David Newlin Fell (November 4, 1840 – September 22, 1919) served as a justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania from 1894 to 1910, and as chief justice from 1910 to 1915.

D. Newlin Fell
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
In office
1910–1915
Preceded byJames T. Mitchell
Succeeded byJ. Hay Brown
Justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
In office
1894–1910
Personal details
Born(1840-11-04)November 4, 1840
Buckingham Township, Pennsylvania
DiedSeptember 22, 1919(1919-09-22) (aged 78)
SpouseMartha Trego
Alma materMillersville State Normal School
Military service
Branch/serviceUnion Army
Battles/warsAmerican Civil War

Biography

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D. Newlin Fell was born on November 4, 1840, in Buckingham Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, to Joseph C. Fell and Harriet Williams. He attended Millersville State Normal School (now Millersville University) and graduated in 1862. Subsequently, Fell served in the Union Army during the American Civil War, first as 2nd lieutenant of Co. E, 122nd Pennsylvania Infantry, from August 12, 1862, through May 15, 1863, and then during July through August 1863 as 1st lieutenant of Company D, 31st Pennsylvania Militia Regiment. He married Martha Trego on September 1, 1870, and had seven children with her.[1]

Fell served as an Associate Judge on the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, having been appointed in May 1877.[2] Fell was elected to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania in November 1893.[3] He assumed office in 1894 and served as an associate justice until 1910, when he was elevated to chief justice. He served as chief justice until 1915. Fell died on September 22, 1919.[1][4]

Fell held an honorary LL.D. from Swarthmore College, awarded in 1911,[5] and he is the namesake of the D. Newlin Fell School.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Wardell, Pat. "Fell" (PDF). The Genealogical Society of Bergen County, NJ. Retrieved 1 June 2016.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ Martin, John Hill (2006). Martin's Bench and Bar of Philadelphia. The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd. p. 56. ISBN 9781584776475. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  3. ^ Hazard, Samuel; Linn, John Blair; Reed, George Edward; Egle, William Henry; Montgomery, Thomas Lynch; MacKinney, Gertrude; Hoban, Charles Francis (1902). Pennsylvania Archives. pp. 373–74. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  4. ^ "Fell, David Newlin (1840-1919)". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  5. ^ "Past Speakers and Honorary Degree Recipients". Swarthmore College. Retrieved 1 June 2016.