Harold and Ruth Eller - - - THE FIRST ELLER FAMILY OF GOLF
BY
Gene Pearce
120 Alta Viata Dr., Jackson, Tennessee 38305
State's 1st family of golf
| Vol. IV NO 3. | THE ELLER FAMILY ASSOCIATION | AUGUST 1990 |
|---|
|
In 1945, R.L. Magee, service superintendent of the DuPont Plant, went to a 31-year-old plant employee with the offer of a new job. How would the employee like to become golf professional of Old Hickory Country Club, which DuPont owned? "Good gosh, Mr. Magee," said the employee, "Ten years ago, I would have jumped at the chance. But I'm 31 years old now. I don't know. I'll have to give it some thought." The employee had no experience as a professional, but he was a good golfer. In fact, he had won the Old Hickory club championship three years in a row. After talking it over with his wife and brother, the employee, Harold Eller, decided to try the new job. "I guess they wanted to get rid of me because I won the club championship three years in a row, so they decided to make me go to work out there," Eller, 75, said recently, laughing. By the time he retired from Old Hickory in 1979, Eller had become one of the most respected club professionals in Tennessee. He and wife Ruth and their children, Beverly, Judy, Richard and Mike, are the state's First Family of Golf. Judy (Mrs. Gordon Street of Chattanooga), 49, was inducted into the state's Sports Hall of Fame in 1980. Richard, 42, was inducted into Memphis State University's Sports Hall of Fame last summer. And Beverly (Mrs. Gene Pearce of Jackson), 53, will be inducted into her hometown's sports hall of fame Thursday. That leaves Mike, 39, as the only one of the four children not yet in a hall of fame. But he takes it good-naturedly. "I'm thinking of starting a Hermitage Golf Course Hall of Fame and electing myself the first member," he says, smile. Mike, who is director of golf at Hermitage and at Stonebridge Golf Course in Memphis, the two courses owned by Nashville businessman Ray Danner, will be one of the host professionals next week when the third annual LPGA Sara Lee Classic is played at Hermitage. And Wednesday (May 2) will be an especially exciting day for him. That is when his parents will be honored at Harold and Ruth Eller Senior Citizens Day at the Sara Lee Classic. All senior citizens 62 years or older will be admitted free that day to the first round of the tournament's pro-am competition. "I'm so proud because they've done a lot for golf in the state. It was their whole life," Mike says. "Dad was such a great professional . . . so honest . . . such a great teacher. I would have regretted it if I had not gotten to work for him." After graduating from the University of Alabama (where he played on the golf team) in 1972, Mike tried his hand outside the sport. "I sold insurance for three years and I was miserable," he says. In 1975, he went to work for his dad in the pro shop. When Harold retired, Mike head professional at Old Hickory until he resigned in March 1985 to begin construction on the Hermitage course. Growing up in the Eller household was not your typical family a setting. "They say families don't eat together anymore. Well, we did," Ruth Eller recalls. "I never had a child that slept late. They all got up early, so breakfast was the meal at our house. "And I wouldn't let them eat dinner until their daddy got home. Him being a golf professional, sometimes he didn't get home until 8:30 at night. I remember Beverly once saying, 'Mania, when I get married, I'm going to eat supper at 6:30 every nigh!' "Around the breakfast table and dinner table, they had something they could all talk about, and that was golf," Ruth says. "That and basketball," Mike recalls. "Richard and Judy were also good basketball players, so we'd either talk golf or basketball whatever season It happened to be." Because a golf professional's busiest time is In the summer, the Ellers never got to take a vacation as a family. When Harold got his two weeks off In the winter, the children were in school. "We never had a vacation where all of us were together at the same time," Richard recalls. "Oh, we might have had one a long time ago but Mike and I were too