An obituary appeared in the Evanston Review on March 17, 1960. It said in part,
"Max Fell, who with his horse and wagon was known to generations of Evanstonians, died Wednesday of last week in Evanston Hospital. He was 86.
His business was collecting and selling old paper, scrap iron and miscellaneous metal. Up to the beginning of this month, when he became ill, he had been doing it for 54 years."
When I was a boy, most mothers worked at home taking care of their families. Periodically a man pushing a large wooden cart would stop us children when we were out playing and say, "Tell your mother the knife sharpener man is here." Our mothers were always happy to see him, and they would gather up all their knives and scissors and take them out to him to be sharpened. They then paid him - in cash of course - and he walked on to another block and started his routine all over again. We never knew his name. He was always "The knife sharpener man." After all, that's what he called himself.
Max Fell, on the other hand, was what we used to call a "junk man." He went up and down Evanston's many alleys in his horse-drawn wagon looking for "good junk" that he could collect and sell. His acquisition cost was virtually nil, so everything he collected and sold was almost 100% profit. Unlike the Knife Sharpener Man, I never knew Max Fell but he is an interesting character nonetheless. Before we take a closer look at junk found in Evanston's alleys, let's see what we can "dig up" about Max Fell.
Max Fell was born May 15, 1873 or April 25, 1875 (he reported both dates) in Lithuania, although when asked he usually said "Russia." As a young man he learned to handle horses as a member of a Russian artillery battery. This skill was to prove useful to him later in life as we will see.
In about 1900 Max married Rose Kutok (1881-1964) and she, of course, traveled with him to his new life in the United States.
As he did with his date of birth, Max Fell gave different answers when asked when he immigrated to the United States. Sometimes he said 1901, sometimes 1903. When he applied for US Citizenship he said that he had arrived in the US on October 14, 1904. None of these dates hold up to scrutiny when other factors are taken into consideration. Max and Rosa told the 1910 US Census taker they had five children: Nine year-old Ahren/Aaron (1903-1955), seven year-old Morris/Maurice (1905-1982), three year-old Ruth/Fannie (1906-1996), two year-old Edith (1907-2004) and six month-old Jacob/Jack (1909-2008). They said that Aaron and Maurice had been born in Russia; Fannie, Edith and Jacob had all been born in the United States. Since Aaron was born in 1903 and Morris was born in 1905 a more likely immigration date for them was 1905/1906. Of course Max and Rosa had used the Jewish calendar when they were living in Russia and there was often confusion when trying to remember the dates of past events recorded using a different calendar. No matter when they actually arrived, they moved to Evanston within a year at the urging of an uncle, the late Elias Rubin, who at that time operated a second-hand business in Evanston. Max and Rosa do not appear in the 1905 Evanston Directory, but they are listed in the 1909 Directory.
In the 1910 US Census, Max Fell and his family were living at 2016 West Railroad Avenue in Evanston. West Railroad Avenue became Green Bay Road in 1936:
2016 West Railroad Avenue (Green Bay Road), Evanston, Illinois
Current residents will recognize 2016 Green Bay Road as the home of the Windy City Garden Center.
Max said he was thirty six-years old, and that he was in his first marriage. He had been born in Russia. He said he had been married for ten years. He said he had immigrated in 1903 and that he had filed papers to become a US Citizen. He reported his native language was Yiddish, and that his occupation was "Junk Peddler." He said he could both read and write.
Max's wife Rosa, said she was twenty-nine years old and also in her first marriage. She had been married for ten years. She had given birth to five children and said they were all alive in 1910. Like her husband she had been born in Russia but unlike Max she reported her native language as Russian. She also could both read and write.
Max Fell became a naturalized US citizen on April 5, 1912. He used to say that the best thing he ever did was come to the United States. "America's the best land of all. You are free here and you can always make a good living if you work hard."
On November 17, 1914, the last of Max and Rosa's children was born: Toby Sophia Fell (1914-1977).
