Biographical Sketch of Col. Homer F. Fellows, Greene County, Missouri,
Springfield

>From "History of Greene County, Missouri," St. Louis: Western
Historical Company, 1883.

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Col. Fellows, whose full Christian name is Homer Franklin, was born in
Wellsborough, Tioga county, Pennsylvania, July 30th, 1832.  Johnathan
Fellows, grandfather of Homer F., came from England prior to the Revo-
lution, and settled first in Connecticut, where Erastus Fellows, father
to the subject of this sketch, was born. They subsequently (1815) moved
to Pennsylvania, where Erastus married Mrs. Elizabeth Johnson, relict
of Moses Johnson, who became the mother of Col. Fellows.  Homer passed
his early life in Wellsborough, where his father was a hotel keeper and
farmer.  He worked on the farm in spring and summer and during winter,
attended the schools of his native town. He spent one year in a general
merchandise store at the age of eighteen, then taught school one term
at Osceola, Pennsylvania, at the conclusion of which he entered Geneseo
College, at Lima, New York, remaining one year.  In 1853, he being "of
age" started with a party to Texas, but changed his mind and went to
Iowa.  He had procured letters of intreduction to some prominent gen-
tlemen, including Gov. Grimes.  Procuring an engagement as traveling
salesman for Geer & Baum, of Burlington, he remained one year, till the
firm dissolved, traveling on both sides of the Des Moines river with a
team.  After the dissolution, Mr. Fellows was employed in settling up
the business, and in 1854, was sent by Mr. Baum with a stock of goods
to Chariton, Iowa where he remained a year, and wound up the business
when Baum sold out.  He then came to this State and went into the real
estate business with Messrs. Scheller & Baum, in Plattsburg, where he
remained till 1857, when he established two other offices, one in War-
saw, Benton county and another in Springfield, this county, the firm
then being Fellows, Todd & Robinson, he taking charge of the Spring-
field office.  Col. Fellows was married November 18, 1859 to Miss
Vidie, daughter of Maj. R. J. McElhaney.  She died at Springfield, 
October 10, 1869, leaving three daughters: Emma, Clara and Adah.  He
was again married August 18, 1872 to Miss Minnie L. Boyden, daughter of
Capt. Ezekiel Boyden, of Peoria, Illinois.  During the civil war, Col.
Fellows was engaged in the mercantile business at Rolla, Phelps county,
but left there in 1864, to engage in the wholesale grocery business in
St. Louis.  He was associated with several different firms in St. Louis
till the spring of 1867, when he moved to Arlington, then the Southwest
Pacific Railroad terminus, where he was interested in business.  When
the road was completed to Springfield he moved to that point, engaging
in merchandising and erecting an elevator, which was burned in 1872. In
December of that year he became superintendent of the Springfield Wagon
factory.  Two years later he and his brother bought out the concern,
assuming all liabilities.  They are still conducting the factory, and
the reputation of the "Springfield Wagon" is well and most favorably
known throughout the Southwest.  In 1865 Col. Fellows was a director of
the Missouri Loan Bank, and also of the Occidental Insurance Company.
He was Lieut. Colonel of the 63rd Missouri Militia, called into active
service on Price's raid into this State.  In 1861 he was appointed 
register of lands by President Lincoln. He was elected mayor of Spring-
field in 1877, and re-elected by an increased majority in 1878.  Few
men have more of genuine public spirit than Col. Fellows, or are more
ready to further public improvements by purse and personal action.  He
took a leading part in the construction of the Springfield street rail-
way, and when the water-works question was agitated, he lead out in 
that enterprise, and paid for the carriages, out of his own pocket, to
bring voters to the polls the day the question was carried in favor of
the Perkins proposition to supply the city with water.  In politics
Col. Fellows is an independent Republican.  He is a Mason and an Odd
Fellow, and a member of the Brotherhood of Druids, and Knights of Honor.
He is liberal in his religious opinions, and willing that all men should
do their own thinking. 

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