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((Short description|Survivalist movement leader (1933–1980)))
((More citations needed|date=May 2015))

'''Mel Tappan''' (1933 – 1980, born Melrose H. Tappan III) was the editor of the newsletter ''Personal Survival ("P.S.") Letter'' and the books ''Survival Guns'' and ''Tappan on Survival''. Tappan was an influential leader of the [[Survivalist]] movement<ref>((cite web |url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=950&dat=19810331&id=ixsMAAAAIBAJ&sjid=61kDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6691,4779572 |title=Archived copy |website=news.google.com |access-date=2 February 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120719072723/http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=950&dat=19810331&id=ixsMAAAAIBAJ&sjid=61kDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6691,4779572 |archive-date=19 July 2012 |url-status=dead))</ref> who advocated relocation to [[Retreat (survivalism)|survival retreats]] in lightly populated regions.<ref name=autogenerated1>((cite web|url=http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/532445.html |title=Mitchell, Dancing at Armageddon, excerpt |publisher=Press.uchicago.edu |date= |accessdate=2015-05-04))</ref>

==Emergence as survivalist expert==
After attending [[Stanford University]], Tappan first worked in finance.  Tappan developed an ever-growing expertise in firearms while living in Los Angeles.  He contacted [[Don Stephens]] after reading the "Personal Preparedness" columns by Stephens in ''Inflation Survival Letter''. Tappan was invited to present a lecture as part of Stephens' "Seminars On Survival" (SOS) dinner series, giving him greater public presence and recognition.  In the same time period, he collaborated with [[Roy Masters (commentator)|Roy Masters]] on writing and editing the book ''How to Conquer Negative Emotions'' (1975). He was also the editor of the 1977 book ''A Guide to Handmade Knives and The Official Directory of the Knifemakers Guild''.

He then wrote a monthly column on survival topics titled "Survival Notes" for ''Guns & Ammo'' magazine. Shortly before his death, he also wrote a few monthly columns as the Survival Editor for ''[[Soldier of Fortune (magazine)|Soldier of Fortune]]'' magazine. Through these publications  and his 1977 book ''Survival Guns'' &ndash; which as of 2010 is still in print after more than 32 years &ndash; he became an influential spokesman of the "armed-defense" wing of the [[Survivalist]] movement.  The back cover of ''Survival Guns'' quotes Laura Cunningham of ''[[The New York Times]]'' as describing Tappan as "The Survivalist voice of reason."

==Newsletter editor==
Tappan published what is perhaps the most important newsletter on survivalism and survivalist retreats in the 1970s, the ''Personal Survival ("P.S.") Letter''. It was published from 1977–1982. The newsletter included columns from Tappan himself as well from [[Jeff Cooper (colonel)|Jeff Cooper]], Al J. Venter, Bill Pier, [[Bruce D. Clayton]], Rick L. Fines (aka "Ross Lee"), [[Nancy Mack Tappan]], J.B. Wood, Dr. Carl Kirsch, Charles Avery, [[Karl Hess]], Eugene A. Barron, Janet Groene, [[Dean Ing]], Alexander Jason, James McKeever, [[Kurt Saxon]],<ref>((cite web|url=http://survivalplus.com/philosophy/page0010.htm |accessdate=March 2, 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080820065942/http://www.survivalplus.com/philosophy/page0010.htm |archivedate=August 20, 2008 |title=A Technology for Survival ))</ref> Bob Taylor, [[Reginald Bretnor]], C.G. Cobb, Carl E. Krupp, and several other writers, some under [[pen name]]s (such as "Dr. J.M. Browning"). The majority of this newsletter revolved around selecting, constructing and logistically equipping survival retreats.<ref>((cite web|url=http://www.frfrogspad.com/persurv.htm |title=Magazine Articles By Jeff Cooper |publisher=Frfrogspad.com |date= |accessdate=2015-05-04))</ref> Following Tappan's death in 1980, Nancy Tappan took over the newsletter, renaming it ''Survival Tomorrow in 1983''. In 1987 Carl E. Krupp became the new editor and publisher. The more recent survivalist author [[James Wesley Rawles]] credits ''Personal Survival Letter'' and Tappan's books as the primary influences in the development of his survivalist philosophy as well as the impetus for launching SurvivalBlog.com.<ref>((cite web |url=http://www.survivalblog.com/kudos.html |title=Acknowledgments |publisher=SurvivalBlog.com |accessdate=2015-05-04 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228045602/http://www.survivalblog.com/kudos.html |archivedate=2014-02-28 ))</ref>

==Relocation proponent==
In his writings, Tappan encouraged survivalists to relocate to and prepare [[Retreat (survivalism)|survival retreats]] in lightly populated regions, and did so himself, moving to [[Rogue River, Oregon]], for the last years of his life.<ref name=autogenerated1 />  He is best known for his 1977 book ''Survival Guns''. The subsequent book ''Tappan on Survival'' &ndash; based on his magazine and ''Personal Survival'' newsletter articles &ndash; was published shortly after his death (November 2, 1980) from congestive heart failure at age 47.  The book was reissued by [[Paladin Press]] in 2006 with a new foreword by [[Bruce D. Clayton]].

