 |
BIRTHDAY BOY
Feb. 3,2006
Although this websight has basically ended adding things about the Knapps since the summer of 2005, (see final chapter) it has been a February tradition to say Happy Birthday to Joseph Fairchild Knapp aka Dodi Knapp for several years now. This is the first year though that I have a crystal clear photo of him to add to the festivities. If I had two more wishes , I would very much like to find a clear photo of him in his younger days, perhaps taken inside his Mastic Beach mansion. And two, that I could of met him in person to ask him a few questions. Second one of course would be slightly unrealistic because even had he taken the best care of himself, I doubt that he would of made it to the year 2001 when I first started this Knapps Lived Here project. This year marks the 114th year of his birth in 1892.
|
|
But here he is probably sometime in the '40's out on the town with Ed Kiely his longtime personal secretary. That is Dodi's second wife Marion E. Knapp with them. Ed acting with power of attorney, signed many of the deeds transferring bits and pieces of the Knapp Estate that would develop into sections 9 & 10 in Mastic Beach from 1938-1941. Dodi who was in his 50's here, seems to be amused by something on the wall. Could it be a fly?
_______________________
And talk about timing..... This 107 year old "BIRTHDAY" envelope below arrived in my mailbox today. It was most likely printed by his father Joseph P. Knapp, who came up with the idea of pre printed stamped envelopes and had the contract with the US Postal service. Stamp collectors tell me this particular stamp is from 1899 (Dodi would of been a boy of 7) and is addressed to the estate of his namesake grandfather Joseph F. Knapp who died 6 months before Dodi was born. 18 Wall Street was the address of longtime J.F. Knapp lawyer Stuart Woodford and his partner Thomas G. Ritch. The fact that it was unused tells me it most likely came from their office.