young to remember." They were supposed to have their first family vacation with all members playing golf together last month at Hilton Head, S.C. But this was put on hold when Richard got involved in the reconstruction of the greens at Lebanon Golf and Country Club. Richard, who lives in Franklin, and partner Harold Jackson have a golf course construction company, Golf Course Enterprises. They have also been building a new course in Mt. Juliet, but that course's owner, Charles Rowlett, has run into financial trouble. The construction has ceased while Rowlett seeks a buyer for the property "We're still going to take that family vacation sometime this year at some golf resort," Richard says. "I don't think the whole family,, has ever been on a course playing golf at the same time," he continued. "We've lived on 'em (courses) and worked on ~'em, but never played on 'em at the same time. "In fact, I don't think I've ever seen Mom and Dad play golf together. As a professional, he always bad his games and she was busy taking care of the kids." Ruth's personal claim to golf-playing fame was that she won the Old Hickory woman's club championship in 1953 "I guess a lot of the good players were sick that day," she says, laughing. Her proudest accomplishment is having started the state's junior golf program. None of the Eller children feels he or she missed out on anything because of the dominance golf had in their lives. "It was the only thing we knew. The golf course was our backyard," Richard says. "We lived on the 16th fairway (at Old Hickory) I probably saw Dad more than most kids see their dad. I spent all day working with him. I liked the outside part of the business, like working on the course, and Mike liked the inside part - the pro shop and stuff.” "It was a great atmosphere," Mike recalls. "Richard and I would wake up in the morning, tee off on No. 17 and play around to No. 16. That's the way we started our day. Then we'd go shag balls or caddy. "I wish more kids could grow up around a golf course. It's a great environment. It was like having a 150 acre plantation." "Judy took her first step on the putting green at Old Hickory," Ruth says. "I guess we were lucky that the people at Old Hickory didn't mind having children, playing golf there. Ours grew up on the golf course." "They never forced golf on us, they always left it up to us," Richard says. But he also remembers the time he got interested in Little League baseball "I was 8 or 9 years old and I was playing Little League and hadn't played golf in six or seven weeks," he says. "Dad came to me and said, 'If you're not going to play golf, there is a member at the club who wants to buy your clubs for his son.' "The next day I was out there on the practice tee hitting balls. I don't think Dad would ever have sold my clubs, but I didn't want to take the he adds, smiling. When I was growing up, Judy was winning everything and her name was. in the newspaper all the time. I didn't practice and play striving to beat Judy, but I wanted to succeed in golf like she did. "Whatever sport she was playing, Judy was one of the greatest competitors I have ever seen” he says. Ruth remembers Once when her daughters were young and they wound up playing against each other in the first flight of the Nashville Women's Golf Association match-play tournament. "They were coming up to the 18th fairway at Belle Meade and both of them were about to cry because they knew one of them had to lose," she says. Judy won. "Before you ask the question, I'll tell you: Between Judy and me, Judy was the better golfer . . . She always was," Beverly says, Judy says: "At the time, I didn't realize what a competitive person I was but I can remember when I was 7 or 8 years old lying down on the grow one time to see who was away. "I also remember the first tournament Beverly and I played in. I was 9, and Daddy said playing in the City would be good experience for us Beverly was excited about it, but I just said, 'Why should I? I can't win anything.' I didn't want to play if I couldn't win. "But I wound up playing my aunt (Laura) in the finals of the consolation bracket I beat her and won a silver