Born on June 30, 1932 in Salt River, MO, the son of Norman and Edith Vanderpool. Ellis' father was absent during his childhood, and he and his mother moved to Arenzville, IL, where his mother remarried. His mother and stepfather ran a diversified farm that produced food for the family and a little to sell in the market. Ellis served in the U.S. army and is a veteran of the Korean war. After the war he moved to Springfield where he was a Fiat-Allis dealer. After 33 years as a farm implement dealer, Vanderpool moved back to Arenzville and bought a 38.7 acre orchard near where he grew up. Ellis grew apples, peaches, and strawberries on a smaller scale. Instead of picking the fruit and taking it to market, he opened his orchards to the public as a 'pick your own' operation. Ellis' orchard business led him into honey production as well. This business grew from just a few hives to over 160 at its peek. Eventually, Vanderpool found honey production more profitable than marketing the fruit from his orchards. With this notion, he built a certified honey shed.
From the description of An interview with Ellis Vanderpool / Ellis Vanderpool ; Michael Maniscalco, interviewer. 2008. (Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library). WorldCat record id: 429529083
