James Madison Fellows

James Madison Fellows was born to Eugene D. Fellows and Sarah Van Gasbeck on April 28, 1881, in Ottawa County Michigan. The following picture is a close-up of the 1896 Fellows portrait. The photo depicts James Madison Fellows, who would be around 12 or 13 at the time, and his brothers. James is on the right, the boy to his left is Eugene L. Fellows and the boy in the white shirt is Chester Fellows.

James married Ruth Caroline on Monday, February 20, 1905. The notice published in the Holland City News on Friday, February 24, 1905, p5, stated:

At the home of the bride’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Hattersley, West Ninth Street, Miss Ruth Fuller and James Fellows, son of Eugene Fellows of Van Raalte Avenue, were united in marriage Monday by Rev. A.T. Luther. The newly wedded couple will make their home with the groom’s father.

An article from the Coopersville reporter also noted the marriage:

We were somewhat surprised to learn last week of the marriage of Jim Fellows and Miss Ruth Fuller, both of Holland. Jim spent his life, with the exception of the past year, in this vicinity, his father being manager of the Fellows Station exchange.[1]

Ruth was the daughter of Alanson Fuller and Iva Stafford. Alanson was a wagon maker.[2] Alanson was born in Pennsylvania in 1849. His parents were Orlando F. Fuller and Caroline Amidon.[3] According to his death certificate, Alanson died on February 1, 1899 as a result of an abcess and is buried in Lamont cemetery. His death certificate also indicated that he was the parent of four children and that two were still living. I found a death certificate for Mary Edith Fuller, whose parents were Allanson and Iva Fuller. Mary was born on July 9, 1888 and died of Typhoid Fever on November 19, 1907. James and Ruth’s stillborn daughter, Edith, was buried between Mary Fuller and Mildred L. Fuller (b November 14, 1879; d February 17, 1897). Mary is clearly Edith’s aunt and Mildred may be another aunt. Hence, Alanson and Iva had at least three daughters: Mildred, Ruth and Mary. I, as of yet, have no information about the fourth child.

The 1900 census for Holland shows Idell Fuller (42) living with Ruth C. Fuller. Based on the birthdates and other information, I have concluded that Idell was Iva. After the 1900 census, there is no further information about Iva. The wedding notice indicates that Ruth C. Fuller’s parents were Mr. and Mrs. William Hattersley, so Iva may have died and the girls may then have lived with the Hattersleys. William Hattersley was listed as the informant on Mary’s death certificate.

James and Ruth had a son Cecil James Fellows on September 14, 1906. The next picture shows James Madison and his newborn son Cecil. In a letter written to Mary (Hudson) Bonner, Leon S. Fellows identified the men in the back as the new dads: James Madison Fellows (left) and his brother Eugene L. Fellows (right). Leon said that “grandpa Joel” was holding his brother Cecil and “grandpa Eugene” was holding Eugene L. Fellows’ newborn son Kenneth Fellows. Thus, this picture represents four generations of Fellows.

James and Ruth had another son, Leon Stanley Fellows, on November 10, 1907. Leon was born in Ottawa County Michigan.

The following picture depicts James Madison and his wife Ruth with their two sons, Leon (right) and Cecil (left) in front of their new home at 101 Corrine in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Ruth Caroline (Fuller) Fellows and her sons Leon (left) and Cecil (right)

James Madison Fellows and his sons Leon and Cecil

(Note that James Madison is wearing his Grand Rapids Railway uniform).

James and Ruth had a daughter named Edith Ruth Fellows on August 15, 1912. Sadly, Edith was stillborn. Edith was buried at the Olive Township cemetery between her aunts Edith and Mildred Fuller.

The 1908 city directory for Grand Rapids has a listing for James M. Fellows, who is boarding with Joel M. Fellows (James’ grandfather) at 577 Hamilton Avenue in Grand Rapids. But according to the 1910 census, James lived in Georgetown Township in Ottawa County with his wife Ruth. However, by the 1920 census, James was living in Grand Rapids with Ruth and was working as a motorman. The 1912 (143 Brown) and 1919 (101 Corinne) city directories also list James in Grand Rapids and confirm that he was working for the Grand Rapids Railway Company as a motorman.

The following picture depicts the Fellows residence at 101 Corrine in around 1920.[4]

On his September 1918 draft registration card, James indicated that he lived at 101 Corrine Street in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and that he worked as a motorman for the Grand Rapids Railway Company. James’ death certificate states that James worked as a streetcar conductor.

The following pictures show Leon, Cecil and their cousin Fannie Leggett.[5]

James and Ruth had another son on September 19, 1921. They named their son Gerald Donald Fellows (also spelled Jerold).[6] Ruth died from complications arising out of Gerald’s birth (Elcampsia) on September 24, 1921. Gerald died of atrophy only 2 months and 4 days after his birth on November 28, 1921. Gerald and Ruth are buried together in the Fellows family plot in Oakhill cemetery in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

According to Mary (Hudson) Bonner, who is the granddaughter of James Madison’s sister Esther (Fellows) Leggett, James Madison was very distraught over Ruth’s death. She stated that he often sent Leon and Cecil to stay with Esther Leggett and that Leon and Esther’s daughter Fannie, who was Mary’s mother, became quite close. Mary stayed in contact with my grandfather through 1977.

