50 Facts About Marshall Jewell

Marshall Jewell was a manufacturer, pioneer telegrapher, telephone entrepreneur, world traveler, and political figure who served as 44th and 46th Governor of Connecticut, the US Minister to Russia, the 25th United States Postmaster General, and Republican Party National Chairman.

Postmaster Jewell helped Secretary of the Treasury Benjamin H Bristow shut down and prosecute the Whiskey Ring.

In 1847, Marshall Jewell moved to Hartford where he worked for his father's business as a currier.

Marshall Jewell stopped working as a currier and became a skilled telegrapher, where he worked in New York, Ohio, and Tennessee.

Marshall Jewell was a Whig who supported the election of Zachary Taylor to the office of the Presidency.

Marshall 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, Marshall 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 Marshall Jewell returned to Europe and traveled to Egypt and the Holy Land.

In 1868, Marshall Jewell ran for the office of Connecticut Governor; however, he lost the election.

Marshall Jewell ran again the following year and was elected Governor of Connecticut in 1869, serving from 1869 until 1870, and was defeated in the 1870 election.

Marshall Jewell was reelected to the governorship in 1871 and 1872, and served until 1873.

In 1873, Jewell was appointed Consul to Russia by President Ulysses S Grant and served until 1874 when he was appointed by President Grant as Postmaster General of the United States, a position he held until 1876.

Marshall Jewell was a presidential candidate at the 1876 Republican National Convention and served as the chairman of the Republican National Committee from 1880 until 1883.

Marshall Jewell died in 1883 in New Haven, Connecticut, and was interred at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Hartford, Connecticut.

Marshall Jewell was born in Winchester, New Hampshire on October 25,1825.

Marshall Jewell's father, Pliny Jewell, native of Hartford, was a prominent tanner and currier.

The young Marshall Jewell received a limited education at common schools.

At an early age Marshall Jewell apprenticed for his father in the tannery business working as a day laborer until the age of 18.

Marshall Jewell moved to Woburn where he learned the skill of being a currier.

Marshall Jewell returned to his father's tannery business in Hartford where he worked in the currier shop for two years.

In 1847, Marshall Jewell grew tired of the tannery business and having good business sense learned the telegraphy trade working in Boston, Rochester, and Akron.

In 1848, while working as a telegrapher, Marshall Jewell became interested in national politics becoming a Whig.

Marshall Jewell supported Zachary Taylor for President of the United States.

Marshall 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.

Between 1852 and 1857 Marshall Jewell traveled widely throughout the United States to promote his manufactured leather product business.

From 1859 to 1860, Marshall Jewell went on a trip to Europe in order to expand his leather business.

In 1869, Marshall Jewell was elected Governor of Connecticut having served until his defeat in 1870.

Marshall 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.

Marshall Jewell served with "marked ability" from May 29,1873, to December 9,1873.

Marshall 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.

Marshall Jewell appealed to the Russian government that this practice harmed authentic American trade with Russia.

Marshall Jewell was able to negotiate a specific treaty that protected United States trademarks.

Rather than keep this a secret for his own profit, Marshall Jewell sent a sample of the birch tar to the United States and American newspapers published how Russia leather was made.

Marshall Jewell was recalled from Minister to Russia when President Grant offered Marshall Jewell the office US Postmaster General.

Marshall Jewell had desired to hold a domestic office rather than an international office.

Marshall Jewell's recall from Russia was a surprise to the American public, as he had served less than a year.

Marshall Jewell took up the office of US 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.

Marshall Jewell wanted the Postal Service to be run like a business rather than through patronage.

Marshall Jewell often called meetings with his clerks giving them new instructions on reform.

Marshall Jewell was in favor of Bristow's presidential aspirations in 1876.

In one instance, Jewell fired Boston postmaster, William L Burt, for non payment of a surety bond and replaced him with Edward C Tobey on September 18,1875.

Marshall Jewell stated that although Burt was a capable Postmaster of Boston, he had given Burt ample time, five months, to have paid for the surety bond.

Marshall Jewell, who did not ask why Grant demanded his resignation, was shocked having believed he had the confidence of the President at the previous Cabinet meeting.

President Grant, suspicious of any Cabinet members whom he was convinced were personally disloyal, believed that Jewell had been treacherous to his Administration and had conspired with another reformer, Secretary of the Treasury, Benjamin H Bristow.

Marshall Jewell devoted his time to his tanning business that had faltered while he had been away.

Marshall Jewell was the first person from the State of Connecticut to be nominated at a national Republican Presidential Convention.

In 1879 Marshall Jewell accepted the appointment of National Chairman of the Republican Party having served to 1880.

Marshall Jewell was buried at Cedar Hill Cemetery on Valentine's Day, February 14,1883.

The Governors Guard guarded Marshall Jewell's body held in state at the Asylum Hill Congregational Church.

Marshall Jewell's daughter was Josephine Jewell Dodge, a prominent early childhood educator and anti-suffrage activist.