Background
Bell, Whitfield Jenks was born on December 3, 1914 in Newburgh, New York, United States. Son of Whitfield Jenks and Lillian Victoria (Hengstler) Bell.
Bell, Whitfield Jenks was born on December 3, 1914 in Newburgh, New York, United States. Son of Whitfield Jenks and Lillian Victoria (Hengstler) Bell.
Bachelor of Arts, Dickinson College, 1935; Doctor of Laws, Dickinson College, 1964; A.M., University of Pennsylvania, 1938; Doctor of Philosophy, University Pennsylvania, 1947; Doctor of Letters, Franklin College, 1960; Doctor of Laws, Washington College, 1981.
Instructor history, Dickinson College, 1937, 38-39, 41-43
associate professor, Dickinson College, 1945-1950
professor, Dickinson College, 1950-1954
visiting professor, College William and Mary, 1953-1954;
assistant editor, Papers of Benjamin Franklin, 1954-1955;
associate editor, Papers of Benjamin Franklin, 1955-1961;
associate librarian, American Philosophical Society, 1961-1966;
librarian, American Philosophical Society, 1966-1980;
Executive officer, American Philosophical Society, 1977-1983. Administrative board Papers of Benjamin Franklin, 1969-1991. Member National History Publs.
Commission, 1965-1973, National Portrait Gallery Commission, 1969-1973. Member Institute Early American History, Williamsburg, 1956-1959, 62-65, chairman 1964-1965. Member committee sponsors Joseph Henry Papers, 1965-1991.
(When Benjamin Franklin adopted John Bartram's 1739 idea o...)
Trustee Rosenbach Foundation, 1968-1979, Henry F. Du Pont Winterthur Museum, 1971-1979. Volunteer American Field Service, Italy, Germany, 1943-1945. Member American Antiquarian Society, Massachusetts History Society, American Association Medical History (president 1970-1972, Colonial Society Massachusetts, Phi Beta Kappa.