In a 1968 letter to Fannie, my grandfather, Leon, indicated that Esther was like a second mother to him and he stated that Fannie was more like a sister than a cousin.

On March 23, 1926, James married Lillian May Rotzell. Lillian was born on November 29, 1889 to Atwater Hall. This was Lillian’s second marriage. She married William A. Rotzell on May 7, 1914. Lillian had two daughters by her first husband: Helen Rotzell and Gladys Berniece Rotzell.

Gladys was born on September 1, 1920.[7] In 1940, Gladys was studying to be a nurse and working at St. Mary’s hospital in Grand Rapids. Gladys died in a car accident on July 1, 1940 at the age of 19.[8] On that day, Gladys was riding in a car with her sister Helen and four other friends near Holland, Michigan. After a tire failed, the driver of the car lost control and drove into a ditch. The car flipped several times killing Gladys and injuring Helen.[9]

James and Lillian buried Gladys in the family plot at Oakhill cemetery.

The 1932 Grand Rapids City Directory lists James and Lillian living with James’ son Leon at 1659 Godwin Avenue SE. James is listed as a driver for the Spears Lumber Company.

The following picture shows Lillian with James Madison’s grandchildren (Leon’s children).[10] In the center, James L. Fellows holds his sister Mary Fellows. Daniel Fellows is the boy to the right of James Fellows. Michael Fellows, my father, is probably the boy in front of Daniel.

The next picture shows James Madison Fellows in his later years.

The following picture shows James and Lillian at Esther and George Leggett's 50th Anniversary party in 1953:

From Left to Right: Carl Leggett, Lorna Legget, Beatrice Groters, Helen Teusink, Rocepha Stevens, Lillian Fellows, Jim Fellows, Fannie Hudson, Glenn Hudson

James Madison Fellows died on August 23, 1965 and was buried in Oakhill Cemetery in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

In July 2009, we visited with Wanda Hepler, who is the current owner of the old schoolhouse in Olive Township. As Mrs. Hepler gave us a tour of the schoolhouse, I noted that my great grandfather, James M. Fellows, had been educated at the schoolhouse. Mrs. Hepler indicated that she distinctly remembered that a member of Joel Fellows’ family routinely attended Olive Township’s Old Settlers Picnic into the 1960s. She could not remember his name though. I suspect that my great grandfather was that man. He was the last of my line of the Fellows family to have been raised in Olive Township and he died in 1965. My grandfather and his brother were not raised in Olive Township and likely did not maintain any ties there given that the remainder of the Fellows family had all moved away or died. Thus, my great grandfather was the most likely candidate to have returned to the Old Settlers’ picnic to exchange stories of days long gone. Mary (Hudson) Bonner confirmed that there were relatives who still attended the Old Settlers’ Picnic and that James Madison may have been one.

After James Madison Fellows died, Lillian married J. Cliffton Dennis (b January, 1889; d 1976).[11] Lillian died on November 30, 1981. She is buried next to Gladys in the Fellows family plot in Oakhill cemetery, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

[1] Coopersville Observer, March 3, 1905 reported in Horton, Ruth, People, Places and Happenings in Robinson Township and Bass River, Ottawa County, Michigan (Robinson Township, 2006).

[2] 1880 census for Tallmadge, Ottawa (Allanson is misidentified as Maurice by the census search engine).

[3] Death Certificate, Alanson M. Fuller.

[4] James Madison Fellows’ photo album.

[5] Gary Leggett, the grandson of Esther (Fellows) Leggett identified his aunt Fannie.

[6] Ruth’s grave marker lists his name as Jerold, but his death certificate spells his name Gerald.

[7] Fellows family bible.

[8] According to her obituary, Gladys lived with James and Lillian at 1659 Godwin Avenue SE in Grand Rapids, MI. She was survived by her stepfather James and mother Lillian, her sister Helen, two stepbrothers Leon of Ludington and Cecil of Lawton, Oklahoma, and her grandmothers Delnora Hall of Greenville and Pauline Rotzell of Grand Rapids. Obituary of July 1, 1940 in Grand Rapids Press.

[9] July 1, 1940 Grand Rapids Press Article.

[10] Michael C. Fellows identified the individuals in this photo.

[11] J. Clifton Dennis was the son of Vinson E. Dennis and Maria Eastway. See Emma Fellows, above. J. Clifton Dennis was earlier married to Grace Nichols, who was James Madison Fellows’ niece (the daughter of Ina Belle Fellows and James Nichols). See Grace Nichols, below.