The biography of this gentleman, who was one of the early settlers of Stephenson County, and the oldest one now living in Winslow Township, furnishes a deeply interesting history which is substantially as follows.

Mr. Eells was born in Hanover, Chautauqua Co. NY Jan. 1, 1820 and is the eldest child of James & Harriet (Gaylord) Eells, the former a native of Peru, Essex County, and the latter of Oneida County NY. His grandfather, Simeon Eells, was of Welsh ancestry, and during the last years of his life was a resident of Cattaraugus County NY. His family included five children, three sons and two daughters, all of whom grew to mature years. Of these James was the eldest; Waterman died near Buffalo NY with the first appearance of cholera in 1832, and William about 1855; Lodemia became the wife of William Cary and died in McHenry County (Illinois); Hulda died unmarried in New York State.

The father of our subject was reared on a farm in the Empire State, and later served as a soldier in the War of 1812, being present at the battle of Plattsburg, and in many other important engagements. He afterward located in the eastern part of NY whence he removed to Chautauqua County, of which he was one of the pioneer settlers. He secured a tract of timber land in the Holland Purchase, put up a log cabin, in which our subject and others of his children were born, and remained there until about 1830. He then removed to Perrysburg, where he lived four years and in the spring of 1834, decided to seek his fortunes in the West. He started out overland to Buffalo, accompanied by his wife and children, and from there proceeded by the Lakes to Detroit, and thence to this State iwth teams. Their outfit consisted of two horses and a wagon, and they carried their provisions with them, camping and cooking by the wayside and sleeping in the wagon at night. They first halted on the line of LaSalle & Putnam Counties, where teh father rented a vacant log cabin which they occupied a few months. James Eells, however, was not exactly satisfied with that locality, and after a few months, accompanied by Hubbard Graves , set out on a prospecting tour which took in Stephenson County. He was pleased with the outlook here, and returning to his family had everything prepared for another journey, and arrived here in the month of April 1835. Entering a claim in what is now Winslow Twp. Mr. Eells put up a double hewed lgo cabin, covered with shakers held in place by weight poles, and supplied with a puncheon floor split from basswood logs. After establishing his family comfortably he proceeded to cultivate the land, entering it from the Government as soon as it came into market, and occupying it until 1836. He then removed across the river to a little town just started, which was named Ransomburg, and which was located on section 36 of what is now Winslow Township. There he put up another log house and converted it into a hotel, which was the first institution of the kind in that section, and where he acted as "mine host" for two years. Within that structure was held the first election in this part of Stephenson County, and James Eells took an important part upon that occassion. In 1838 he returned to his claim and remained there until his death in AUgust 1851.

The mother of our subject had died in Perrysburg NY in 1828, before the removal to this State. The second wife of James Eells was formerly Miss Maria Tull, also a native of the Empire State and died at Spring Valley MN in 1860. Of the first marriage there were born five children, our subject being the eldest. Marinda, the wife of Silas Gage , lives with her husband on a farm in Winslow Township; Edward died in Wisconsin about 1857; Amos is a resident of Iowa and C.D. Eells is in Washington Territory. Of the second marriage there were three children; Lansing M., a soldier of the Union army was killed at the battle of Black River Mississippi about 1865; Lucinda married George Craig who was also in the service and is now a resident of Clinton Iowa; Marion married a Mr. Price and lives in Ft. Scott KS.

William Henry Eells was fourteen years of age when he became a resident of this county, and distinctly remembers all the incidents connected with the overland journey from New York, and the subsequent life of the pioneer settler. When his father came here with his family, the nearest mill was at Gratiot, Wis., and that was but a "corn-cracker." Galena was the nearest depot for supplies, and was also the post-office. The pioneers were obliged to pay 25 cents for each letter they received, which was often more ready cash than they possessed. Sometimes the letter would lie unopened, but more often through the kindness of the Postmaster they were allowed to read the message from friends on "tick." The mining carried on in that vicinity occasioned a market for the produce, which was conveyed by the settlers to that point, with the aid mostly of ox-teams. The man who possessed a team of horses was quite a curiosity in the early days, and the shifts which the pioneers, both men and women, made in order to provide comfortably for those dependent upon them proved how great a mother was necessity and how inventive her genius.  

