Title: Fell, Jesse W. Papers, 1829-1911
Collection identifier: 622
Primary Creator: Fell, Jesse W. (1808-1887)
Extent: 0.2 cubic feet
Subjects: Browning, Orville Hickman, 1806-1881, Davis, David, 1815-1886, Duncan, Joseph, 1794-1844, Ewing, William Lee Davidson, 1795-1846, Fell, Jesse W., 1808-1887, Foraker, Joseph Benson, 1846-1917, Iowa, Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865, Logan, John Alexander, 1826-1886, McLean County--Bloomington (Ill.), McLean County--Normal (Ill.), Oglesby, Richard J. (Richard James), 1824-1899, Palmer, John M. (John McAuley), 1817-1900, Property, Swett, Leonard, 1825-1889, Trumbull, Lyman, 1813-1896
Forms of Material: Copies, Personal papers, Professional papers
This collection consists of correspondence between Jesse Fell and various associates.
Jesse Fell was involved in real estate and business enterprises and played a fundamental role in the development of educational and political frontiers in Central Illinois. An early friend of Abraham Lincoln, Fell took part in organizing both the Illinois Republican Party and Lincoln's 1860 presidential campaign. This collection contains transcripts of letters, memoranda, drafts, and telegrams with various correspondents.
Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Fell made his way westward and settled in Illinois in 1832. After passing the Illinois Bar exam, he moved to Bloomington, Illinois, in 1833. At that time, Bloomington had just been founded and Fell became Bloomington's first lawyer. However, Fell's interests soon turned to buying and selling land. Fell's accomplishments in the early development of Illinois was many--he co-founded several towns throughout Central and Northern Illinois, founded Bloomington's first newspaper in 1837, and was involved in the railroad enterprise, particularly with the Illinois Central and the Chicago and Alton lines. A passion for education, Fell was an integral figure in the establishment of Illinois State Normal University (then called the State Normal School) in 1857. Politically, he played a major role in Abraham Lincoln's political career, suggesting to Lincoln that he debate Stephen A. Douglas, and later, run for president.
This collection contains transcripts of Fell's correspondence with various associates, including Orville H. Browning, David Davis, Joseph Duncan, William L.D. Ewing, J.B. Foraker, Abraham Lincoln, John A. Logan, Richard J. Oglesby, John M. Palmer, John Reynolds, N.H. Ridgely, Leonard Swett, and Lyman Trumbull. This collection also contains transcripts of eulogies written for Fell; copies of Fell's obituaries; and an original document nominating Fell as paymaster, signed by Abraham Lincoln, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, and Adjutant General Lorenzo Thomas.
Alice and Fannie Fell, of Normal, Illinois, loaned the originals to the Illinois History Survey for copying in 1913. The originals are now held in the Library of Congress. Transcripts of the Iowa manuscripts were acquired in 1957 from Dr. Helen E. Marshall of Illinois State University.
Browning, Orville Hickman, 1806-1881
Davis, David, 1815-1886
Duncan, Joseph, 1794-1844
Ewing, William Lee Davidson, 1795-1846
Fell, Jesse W., 1808-1887
Foraker, Joseph Benson, 1846-1917
Iowa
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865
Logan, John Alexander, 1826-1886
McLean County--Bloomington (Ill.)
McLean County--Normal (Ill.)
Oglesby, Richard J. (Richard James), 1824-1899
Palmer, John M. (John McAuley), 1817-1900
Property
Swett, Leonard, 1825-1889
Trumbull, Lyman, 1813-1896
Repository: Illinois History and Lincoln Collections
URL: https://files.archon.library.illinois.edu/ihlcsfa/fell-jesse.pdf
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