"Portrait and Biographical Record of Western Oregon, containing original
sketches of many well known citizens of the past and present."  Chicago: Chapman
Pub. Co., 1909. 144.
 
RICHARD B. KNAPP

     who for thirty-five years has been identified with the business of Knapp,
Burrell & Company, agricultural implement dealers, and also president of the
Baggage and Omnibus Transfer Company, the largest concern of its kind north of
San Francisco, is one of the very early settlers in Portland, his residence in
this city dating from July, 1859. He has lived to witness the growth of the
metropolis of Oregon from a city of a little less than three thousand
inhabitants to one of the largest and most prosperous in the territory west of
the Mississippi. And in this wonderful development Mr. Knapp has been a factor
of more than ordinary strength, his influence always having been cheerfully
extended in behalf of all those movements having for an end the establishment of
a firm foundation for a future city which might properly be accorded a rank
among the most progressive municipalities of the country, and a commercial and
industrial community known as worthy of more than passing consideration on the
part of foreign countries. Though he has not vet readied the age when his life
work may be said to be complete, he is able to see, in the status of Portland at
the beginning of the twentieth century, a most optimistic outlook for her
future greatness among the, newer cities of the world.
     Mr. Knapp was born in Geneva, Ashtabula county, Ohio, July 28, 1839. His
father, Auren Knapp, and his grandfather, Caleb Knapp, the latter the founder of
the family in Ohio, were natives of Sheffield, Conn. Auren Knapp was engaged in
farming near Geneva for many years, but his death occurred in Clatsop county,
Ore., in 1884, in which county he spent the latter years of his life in
retirement. His wife, whose maiden name was Sarah M. Burrell, was born in
Massachusetts, and of her four sons and three daughters all but one daughter
attained maturity. Of the children two of the daughters never came west, and one
of them, Mrs. Mary R. Higley, is still living in Ohio. Jabez B. Knapp,
another son, who was born in Ohio, became a teacher in the south, crossed the
plains in 1852, and engaged in general merchandise business in Portland in 1855.
In 1870 he disposed of his mercantile interests here, and engaged in the lumber
business at Knappton, at the mouth of the Columbia river. He finally retired to
his dairy farm on the banks of that river, where his death occurred April 17,
1900, at the age of seventy-eight years and eight months. Fraternally he was a
Mason. Kirk Knapp, the second oldest son, died in Ohio at the age of twenty
years; while Auren, Jr., came to Oregon, via Panama, about 1868, and died while
engaged in logging on the Columbia river.
     After completing the course at the academy at Kingsville, Ohio, Richard B.
Knapp removed to Grand Rapids, Wis., in 1858, and spent the winter of that year
in the pineries of that state. In the spring of 1859 he started for Oregon,
going by way of New York City, Panama and San Francisco. In July, 1859, soon
after his arrival in Portland, he secured employment with the firm of Knapp &
Hull, dealers in agricultural implements. In 1860 Mr. Hull retired from the
business, and the firm became Knapp, Burrell & Co.   In 1862 R. B. Knapp secured
an interest. In those days they were obliged to bring their goods around the
Horn, and one of the members of the firm went east each year to secure the
needed supply. So successful did they become that they were enabled to establish
branch stores in Oregon and Washington, and the house soon became well known
throughout the western states. In the spring of 1870 J. B. Knapp retired from
the business, which was continued by M. S. Burrell and R. B. Knapp until Mr.
Burrell's death in 1885. R. B. Knapp then incorporated the concern afterward
known as Knapp, Burrell & Company, which experienced an era of uninterrupted
prosperity extending over a period of several years, establishing a reputation
for enterprise and business integrity unexcelled throughout the entire west. Mr.
Knapp is now retired from active business cares, although he still retains the
presidency of the Baggage and Omnibus Transfer Company, of which he was the
principal organizer and largest stockholder. From time to time he has been
interested in various enterprises for the betterment of the community interests,
and his sound business judgment, his keen insight into commercial affairs, and
his resourcefulness are generally recognized.
     In political faith Mr. Knapp is a Republican. He was a charter member of
the Chamber of Commerce, the Commercial Club and the Arlington Club, from all of
which he has since resigned. Fraternally he is associated with Willamette Lodge
No. 2, A. F. & A. M., Portland Chapter No. 3, R. A. M., Oregon Consistory No. I,
A. & A., Scottish Rite, and Al Kader Temple, N. M. S.   
 
 
     
Transcriber's additional notes:
 
This same biography appears in the following book:
"Portrait and Biographical Record of Portland and Vicinity,
Oregon"                
Authors: "a compilation of this work....by a number of writers"
Chapman Publishing Co; Chicago; 1903; Page 144


*******************

Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in June 2009 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.