William Fellows (1743 - 1827)

Born 19 Jan 1743 in Stonington, New London, Connecticut

Ancestors

Husband of Susannah (Rathbone) Fellows — married 8 Nov 1767 in Stonington, New London, Connecticut Colony

Descendants

Died 24 Jul 1827 at age 84 in Stephentown, Rensselaer, New York, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Joan Landreth [send private message]

Biography

William Fellows, a ship carpenter, was born on 19 Feb 1743^[1] in Stonington, New London County, Connecticut Colony, British Colonial America. He was the son of Nathaniel Fellows and Hopestill Holdredge, Nathaniel Fellows and his wife Hopestill (Holdridge) Fellowsboth also born in Stonington.^[2] He was baptized on 12 June 1743 at the First Congregational Church ("Road Church") in Stonington.^[3]

Marriage

William married Susannah Rathbone on 8 Nov 1767 at the First Congregational Church in Stonington, officiant Rev. Nathaniel Eells.^[4][5]

Susannah was born 5 May 1748^[6] in Stonington.^[7] She was the 3rd of the 12 children of the Baptist minister, Rev. Valentine Wightman (Rathbone) Rathbun (1724-1813) and his wife Tabitha (Brown) Rathbun (1727-1808).^[8] After Susannah married William in 1767 in Stonington, her parents moved about 1768 to Pittsfield, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, where her father founded a Baptist church in 1772. Her parents then moved with some siblings to Marcellus, Onondaga County, New York.

Susannah was the granddaughter of Rev. Joshua Rathbone, a co-founder of the First Baptist Church in North Stonington in 1743; and the great granddaughter of Rev. Valentine Wightman, who organized the First Baptist Church of nearby Groton, New London County, Connecticut in 1705.^[9]

Children

William and Susannah had the following 11 children:^[10][11][12]

1. Susannah Fellows (1768-1854), married William Hunt
2. Content Fellows (1769-1770), died young
3. William Fellows (1771-1843), married Martha Smith
4. Warner Fellows (1773-1853), married Lucinda Winslow
5. Joshua Fellows (1775-1849), married Julia Darling
6. Jeremiah Fellows (1777-1860), unknown wife
7. Isaac Fellows (1780-1831), Elizabeth
8. Polly Fellows (1783-1858), married Abial Gardner
9. David Fellows (1785-1855), married Chloe Turner
10. Ruby Fellows (1787-1873), married Daniel Wright
11. Pamela Fellows (1790-1826), married Moses Cowles, Jr.

By 1790, William and Susannah had moved from Stonington about 150 miles northwest to Stephentown, Albany (later Rensselaer) County, New York.^[13]

Religion

William was baptized^[3] and was married to Susannah Rathbone at the First Congregational Church,^[4] the oldest church in Stonington.^[14] However, there are no baptism listings for the children of William and Susannah in its records.^[15] The family of William Fellows and his wife Susannah Rathbone attended a Stonington church of another faith.

After marriage, William Fellows practiced the Baptist faith of his wife Susannah; her father, Rev. Valentine Wightman Rathbone; her grandfather, Rev. Joshua Rathbone;^[9] and her maternal great grandfather, Rev. Valentine Wightman. According to Cyrus H. Brown's Days and Recollections of North Stonington, many in North Stonington, with a leaning toward the Baptist faith, attended the early Baptist church there, although members of the Congregational Church.^[16]

There are records of "brother deacon William Fellows" and his younger adult brother, "elder deacon Elnathan Fellows" and family in Stonington Baptist records.^[17] Because Baptists do not "hold [infant] sprinkling to be baptism,^[17]" there are no records of the baptisms of their children.

"William Fellows, brother deacon" was listed as a member of "The Church at Long Point," which was created in 1775 down at Stonington harbor. It was initially called "The Third Baptist Church of Stonington" to distinguish it from the two Baptist churches already active in Stonington and North Stonington. By 1810, the church was called "The First Baptist Church in Stonington Borough."^[17]

In the 29 Jan 1785 church minutes, Susannah's 1st cousin, Valentine Wightman Rathbone (1761 - 1813) (who later became a Baptist minster like her father of the same name), asked whether "frolicking, such as fidling and Dancing" ... " was not inconsistant with the religion of Jesus?"

As a result, "Brother William Fellows" and Susannah's uncle, "Brother Wait Rathbun," were reprimanded for "...having allowed, or not restrained their Children, one or more of them, from going and attending one of the carnal Sinful frolicks at the house of James Rhodes, on the Night of the 9th Instant." The church clerk, Sands Niles, wrote that to his relief, both men acknowledged that they had "done wrong in not restraining their children" and promised to "endeavor to restrain them for the future."^[17]

William's brother, Elnathan Fellows, remained as an active deacon of the Baptist church in Stonington, well into his old age, including his wife Hannah, and others in his family.^[17]

By 1790, William Fellows, his wife and children had moved to Stephentown, Albany (later Rensselaer) County, New York, so he was no longer listed as a Stonington Baptist church member. Later records show that descendants (of their many children, of which "one or more of them" had been accused of "carnal Sinful frolicks ... such as fidling and Dancing"^[17]) did not practice the Baptist faith.