Young Eells remained a member of the parental household until 17 years old, and then purchasing his time of his father for $250, set out on his own account. He went to work at $16 per month, and was so enterprising and industrious that in 1838, a year later, he was enabled to purchase a team of oxen, and commenced breaking prairie for his neighbors. He was thus employed during the summer season and teamed in the winter for the people of that vicinity for 10 years following. In the meantime he purchased a claim to 160 acres of land in Winslow Twp. upon which he erected a log house, and within it placed the wife to whom he had been married 1841. As soon as his land came into market he perfected his title, and after the fall of 1848 devoted his time chiefly to farming. He had also become possessor of a threshing machine, the first one brought to this section, with which he operated among his neighbors for a reasonable consideration, and to their great delight and satisfaction. The machine was a great curiosity and the people came for miles around to get a look at it. It was considered a vast improvement upon the former method of tramping out the grain with horses, or with a flail.  

Mr. Eells labored and prospered and in due time found himself the possessor of 250 acres of land under a fine state of cultivation and supplied with handsome and substantial buildings. He was also now in a condition to devote more time to the improvement of his mind, which he had always considered of great importance but from which the hard realities of life had hitherto debarred him. His line of reading had been of that practical description which was calculated to give him a good insight into men and things, and while a young man he had become greatly interested in the reading of law books. These he commenced studying more earnestly in the year 1840, and made such good progress that he soon began to practice before the Justice's Court. In 1872 he passed examination for admission to the bar. Although not taking up the practice formally he finds abundant call for his legal information in the extensive business transactions, which have engaged his attention for the past 20 years. This, besides being of great benefit to him financially, has constituted him an extremely intelligent man to converse with, and one from whom there is always something to be learned.  

An event which had much to do in shaping the subsequent life of Mr. Eells was his marriage, July 18, 1841 to Miss Sophia, daughter of Chester and Cynthia (Gillett) Bushnell. She was born in Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, Nov. 29, 1826. Her father was a native of Vermont and her mother of Oneida NY. Her paternal grandfather, Asa Bushnell, also a native of the Green Mountain State, was one of the earliest pioneers of Chautauqua County NY, to which he removed with his parents when but a child four years of age. He was there reared to manhood and after his marriage located with his young wife in Geauga County during its early settlement. He became quite an extensive landowner, opening up four farms, and remaining a resident of the Empire State until 1835, when he migrated to Illinois and located in Cook County, 19 miles southwest of Chicago. A year later he purchased land in Will County, which he occupied until 1839. In the spring of that year he became a resident of this county, but after twelve years he returned to his old home in Cook County, where his death took place July 30, 1852. The mother died there also two years later, in the same month and the same day of the month as her husband. Mr. Bushnell made the journey overland from Ohio to Cook County IL and while crossing the Maumee Swamp in Ohio, lost one of his horses, which went down in the mire and could not be extricated. The maternal grandfather of our subject, Amon Gaylord, was a native of Connecticut, whence emigrated during the pioneer days to Chautauqua County NY, where he took up a tract of land, cleared a farm and there continued until in he spring of 1839. Then, perhaps feeling as did Daniel Boone, that there were too many people coming into that section, he pulled up stakes and came into this county, locating in what is now Winslow Twp. where he secured a good farm and spent the last years of his life.  

Of the six children born to Mr. and Mrs. Eells the record is as follows; Charles H. is farming in Winslow Twp; William A. is a resident of Minnehaha County Dakota; James A., and Lucinda, the wife of John Barr, are members of the farming community near Winslow; George C. is engaged in clerking in town, and John W., the youngest, remains with his parents. The homestead is beautifully located and forms one of the most attractive spots in the landscape of Winslow Township. The grounds around the dwelling are tastefully laid out and planted with choice shade trees and shrubbery. A fine fruit orchard graces the rear, and the commodious and convenient residence is flanked by barns, stables and all other out-buildings required by the intelligent and progressive agriculturist.  

Mr. Eells, who in early life belonged to the Whig party, cast his first Presidential vote for Gen. Harrison. Upon the organization of the Republican Party he cheerfully endorsed the principles of the latter, and has since supported them by his vote and influence. He has served his township as Assessor, Commissioner of Highways, Supervisor, School Director, Justice of the Peace and Notary Public, in which office he is now serving his fifth term.

Portraits & Biographical 1888 Stephenson Co IL Pg. 596