Lake Eunice was named by the United States surveyors in honor of Eunice McClelland, who was the first white woman to settle near the lake. She was the wife of John M. McClelland.

The names of the first settlers were Simeon S. Buck, William Buck, William W. Rossman, John McClelland, Archibald B. McDonell, Duncan McDonell, John A. B. McDonell, William McDonell, Finlay McDonell, Donald J. McDonell, Anton Glaum, Jacob Gessel, John Turten, Eugene Early, J. Peter Johnson, L. G. Stevenson, John Holstad, George W. Britt, William Wagner, John Nelson, John Germer, John Peterson, Nels Peterson, Ostra Olson, Ole Munson, John King and Thomas McDonough, all of whom I think came in 1870.