EALER, Chas. N., Allentown, PA.; then St. Landry Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller


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CHAS. N. EALER, OPELOUSAS.--Chas. N. Ealer, jeweler, is a native of Allentown,
Pennsylvania, born January 8, 1823.  The farthest back that there is anything
extant on the history of the Ealer family are facts concerning Peter Ealer, a
druggist, of Baltimore, Maryland, who was of German extraction, probably born
in Baltimore.  Peter Ealer's son, John, was the father of our subject.

John Ealer was born in Baltimore, Maryland, 1793, and there he learned the
trade of jeweler and watch maker.  He remained in Baltimore until about 1812
or 1813, when he removed to Allentown, Pennsylvania, where he entered business
for himself.  In 1815 he was married to Miss Catharine Weis, born 1779, died
1866.  There were born to this marriage eight children, six of whom grew to
maturity:  William,  Joseph,  Henry A.,  Charles N. (the subject of this
sketch),  Mary and  George.  Of these, three are living.  John Ealer remained
in Allentown, Pennsylvania, until 1829, when, with his family, he returned to
Baltimore, and followed his business there until 1834.  In this year he
removed to St. Louis, Missouri, where he died in 1848.  At this place Joseph,
the second son, and Charles N., our subject, learned the trade of their
father.

Charles N. Ealer alternately went to school, steamboated, and worked in his
father's store until 1840.  He was engaged in steamboating on the Mississippi
from the head of navigation to New Orleans; on the Illinois, as far as Peru;
on the Missouri, as far as Charleston; and on the Ohio as far as Louisville.
>From 1840 to 1843 Charles N. Ealer worked at his trade in St. Louis, and
became proficient in it.  In 1843 he Went to New Orleans, Louisiana, and was
engaged as a journeyman until 1845, when he removed to Opelousas, and has
since been in business at this place.  Mr. Ealer was married, in 1846, to Miss
Helen, daughter of John and Margaret (Chisholm) MacDonald, both of whom are
natives of Scotland, born about the year 1790.  John McDonald was for many
years a seafaring man, and was aboard the "John Adams" when she ran the
blockade in Chesapeake Bay, 1812.  He was also a civil engineer, and during a
portion of his life gave his attention to this calling.  He and his wife spent
their declining years in Opelousas, dying in 1870 and 1876 respectively.  Mrs.
Chas. N. Ealer was born in Cheraw, S. C., 1828, and was reared in Covington,
Louisiana.  She died in Opelousas, 1886.  Mr. and Mrs. Ealer became the
parents of two children, only one of whom is living-Effle--who is now a
resident of this place.  Helen Perkins, a niece of Mrs. Ealer, was reared by
them.  She was a brilliant and accomplished lady.  She married George L.
Pitate, only living about three months after the birth of her first child.
>From 1863 until the close of the war, Charles N. Ealer was Confederate States
assessor for St. Landry parish.  Mr. Ealer has been especially active in
building up the public schools of St. Landry parish.  He has been for thirteen
consecutive years on the board of school directors, and is still one of its
most active members.  He is recognized as one of the highest authorities on
all parish matters, being in possession of a remarkably full fund of accurate
information pertaining to the different departments of the parish.

Southwest Louisiana Biographical and Historical, Biographical Section, pp.
37-38.  Edited by William Henry Perrin.  Published in 1891, by The Gulf
Publishing Company.