Ka kammala wannan magana: Sai ya koma New York don ya halarci makarantar Cherry Valley Seminary. Kafin ya sauke karatu, ya ƙaura zuwa Glenville, New York don ya yi aiki a ma'adinai. Ellwood ya zama mai sha'awar noman masara kuma ya gudanar da kasuwancin masara mai nasara, yana daukar ma'aikata 130. Ya auri Eleanor Vedder a 1849; suna da 'ya'ya shida. Ya kasance memba na Majalisar Dokokin Jihar New York (Schenectady Co.) a shekara ta 1851 a matsayin Whig. An nada Ellwood a matsayin wakili ga
Taron Jam'iyyar Republican na shekara ta 1856, jam'iyyar da zai kasance tare da ita har tsawon rayuwarsa. Ya koma Sycamore a shekara ta 1857, ya shiga kasuwancin kayan aiki, musamman kayan aikin gona. Ya saka hannun jari a masana'antun kayan aikin gona na gida kuma ya zama ɗaya daga cikin mawadata a gundumar. Ellwood ya ci gaba da burinsa na siyasa a matsayin mai ba da shawara na Amurka don Gundumar Majalisa ta 4 na Illinois magajin gari na farko na Sycamore.