The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1921-10-28
JOE KNAPP MAY
BE FARMER YET
Enterprising New York Publish
er Is Going to Get Rid of
Some Bulls Anyway
BY W.. o. SAUNDERS.

Joseph P, Knapp, wealthy New
York publisher, banker and man
ufacturer, whose 11ome on
Mackay Island in Currituck
Sound was made the subject of
an illustrated article in this
newspaper a few weeks ago,
doesn't altogether relish being
twltted for his modest expert
ment in farming on Mackay ISL
and.
Somewhere in my article about Mr.,
hnapp's farm appeared the statement
| that he had stocked his farm with a
nerd OF cattle consisting of forty bulls
and thirty cows. The publications. s2ef that
statement has put Mr.. Knapp on his
mettIe. He is willing to admit that as
gentleman farmer he hasn't made
much of showing as yet, but it's inst
because he hasn't tried Once he finds
time to- put his mind to it he is not
gong to let any prowling news writer
discover him with forty bulls for thirty
COWS.
There's no telling just what Joe
Knapp will do with that NIackay Island
property before he gets thru with if T
wouldn't be a bit surprised to see him
make of it one of the greatest agricul-
tural assets in Northeastern North
carolina. Mackay Island, six miles from
Currltuck c. H, has an area of about
2,4OO acres, 1,2O0 acres of which is
highland. Mr.. Knapp is not going to
let that island stand in nonproductive-
ness. It isn't in his nature. He is NOT
waster and he doesn't play with losing
proposltlons He is one of the most
successful business men in America. He
is the rare example of rich mans
son who took up his fathers work
where the father left off and carried
it on. His father was Joseph Fair
child Knapp, one time president of the
Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. and
who made that company the greatest
insurance company in the world. Jo-
seph P. Knapp himself is one of the
largest stockholders in the Metropolitan
Life and a member of its finance COM
mittee. He is president of the Ameri-
can Lithographic Co., which business
alone employs 1,S00 persons under one
roof. He is fourth owner of chain
of worsted mills; chairman of the exec
utive committee of the Crowen Publish
ing Co. and chairman of the board of
directors of P. F. Collier s. Son. He
| is connected with many another enter
prise as well. He directs the publica-
ton of Golfers Weekly, The American
magazine, The Woman's Home Compan-
ion, Farm and Fireside and The Men
ltor. He has made a success of every
thing he ever touched. He doesn't know
what failure is. And he is not going
to make failure of farming on Mackay
Island, once he finds time to give it a
little attention. I am venturing the
lprediction that Joseph P. Knapp will
make something more of Mackay Island
than a winter home and game pre-
serve. Being, among other things, the
publisher of one of the most pretentious
farm papers in the United States, he
isn't going to let history pick up those
forty bulls and thirty cows. 1t will be
Interesting to see Mr.. Knapp apply
himself to the development of his island
in Currituck Sound, as he has applied
himself to his many enterprises in New
York City and in New England.
North Carolina should count \ itsel1
fortunate in securing Mr.. Knapp as {
citizen of this state, even if he die
Il nothing more than retain his home here
and use the waters of Currituck Sount
for playground in the hunting season
The money that his estate will pay int
the treasury of North Carolina in in
heritance taxes when he dies will be
) big price to receive for the pleasure at
forded him by shooting our wild fowl L
, season. The money that he pays i
: | taxes to Currituck county annually Wi
help that county long way in the bet
: terment of it's roads and schools. IL
. will help Currituck County in bette
, vay when he introduces new and bet
, ter ways of farming and live stock pro
j duction on Mackay Island, which he
sure to do.