[3] Fessenden came to Shanghai in April 1903 to work as a sub-manager with the American Trading Company.

He and Jernigan, were, initially, the only American lawyers to pass the strict bar exam introduced by the new judge, Lebbeus Wilfley.

He created the American Mercantile Company, mostly dealing with Shanghai real-estate in 1925 along with Harry Virden Bernard.

With effect from June 30, 1939, Fessenden retired from his position with the council due to eye disease.

[10] Fessenden was offered a passage out of Shanghai in September 1943 on the Teia Maru to Goa (where passengers would transfer to the MS Gripsholm to take them back to the United States).