Eells, Dan Parmelee was born on April 16, 1825 in Westmoreland, New York, United States. Son of Review James and Hetty (Parmelee) Eells. descended through a line of New England ministers from Samuel Eells of Barnstable, England, who became in 1661 an inhabitant of Milford, Connecticut, was born in Westmoreland, Oneida County, New York. His father was the Rev. James Eells, and his mother, Mehitable Parmelee, daughter of Deacon Dan Parmelee of Durham, Conn.
When he was eleven the family moved to Amherst, Lorain County, Ohio, whence in 1839 he was sent to Elyria, and in 1841 to Oberlin to prepare for college, working his way by doing chores and later by being clerk in a store.
In 1843, he entered Oberlin College, and in 1844, Hamilton College.
Later, he was awarded the degree of master of arts, and in 1890 was made an honorary member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. After two years he was obliged to leave college to seek means of self-support.
He taught the district school in Amherst in the winter of 1846—47, then worked as a bookkeeper in a Cleveland commission house until 1849.
He managed to continue his college studies, however, and is listed among the graduates of Hamilton as of the class of 1848 (General Roll of Hamilton College, 1812-1908).
In 1850 he entered the Commercial Branch of the State Bank of Ohio in Cleveland and continued in its service through successive stages as bookkeeper, teller, and cashier until the expiration of the charter of the bank in 1865.
The Commercial National Bank of Cleveland succeeded to the business of the Branch bank.
Of this Eells was vice-president.
He was one of the promoters of the Lake Erie & Western, of the New York, Chicago & St. Louis, and of the Ohio Central railways.
Fie was one of the founders and first president of the Ohio Central Coal Company, active in the management of the United States Express Company, and of the Otis Iron and Steel Company.
His autobiography lists thirty-two companies in which he was a director, in fifteen of which he held an executive office.
He was a member of the Board of Education of Cleveland (1865 - 68), a trustee of Lane Theological Seminary, of Lake Erie, Oberlin, and Hamilton colleges.
His industrial interests included oil refining, cement manufacture, iron and steel in all phases, smelting, coal, coke and gas works, electric and steam railway operation.
Those in Cleveland who knew him intimately also remember him for his part in many religious, educational, and charitable enterprises.
honorary member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society
member of the Board of Education of Cleveland
trustee of Lane Theological Seminary, of Lake Erie, Oberlin, and Hamilton colleges
He was described in a memorial address as “a gentleman of the old school, —courtly gracious, genial, affectionate, kind” (Rev. Paul F. Sutphen, May 15, 1904, Memorial Sermon).
In appearance he was tall, slender, full bearded (portrait in World’s History of Cleveland, 1896, p. 300).
Eells was twice married. His first wife was Mary M. Howard, daughter of Col. George A. Howard of Orwell, Ashtabula County, Ohio. She died in 1859. In 1861, he married Mary Witt, daughter of Stillman Witt of Cleveland.
