Jesse W. Fell and the Lincoln Autobiography

JESSE W. FELL, NORMAL, ILL.Page  [End Page 48]

The name of Jesse W. Fell, of Normal, Illinois, has become of more than local renown through its association with an autobiographical sketch of Abraham Lincoln, the writing of which Fell was the prime instigator. Lincoln produced three other holograph writings, which contain the basic facts of his life, but this one that he did for Fell is the most widely and popularly known. [1]

Lincoln and Fell first met and became acquainted while attending a session of the Illinois state legislature at Vandalia in the winter of 1834–35. Lincoln was there as a member and Fell as a lobbyist in behalf of his newly adopted McLean County.[2] They remained staunch political friends through the years, and as both were adept in getting around, their paths frequently crossed.

In 1858 Lincoln began to receive some national repute as a result of his debates that year with Stephen A. Douglas. Fell had made one of his eastern trips, and on his return he was all agog. Observing Lincoln one late afternoon coming out of the Page  [End Page 49] Bloomington courthouse, Fell led him into his brother Kersey's office on the south side of the square and proceeded to deliver his message. He told Lincoln of his last trip East and of how so many people in that area wanted to know more about this man Lincoln who was coming to the fore back in the Middle West. But Fell became aware that he knew little of Lincoln's background, and the purpose of this interview, he told him, was to ask for a self-made sketch of his life that Fell might use to boost his name as a possible nominee for the Presidency of the United States. [3]

Lincoln at first refused to comply with Fell's request in this conversation in Bloomington, but a little time brought about a change. During the following year he made several out-of-state trips on his own.[4] Fell, too, kept after him until he finally gave in. Lincoln wrote a two-and-one-half 12×8 page autobiographical sketch and, with a brief letter of explanation, mailed both to J. W. Fell, Esq from Springfield, dated Dec. 20, 1859.[5] Fell was of course elated and immediately rushed the manuscripts off to Pennsylvania, his native state, where his friend Joseph J. Lewis used them in preparing an article on Lincoln which was printed in the Chester County (Pa.) Times, February 11, 1860. [6] This article, reprinted in other newspapers, became the first widely read bio- Page  [End Page 50] graphical sketch of Lincoln and served as a basis for the first three Lincoln campaign biographies in book form.[7]

It is interesting to pursue the history of the originals of these manuscripts, the Autobiography and its accompanying letter. In rushing them off as Fell did, with no attempt to copy them and with no request for their return, he demonstrated that as keepsakes in themselves they were of little importance to him. But after more than ten years had elapsed he received a special request for them that prompted him to get them back in his possession. The Ward H. Lamon biography of Lincoln was being prepared for publication by James R. Osgood and Company, of Boston. Lamon, a one-time resident of Bloomington and an acquaintance of Fell, asked that the documents be placed in the hands of his publishers, that they might serve as a corrective reference source and also be included in facsimile in their volume. Fell consented to the publishing of the Autobiography, but he did not furnish the letter Lincoln sent with it. Instead, he delivered to Lamon his own letter of transmittal, under date of February 19, 1872, at Washington.

Before making this facsimile of the original sketch, preparatory for its inclusion in the Lamon book, certain liberties were taken with it. Lincoln had not addressed it to J. W. Fell, nor had he signed it. This was taken care of in his covering letter enclosed. To make the original writing appear as an independent document, without the need of its accompanying letter, the "Hon. J. W. Fell" and "Yours very truly/A. Lincoln" were added at the end. These additions were clipped from another Lincoln letter Fell had in his possession, and pasted on. [8] Also added in the lower half of the third page, evidently in the hand of David Davis, is a certificate dated at Washington D.C. March 20, 1872, that the foregoing statement is in the handwriting of Abraham Lincoln, and this is signed David Davis, Lyman Trumbull, and Charles Sumner. The now three-page document, in facsimile reduced in size, was bound in the back of Lamon's "Life of Abraham Lincoln."[9] Page  [End Page 51]

The publishers of the Lamon biography also issued at this time the Lincoln Autobiography in facsimile in the form of a large 20×16 broadside suitable for framing, which also included a picture of Lincoln, a statement by Jesse W. Fell, dated at Normal, Illinois, and some extracts from Lincoln's speeches and addresses. These broadsides were distributed over the country, a limited number finding their way to Bloomington, where they were sold for one dollar each.[10] The McLean County Historical Society has one framed.