Like all good Americans, Max registered for the draft on September 12, 1918. His address was still the house on West Railroad Avenue in Evanston. He said he was a Junk Dealer and self-employed. The Registrar said Max was of medium height and stout build, with grey eyes and black hair. They also reported "Part of 3rd finger on right hand missing."
The 1920 US Census found the Max Fell family still living at 2016 West Railroad Avenue in Evanston. The family consisted of forty six year-old Max, forty year-old Rosa, eighteen year old Aaron, seventeen year old Morris, and twelve year old Ruth. No mention of Edith, Jacob or Toby. They reported they had immigrated in 1905 and were naturalized in 1909. When doing genealogy research remember that years ago peoples' recollections of dates and places were often inaccurate. It is never a good idea to use the Census as a primary source because people could tell the census taker anything without having to back it up.
Getting back to the 1920 Census, Max reported that he owned the house on West Railroad, and that his occupation was "Junk Dealer." Morris reported that he was a "wagon boy" at the "Fields store." Max and Rosa said the could neither read nor write. This contradicts the 1910 Census when they both said they could read and write. In the 1920 Census they reported that all of their children were able to both read and write. All of them reported that they could speak English.
In 1926, Max Fell and family moved from Green Bay Road to a beautiful nine room home at 2310 Ridge Avenue in Evanston:
2310 Ridge Avenue, Evanston
I guess there's money to be made in junk. After the family moved to the Ridge address, Max ran his junk business from the Green Bay Road location.
The 1930 US Census reflected the Fell family's new address at 2310 Ridge in Evanston. The family consisted of: Max Fell, age 56; his wife Rose, age 48, and children Maurice, age 26; Ruth, age 23; Edith, age 21; Jake, age 20; Robert, age 16; and Sophia, age 15. I am glad to see that the children who had been "lost" in the 1920 Census had been "found." The family left the "Own a Radio?" field blank but I am sure with all those young people in the house they must have owned a radio - probably several. Max said he owned the house and it was worth $30,000.00. He was a "Proprietor in Junk" and not a Veteran. Maurice was a "Chauffeur in a Private House," Ruth was a "Bookkeeper in a Bakery," Edith was a "Stenographer for a Publisher" and Jake was a "Butcher in a Market."
The 1940 US Census was not substantially different for the Fell family. They were, of course, still living at 2310 Ridge in Evanston. The family now consisted of: Max Fell, 66; wife Rose, 57; children Maurice, 35; Ruth, 33; and Toby, 25. There was also a new addition to the family: Bernard Fell, 5 - Grandson. Max was now a "Buyer in a Junk Business," Ruth was a "Clerk in a Bakery," Toby was a "Floor Clerk in a Department Store," and Maurice was a "Chauffeur for a Private Family." They had all lived in the same place in 1935. The Great Depression had taken place since the 1930 Census, and Max said his $30,000.00 house was now only worth $12,000.00.
The 1940 US Census asked for the first time the "Highest Grade of School Completed." Max said he had gone as far as the 7th grade; Rose had 4 years of high school; Ruth had gone as far as the 8th grade; Toby had 4 years of high school, and Maurice had gone as far as the 8th grade.
What was it like to be a junk dealer in Evanston, Illinois? A 1955 interview with Max Fell said:
"Jaunting all day by horse and buggy through the alleys of Evanston is Max Fell's idea of a satisfying and healthful life. He has been doing it for 49 years in which he has reared a family of seven prosperous children, made many backyard acquaintanceships with charming families and enjoyed the companionship of many sympathetic horses. Max's business is collecting and selling old paper, scrap iron and miscellaneous junk. When prices were better, be bought old paper and junk, Now he usually charges a fee for removing the stuff from the premises and makes calls by appointment. He admits it's love of horses and outdoors that keeps him on the go past retirement age for most men. He tried indoor life, couldn't stand it and returned to the alley routine."
