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Fell Family Papers
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Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 19081
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
Joseph Fell (1804-1887), the son of Dr. David and Phebe Schofield Fell, was a Pennsylvania Quaker teacher and farmer. In 1835 he married Harriet William, the daughter of Samuel and Sarah Watson Williams of Buckingham, Pa. He served in the State legislature in 1837-38 and as superintendent of the county schools.
Joseph and Harriet Fell had five children: William W. (1836-1874), Emily Catherine who married William Seal in 1863; David Newlin (1840-1919) who married Martha Trego; Edward Watson (1843-1901) who married Elizabeth Matlack Kenderdine in 1867; and Lucy W. Fell, born 1847.
Edward Watson and Elizabeth Kenderdine Fell had four children. The eldest was Edward Lawrence Fell (1867-1943) who married Esther May Willets. Both were Swarthmore College graduates, Class of 1888, and members of Green Street Monthly Meeting.
This collection contains papers of the Williams and Fell family members, Pennsylvania Hicksite Quakers. These papers include student papers of E. Lawrence Fell, family correspondence (1819-1885), pictures, and miscellaneous deeds and memorabilia.
Deposited by Nancy Gideon Clark, 2000.
This collection contains papers from two sources. A group of papers with no accession history were described previous to 1967. These included the Fell and Williams family letters, 1819-1885, primarily to Harriet Williams before and after her marriage in 1835 to Joseph Fell, and a small amount of family memorabilia and pictures. In 2000, a second group of papers were given to Friends Historical Library concerning the same family. These papers were found in the lap desk of Edward Lawrence Fell (1867-1943), a Swarthmore College graduate, class of 1888 and grandson of Joseph and Harriet Fell. These papers include student papers of E. Lawrence Fell, family correspondence (1840-1877) primarily between the children of Joseph and Harriet Fell, and miscellaneous deeds and memorabilia. In 2002, the two collections were united as Fell Family Papers, RG 5/039.
From the 2000 accession, three books by Thaddeus Kenderdine were transferred to FHL books, the two portrait dolls transferred to FHL Relics, and the pictures were removed to PA 114. A list of the pictures is included under "Related Material."
Photographs removed to FHL Picture Collection, PA 114: Fell Family Pictures:
Buckingham Friend School with Joseph Fell on steps, stereographic photo; Fell homestead in Buckingham, stereographic photo; Willets, John ( 2 photos); Willets, "Grandmother" ( 2 photos); Seaman, "Aunt Mary and Lizzie"; Fell, Elizabeth M. (Kenderdine); Fell, Elizabeth M. and Emily (daughter?); Fell, Emily {?}; Jackson-Fell wedding, June 28, 1900; Fell, "Father Fell with mother and sisters"; Four women, identified only as Aunt Cordelia, SusanAnn, Nancy, [Grandmother?]; 4 X 6 medium photos, family and friends, 9 identified, five may be classmates of Esther May Willets and E. Lawrence Fell; Seaman, William H.; Laurie, Margaret J. (Mrs. Wm. Seaman, both S.C. 1888); Haydock, Clara Noyes (S.C. 1888); Ainley, Gertrude; Ainley, May Agnes (Kenderdine); Fell, Mr. and Mrs. E. Lawrence in Egypt, posed in front of pyramids; Suffragists, with sashes, identified as Jeanette Fell [Gillam], Marjorie Fell [Siebert], Grandmother Fell [Mrs. E. Lawrence], Kathryn Fell [Gideon], and Alex Rogers; Two 4 x 6 of girls pictured above, Jeanette and Marjorie Fell?; Snapshots of May Day, Swarthmore, 1900.
Three volumes of books by Thaddeus Kenderdine removed to book collection: A California Tramp (1888), California Revisited (1898), The Kenderdines of America (1901).
Portrait dolls, circa 1900, of Benjamin Franklin and E. Lawrence Fell removed to Relics.
People
Organization
Subject
- Publisher
- Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
- Access Restrictions
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Collection is open for research.
- Use Restrictions
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Friends Historical Library believes all of the items in this collection to be in the Public Domain in the United States, and is not aware of any restrictions on their use. However, the user is responsible for making a final determination of copyright status before reproducing. See http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/.
Collection Inventory
Written by his daughter, Emily Fell Seal.
Physical Description1 folder
Photocopy of genealogical information recorded in Kenderdine family Bible
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
Autograph letter, signed.
Physical Description1 ALS
16 autograph letters, signed. Family correspondence, most between Edward Watson Fell (son of Joseph Fell) and his siblings.
Physical Description16 ALSs
28 autograph letters, signed. Most to Harriet Williams from her family, before and after her marriage.
Physical Description28 ALSs
Five autograph letters, signed, most to Joseph Fell. Letter of 12-7-1885, Sarah M. Fell to Joseph Fell, includes genealogical information. Also letter of recommendation for Edith Fell (sister of Joseph) as teacher of chemistry, 1844.
Physical Description5 ALSs
Diary of Edward Watson Fell, 1867, Bucks County, Pa.
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
Needle case, quilt squares
Physical Description1 folder
By William Darlington, M.D.. Inscribed to "Sarah Ann Fell."
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
Family memorabilia from E. L. Lawrence desk: marriage invitations, etc.
Physical Description1 folder