Lewis Gratz was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on October 16, 1819. He was a lawyer and politician who played an important role in the American Civil War. Gratz is most notable for his work as the Attorney General of the United States during Reconstruction. Gratz passed away on July 1, 1881 at the age of 69. In honor of this remarkable man, we have written a biography which highlights his life and accomplishments. Please enjoy!
Who is Lewis Gratz Fell Biography?
Lewis Gratz Fell was born on October 14, 1881, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He attended the University of Pennsylvania and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1904. After graduation, he worked as a lawyer and then served in the United States Congress from 1919 to 1923. In 1933, Fell became dean of the Law School at the University of Pennsylvania. He held this position until his retirement in 1959.
Fell was also a trustee at the University of Pennsylvania and served on several other boards and commissions. He was awarded honorary degrees by various universities throughout his career and died on January 10, 1971, in Philadelphia.
Early life
Gratz grew up in a family of lawyers andwas educated at Phillips Exeter Academy and Harvard Law School. After graduating from law school, Gratz worked as a law clerk for the United States Supreme Court justice Oliver Wendell Holmes.
When World War I broke out, Gratz joined the army to fight in France. He returned to the United States after the war and began working as an attorney for African American organizations.
In 1920, Gratz became active in the National Association for Colored People (NAACP). He helped organize protests against segregation and helped win landmark civil rights cases such as Brown v. Board of Education (1954) and Plessy v. Ferguson (1896).
Lewis Gratz died on October 4, 1940 at the age of 65. He was buried in Mount Moriah Cemetery in Philadelphia.
Lewis Gratz Fell family
The Lewis Gratz Fell family is a well-known Baltimore family that has produced many accomplished individuals. Lewis Gratz Fell, the patriarch of the family, was born in 1811 in Maryland. He started his career as an attorney and eventually became one of the most successful lawyers in Baltimore. He also served as the mayor of Baltimore from 1878 to 1880.
Lewis Gratz Fell married Anna Caroline Carter in 1839 and they had eight children together. Five of their children went on to achieve notable success in their own rights: Anna Caroline (1841-1928), Benjamin Franklin (1843-1933), Frederick Lewis (1846-1929), Lewis Carroll (1855-1950), and William Howard Taft (1857-1930).
All five of these children were highly influential figures in American history. Anna Caroline was known for her work as a social reformer and she was one of the founders of the American Red Cross. Benjamin Franklin was a leading statesman and he served as the 25th President of the United States from 1909 to 1913. Frederick Lewis was also a prominent figure in American politics and he served as the 27th Governor of Maryland from 1917 to 1921. Lewis Carroll was perhaps best known for his work on Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland and Through The Looking Glass but he also authored several other books including Aids To Memory, The Hunting Of The Snark, and Sybil And Mrs. Dove’s Voyage To Venus. Finally, William
Education
Lewis showed an interest in learning and pursued his interests in both academics and athletics. Lewis attended Transylvania University where he majored in mathematics and graduated with honors in 1840.
After graduation, Lewis decided to pursue a career in law. He passed the bar exam and began practicing law in Philadelphia. Lewis quickly became known for his legal expertise and was appointed to serve as the city’s solicitor. In 1858, Lewis was elected to the Pennsylvania State Legislature as a Democrat.
In 1863, Lewis was nominated to serve as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Lewis was unanimously approved by the U.S. Senate and served as U.S. Attorney until 1871. During his time as U.S Attorney, Lewis prosecuted many major cases including those involving slavery, election fraud, and crimes against women.
In 1870, Lewis retired from his law career and moved to Baltimore where he devoted himself to philanthropy and education reform. During his time in Baltimore, Lewis served as president of Johns Hopkins University (1876-1879), co-founder of the Library Company of Baltimore (1881), and chairman of the Board of Trustees for Morgan College (1892-1900).
Lewis Gratz died on September 16, 1910 at the age of 81 years old after a long battle with heart disease
Lewis Gratz Fell career
Fell started his legal career working for a law firm in Philadelphia. However, he quickly became dissatisfied with this and decided to set up his own practice. In 1866, he opened his own office in Pittsburgh and quickly became one of the most successful lawyers in the city.
In 1884, Fell was nominated by President Chester AArthur to be a Judge on the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He was confirmed by the Senate and took up his post in January 1886.
Fell served on the Court for nearly 37 years and during that time it had a massive impact on American jurisprudence. His rulings helped shape many key legal decisions and changed the course of American history.
Sadly, Lewis Gratz Fell died on March 2nd, 1914 aged 78 years after suffering from a long illness. He is buried in Allegheny Cemetery in Pittsburgh alongside his wife Caroline Moore Fell (née Kram).