As I mentioned above, Max had grown up with horses in his native Lithuania and learned how to handle them as a member of a Russian artillery battery. Horses would play a big role in Max's life in Evanston. He told an interviewer that he had owned about 75 horses through the years. The number is large because when he was younger he was a horse trader as well as a junk dealer. Horse swapping and colt breaking were two of his favorite pastimes. Once an Evanstonian offered Max the meanest wild west colt in his corral plus $10.00 if he could put a bridle on the horse. Max bridled the colt, tamed it, rode away with it and later sold it for $150.00. Max kept his horses on a lot he owned at Ridge Avenue and Central Street in Evanston (approximately where the Cos Building is located today).
Later in life Max's constant companion and best friend was a horse named Jim (no relation to your author). The Evanston Review used to run a column called "The Evanston Revue" by editor Walter Lovelace who called himself "The Saunterer." In 1955 he wrote about Max Fell and Jim:
"Should an anxious horse wearing a nosebag poke his head into a coffee shop to inquire about a man, chances are the horse is Jim, the man is his owner and closest friend, Max, and the nosebag is empty. That's what happens when Max Fell, one of the town's happiest and most substantial citizens, ties a luncheon bag on Jim's nose and then drops in for a cup of coffee and lingers too long. When Jim finishes, he is anxious to get going."
Max Fell took pride in never letting weather prevent his daily journeys through the city. But it was not all work. In below-zero weather, he would hitch up his horse to take Northwestern students for hayrides, continuing this custom until shortly before his death.
Max Fell refused to join the rest of the world in mechanizing his equipment, chiefly, he would say, "because I love horses." One of his evening rules was to never sit down to a meal until his horse was fed and bedded down. His reason for not retiring years ago, he would say, was his love for the horses and for the outdoors.
The one time he did try using a truck, it stalled in 10-below zero weather, and two of his toes were frozen while he waited for a tow car. So Max gladly sold the truck at a $1,000.00 loss and went back to his reliable horse.
Also, he once tried hitching his wagon to a mule. The mule jovially hee-hawed as it kicked Max in the forehead, nearly fracturing his skull. No more mules for Max.
Once a woman accused Max of driving an unshod horse. He invited her to lift Jim's foot and see for herself. She declined and called a policeman. The policeman also declined to inspect Jim's footwear and walked away. This was lucky for the policeman, Max said because when a busybody tries to life Jim's foot he always gets a kick in the face. Actually Jim wears rubber shoes. He is fitted to a new set every month by a farrier who travels to the barn by auto and charges $14.00.
Sadly, the Fell's oldest son Aaron, died on September 16, 1955. We was fifty-three years old. He had been living and working in Waukegan, Illinois as the plant manager of a paper company. I was unable to determine the cause of his death, but I was able to verify that he was buried at Westlawn Jewish Cemetery in Norridge, Illinois:
Jim, Max fell's constant equine companion since 1945 died in February of 1960. There is no record of where Jim was buried. After Jim's death, Max Fell no longer felt like he wanted to scour the alleys of Evanston for "good junk."
Max Fell died shortly after Jim on March 9, 1960. He was at least 86 years old. Here is his death notice from the Chicago Tribune from March 11, 1960:
Like his son Aaron, Max was buried at Westlawn Jewish Cemetery in Norridge, Illinois, in the Rose Section, Block 15, Lot 1, Grave 5:
Max Fell lived the American Dream. Through honest hard work he provided for his family and made many friends along the way. I think it is appropriate at this point, to restate Max's comments about his adopted country:
"America's the best land of all. You are free here and you can always make a good living if you work hard."
I never met Max Fell, but I'm sure that if I had, I would never have forgotten him.
Max Fell - one of Evanston's happiest and most successful citizens - may he rest in peace.
Special thanks, as always to Mike Kelly who brought the story of Max Fell to my attention then provided much of the research material for this story.
