John E. Fell letters, 1851-1854.

Format:

Manuscript

Author/Creator:

Fell, John E., 1827-1906, recipient.

Contributor:

Fell, Moses Townsend, 1797-1887, correspondent.

Fell, Hannah Ely, 1802-1890, correspondent.

Bishop, Edwin, circa 1823- correspondent.

Carmon, Rachel Fell, 1825-1873, correspondent.

Walker, Charles 19th century, correspondent.

Robert Dechert Americana Book Fund.

Miscellaneous Manuscripts Collection (University of Pennsylvania)

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Gold mines and mining--California--19th century.

Gold mines and mining.

Cayuga County (N.Y.)--19th century.

Cayuga County (N.Y.).

Genre:

Correspondence.

Letters.

Bills of sale.

Manuscripts, American -- 19th century.

Penn Provenance:

Sold by Michael Brown Rare Books (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), 2017.

Physical Description:

14 items (14 leaves)

Contained In:

Miscellaneous Manuscripts. Box 23 Folder 23

Place of Publication:

1851-1854.

Biography/History:

Fell was the third of six children born to Moses Townsend and Hannah Ely Fell near Lahaska, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. In 1823 or 1824 the family moved to Scipio, Cayuga County, New York where Moses Fell owned and operated a grist mill. The family were members of Quaker Friends Meeting. In 1851 John E. Fell and a few other men from Scipio traveled to California to find their fortune in mining for gold. Fell lived in El Dorado County at the height of the gold rush. He worked in California until November 1854. Fell returned to Cayuga County and became a farmer. Fell married Lydia S. Powell in 1858 and they had four boys. Lydia died in 1870. Four years later Fell married Lydia's sister Sarah Ann Powell. The couple lived in Venice, Cayuga County.

Summary:

This small collection comprises letters written to John E. Fell while he lived and worked in California. The letters span the years from 1851 to 1854. There are letters from friends John B. Griffin and Edwin Bishop who were also from Cayuga County and working and living in California. Correspondence from family members including his mother, father, sister and cousins make up the remainder of the collection. Letters from his friends in California discussed working at the mines, purchasing a ranch, logging, health, and news from Cayuga. Bishop wrote to Fell from Coon Hollow about his share in owning a ranch, working in the gold mines, flooding, travels, and the death of a friend. Fell received news of his family from cousins: Letitia, who writes of a visit to Cayuga and horseback riding; Charles and Sarah Walker of Frankford, Pennsylvania who joined a manufacturing firm that made drags for gold digging; and Simpson Betts of Philadelphia who mentions the Franklin Institute. Letters from Fell's immediate family--his mother, father, ans sister Rachel--discussed household news, the mill, his brothers and sisters, and Fell returning home. Family members wrote their letters on the same leaf. A poem entitled Farewell was written to Fell possibly by a family member. His mother in a letter dated March 26, 1854 noted an escaped slave being released from prison, the southern master who awaited, and the large group of people arriving in town. A receipt of sale for interest in a portion of the Rock Tunnel Shaft dated May 23, 1852 is included.

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the Robert Dechert Americana Book Fund.

OCLC:

1019651127