Bartholomew County IN Archives Biographies.....Ely, George W. 1838 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/in/infiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 24, 2007, 12:49 am Author: B. F. Bowen (1904) GEORGE W. ELY. George W. Ely, who is extensively engaged in the raising of grain upon his fine farm of four hundred acres in German township, is a native of Ohio, his birth having occurred in Franklin township, Warren county, that state, on the 1st of April, 1838. His paternal grandfather removed from New Jersey to Ohio and there carried on agricultural pursuits until his death. William Ely, father of the subject, was born in Monmouth county, New Jersey, in 1799, and after arriving at years of maturity he wedded Miss Elizabeth White, who was also born in Monmouth county in the year 1806. In his youth, however, William Ely had accompanied his parents to Ohio, the family locating upon the farm where George W. Ely was born. The date of their arrival in the Buckeye state was 1810, and for forty years William Ely remained upon the old homestead, carrying on agricultural pursuits during the years of his residence in Warren county. In 1850 he came to Indiana, settling upon the farm where the subject is now living, and his remaining days were devoted to its development and further improvement. Whatever he undertook he carried forward to successful completion. He formed his business plans readily and was determined in their execution and his systematic labors and inflexible integrity were also elements in his prosperity. His political affiliation in early life was with the Whig party and he later became an active Democrat, doing all in his power to promote the growth and insure the success of his party. He served as real estate appraiser in the township and was true and loyal to any trust reposed in him, whether of a public or private nature. He died in 1872 and was long survived by his wife, who passed away in 1893. This worthy couple were the parents of nine children: Joseph and Mary A., both of whom died in childhood; James, a farmer, who married Nancy Garrison and both died in 1872; Hannah, the wife of Daniel C. Schenck, residing in Kansas; Eliza, who became the wife of Frederick Hartman and died in 1859; George, of this review; Sallie, who became the wife of John T. Bruce, who was formerly a dry goods merchant and is now engaged in dealing in hardware and furniture at Benton Harbor, Michigan, though his wife died in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1892; Ellen, the wife of Ephraim Wright, who is engaged in the painting business in St. Joseph, Missouri; and John, who died in 1851. George W. Ely spent the first twelve years of his life in the county of his nativity and then accompanied his parents on their removal from Ohio to Indiana, which has since been his place of residence. He has always lived upon the old homestead farm and now owns the property. His landed possessions aggregate four hundred acres, all lying in one body and all under cultivation. He devotes his time and attention to the production of the cereals best adapted to the soil and climate, raising oats, corn, wheat and hay, and annually harvests good crops, which fill his barns and which, when placed upon the market, bring to him a good financial return for his labors. He has prospered in his own work and, becoming the possessor of a very desirable capital, he also engages in loaning money at the present time. His residence is the old house which was built by his father in 1851, but this he has greatly improved, transforming it into a modern home. On the 24th of August, 1859, Mr. Ely was united in marriage to Miss Maria Pruitt, a daughter of William and Rebecca (Hawkins) Pruitt, both of whom were natives of South Carolina. The father was a blacksmith by trade and followed that vocation as well as farming. In 1820 he emigrated westward to the new state of of Indiana, settling first at Brookville, Fayette county, where he remained for four years, and in 1824 he came to Bartholomew county, where he resided for forty-one consecutive years, or until his death, which occurred in 1865, while his wife, surviving him for about five years, passed away in 1870. They were members of the Christian (or Campbellite) church, while the parents of the subject were connected with the old school Baptist church. Mr. Pruitt owned one hundred and sixty acres of land, constituting a good farm. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Ely have been born three children: John P., who assists in the operation of the home farm; Mary, who became the wife of Adam T. Daugherty, an agriculturist, and died in November, 1893, leaving one child, George W.; and one that died in infancy. Both Mr. and Mrs. Ely are well known in this county, their circle of friends being an extensive one. They have the warm regard of those who know them and their own home is noted for its gracious hospitality. Mr. Ely is a stanch Democrat in his political affiliations and for six years he served as county commissioner, proving a most capable officer and one whose official labors were of direct benefit to the county. In whatever relation of life he is found he is loyal to the trust reposed in him and is therefore deserving of mention among the representative citizens of the county. Additional Comments: Extracted from BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY INDIANA INCLUDING BIOGRAPHIES OF THE GOVERNORS AND OTHER REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS OF INDIANA ILLUSTRATED 1904 B. F. Bowen PUBLISHER File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/bartholomew/bios/ely839gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/infiles/ File size: 5.8 Kb