Jacob Newman Knapp Family from Walpole As It Was and As It Is (1880)

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Surname: KNAPP
Source: Walpole As It Was and As It Is by George Aldrich, 
        The Claremont Manufacturing Co., Claremont, N.H., 1880, pages 305-308

KNAPP, JACOB NEWMAN, one of our most highly esteemed, adopted townsmen, was born in 
Newburyport, Mass., Nov. 7, 1773, and died at his home in this town, July 27, 1868, being at the time 
of his death in his ninety-fifth year. He was the second of nine children, of poor, but respectable parents, 
who were unwearied in their efforts to advance the educational interests of their children. Their whole 
library consisted of the Bible, Josephus, Shakespeare, and a few pamphlet sermons. Early in life Jacob 
attended the town schools, where for ten years he studied the spelling-book, the Psalter, and the Bible, 
and received instruction in writing and ciphering. Of the incidents in connection with his early school life 
he had to the last a most vivid recollection, a rehearsal of which would fill pages. In his seventeenth year 
he commenced teaching, a business which he followed through his active life. The wages of teaching in 
those days, were six dollars a month in addition to board. His first school was in Loudon N.H., and 
consisted of forty pupils of both sexes, and all ages. The urchins under ten, wore long, leather aprons, 
which shone with the smearing of bean porridge, and the little girls took snuff because it was the fashion. 
The next summer he started in pursuit of another school, with all his worldly goods tied up in a 
handkerchief, and after travelling four days, found a situation in Sanbornton, N.H., where he continued 
four years, the idol of the place. He next entered Philips Academy, Andover. He did not think at first, of 
fitting for college, but was persuaded to begin Latin, and, being appointed writing master in the 
Academy, was enabled to remain. Just at the time of completing his preparation for college, a 
schoolmate of his, Cassius Lee, of Va., died, who bequeathed him fifty guineas, by the aid of which he 
entered Harvard, and by transcribing college documents, teaching ; winters, and a loan of two hundred 
dollars, managed to pass through his four years course, and honorably graduate in 1802. After 
graduating, he immediately resumed teaching in the town school of Charlestown, Mass., and at the same 
time commenced to study theology with Dr. Jedediah Morse, having studied three years, he then 
preached a while in Salem and Boston, but never with a view to settlement. In 1803 he took charge of a 
private, boys’ school, in Salem, and continued there ten years, being highly respected. His health being 
impaired, he thought to regain it by making a trip west on horseback, and on his return, with health 
renewed, he opened a home school for boys, in Brighton, and four years later removed it to Jamaica 
Plains, where he taught, fitting young men for college, till 1824, when he removed to this, the native 
town of his wife, where he ever afterwards lived. His teaching must have been lucrative, for, during his 
life as a teacher, he not only helped his parents to needed comforts and two of his brothers to a liberal 
education, but saved a competency for himself. Mr. Knapp, although educated in the severe religious 
doctrines of a century ago, did not cling to them in mature life. After coming to Walpole, it is said, he 
sowed the seeds of Unitarianism, which ere long ripened into a church, on the ministration of which he 
was a constant attendant and an ever-ready supporter. He never sought, or held any public office, but 
his natural and acquired ability would have honored any position within the gift of the people. In stature 
Mr. Knapp was above the medium, with no flesh to spare. He always dressed in a neat and comely 
fashion, usually wearing a white necktie, believing that cleanliness was next to Godliness. His language 
was always pure, concise, and strictly grammatical. Occasion ally he would make some remarks in 
public meetings, and at such times the eyes and ears of all were attentive. In his last years, when it 
should seem the fountain of life was well nigh dry, he seemed to manifest a lively interest in the world’s 
progress. He was like a sturdy old oak, its leaves remaining green when all others had faded and gone, 
reluctant to yield its foliage to winter’s stormy blast. He retained his faculties to the last, not even losing 
his Latin, as the following instance avid show. On the occasion of his son’s offering him a little light wine, 
a few hours before he died, he asked, "What is it?" "Hock," was the reply. "Hic, hoec, hoc," said he, 
slowly moving his hand as if waving off the glass, "I thus decline it." Taking him for all in all the town will 
not soon look upon his like again. In his death the town lost a valued citizen, and the church to which he 
belonged a strong pillar of support. He married June 3, 1819, Louisa, daughter of Joseph Bellows, sen., 
by whom he had two sons;
I. Francis Bellows, born in Roxbury, Mass., May 29, 1820; graduated at Harvard in 1843, and 
studied for the ministry; but chose subsequently to relinquish the profession, and pursue the 
occupations of farmer and teacher. Recently he has been engaged in translating an Icelandic 
work from Latin into English. He lives, unmarried, at the family homestead much of the time.
II. Frederick Newman, b. Nov. 19, 1821; graduated at Harvard College the same year as his 
brother, and also studied for the Unitarian ministry. He married Lucia Alden, dau. of Rev. 
Claudius and Maria Bradford, of Montague, Mass., May 9,1855. He has four ch., one dau. 
and three sons. He was first settled as colleague of Dr. Pierce, of Brookline, Mass. During the 
late war he early and enthusiastically rendered efficient service in the U. S. Sanitary 
Commission, being the superintendent of the Special Relief Department, and associate secretary 
of the Eastern Department. After the close of the war, he was settled over the first church in 
Plymouth, Mass., which pastorate he held for several years. He now has charge of a Home 
School for boys, in Plymouth, which has been established for several years.