I don't know if William and Susannah were members of the Baptist church in Stephentown, New York. Another researcher may answer this question, with access to the out-of-print book, Records, Stephentown Baptist Church, 1795-1816 : Stephentown, Rensselaer County, New York, by Susan A. Niles.^[18] It is based on original entries provided by Reverend Alan Wolcott, pastor of the Stephentown First Baptist Church. The original records are now with the Stephentown Historical Society.

Research by (Joan Stewart Smith), 4th great granddaughter of William Fellows

Death

William, aged 84, died on 24 Jul 1827 in Stephentown, Rensselaer County, New York and was buried there in Fellows Cemetery.^[1] At his side was buried his wife Susannah, who died two years earlier on 15 Jul 1825, aged 77, in Stephentown.^[19]

Will and Probate

Name: William Fellows of Stephentown, Rensselaer County, New York^[10]

Will date: 8 Oct 1825

Executors: Son David Fellows, Daughter Polly Fellows

Beneficiaries: Sons William, Joshua, Isaac, Jeremiah, David. Daughters Susannah, wife of William Hunt; Parmelia, wife of Moses Cowl Jr.; Ruby, wife of Dan Wright; Polly. Granddaughter Eliza Ann Fellows.

Witnesses: Meshack Strait, John Chapman, Wanton Chapman, Joseph Taylor

Probate: 23 Aug 1827, Vol. 9, page 64
Philip Viele, surrogate of county of Rensselaer signed that he saw the will on the 23 Aug 1827 for William Fellows “late of the town of Stephentown” in Rensselaer County.^[10]

Census

1790 United States

Stephentown, Albany County, New York, United States. ^[13]

1800 United States

Stephentown, Rensselaer County, New York, United States. ^[20]

1810 United States

Stephentown, Rensselaer County, New York, United States. ^[21]

1820 United States

Stephentown, Rensselaer County, New York, United States. ^[22]

Research Notes

Birth Date Inconsistency

• 1743 - Birth year implied from church register baptismal date of 12 June 1743.
• 19 Jan 1743 - Birth date from burial records.^[1]
• 19 Jan 1752/53 - Birth date from Connecticut: Vital Records (The Barbour Collection), 1630-1870, Stonington^[2]
• Preferred: Correct birth date was most likely 19 Jan 1743, the birth year from burial records and implied from baptismal date. 1752/53 birth date also doesn't fit the lineup of siblings.

Research notes by (Joan Stewart Smith), 4th great granddaughter of William Fellows