dish. It was the first thing I ever won playing golf," she says. "If we hadn't taken up golf, we would never have seen our father," Beverly says. "Dad never knew a day off when he was a pro. He worked seven days a week. "That's not the way it is for a pro nowadays. People don't maw now how much work the pros put in back then. Pros have their days off now and have time to spend with their kids. Times have changed. But we had a good time growing up," she says. Beverly's two sons, Barry and Ray, are professionals. Barry is head pro at Royal Oak Country Club in Greenwood, Ind., and Ray is an assistant pro at Stones River in Murfreesboro. I sometimes wondered if Judy ever felt like she was missing out on anything as a child,” Ruth says. "But we were at one of my Junior tournaments recently and she said, 'Weren't those good days, Mama?'” "I have often told my children that if I had it to do all over again, I can't think of anything I would do differently. It was wonderful,” Judy says. "I don't think I missed out on anything growing up, unless it was dating a little" she adds "I remember one time this boy asked me for a date and Daddy wouldn't let me go out because I was playing in a the next day." Harold became Interested in golf when as a youngster he used to caddy at Oakland Hills Golf Course in Brooklyn, Mich. He won a caddy tournament there at age 14. He moved to Nashville While in high school He became one of the top teaching pros in this area. His children are living proof that the game can be taught successfully. "You can teach golf at any age from the youngest all the way up," he says. "But the older you get, the harder it is for the muscles to function like you want them to. Early in life, they do what you want them to. Being the pro and the greens superintendent, I worked from daylight to dark. I guess if my children hadn't taken up golf they would never have seen much of me." Now retired, Harold and Ruth spend the winter months at their home wi Wellington Fla., and the rest of the year in Nashville. One of their favorites in the Sara Lee Classic will be LPGA Hall-of-Famer JoAnne Carner. She and Judy have been close friends since they were teen-age amateurs on the U.S. Juniors team in 1956. "I couldn't afford to run back and forth from Seattle to compete in the Juniors, so Harold and Ruth let me stay with them," Carner explains from her home in Palm Beach, Fla. "Judy and I struck up a friendship right off the bat, and we have been friends ever since. Harold and Ruth are like parents to me. “Harold helped me with my first U.S. Women's Open, you know,” she adds. “In 1971, I stopped by Nashville to see them a week or two before the Open was in Erie, Pa., I was hitting the ball absolutely awful. Harold told me three things to do. "I remembered two of them, and to this day, I don't remember what No. 3 was and neither does Harold,” she laughs. “But I won by eight shots, and I hit the ball longer off the tee than I ever hit it in my life. I hit one drive 310 yards and hit another one 295 yards uphill. “That's the way Harold is. He has always helped everyone in the area and never taken anything for It. I think it's wonderful that citizens day at the Sara Lee is honoring them," Carner says. The honor caught Harold and Ruth by surprise. "It was something I certainly didn't expect,” Harold says. We're honored. At least it means we haven't been forgotten.” Judy sums it up best. "I can't think of two nicer senior citizens to it name it after," she says. |
( It is possible that I have the pieces of this article mis-arranged a bit. They were a bit out of order and I attempted to reorder them. [ADE] ) |
| Siceloff, | Adaline, b. 5-19-1832, d. 4-18-1862, 2nd wife of E.D.C. Harris. |
| " | Mary (Polly), b. 9-7-1833, d. 8-12-1921, m. John A. ELLER, son of George & Mary Yokley ELLER. |
| " | Joseph B., b. 10-27-1836, d. 11-19-1898, m. Laura Mock, b. 10-23-1840, d. 8-25-1906. |
| " | John. |
| " | Elizabeth, b. 1844, d. 1916, m. Samuel ELLER, son of George & Mary Yokely ELLER, b. 1838, d. 1922. |
| " | Columbus m. Martha Pledger. |
| " | Augusta, m. George Hauser. |
| " | Janet, b. 4-18-1851, d. 8-3-1920, 2nd wife of John C. Thomas, b. 6-13-1842, d. 10-30-1918. |
