Joseph Fellows Papers

Joseph Fellows served as land agent for the Pulteney Estate from 1832 to 1871, operating out of Geneva, New York. He succeeded Charles Williamson, the original agent. The Pulteney Estate lands consisted of most of the original Phelps and Gorham Purchase, which was sold by Robert Morris to Sir William Pulteney and associates in 1792. Fellows was born in Warwickshire, England about 1781. In 1795, his family emigrated to Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. There he studied law with Isaac L. Kip, esq., before joining the firm of Colonel Robert Troup. Fellows moved to Geneva, New York as a sub-agent for the Pulteneys in 1810, as Col. Troup had become land agent for the Pulteneys in 1800. Fellows held this position until becoming the agent proper in 1832. Williamson had a reputation for being a liberal agent who was willing to work with land purchasers who were in need of relief. Troup and Fellows were brought in to run a stricter regime, though Fellows is recorded as trying to maintain a balance between the demands of the Pulteney family and the realities of rural America. A committed bachelor, Fellows ran the Geneva land office until his retirement in 1871.