Marshall Jewell (October 20, 1825 – February 10, 1883) 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. Jewell, distinguished for his fine "china" skin, grey eyes, and white eyebrows, was popularly known as the "Porcelain Man". As Postmaster General, Jewell made reforms and was intent on cleaning up the Postal Service from internal corruption and profiteering. Postmaster Jewell helped Secretary of the Treasury Benjamin H. Bristow shut down and prosecute the Whiskey Ring. President Grant, however, became suspicious of Jewell's loyalty after Jewell fired a Boston postmaster over non payment of a surety bond and asked for his resignation. 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 then became a skilled telegrapher, working 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. In 1868, Jewell ran for the office of Connecticut Governor; however, he lost the election.

Early life and career

Marshall Jewell was born in Winchester, New Hampshire, on October 20, 1825.

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.

While in Russia, Jewell, as a tanner, discovered that the Russians used birch tar to make the aromatic and hard-wearing Russia leather. Rather than keep this a secret for his own profit, Jewell sent a sample of the birch tar to the United States and American newspapers published how Russia leather was made. Jewell was recalled from Minister to Russia when President Grant offered Jewell the office 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. Jewell was in favor of Bristow's presidential aspirations in 1876.

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. 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. Burt, who would not let the issue settle had several conferences with President Grant one at Long Branch in 1875 and one at Washington, D.C., in 1876 to protest his removal. 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. One partisan broker complained that Jewell "ran the post-office as if it were a factory." Following a Cabinet meeting in 1876, President Grant abruptly asked for Sec. Jewell's resignation without explanation. 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. 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. 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. William Kellogg withdrew Jewell's name from the ballot after the votes cast were unanimously for Wheeler.

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. 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.

References

Sources

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-