| " | Edward L., b. 4-8-1854, d. 4-20-1909, m. 2-8-1876 Julia Mock, dau. of John Madison Mock & wife Louzena Chadwick Mock. Lauzena Chadwick Mock was dau. of John & Elizabeth Lowe Chadwick. |
| " | Julia Mock, b. |
| ELLER, | Hugh, b. 9-12-1817, d. 4-25-1843. |
| " | Lorenzo, b. 11-7-1822, d. 6-13-1904. |
| " | Eliza. |
| " | Henry, b. 1-24-1828, d. 8-29-1854. |
| " | John A. b. b. 12-19-1830, d. 9-22-1920, m. Mary Siceloff, dau. of Alexander & Eliza Wyer Siceloff, b. 9-4-1833, d. 8-12-1921. |
| " | George. |
| " | Samuel, b. 1838, d. 1922, m. Elizabeth Siceloff, dau. of Alexander & Eliza Wyer Siceloff, b. 1844, d. 1916. |
| ELLER, | Frances, b. 7-27-1858, m. 1879 Wm. Penn Pickett, son of Samuel & Asenath Montgomery Pickett, b. 6-16-1859, d. 8-25-1930. |
| " | Mary, b. 11-6-1860. |
| " | Sarah, b. 3-24-1863, m. Rev. Joseph J. Eads. |
|
HENRY AND MARTHA (PATSY) ELLER are the ancestors of the Eller family members who had a reunion Sunday at Boiling Springs Baptist Church in Purlear. The couple lived In the Purlear area. |
|
The Eller Reunion was held Sunday, June 10 at Boiling Springs Baptist Church at Purlear with their pastor the Rev. Wayne Osborne offering the opening prayer. Kate Eller, chairperson, directed the business meeting of the descendants of Henry and Martha (Patsy) Eller. Their children included Elizabeth Cardwell, Cleve Eller, Martha Minton, Suzie Eller, John Eller, Jim Eller, Bob Eller, Jacob Eller, Alice Woodie, Ellen Norman. Many states were represented for the 19th re-organized event. After 40 some years as an annual event, it was disbanded for a few years. Gifts were awarded to Lexie M. McNeil, oldest, 90 years, from Charlotte; | Blake Eller, youngest, Bluefield, W. Va.; Peggy Jean Wilkes, farthest distance, Texas; and Venver and Novella Foster, married longest, 60 years. Special prayers were held to remember the deceased members since last year. Efforts are being made to construct a family history for publication to preserve the family heritage. New officers elected were: Angie Eller, chairperson; Homer Eller, vice chairperson; Louise Bishop, secretary and treasurer; and Jeanette Haynes, publicity chairperson. A covered dish dinner was served at the picnic shelter of the church. Plans are to meet next year on the second Sunday In June. |
| Dear William (A.W. Eller, 370 Upham St., Lakewood, CA 80226) Thank you for- your reply. I joined the E.F.A. around the 12th of April, which was shortly after Byron, here in Oroville, made me aware of it. I am the oldest member (59) of my family line and am sorry to say I know very little of it's history. I did order the back issues of the Chronicles, and after reading the story of Jay Vernard Eller, I believe I have figured out my line. I know my Grandfather was John Flory Eller and was a minister in Empire, CA before I was born. Of course it was for the Church of the Brethern. I've enclosed what I believe to be my family tree. I have also written Lowell in Salem, VA and to Vernard in LaVerne, CA, who I believe to be a pretty close cousin. I've heard from Lowell, no information yet, but I have yet to hear from Vernard. I am looking forward to Estes Park in 91 and hope I can make it. I am retired from the State of California but my Dept. has asked me to do some part-time inspection work for them. I leave for Korea next Monday for 3 months. Goodness knows where I will be after that . . . Marvin |
| A-8962 Gröbming Austria 19 March 1990 |
|
Dear Fellow Namesakes and Cousins! Since you were so kind as to introduce me in "The Eller Chronicles," Vol. IV, No. 1, February 1990, 1 no longer have to do it myself. The enclosed items are for you from Mr. Georg Eller of Bingen on the Rhine, whose name I first heard in 1988 while visiting in the home of Franz Eller in Meran/Algund in the South Tyrol, to whom I then wrote, and with whom I subsequently have gotten on well. In his first letter he told me about your association, about which I am very happy, and I thank you at the same time for sending the Chronicles. I will read it in detail, for everything in it interests me greatly. Perhaps there are also Ellers in your lines from