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Find A Grave: Memorial #62773077
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} AmericanAncestors.org. Connecticut Vital Records (The Barbour Collection), 1630-1870 Stonington. Fellows, William, s. Nathaniel, b. Jan. 19 1752/53
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Connecticut, Church Record Abstracts, 1630-1920. Ancestry.com. Book source: Connecticut Church Records, Stonington, First Congregational Church (“The Road Church”) 1674-1925, Connecticut State Library 1961, p. 162. William Fellows, s. Nathaniel, bp June 12, 1743, v. 2, p. 47
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Wheeler, Richard A. History Of The First Congregational Church, Stonington, Conn., 1674-1874. Norwich, CT: T.H. Davis and Company, 1875, p. 255. Marriages by the Rev. Nathaniel Eells. 8 Nov 1767, William Fellows and Susanna Rathbun (https://archive.org/details/historyoffirstco00whee/page/254/mode/2up?view=theater)
5. ↑ Connecticut, Church Record Abstracts, 1630-1920. Ancestry.com. Book source: Connecticut Church Records, Stonington, First Congregational Church (“The Road Church”) 1674-1925, Connecticut State Library 1961, p. 162. William Fellows married Susanna Rathbun, 8 Nov 1767, Stonington, v. 4, p. 47
6. ↑ Connecticut Town Birth Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection), White, Lorraine Cook, ed. The Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records. Vol. 1-55. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1994-2002. Stonington Vital Records 1658-1854, ancestry.com. Susannah Rathbone born 5 May, 1748, daughter of Valentine Rathbone, p. 326-327
7. ↑ "Connecticut Births and Christenings, 1649-1906", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F7W4-XQM : 7 January 2020), Susannah Rathbun born 5 May 1748 in Stonington, New London, Connecticut, British Colonial America, father Valentine Rathbun.
8. ↑ Brown, Cyrus Henry, “Brown Genealogy of Many of the Descendants of Thomas, John, and Eleazer Brown, Sons of Thomas and Mary (Newhall) Brown of Lynn, Mass. 1628-1907,” Volume II. The Everett Press Company, Boston, 1915, p. 172-173. (https://archive.org/details/browngenealogyof02brow/page/173/mode/1up - accessed 29 Jan 2023)
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} The Rathbun-Rathbone-Rathburn Family Historian Magazine,Rathbun Family Association, Fairfax, Va., Frank H. Rathbun, Editor and Publisher, Vol. 1, No. 3, July 1981, pp. 44-45
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1 10.2} Will of William Fellows of Stephentown, Rensselaer County, New York. Date: 8 Oct 1825. Executors: Son David Fellows, Daughter Polly Fellows. Beneficiaries: Five sons – William, Joshua, Isaac, Jeremiah, David. Four daughters – Susannah, wife of William Hunt, Parmelia, wife of Moses Cowl Jr., and Ruby, wife of Dan Wright, Polly. One granddaughter: Eliza Ann Fellows. Witnesses: Meshack Strait, John Chapman, Wanton Chapman, Joseph Taylor. Signed 5 Oct 1825. Probate: 23 Aug 1827, Vol. 9, page 64. Philip Viele, Esquire, surrogate of county of Rensselaer signed that he saw the will on the 23 Aug 1827 for William Fellows “late of the town of Stephentown” in Rensselaer County.
11. ↑ Cooley, John C., Rathbone Genealogy: a complete history of the Rathbone family, dating from 1574, Press of the Courier Job Print, Syracuse, N. Y., 1898, p. 329 (https://archive.org/stream/rathbonegenealog01cool#page/n665/mode/2up )
12. ↑ Fellows, Erwin Wilcox. Fellows Families of Onondaga County, New York and Their Ancestry. Published by author, 1991
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1} "United States Census, 1790," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHKP-VRC : accessed 23 January 2023), Wm Fellows household, Stephentown, Albany, New York, United States
14. ↑ Evans, Jean B. "Road Church-Combining Church and State." Mystic and Stonington - a Storied Past and Present. Accessed 22 Jan 2023.
15. ↑ Wheeler, Richard A. History Of The First Congregational Church, Stonington, Conn., 1674-1874. Norwich, CT: T.H. Davis and Company, 1875
16. ↑ Brown, Cyrus Henry. Days and Recollections of North Stonington. Westerly, Rhode Island Historical Society, 1916.
17. ↑ ^{17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 17.5} Hinshaw, John V. The Stonington Baptist Records 1772-1848. The Stonington Historical Society, Stonington Connecticut. 1992. William Fellows, p. 21, 33, 56; Elnathan Fellows, p. 33, 35, 38, 39, 43-47, 49, 56, 65, 68, 73, 144-145
18. ↑ Niles, Susan A. and Keen, Dorothy. Records, Stephentown Baptist Church, 1795-1816 : Stephentown, Rensselaer County, New York 1995
19. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #62773086
20. ↑ "United States Census, 1800," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH5B-HQM : accessed 19 July 2023), Stephentown, Rensselaer, New York, United States,household of William Fellers [sic], TOTAL 7, 1 male 10-15 [DAVID], 1 male 16-25 [ISAAC], 1 male over 45 [WILLIAM], 2 females 10-15 [RUBY, PAMELA], 1 female 16-25 [POLLY], 1 female 26-44 [SUSANNAH Sr.]. [Note: Susannah, William Jr., Warner, Joshua and Jeremiah left home and married.]
21. ↑ "United States Census, 1810," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH2X-ZJM : accessed 23 January 2023), Stephentown, Rensselaer, New York, United States. Wm Fellows household. TOTAL 6. 2 males under 10 [POSSIBLE GENDER ERROR, MAY BE TWO YOUNGEST GIRLS, RUBY, PAMELA], 1 male 16-25 [DAVID], 1 male over 45 [WILLIAM SR.], 1 female 26-44 [POLLY], 1 female over 45 [SUSANNAH SR.] [Note: Where are the youngest girls, Ruby and Pamela? Perhaps mistakenly recorded as the 2 males under 10.]
22. ↑ "United States Census, 1820," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHG8-32V : accessed 19 July 2023), Stephentown, Rensselaer, New York, United States. Wm Fellows household. TOTAL 6. 1 male 10-15, 1 male over 45 [WILLIAM SR], 1 female 10-15 [GRANDDAUGHTER?], 2 females 26-44 [POLLY, RUBY], 1 female over 45 [SUSANNAH SR.] [Note: All others left home and married.]