W.E. Ellis

ELLIS, HAVEN

Posted By: Clay County IAGenWeb Coordinator (email)
Date: 11/6/2010 at 13:34:53

Lumber dealer, res. corner Park and Second streets, was born in Washington county, Vermont, July 12, 1841 and remained a resident of that place fro 24 years, when he went to Arkansas and stayed six months. He then removed to Vinton, Benton county, Iowa, and lived there two years, but becoming desirous of living in the east he returned to Vermont and remained there four years, finally coming back to Iowa and locating at Vinton again. In 1881 he moved to Peterson and opened a lumber yard. While in Benton county he worked at the carpentering business and in Vermont was engaged in farming pursuits. He saw that Peterson was destined to grow into a town of some proportions and make a good trading point and therefore settled there. After building an office and establishing himself he ordered several car loads of lumber. At that time Peterson was without railroad facilities and he was therefore compelled to employ teams to haul it a distance of twenty-four miles. He is therefore entitled to the honor of establishing the first lumber yard in Peterson. He is a careful business man and pays the strictest attention to business affairs and ahs been remarkably successful in building up a good trade. He is a public spirited and liberal minded citizen. He was married March 5, 1865, to Miss Sarah A. Haven. They have one son E. H. A description of Mr. Ellis' lumber yard is given elsewhere.

Source: A History of Clay County, Iowa, by W. C. Gilbreath, 1889, p. 188.