Marshall Jewell

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Marshall Jewell
Governor of Connecticut
In office
May 16, 1871 – May 7, 1873
LieutenantMorris Tyler
Preceded byJames E. English
Succeeded byCharles Ingersoll
In office
May 5, 1869 – May 4, 1870
LieutenantFrancis Wayland III
Preceded byJames E. English
Succeeded byJames E. English
Personal details
Born(1825-10-20)October 20, 1825
Winchester, New Hampshire, U.S.
DiedFebruary 10, 1883(1883-02-10) (aged 57)
New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.
Political partyWhig (Before 1854)
Republican (1854–1883)
Signature

Marshall Jewell (October 20, 1825 – February 10, 1883) was a manufacturer, pioneer

surety bond and asked for his resignation.[1]

A native of New Hampshire, Jewell was the son of a prominent tanner and currier. Having apprenticed in his father's tannery business,[2] Jewell moved to Boston where he learned the art of being a currier. In 1847, Jewell moved to Hartford where he worked for his father's business as a currier. Jewell stopped working as a currier and became a skilled telegrapher, where he worked in New York, Ohio, and Tennessee. Jewell was a Whig who supported the election of Zachary Taylor to the office of the presidency. Having supported Taylor, Jewell moved to Mississippi where he was elected General Superintendent of Telegraphers.[2] Jewell moved back to New York in 1849, and in 1850 he returned to his father's tannery business having entered into partnership with his father. Between 1859 and 1860, Jewell traveled to and visited Europe on business connected with the tannery firm, having returned to the United States during the onset of the American Civil War. In 1865 Jewell returned to Europe and traveled to Egypt and the Holy Land.[2]

Having returned to the United States, Jewell, a

Southern New England Telephone Company.[1][3] He died in 1883 in New Haven, Connecticut, and was interred at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Hartford, Connecticut.[4]

Early life and career

Marshall Jewell was born in Winchester, New Hampshire on October 25, 1825.[1] His father, Pliny Jewell, native of Hartford, was a prominent tanner and currier. His mother was Emily Alexander. His elder brother was named Harvey Jewell. The young Marshall received a limited education at common schools.[5] At an early age Jewell apprenticed for his father in the tannery business working as a day laborer until the age of 18. Jewell moved to Woburn where he learned the skill of being a currier.[5] Jewell returned to his father's tannery business in Hartford where he worked in the currier shop for two years.[1] In 1847, Jewell grew tired of the tannery business and having good business sense learned the telegraphy trade working in Boston, Rochester, and Akron.[5] As a highly skilled telegrapher, Jewell was put in charge of the Louisville and New Orleans telegraph line working in Columbia, Tennessee.[1][5]

Early political involvement

Jewell strongly supported Whig candidate Zachary Taylor in the presidential election of 1848.

In 1848, while working as a telegrapher, Jewell became interested in national politics becoming a Whig. Jewell supported Zachary Taylor for President of the United States. Jewell's political opinions would later draw him into the Republican Party formed in the mid-1850s[5] In 1849, Jewell returned north and was elected Superintendent of the telegraph line between Boston and New York living in New York City.[1][5]

Tanning partnership established

While Jewell was working as a telegrapher, Jewell's father Pliny's tanning business had increased substantially. Having left the telegraph business, moving back to Hartford, Jewell entered into partnership with his father's tanning and belting business on January 1, 1850.[1][5] Jewell, who had good business sense, for the next eight years increased his father's business and gained a positive reputation in the Hartford community.[1] Between 1852 and 1857 Jewell traveled widely throughout the United States to promote his manufactured leather product business.[5]

World travels and the American Civil War

From 1859 to 1860, Marshall went on a trip to Europe in order to expand his leather business. During the onset of the American Civil War Jewell purchased leather putting his business in a good position to gain government contracts.[5] During the Civil War, Jewell's tanning business flourished having supported the Northern war effort.[3] After the Civil War ended Jewell returned to Europe and extended his travels to Egypt and the Holy Land from 1865 to 1867.[1][5]

Governor of Connecticut

In 1871, Grand Duke Alexis, on a good will tour of the United States, visited Gov. Jewell in Hartford.

