McLellan, James Nelson (b. 1838), ex-county treasurer, is a native of Chautanqua county, N.Y. He received a good common school education and enjoyed two terms at Wheaton College. July 10, 1861, he enlisted at Camp Douglass, Chicago, as a member of Co. K, 42d Ill., the same company that Abram O. and William E. Garlock belonged to, and remained in the service until Feb. 20, 1865. He served under Gen. Fremont in Missouri, and, passing down the Mississippi river, participated in the capture of Island No. 10, Fort Pillow and Pittsburg Landing. He then passed to the army of the Cumberland under Sheridan, and later under Gen. Newton, the man that blew up Hell gate in the harbor of New York. He also served under Halleck, Rosecrans, Sherman and Thomas, and participated in thirty-seven different battles, including those at Farmington, Stone River, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge and Nashville. He was under fire 100 of the 120 days occupied in the Atlantic campaign.

In 1868, he married at Waterloo, Iowa, Ellen Hagenbuch and located on a farm. In 1879, he became a resident of Pocahontas county and engaged in the grug business at Fonda. He served as treasurer of Pocahontas county six years 1888-1893. In 1894, he moved to Des Moines where he still resides. He has devoted some time and attention to raising fine horses and in 1898, received from the Louisville Trotting Association the flattering price of $10,000 for Pilatus, a six year old, that had been purchased at the Berry sale in Chicago in 1894. He is a man of portly bearing, was a gallant sodlier and a popular public officer.

His wife died in 1901, leaving a family of five children.

William Boyd, a jeweler, is located at Pocahontas. He is the proprietor of the Pocahontas telephone exchange. In 1899, he married Ella, daughter of R. D. Bollard and has one daughter, Phyllis Roberta.

Stephen Alexander, a graduate of the medical department of Drake University in 1902, in the same year married Alice Weaver and engaged in the practice of medicine at Buckeye.

Philip Sheridan, a horse trainer, Affa Roberta, a Des Moines graduate in 1900, and Laora Bell are at home.