

1953

1

4

Ag Extension – 75th Anniversary Celebration

1978

1

5

Biographical Information – “Life At Eighty,” by J. W. Canada, see pages 96 and 194

1952

1

6

Biographical Information – Biography of Seaman A. Knapp, by Mrs. A. M. Mayo – His Daughter

n.d.

1

7

Biographical Information – Clippings

1913-2008, n.d.

1

8

Biographical Information – Publications

1911-1957

1

9

Biographical Information – Remarks made at President Knapp’s funeral

1911

1

10

Biographical Materials

1906-1933, n.d.

1

11

Correspondence

1876-1883, n.d.

1

12

Family History – “A History of the Town of Poultney, Vermont”

1875

1

13

Family History – “Ripley Female College Quarterly Journal”, see page 10

1867

2

1

Family History – Alexis Erling Stoddard, grandsonin-law of President Knapp

1916-1958

2

2

Family History – Bradford Knapp, Jr., grandson of President Knapp

1936

2

3

Family History – Bradford Knapp, son of President Knapp

1911-2008, n.d.

2

4

Family History – Charles Boynton Knapp, greatgreat-grandson of President Knapp

1987-1989

2

5

Family History – Herman Knapp, son of President Knapp

1910-1923

2

6

Family History – Interview (transcript) with Laura Storms Knapp, wife of Seaman Knapp, granddaughter-in-law of President Knapp, and daughter of President Albert Boynton Storms

1969

2

7

Family History – Interview (transcript) with Seaman A. Knapp, son of Herman Knapp and grandson of President Knapp

1958

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS DEPARTMENT

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

RS 2/2

5

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

2

8

Family History – Interview (transcript) with Seaman A. Knapp, son of Herman Knapp and grandson of President Knapp

1965

Family History – Interviews (audio recordings) with Laura Storms Knapp and Seaman A. Knapp: 6 cassette tapes, 3 magnetic tape reels, housed in the vault

1958-1969

5

2

9

Family History – Knapp family genealogy

1976-1989

2

10

Family History – Laura Storms Knapp, granddaughter-in-law of President Knapp

1911-1974

2

11

Family History – Mrs. S. A. Knapp, Maria E. Hotchkiss, wife of President Knapp

1900-1910

2

12

Family History – Seaman A. Knapp, grandson of President Knapp

1939, 1946

2

13

Memorials – Knapp Cup

1953-1976

2

14

Memorials – Knapp Memorial Arch

1934-1937

2

15

Memorials – Memorial Garden at McNeese State University

1973-1976, n.d.

2

16

Memorials – Seaman Knapp Memorial Lecture

1981

2

15

Porter Farm National Historic Landmark

1964-2001, n.d.

2

16

Publications – Collection of writings, genealogical information, and biographical publications

1899-1934

2

17

Publications – Lectures on Horticulture

1892

2

21

Publications – "Recollections of Extension History" by J. A. Evans

1938

3

Scrapbook – Alexis Erling Stoddard, husband of Jeanette Knapp, 210-4x5, 9-8x10, 1-large format

1915-1916

4

Scrapbook – Jeanette Knapp, 159-4x5, 4-5x7

1900-1925

Terrell Transcript – Articles on demonstration farm

1903-1904

2

18

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS DEPARTMENT

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY