Mezue ahịrịokwu na-esonụ: Ọ laghachiri New York ịga Cherry Valley Seminary. Tupu ya enweta akara ugo mmụta ya, ọ kwagara Glenville, New York iji rụọ ọrụ n'otu ụlọ ọrụ na-egwe ihe. Ellwood bịara nwee mmasị n'ịkụ ọka broom ma na-azụ ahịa na-aga nke ọma, na-enye ndị ọrụ 130 ọrụ. Ọ lụrụ Eleanor Vedder na 1849; ha mụrụ ụmụ isii. Ọ bụ onye otu New York State Assembly (Schenectady Co.) na 1851 dị ka Whig. A họpụtara Ellwood dịka onye nnọchiteanya na
1856 Republican National Convention, otu nke ọ ga-eji mata onwe ya maka ndụ ya niile. Ọ laghachiri Sycamore na 1857, na-etinye aka na ngwaike ngwaike, ọkachasị igwe ugbo. O tinyere ego n'ụlọ ọrụ ndị na-emepụta ngwá ọrụ ugbo n'ógbè ahụ ma ghọọ otu n'ime ndị kasị baa ọgaranya n'ógbè ahụ. Ellwood gara n'ihu n'ọchịchị ya dị ka onye na-atụle US maka mpaghara 4th Congressional nke Illinois onye isi obodo mbụ nke Sycamore.