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Rh of study, and free-hand drawing his delight, as slates, book-covers and albums attested. While in school he made rapid progress, and graduated in the Spring of 1857, having acquired, as his diploma reads, "a very creditable degree of knowledge of the several branches taught therein. Besides these attainments, Mr. Jewell possesses tact and skill for rapid sketching and delineation, which give life to his blackboard illustrations."

To show the forethought possessed by him in a marked degree, before graduating he had secured a school to teach in New Jersey, and the day after the closing exercises were over, he started for his new field of labor. He taught with great success in New Jersey and also in New York, some three years. One school, of which he was principal, numbered three hundred scholars, and employed five assistant teachers, all of whom were his seniors in years. Like his father he gained an enviable reputation as a teacher; and his credentials speak of him in the highest terms as a competent, faithful and pleasing instructor, and most excellent disciplinarian. One superintendent of schools, remarks,—"He was the best teacher who had been employed in the town for thirty years." While engaged in teaching, Mr. Jewell pursued a course of study in engineering and surveying, and finally determined to follow engineering as a profession. He gave up school-teaching, left the "foreign shores of Jersey," and entered the office of R. Morris Copeland and C. W. Folsom, of Boston. His first work was the re-survey of Cambridgeport. He afterward worked in Dorchester and on Narraganset Bay. He had but just commenced this new occupation when "the shot heard round the world" was fired on Sumter, and the tocsin of war sounded the alarm.

Surveying, like all other business, came to a stand-still; the compass was changed for a musket; distances were measured by the steady tramp of the soldiery, and the weary flagman became the lonely sentinel. About this time the owners of the Pembroke Mill and property connected there in Pembroke and Allenstown, New Hampshire, decided to increase their business by building a new mill twice the capacity of the one then owned by them. Knowing Mr. Jewell to be a good draughtsman, having employed him during the construction of the Pembroke mill, they again engaged him. Consulting with their then resident agent, he prepared the required working plans and drawings for the Webster mill. The work of the building was soon under way and rapidly pushed to completion. While thus engaged the agent at Newton died, and the immediate care of the mills was given to Mr. Jewell, until (as the treasurer said) he could find a competent man for the position. Finishing his work at Suncook, and having conducted the affairs of the company at Newton in a very satisfactory manner, the treasurer tendered him the agency of the mills. In accepting the position, his career as agent began, where, fifteen years before, he commenced the work, that fitted him so thoroughly for the successful management of the same. The mills were in a bad condition, the machinery old and run-down, and the owners impatient and anxious. Nothing daunted, however, Mr. Jewell entered heartily into the business, making such changes that at the time he tendered his resignation he had doubled the production, and greatly improved the quality of the goods manufactured. Looms built more than fifty years ago, and improved by Mr. Jewell, are still running and producing nearly as many yards per day, and of as good quality, as those made at the present time. These mills were run throughout the war, paying for cotton as high as one dollar a pound, and selling the cloth for thirty-five cents a yard. Mr. Jewell was very anxious to enlist during the exciting times of war, but was prevailed upon by the owners to continue in charge of their works, and by the entreaties of his wife, who was hopelessly ill, to remain at her side.