Benjamin Fellows married his cousin, Hannah, daughter of Daniel Fellows, and Edward B. was born June 20, 1811. In 1817 he removed with his parents to Tunbridge, Vt., where he attended school and was subsequently a student at the academy at Royalton. Upon arriving at manhood, like most Yankee boys, he resolved to seek his fortune abroad, and, in 1831, went to the Wyoming Valley, in Pennsylvania. Here he engaged in teaching school, which he continued for a year or two, and afterwards obtained a position as clerk in a store. In 1834 he came to New York and entered a dry-goods store as clerk, and a few years later established business on his own account. Becoming interested in politics, he was for several years collector of taxes for the Fourth Ward, and, during the administration of James K. Polk, held a position in the New York Custom-House under Collector Cornelius W. Lawrence.

The most important event in the life of Mr. Fellows was his connection with the cause of education and the establishment of the public schools of the city, which, previous to 1842, were under the direction of the Public School Society. In 1841 an act was passed authorizing the election of trustees and commissioners. Mr. Fellows was elected one of the trustees for the Fourth Ward, and was afterwards a member of the Board of Education. In the exciting controversy concerning the reading of the Scriptures in the public schools he took the position which experience has shown to be the wisest, and, by making a complete separation between religious and secular instruction, has removed from the Catholic portion of Ihe community all just cause of complaint.