Samuel Simeon Fels
Samuel Simeon Fels (February 16, 1860 in Yanceyville, North Carolina – June 23, 1950 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) was an American businessman and philanthropist.
Samuel Simeon Fels | |
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 Fels Institute of Government | |
| Born | February 16, 1860 |
| Died | June 23, 1950 (age 90) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Soap manufacturer |
| Spouse(s) | Jennie May |
| Family | Joseph Fels (brother) |
Biography
Born to a Jewish family in Yanceyville, North Carolina, Fels family relocated to Philadelphia, where Samuel's older brother Joseph Fels founded a soap manufacturing company, Fels & Co., which found success with the product Fels-Naptha. Samuel became the company's first president, a post he held until his death at age 90.
An active philanthropist, in 1936, Fels established the Samuel S. Fels Fund, which provides support to Philadelphia-area non-profit organizations, even today. Fels also founded the University of Pennsylvania’s Fels Institute of Government. Fels is known for commissioning Samuel Barber's Violin Concerto Op. 14 in 1939.
External links
- Fels Institute of Government, University of Pennsylvania
- The Fels Planetarium at The Franklin Institute
- The Samuel S. Fels Fund
- Fels Longitudinal Study
- Iso Briselli, the adopted son of Samuel S. Fels
- Samuel Simeon Fels at Find a Grave
- The Samuel Simeon Fels Papers, including correspondence, records and other materials, are available for research use at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
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