William D. Fell
William D. Fell, a leading citizen and successful general farmer residing in Cross Creek Township, where he owns a farm of 103 acres, has a second farm of sixty-eight acres, which lies in Wells Township. Mr. Fell was born at New Alexandria, Jefferson County, October 13, 1841, and is a son of Aaron and Rachel (Naylor) Fell.
Aaron Fell, father of William D., was born in Ohio and came to Jefferson County quite early. He conducted a blacksmith shop at New Alexandria for many years. Both he and wife have rested in the Center cemetery in Wells Township for many long years. They were worthy members of the Methodist Protestant Church. They had four children: William D., the eldest son, had two brothers, Thomas B. and A. N. Sarah, who is now deceased, was the wife of David Armstrong.
In helping his father and attending school, William D. Fell spent the first sixteen years of his life. Then he hired out to farmers in the neighborhood and worked by the month for six years, after which he rented farm land for some three years, living for two years in Brooke County, West Virginia. During the Civil War he entered the army when the call came for 100-day men and served out that time as a member of the 157th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. With that exception Mr. Fell has devoted himself exclusively to the peaceful pursuits of agriculture and is numbered with the prosperous farmers of Jefferson County. In his political views he is a Democrat and at different times has been elected to township offices, serving for years as a trustee and for a quarter of a century on the school board.
On March 17, 1867, Mr. Fell was married to Miss Elenora Hyndman, who was born on her father's farm in Wells Township, Jetferson County. She is a daughter of James and Elenora (Presberry) Hyndman. In early manhood, James Hyndman was a merchant and in order to dispose of his goods, used a flatboat on the Ohio River, which was floated to its destination. It was his custom to walk back home, although the journey was a long and toilsome one, his only compass being the sun. On many occasions he camped with Indians and shared their food. Both he and wife are deceased and their burial was at Steubenville. They were members of the Christian Church. They had a large family as follows: Hannah, who is the widow of Thomas Dean; James, who is deceased; Sophia, who is the widow of Eli Davis; Elizabeth, who is deceased, was the wife of John Langley, also deceased; Rachel, who married William Melvin; George, who was killed in the Civil War; Elenora, who is the wife of Mr. Pell; Edward; Ophelia, deceased, who was the wife of James Thompson; and Martha, who married O. M. Waddle. To Mr. and Mrs. Fell eight children were born, four of whom died young, the survivors being: Lulu H., who is the wife of William B. Graham, and has one son, Edwin Graham; James A.; Elmer E.; and Mary, who is the wife of Frank A. Thompson, and has one daughter, Margaret Thompson. Mr. Fell and family are members of the Methodist Protestant Church. He is identified with the Odd Fellows and belongs to Wildwood Lodge, No. 590, at New Alexandria.
From 20th Century History of Steubenville and Jefferson County, Ohio, by Joseph B. Doyle. Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., Chicago, 1910