Mel Tappan was quoted in 1981 by then AP correspondent [[Peter Arnett]] that: "The concept most fundamental to long term disaster preparedness, in retreating, is having a safe place to go to avoid the concentrated violence destined to erupt in the cities. When you have a growing apprehensive awareness that the time grows short for you to relocate away from areas of greatest danger, then choose [where you will live] carefully."<ref>((cite web |url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ar8RAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cO4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=1781,1319693&dq=mel+tappan+arnett+having+a+safe+place+to+go+to+avoid+the+concentrated&hl=en |title=Archived copy |website=news.google.com |access-date=2 February 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120712160458/http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ar8RAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cO4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=1781,1319693&dq=mel+tappan+arnett+having+a+safe+place+to+go+to+avoid+the+concentrated&hl=en |archive-date=12 July 2012 |url-status=dead))</ref>  Tappan also said that he was disappointed by the demographics of southwestern Oregon after the influx of survivalists in the late 1970s. "Too many doctors and lawyers" relocated to Oregon, he said, but "not enough plumbers, electricians, or carpenters."<ref name=autogenerated1 />

He was married to Nancy Mack Tappan, who was his constant companion, [[administrative assistant]], editor and most loyal supporter.

==Death and legacy==
Tappan was born with a tumor on his spine and spent his  life in braces, on crutches and finally in a wheelchair.  He was an example of someone who accomplished much in spite of disabilities.  He died in 1980.

Tappan was outlived by his father, Melrose H. Tappan Jr., who died December 12, 1988, and his mother LaVeda Mae Potter Tappan, who died in 1997. His grandfather, Melrose H. Tappan Sr., died January 4, 1960. All were buried at West Hill Cemetery, in Sherman, [[Grayson County, Texas]].<ref>((cite web|author= |url=http://www.rootsweb.com/~txgrayso/ceme-westh29.html |title=West Hill Cemetery - Sherman |publisher=Rootsweb.com |date= |accessdate=2015-05-04))</ref>

To honor her late husband, Nancy Mack Tappan endowed [[Austin College]] (in the Northeast Texas town of Sherman) with the Melrose H. Tappan Jr. and Melrose H. Tappan III Presidential Scholarship.<ref>[http://www.austincollege.edu/Attachments/presreport_05.pdf ] ((webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060913054246/http://www.austincollege.edu/Attachments/presreport_05.pdf |date=September 13, 2006 ))</ref>

After Mel Tappan's death, his widow stayed on in the Rogue River Valley. As recently as 2010, she was still active in survivalism.<ref>((cite web |url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1310&dat=19860714&id=p8UUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tuEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6971,3333633 |title=Archived copy |website=news.google.com |access-date=2 February 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120717170234/http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1310&dat=19860714&id=p8UUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tuEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6971,3333633 |archive-date=17 July 2012 |url-status=dead))</ref> In the late 1990s in partnership with her friend Vernon Hixson, she started a large wine vineyard called Evans Creek and Venture Vineyards, on a ((convert|60|acre|m2|adj=on)) parcel.<ref>[http://www.rogueriverpress.com/news/story.cfm?story_no=2851 ]((dead link|date=May 2015))</ref> In 2009, she was a board member of the Grants Pass Irrigation District.<ref>((cite web|url=http://www.gpid.com/board.php |accessdate=March 2, 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110222152754/http://www.gpid.com/board.php |archivedate=February 22, 2011 |title=Grants Pass Irrigation District ))</ref> In June 2010,  she became editor of a self-sufficiency and preparedness magazine called ''The New Pioneer'' and "The Old Farmer's Almanac", from [[Harris Publications]].

==Continuing influence==
Tappan's writings are still popular and influential in [[survivalist]] circles, nearly three decades after his death.  A new edition of his book ''Tappan on Survival'' (with a foreword by [[Bruce D. Clayton]]) was released in 2009, and as of December 2009 ranks in Amazon's top 90,000 books (out of more than four million titles.)  ''Survival Guns'' also recently went back into print.  Both books are published by [[Paladin Press]].

==See also==
*[[Ragnar Benson]]
*[[Reginald Bretnor]]
*[[Bruce D. Clayton]]
*[[Jeff Cooper (colonel)|Jeff Cooper]]
*[[Dean Ing]]
*[[Karl Hess]]
*[[Roy Masters (commentator)|Roy Masters]]
*[[James Wesley Rawles]]
*[[Retreat (survivalism)]]
*[[Kurt Saxon]]
*[[Don Stephens]]

==References==
((Reflist))

((Authority control))

((DEFAULTSORT:Tappan, Mel))
[[Category:American male journalists]]
[[Category:Stanford University alumni]]
[[Category:Gun writers]]
[[Category:Survivalists]]
[[Category:American magazine staff writers]]
[[Category:American columnists]]
[[Category:1933 births]]
[[Category:1980 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Rogue River, Oregon]]
[[Category:Writers from Texas]]
[[Category:Writers from Oregon]]
[[Category:20th-century American non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:20th-century American male writers]]

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