After another ten years went by, in 1882, the original manuscripts left their owner's hands again, this time one of them never to return to him or his heirs. Osborn H. Oldroyd, native of Ohio, owner of a Lincoln collection then twenty years in the making, had for a while been a resident of Springfield. He conceived the idea of erecting in Springfield a Lincoln Memorial Hall, in which to house his collection and eventually donate to the state of Illinois.[11] With this goal in view, he asked Mr. Fell to contribute the manuscripts to his care, which was done, accompanied by the following letter:

Normal, Illinois, March 9, 1882.

Osborn H. Oldroyd,

Springfield, Ill.

My Dear Sir:

It is with much pleasure that I have learned of your purpose to erect at Springfield, Illinois, a "Memorial Hall," in which is to be stored whatever is interesting as connected with, or illustrating the life and character of that most remarkable man and patriot, Abraham Lincoln. In answer to your polite request for the original manuscript of what is known as the "Autobiography of Abraham Lincoln," I herewith present you that paper, to be placed in your large and valuable collection of memorials of Mr. Lincoln. Not doubting your great success in so patriotic an undertaking, I am with sincere respect,

Yours truly,

Jesse W. Fell[12] Page  [End Page 52]

In the following year, 1883, Mr. Oldroyd was afforded the opportunity of installing his collection in the Lincoln homestead in Springfield. Evidently giving up his earlier objective, he accepted and remained the tenant and custodian of the home until 1893, when he removed to Washington with his collection and took over a like job in the house where Lincoln died. [13]

Jesse W. Fell died in his home in Normal, Illinois, in 1887.[14] His heirs, fully aware of its value, finally retrieved from a reluctant Oldroyd the original Lincoln Autobiography.[15] They never, however, succeeded in getting back the covering letter. The Oldroyd collection was sold to the U.S. Government in 1926, but this letter was not in the sale.[16] Oldroyd died in 1930, [17] and through his heirs it went into the possession of Oliver R. Barrett, of Chicago, noted collector of Lincoln manuscripts.

Oliver R. Barrett had previously made an effort to also add the Autobiography to his collection. He had some correspondence with the two Fell sisters, then possessors of the manuscript, and through a nephew of theirs had practically made a deal. As Carl Sandburg tells the story, the nephew attempted to deliver the manuscript to Barrett on a Saturday afternoon, and the banks being closed, he was to come back the following Monday with the document. Failing to return, Barrett later learned from the newspapers of his death from a heart attack. Writing again to the Fell sisters, they "replied that the sudden death of a cherished nephew had seemed almost a warning and so they were not going to part Page  [End Page 53] with those sheets of manuscript on which Lincoln had written the story of his life."[18]

Alice and Fannie Fell, unmarried daughters of Jesse W. Fell, left their home in Normal, Illinois, and moved to California in 1923. Alice died there in 1927, [19] and her sister Fannie in 1931. [20] Soon after the death of Alice, Fannie Fell made a will, in which she disposed of the Lincoln Autobiography in the following language:[21]

The trustees who had come in charge of the Autobiography kept control of the item for several more years. The original was displayed to the public through the Daily Pantagraph's 100th anniversary exhibit held at Bloomington in November, 1946, [22] and Page  [End Page 54] on Lincoln's birthday, February 12, 1947, Robert Dale Richardson, great-grandson of Jesse W. Fell, in behalf of the family, presented the manuscript with appropriate ceremony to the Library of Congress.[23] Robert Dale Richardson also compiled a book, titled "Abraham Lincoln's Autobiography," first published in December, 1947, by the Beacon Press, of Boston. Within its covers are full size facsimiles of both the covering letter and the Autobiography, together with explanatory text. [24]

The original letter of transmittal or covering letter, whichever we wish to call it, was still separated from the Autobiography when the latter was turned over to the Library of Congress by the Fell heirs. The Fell family had more than once in the past expressed themselves revealing their desire that this letter find its way back to join its companion piece. It was still in the hands of Oliver R. Barrett, of Chicago. Mr. Barrett died in 1950, and in 1952 his collection of Lincolniana was dispersed at auction in New York.[25] The Library of Congress was the noncompetitive successful bidder for the letter at $2,000.[26] Thus, parted for more than half a century, the two manuscripts came together again, and they now rest in all-time peace and security in the Library of Congress in Washington, where they are kept in appropriate and continuous public display along with exhibits honoring other Presidents, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Woodrow Wilson.[27] Page  [End Page 55]

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