Judge L. E. Fellows
Judge L. E. Fellows, whose demise occurred on the 17th of
July, 1912, was a pioneer in Allamakee county and for many years
one of the most prominent and worthy men in public life in this
section of the state. His birth occurred in Corinth, Orange
county, Vermont, on the 22d of August, 1834, his parents being
Hubbard and Mary Ann Fellows. He spent his childhood on his
father’s farm, acquiring an excellent education in the
public schools, which he supplemented by a course in an academy.
As a young man he came west in 1857 and in that year made a
permanent location in Allamakee county, securing a position as
clerk in the county offices. He devoted his spare time to reading
law and mastering the profession, won his admission to the bar of
Iowa, May 29, 1862. He took up active practice, becoming rapidly
successful and rising steadily to a position of prominence and
importance. He became well known in public life and, when he
turned his attention to politics, did able work in this field,
winning election to the lower house of the state legislature.
Upon the close of his second term in this office, his ability,
his progressives and his firm stand on the side of legislation
looking toward advancement and reform, were rewarded by his
election to the lower house of the state legislature. Upon the
close of his second term in this office, his ability, his
progressives and his firm stand on the side of legislation
looking toward advancement and reform, were rewarded by his
election to the senate, where he served with honor and
distinction for four years, accomplishing a great deal of
efficient and constructive work. He was honored by his fellow
citizens by other official positions of trust and distinction,
serving as a member of the board of trustees of the hospital for
the insane at Mount Pleasant and as trustee of the Upper Iowa
University at Fayette. In 1899 he was appointed judge of the
thirteenth judicial district to fill the vacancy caused by the
resignation of Judge C. T. Granger, and he was later elected to
this position, serving by reelection for five consecutive terms
and winning widespread recognition for his broad-minded,
discriminating and judicious work.
In 1861 Judge Fellows was joined in wedlock to Miss Mary S. Reed,
of Waukon, who survives. In their family were eight children:
Wilson R,; A. M., a sketch of whom appears on another page of
this work; Laura F.; Mary F.; Ella S.; Roger L.; Jennie; and
Liberty E.
In addition to his accomplishments along political and judicial
lines, Judge Fellows was also keenly interested in the work of
the Masonic order and was an active and useful member of the
local organization. He held a number of high official positions
and in 1893 was elected grand master of the grand lodge, winning
reelection in the following year. His life was at all times
honorable and upright as well as useful and beneficial, and his
death, which occurred July 17, 1912, at the age of nearly
seventy-eight years, was a great loss to Iowa in the ranks of her
pioneer settlers and of her honored public officials.
-source: Past & Present of Allamakee County; by
Ellery M. Hancock; S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.; 1913
-transcribed by Diana Diedrich
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