the South German region who then would belong to my clan. The Ellers are divided by origin into the Northern and Southern regions. Those bearing the name in Germany north of Bavaria derive their name from the Erle (alder), which is called Elle in the low German dialect. Hence: The Farmer at the Alderbush). Those who bear the name in the Tyrol, in the rest of Austria, as also Herbert Eller in Vienna, in the South Tyrol up to the territory of Trient, which belonged to Austria until 1918 and was called the Latin Tyrol because it was peopled with Italians, and likewise by Bavarians, all these derive their name form Gothic origins. After the Battle of Annihilation of the Ostrogoths, a Germanic tribe whose King Theodoric the Great freed his people from the serfdom of the Huns in present day Hungary, and led them to Italy, and there established the Ostrogoth Kingdom that was, however, attacked by the Byzantine Emperor under his successors, and was finally beaten and destroyed at Vesus, the remainder of his people fled to the wild regions of the Alps, namely the mountains of the Tyrol. Thus these Ellers, Descended from the Gothic agil hari or active army, became farmers in the Schmirn Valley, and gradually spread throughout the Tyrol, the Vorarlberg, Bavaria and even in individual cases, over into the rest of Austria, mainly through military service during the Austro-Hungarian Monarachy. My ancestors came through a cut in the mountains, the Tuxer Pass, into the Ziller Valley where they also became farmers. My father came from this valley. My grandfather came into the Styrian Enns Valley as a woodcutter, settled and prospered. My father, who was a wholesale lumber dealer, also became wealthy and died in 1917 when I was still young. My paternal relatives all live in the Tyrol, north and south of the Brenner Pass. Thus I am the only one of my name in Styria. In my student days there lived in Graz a Finance Officer of the same name, but he has died and his children moved away from Styria. To where, I don't know. The Tyrolean line belongs altogether to a common clan. I always take the trouble to look up the Ellers when I make my annual visit to the South Tyrol so that I can research when and who has moved away from the Schmirn Valley. In the telephone book of Trient there is a page of Ellers who are naturally itialianized and do not know from where they came. The South Tyrolers, though, feel united and are either fruit farmers or vintners or innkeepers or merchants. This is also true of Franz Eller in Algund, who runs a meatcutting machine business. In his house I also found the Eller coat of arms, a quartered shield with unicorn and the Luther Rose threefold recumbent on a band. The helmet also bears the unicorn. I could not find this shield of 1662 in the Siebenmacher Book of Heraldry. In answer to my inquiry in the Regional Archives in Innsbruck I was told that since 1918 coats of arms were not permitted to be duplicated. That is allied with the abolition of the titles of nobility and the founding of the Republic. In my last stay in the South Tyrol I learned the name of a book of heraldry which I am trying to find, but as of today have not yet had in my hand. Good things take their time! Since I live here out in the country, 180 kilometers away from my capital, I do not always have the chance to do research. Gröbming is a heavily visited tourist town in winter as well as summer because it is sorrounded by high mountains. It is north of the Dachstein Massif and south of the Tauern Mountains. Gröbming lies 20 kilometers east of Schladming which is known as a winter sport center for World Cup (?) races. Perhaps you have already heard of it. if there are among you families of Tyrolean ancestors, I ask that you write to me. I greet you all cordially and wish you the best!............. Dr. Rose Eller |
| A. WILLIAM ELLER President 370 Upham St. Lakewood, CO 80226 |
CHARLOTTE ELLER MARSHALL Secretary-Treasurer 605 S. E. Park Avenue Corvallis, OR 97333 |
| VERNARD & PHYLLIS ELLER Vice-Presidents 2448 Third St. La Verne, CA 91750 |
J. GERALD & JUANITA ELLER
Editors, THE ELLER CHRONICLES RR 2, Box 145-D Whittier, NC 28789 |