Having returned from his extensive world travels abroad, in 1867, Jewell unsuccessfully ran for Connecticut state senator, having joined the Republican Party. In 1868, Jewell unsuccessfully ran for Governor of Connecticut. In 1869, Jewell was elected Governor of Connecticut having served until his defeat in 1870. Jewell was returned to office in the disputed election of 1871, and was last elected governor in 1872, having served three terms in office until 1873.[3] During Jewell's second term in office, Russian Grand Duke Alexis visited Washington, D.C., and Hartford, Connecticut. While in Hartford the Grand Duke stayed at Gov. Jewell's house. The Grand Duke was impressed by Jewell's ability to improve his status in the United States, having stated, "What! Is this the way Americans rise? from the tannery to the governor's chair?"[6]

U.S. Minister to Russia

On May 20, 1873, Ulysses S. Grant nominated Jewell as Minister to Russia, to replace

James L. Orr. Jewell served with "marked ability" from May 29, 1873, to December 9, 1873.[2] While Minister to Russia, a prince from the Russian nobility became infatuated with a married American woman who was visiting St. Petersburg, having given her his family's royal diamonds. This created quite a scandal; however, Jewell investigated the matter and had the woman return the Russian diamonds to the Tsar's family.[1]
Jewell, who was an observant man, noticed that inferior goods not made in the United States were falsely sold on the open Russian markets under an American name. Jewell appealed to the Russian government that this practice harmed authentic American trade with Russia. Jewell was able to negotiate a specific treaty that protected United States trademarks.[7]

While in Russia, Jewell, as a tanner, discovered that the Russians used

U.S. Postmaster General. Jewell had desired to hold a domestic office rather than an international office. Jewell's recall from Russia was a surprise to the American public, as he had served less than a year.[2]

U.S. Postmaster General

In 1874, a vacancy was created in President Grant's Cabinet when

John A.J. Creswell resigned as U.S. Postmaster General. President Grant, who desired the position go to a New Englander, appointed Jewell U.S. Postmaster General in July 1874. Jewell, due to commitments as a Russian Minister and his return voyage to the United States, could not take office until August, while assistant Postmaster General, James William Marshall, served as acting U.S. Postmaster General until Jewell could take office.[2]

Reform efforts

Jewell took up the office of U.S. Postmaster with vigor, a man of many words and theories, having desired to reform the Postal Service from profiteering in lucrative postal contracts known as Star Routes. Having studied the European postal system, Jewell was the first post-master to establish a direct postal route service from New York City to Chicago.

Benjamin H. Bristow shut down and prosecute the notorious Whiskey Ring; a tax evasion scheme by whiskey distillers that depleted the U.S. Treasury millions of dollars.[9][5] Jewell was in favor of Bristow's presidential aspirations in 1876.[10]

Resignation

Washington, D.C., proved to be a challenge for Jewell's reforms of the Postal Service. During his tenure partisan politics caused Jewell to lose President Grant's support.

Return to Hartford

After Jewell had been dismissed by President Grant as Postmaster, Jewell returned to Hartford who welcomed Jewell with open arms. Jewell devoted his time to his tanning business that had faltered while he had been away. Through a series of investments in the Hartford Evening Post and the

Southern New England Telephone Company Jewell became a very wealthy man.[1]

1876 Republican Convention

The 1876 Republican National Convention nominated Rutherford B. Hayes for the presidency.

