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The descendants of William and Edna Fellows-front row: Derrick Fellows, Kellen Fellows, Bennett Fellows, Lucca Fellows, Laura Bong, Vinh Bong, Becky Bailey, Eliza Bailey. Second row: Pam Gimenez, Ron Fellows, Rocio Fellows, Camila Fellows, Dale Fellows, Catalina Fellows, Linda Lundquist, Shawn Bingman, Michele Bingman, Lisa Fellows, Bob Waldher. Third row: Mo Campbell, Paul Gimenez, Cindy Fellows, Tim Fellows, Daniel Fellows, Lyn Fellows, Teresa Bingman, Amanda Anderson, Judy Waldher, Regie Walder. Back row: Les Campbell, Laura McConnell, Allan Fellows, Brian Bingman, Debbie Fellows Voyles, Tom Lundquist, Dawn Fellows Gandolfi.
POMEROY–The Garfield County Pioneer Association honored the Fellows family, descendants of Mayview pioneers William L. and Edna Fellows, at the 112th annual Garfield County Pioneer Day program on June 8.
William Richard Fellows, born in 1900, came to Mayview in 1929 where he worked on surrounding farms during the grain harvest, was a founding member of the Mayview Stubble Jumpers Dance Band and had a dredge business from 1929-39 with his son William L. Fellows. William L. was the Mayview correspondent for the East Washingtonian. Many of the trees now standing at the Mayview site were planted by members of the Fellows family, due to a family tradition of planting their Christmas trees.
William L. Fellows' surviving children were Darrell, James, Charles, Billy, Dale, Rose, and June. Dorothy, Gilbert and Elmore died at birth. All his surviving sons were in the military, either in World War II or in the Korean War.
Association members Dotty Van Vogt and Diane Koller presented the history of Marengo as the Communities of the Past segment of the program. Located along the Tucannon River, Marengo was platted in 1878 on 20 acres of land donated by J.M. Silcott after a failed bid for the position of Columbia County seat. At the time, Columbia County included the area that is now Garfield and Asotin counties. The town was named after Louis "Marengo" Raboin, a trapper and mountain man who built a cabin in the area shortly after the end of the Cayuse War in 1849. Marengo was home to the infamous Marengo Grade, an Indian trail that became a stage road on the Walla Walla to Lewiston route. The road was very steep and was the site of many wrecks, including Charles H. Seeley's first attempt to bring a piano to the Seeley Opera House. Marengo had a population of 79 in 1900.
