Bio-Sawyers
Surnames: McCABE, McCOY, ENGLAND
-A Man of recognized worth and ability who has
contributed much to the horticultural development of the Santa Clara
Valley and whose mining interests are also extensive is Edmund L.
Fellows, a native son, born at Napa, April 4, 1865, the son of a pioneer
family of 1850, established in the state in that year by his father,
George Fellows, one of the most interesting characters in the early
history of the state.
George Fellows left his native state, New Hampshire, when nine years
old, and accompanied his parents to Galena, Ill., where he was reared.
In 1850 he joined the gold-seekers on the Pacific Coast, and more
fortunate than many, he acquired a genuine liking for mining and was
interested for the remainder of his life, operating on gradually
increasing proportions. From Hangtown he removed to Nevada County, and
there he discovered the Plumbago mines and the Fellows lead, later
called Gold Canyon. Later he located other large, valuable properties
and he became known as one of the most successful gold mine owners in
that section. In 1862 he removed to Napa, and while there, with others
he built the Napa Valley Railroad, afterward a part of the Southern
Pacific system. From 1870 to 1875 he was superintendent of the Phoenix
quicksilver mines near Calistoga, and then engaged in farming, first
near Brentwood, Contra Costa County, and then near Spokane, Wash. He
returned to Mountain View, Cal., in 1900, and there his death occurred
on May 15 of that year. During his lifetime he made a fortune, and being
most liberal and kind hearted, much of it was given to charities and to
educational institutions. His marriage had united him with Ann McCabe,
who crossed the plains with her parents in 1852, her father, Thomas
McCabe, settling near Brentwood, where he died in 1886. Mrs. Fellows
passed away in 1901, the mother of a family of eleven children, nine of
whom are still living.
The fifth child in the family, Edmund L. Fellows engaged in farming in
the vicinity of San Jose until 1890, when he became interested in
horticulture, helping to set out and develop the orchards of the famous
Quito Ranch, of which he has been for some years the owner, this being
one of the finest orchard properties in the Santa Clara Valley. The
ranch, which consists of 550 acres, is beautifully located on Saratoga
Avenue. It is splendidly equipped, the headquarters being centrally
located on the ranch, with ample buildings to care for the stock and
implements, as well as space for the dry yards, sufficient to dry all
the fruit on the ranch, including an evaporator of large capacity. It is
indeed a busy place, and often a dozen teams may be seen in the morning,
starting to the various parts of the ranch to take care of its
cultivation. Before becoming so extensively interested in horticulture,
Mr. Fellows assisted his father in his later mining projects in Nevada
County and is still largely interested in that district, a region that
has some very rich ore and has what is termed picture rock, of high value.
Mr. Fellows' marriage united him with Miss Laura E. McCoy, a member of
one of the pioneer families of this region. Her parents were Reuben and
Ellen D. (England) McCoy, who were married December 12, 1866, the latter
a native of Missouri. Reuben McCoy was born in Greene County, Tenn.,
February 4, 1825, and in 1836 went with his father to Missouri, where he
lived until April 13, 1850, when he started for California in an ox-team
train, reaching here on August 29. He became a prominent farmer in Santa
Clara County and passed away on August 9, 1886, his wife surviving him
until February 1, 1922. In addition to his large horticultural
interests, Mr. Fellows is prominently identified with the political and
social affairs of the county, and is a stanch Republican. Fraternally he
is a member of True Fellowship Lodge No. 283, I. O. O. F., the
Encampment and Patriarchs Militant. Mr. Fellows' ranch is under a high
state of cultivation and is one of the truly pleasant and hospitable
rural homes in the neighborhood. He is an ardent lover of nature, is
devoted to his interesting calling and being gifted with business
sagacity, has long since passed the experimental to the assuredly
successful stage.
Transcribed by Joseph Kral, from Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara County,California,
published by Historic Record Co. , 1922.page 792
SANTA CLARA COUNTY The Valley of Heart's Delight