During the 1876 Republican National Convention held in Cincinnati, Ohio, Marshall Jewell was nominated by the State of Connecticut for President of the United States. Grant chose not to run and the Republicans did not choose to nominate him for a consecutive third term. Jewell was the first person from the State of Connecticut to be nominated at a national Republican Presidential Convention. On the first presidential ballot, Jewell received 11 votes, ten from Connecticut.[11] Jewell's name, however, was withdrawn from the remaining ballots. Benjamin Bristow also ran for the Republican presidential candidacy, but he could not get enough votes at the end of the balloting. Although Bristow was a frontrunner and had Jewell's support, he was considered controversial for his prosecution of the Whiskey Ring, a scandal that involved prominent Republican Party members. Instead, Rutherford B. Hayes, went on to win the Republican presidential nomination by receiving 384 votes on the seventh ballot.[12] Jewell was also nominated for Vice President of the United States by S.H. Russell from Texas; however, William A. Wheeler was unanimously nominated on the first ballot by 366 majority votes.[13] William Kellogg withdrew Jewell's name from the ballot after the votes cast were unanimously for Wheeler.[13] The state of Connecticut named Jewell on the 1876 Republican National Committee who elected Zachariah Chandler as chairman.[14]

Chairman of Republican Party

In 1879 Jewell accepted the appointment of National Chairman of the Republican Party having served to 1880. During the presidential election of 1880, Jewell's energetic approach to politics resulted in large part to the election of Republican candidate James A. Garfield to the office of President of the United States.[6]

Death, burial, and memorial

Marshall Jewell Memorial Statue

Although considered a man of vitality in 1883, Jewell had contracted pneumonia that quickly took his life. When Jewell asked his doctor "How long does it take for a man to die?" His doctor responded, "In your condition, Governor, it is a matter of only a few hours." Marshall Jewell died on February 10, 1883, in Hartford, Connecticut.[6] Jewell was buried at Cedar Hill Cemetery on Valentine's Day, February 14, 1883. Flags were held at half mast on public and private buildings. The Connecticut Legislature suspended business and adjourned for the day. The Governors Guard guarded Jewell's body held in state at the Asylum Hill Congregational Church. Thousands of people viewed Jewell's body in state and paid their respects to the former Governor. Many prominent men attended Jewell's service, including former Secretary of the Treasury Benjamin Bristow, Postmaster Timothy O. Howe, and Secretary of Navy William E. Chandler.[15] A tall column pedestal and statue memorial monument with his family's name, "JEWELL", inscribed at the base, was placed near his burial site. Jewell's wife, Esther E Dickerson Jewell, died February 26, 1883, and was buried next to her husband Marshall Jewell at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

His daughter was Josephine Jewell Dodge, a prominent early childhood educator and anti-suffrage activist.[16]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Chicago Daily Tribune (February 18, 1883), Marshall Jewell
  2. ^ a b c d e f New York Times (July 4, 1874), Appointment and Acceptance of the Hon. Marshall Jewell
  3. ^ a b c d e Miller Center (2012), Marshall Jewell (1874–1876): Postmaster General Archived May 8, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Retrieved May 24, 2012
  4. ^ "The Political Graveyard: Hartford County, Conn". Cedar Hill Cemetery. Archived from the original on May 14, 2008. Retrieved April 29, 2008.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Moody 1933, p. 64.
  6. ^ a b c Holloway (1885), Famous American Fortunes and the Men who Have Made Them, p. 446
  7. ^ Holloway, pp. 442-443
  8. ^ Holloway, p. 443
  9. ^ New England Historic Genealogical Society, p. 127
  10. ^ Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography 1887, p. 432.
  11. ^ Tweedy (1910). A history of the Republican national conventions from 1856 to 1908. pp. 155–157.
  12. ^ Tweedy 1910, p. 156
  13. ^ a b Tweedy 1910, pp. 157–158
  14. ^ Tweedy 1910, p. 158
  15. ^ New York Times (February 15, 1883), Laid at Rest.; Funeral of Ex-Gov. Marshall Jewell at Hartford.

Sources

Party political offices
Preceded by
Joseph Hawley
Governor of Connecticut
1868, 1869, 1870, 1871, 1872
Succeeded by
Preceded by Chair of the Republican National Committee
1880–1883
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by
Governor of Connecticut

1869–1870
Succeeded by
Governor of Connecticut

1871–1873
Succeeded by
Preceded by United States Postmaster General
1874–1876
Succeeded by
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
United States Minister to Russia

1873–1874
Succeeded by