Knapp, Seaman Ashahel, 1833-1911

Seaman A. Knapp, a native of New York, attended the Troy Conference Academy (Green Mountain College) at Poultney, Vermont, where he met his wife, Maria Elizabeth Hotchkiss. He graduated from Union College in 1856 and after his marriage, he and his wife taught at Fort Edward Collegiate Institute. Mr. Knapp then became Vice President (1856-1863) at Fort Edward and then Assistant Manager (1864-1865) of the Ripley Female College. In 1866, Knapp and his family came to Iowa, where he served as a Methodist pastor, Head of the Iowa College for the Blind, and as an editor of an agricultural newspaper. He was then appointed as Head (1879) of the agriculture program at Iowa State Agricultural College (Iowa State University) where he developed the curriculum and conducted experiments, and also served as the institution's second President (1883-1884). After leaving Iowa, Knapp had a distinguished career in agriculture. He is buried in the Iowa State University cemetery.

Agriculturist. Born in 1833 in New York. Attended Poultney Academy and Union College (1856). Taught at Fort Edward Institute and later founded Ripley Female College in Poultney, Vermont (1863). In 1866, he moved to Iowa to farm. In 1879, he was appointed Professor of Practical and Experimental Agriculture at Iowa State Agricultural College and held this post until 1885 when he moved to Louisiana, where he became active in rice farming and served as the first president of the Rice Grower's Association. In 1897, he began working for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, taking charge of the Demonstration farms in the South, and was active in the formation of the Agricultural Extension Service. Knapp married Maria Hotchkiss in 1856 and they had three sons and two daughters. One son, Bradford, served as president of Texas Technological College from 1932-1938. Seaman Knapp died in 1911.

Known as the Father of Agricultural Extension for his work with farm demonstration projects in the South. Primarily responsible for the success of rice production in Louisiana.

Seaman Knapp was born December 16, 1833, in Essex County, New York, and attended Poultney Academy and Union College, from which he graduated in 1856. He taught at Fort Edward Institute and later founded the Ripley Female College in Poultney, Vermont (1863). In 1866, he moved to Iowa to farm. In 1879, Knapp was appointed Professor of Practical and Experimental Agriculture at Iowa State Agricultural College and held that post until 1885, when he moved to Louisiana. There he became active in rice farming and served as the first president of the Rice Growers' Association. In 1897 he began working for the U. S. Department of Agriculture, taking charge of the demonstration farms in the South, and was active in the formation of the Agricultural Extension Service. Knapp married Maria Hotchkiss in 1856, and they had three sons and two daughters. One son, Bradford Knapp, served as president of Texas Technological College from 1932 to 1938. Seaman Knapp died on April 1, 1911.

The Handbook of Texas has published a more in-depth online biography of Seaman A. Knapp at http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/KK/fkn2.html