Herbert Claiborne Pell Papers, 1905-1963 | Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum

Title: Herbert Claiborne Pell Papers, 1905-1963

Primary Creator: Pell, Herbert C.

Extent: 27.32 Cubic Feet

Arrangement:

The Papers of Herbert Claiborne Pell, which reflect Pell' s political, diplomatic, intellectual , business and family interests, have been divided into four series.

General Correspondence, 1912-1960

Speech and Writings File

Financial File, 1931-1961

Addendum, 1905-1963

The Papers of Herbert Claiborne Pell primarily focus on his years with the Roosevelt Administration.  Pell was a Harvard classmate of FDR's and a fellow progressive Democrat in the tumultous world of New York politics during the 1910s and 1920's. However there is little from that era in the collections. Perhaps more comfortable behind the scenes, Pell eschewed Washington DC, opting to remain in local politics until the 1936 presidential election.  UN War Crimes Commission materials are included in the last series.

Herbert Claiborne Pell was born in New York City on February 16, 1884. He studied at Harvard and Columbia Universities but left school and toured Europe . He was a member of the Progressive County Committee of Orange County, New York from 1912 to 1914 when he joined the Democratic Party. He was elected to the 66th Congress in 1919 and served as chairman of the New York Democratic Committee from 1921 to 1926. In the 1936 campaign, Pell was vice- chairman of the Democratic National Campaign Committee. President Roosevelt appointed him Minister to Portugal on May 27, 1937. He served in that post until February 1941 when he was reassigned as Minister to Hungary, a position he held until Hungary severed diplomatic relations with the United States on December 11, 1941. In 1943, he was appointed to the United Nations War Crimes Commission. After World War II, Pell retired to his home at "Pellbridge" in Hopewell Junction, New York. Later, he resumed his European travels and, while on a trip with his grandson, died on July 17, 1961.

Repository: Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum

Access Restrictions: None

Use Restrictions: Copyright in these papers was donated to the United States Government.

Acquisition Method: These Papers were donated to the Roosevelt Library by Herbert C. Pell, his son, former Senator Claiborne Pell, and Carolyn Gustafson, a former secretary.

Related Materials: Material relating to the Pell papers may be found in the President's Secretary's File: Hungary, Portugal and War Crimes Commission; Official Files 2670 Herbert C. Pell, 226 Hungary, 442 Portugal, and 5152 War Crimes Investigating Commission, and the President's Personal File 414 Herbert C. Pell.  A Columbia University Oral History interview on microfiche is available for use.