Last Will and Testament of Hiram Bellows
"A man is remembered for his works, not for himself" was Mr. Bellows motto and in his last will and testament, Hiram Bellows bequest land and 250 shares in the Chicago, Rock Island, and Pacific Railroad Company to establish a free school in Fairfax.
The town of Fairfax was very proud of the new school. It was the first building in Fairfax to have electricity from Fairfax Falls. The children were
brought to school in barges, which were horse drawn covered wagons. In 1941, January 17, shortly after 8:00 PM, the town of
Fairfax’s worst nightmare came true! The building was burned down. The cause of the
fire was the furnace blew up
and started a fire. But the generosity of Hiram Bellows still lives
on. When the school burned down the children had to be taught at home. The teachers had to
go around to the different houses and they had to teach the children their lessons at
their homes. In 1942 the part of the school that burned was rebuilt and the children could
go back to Bellows Free Academy and learn in their own school.