Fell, Jesse W., 1808-1887

Editor, educator, and lawyer.

From the description of Papers of Jesse W. Fell, 1806-1957 (bulk 1830-1887). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 71061562

Bloomington, Illinois, lawyer and newspaper publisher; helped organize Central Illinois Female College, 1853, and Normal University, 1858; paymaster, U.S. Army, during Civil War.

From the description of Letter: Normal, [Ill.], to J[esse] C. Green, West Chester, Pa., [18]86 July 31. (Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library). WorldCat record id: 30366211

From the description of Documents, 1834-1847. (Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library). WorldCat record id: 30366196

From the description of Transcripts of telegrams, 1862-1863. (Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library). WorldCat record id: 30366253

Biographical Note

• 1808, Nov. 10: Born, New Garden, Chester County, Pa.
• 1826 - 1828 : Taught school in Pennsylvania
• 1828: Moved to Steubenville, Ohio
• 1828 - 1830 : Studied in law office of Stokely & Marsh, Steubenville, Ohio
• 1832: Admitted to Ohio bar Moved to Bloomington, Ill. Admitted to Illinois bar
• 1833: Opened law practice, Bloomington, Ill.; first lawyer in McLean County, Ill.
• 1834: Appointed commissioner of schools, McLean County, Ill.
• 1834 - 1835 : Befriended Abraham Lincoln while lobbying for McLean County in Illinois legislature
• 1835: Made an agent of State Bank of Illinois
• 1837: Bankrupted in financial crash Sold law practice to David Davis
• 1837 - 1839 : Owner and publisher, Bloomington Observer and McLean County Advocate, Bloomington, Ill.
• 1838: Married Hester Vernon Brown (died June 1906)
• 1844: Moved to Fort Jesse, Adams County, Ill., and took up farming
• 1845 - 1851 : Operated a farm and nursery business, "Fruit Hill," near Quincy, Adams County, Ill.
• 1850: Declined invitation to run as Whig candidate for state legislature
• 1851: Returned to Bloomington, Ill. Elected to Board of Trustees, Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, Ill.
• 1851 - 1852 : Editor, Western Whig (later renamed Bloomington Intelligencer), Bloomington, Ill.
• 1852 - 1853 : Partner, owner, Bloomington Intelligencer (later renamed Pantagraph), Bloomington, Ill.
• 1856: Supported Republican abolitionist Owen Lovejoy for Congress
• 1857: Helped found Illinois State Normal University, Normal, Ill. Built his residence, "Fell's Park," Normal, Ill.
• 1858: Suggested to Abraham Lincoln that he should run for president
• 1859: Elected secretary, Illinois Republican State Central Committee Secured autobiography of Abraham Lincoln and arranged its publication in eastern newspapers Organized Free Congregational Church, Bloomington, Ill., with brothers Kersey and Vickers Fell
• 1865: Spearheaded campaign to locate Illinois Soldiers' Orphans' Home in Bloomington, Ill.
• 1867: Successful in routing the Chicago & Mississippi Railroad (later Chicago & Alton Railroad) through Bloomington, Ill. Appointed to Board of Education, Illinois State Normal University, Normal, Ill.
• 1868: Purchased the Bloomington, Ill., Pantagraph, along with James P. Taylor and William Osborne Davis Declined public appeal to run for Congress
• 1879: Founded Larchwood Colony, Lyon County, Iowa
• 1887, Feb. 25: Died, Normal, Ill.

From the guide to the Jesse W. Fell Papers, 1806-1965, (bulk 1830-1887), (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)