Joseph Fels (1853-1914), son of Lazarus and Susannah Fels, was a social reformer and philanthropist who used the wealth supplied by the success of his family's Philadelphia-based soap business to promote the single tax movement and various land reform experiments. Advanced by Philadelphian Henry George, the single tax movement proposed that all taxes be abolished except those on the value of land. Joseph Fels devoted much of his life to persuading others of the redeeming value of the single tax and traveled and wrote extensively to support this belief. He funded several experimental labor colonies and vacant lot improvement projects in America and England and in 1909 he established the Joseph Fels Fund of America and a commission for its administration to bring the teachings of Henry George to fruition in North America. Mary Fels (1863-1953), who was born in Bavaria but grew up in Iowa, worked alongside her husband to assist in his philanthropic efforts and often traveled with him in this regard. After the death of her husband she wrote an account of his life and work, which was published in 1940. She also became very involved in the Zionist movement in Palestine and funded many social and philanthropic experiments in that region.
From the description of Joseph and Mary Fels papers, 1840-1956 (inclusive), 1905-1944 (bulk). (Historical Society of Pennsylvania). WorldCat record id: 122409327
