Special Collections Department
403 Parks Library
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-2140

RS 2/2
Seaman Asahel Knapp (1833-1911)
Papers, 1867-2011, n.d.

Descriptive summary

creator:	Knapp, Seaman Asahel (1833-1911)
title:	Papers
dates:	1867-2011, n.d.
extent:	2.8 linear feet (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.

Historical 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 (1864-1865) 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 (1867-2011, n.d.) 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.

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	1911-1970
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.
2	22	Executive Committee – Meeting Minutes	1883-1884
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, grandson-in-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	1911-2011, n.d.
2	4	Family History – Charles Boynton Knapp, great-great-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
2	8	Family History – Interview (transcript) with Seaman A. Knapp, son of Herman Knapp and grandson of President Knapp	1965
5		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
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
2	18	Terrell Transcript – Articles on demonstration farm	1903-1904