The Eller Chronicles

This account has some unique aspects. First, undocumented stories handed down in my Eller family say our Gr. Gr. Grandfather Eller who lived in Germany was a swordsmith and father of eight sons. One son, George was a gunsmith, so the story goes, and was forced to flee from Germany after killing a German warlord. He escaped into Holland and then rode a cattle boat to America. Records show he was in Rowan County, NC on 29 Dec 1842 when he married Rosena Goodman (See Marriage Bond below).

An unrelated but persistent part of my family's German stories said Kaiser Wilhelm's wife was an Eller. This is not to claim she was of our line but the story has been told and retold many times in my family. Can someone verify or debunk this?

Bible records show my George Eller was born in 1820. If he were born in Germany as family tradition says, he was the first known 19th century Eller immigrant to Rowan County, NC. Ancestors of other Rowan County Ellers arrived in the previous century. That my great grandfather was in Rowan County suggests he may have been related to the Ellers already there.

Third, this story documents two Eller-Biffle marriages not previously known by the Eller Family Association. The only known prior Eller-Biffle marriage involved the daughter of the German immigrant, Adam Biffle, who m. Jacob Eller, Jr. of Rowan Co., NC.

(Eds. See Eller Chronicles, Vol. V, No. 4, p. 255; also, the editorial note at the end of this article.)

GEORGE ELLER

(b. 28 Jan. 1820, Germany?; d. 26 Jan. 1870, Illinois)

[Eds. Insert ] BIBLE RECORDS - Submitted by Ethiel Bernice Johnson, 15834 Drysdale, Southgate, MI 48195

From Rose Ann Eller Eddleman's Bible:
George Eller b. 28 Dec. 1820 d. 26 Feb. 1870, Union Co., IL; m. 29 Dec. 1842, Rowan Co., NC, Rocena (Rosena) Goodman, b. 31 Oct. 1921, Rowan Co. , NC, d. 9 Feb. 1869, Union Co. IL. ( Both are buried in Missenheimer Cemetery, Perks, IL)

Children:

• 1. John Adam Eller b. 28 Feb. 1843, Rowan Co., NC
• 2. Mary Ann Sarah Eller, b. 6 Jun. 1846, Rowan Co., NC; m. Abraham Lence 5 Nov. l865, Union Co., IL
• 3. George Henry Eller b. 11 May 1848, Rowan Co., NC; m. 20 Jun. 1875, Union Co., IL, Lucinda Penrod
• 4. Michael David Eller b. 24 Mar. 1850, Rowan Co., NC; m. 31 May 1864, Union Co., IL, Mary Ann Seals
• 5. Eva Rose Ann Eller b. 6 Jun. 1852, Rowan Co., NC; d. 28 Jan. 1927, Brand Chain, Pulaski Co., IL; m. 5 Jan. 1871, Union Co., IL, David Eddleman
• 6. Nancy Elizabeth Eller b. 31 Dec. 1856

Additional information on some of the children of George and Rosena Goodman Eller - from Ltr. dated 23 Jun. 1991 to Winnie Green from Mrs. Rose Mary Orr, Genealogist, Box 601, Vienna, IL 62995:

John Adam Eller, b. 28 Feb. 1843 Rowan Co., NC. Muster and Descriptive Role of "Company K", 11th Infantry Regiment of Illinois Volunteers, Civil War Records, Union Co, Illinois; John Adam Eller 18 years old, 5 ft. 6 in. tall, brown hair, blue eyes, dark skin, a farmer, single, born in Rowan Co., NC; joined the service in Union Co. August 14, 1862, enrolled by Captain Hurley for 3 years; mustered at Camp Anna September 11, 1862 by Lieut. Brown; transferred from Ill. 9 infantry. Died March 1864 of wounds received at Zag---- (can't read). The family story is that he served with the Union Army at Island # 10 an the Mississippi Rivet,. He was shot, crawled under a house and died.

Marhan Sarah (Mary Ann Sarah) Eller b. 6 June 1846 Rowan Co. NC; m. Abraham Lance 20 June 1875, Union Co., IL. 3 children (Henry C. and two daughters).

[Eds. Insert] From Bible of Eva Rose Ann Eller's Bible in the possession of Mrs. Lulu Spendler, dau. of Thomas Eddleman of Karnak, IL - Submitted by Ethiel Bernice Johnson (address above):

*David Eddleman b. 4 Jul. 1849, Union Co., IL; d. 7 May 1902, Grand Chain, Pulaski Co., IL; s/o Jacob and Susannah (Sowers) Eddleman; m. 5 Jan. 1871, Union Co., IL, Eva Rose Ann Eller b. 6 Jun 1852, Rowan Co., NC; d. 28 Jan. 1927, Grand Chain, Pulaski Co., IL; d/o George and Rocena (Goodman) Eller.

Children:

• 1. Laura Eddleman b. 15 Nov. 1871
• 2. Amanda Eddleman b. 8 Feb 1873, IL
• 3. Isabella Eddleman, b. 1874, IL, d. 1927; m. David Osborne
• 4. Della May Eddleman, b. 28 Feb. 1877, Pulaski Co.; d. 9 Jun. 1960, Little Rock, Pulaski Co., AR; m.(lst) Robert Edward Dick; m.(2nd) Elijah Franklin Abbott.
• 5. Cora Eddleman b. 30 Jul. 1878, Pulaski Co. IL; d. 21 Mar. 1957; m. George B. Easter
• 6. David Monroe Eddleman b. 22 Nov. 1880, Pulaski Co., IL; d. 30 Apr. 1938; m. Allie Mae Little
• 7. Thomas Eddleman b. 28 Dec. 1882, Pulaski Co., IL; d. 3 Jul. 1935; m. Cor,a M. Eastwood
• S. Olla R. Eddleman b. May 1885, Pulaski Co., IL; d. 1943; m. Albert Hyatt
• 9. Emma Eddleman b. 16 Jan. 1888; d. 30 Sep. 1905.
• 10. Fannie Eddleman b. Apr. 1891; d. 1954; m. Theodore Goins
• 11. Effie Eddleman b. 21 Feb. 1895; d. 8 May 1957; m. Orlon Hayes

[*=See pictures of David Eddleman and Eva Rose Ann Eller below]

Winnie Green's story continues

GEORGE HENRY M. ELLER

(See Picture on Front Cover and Below)

George M. Eller ( did not use the name Henry after he went to Texas) was born 11 May 1848 in Rowan Co. North Carolina to George and Rocena Goodman Eller. The approaching Civil War upset the family, to what extent I do not know, so they went to Union Co., Illinois. His mother died there 9 Feb. 1869 and his father died on 26 Jan. 1870; both were buried in the Missenheimer Cemetery, Perks, Illinois. His first wife Lucinda Penrod died 4 Sep. 1879. Their youngest son, Charles David, died earlier that year, on 1 Jan. 1879. The 1860 Pulaski Co., IL census (see above) found George M. Eller, his son William Frank, living in the household of his sister Eva Rose Ann Eddleman.

His father bought 40 acres of land in l864 and 5 acres from Sheriff J.H. McElhandy on 5 Aug. 1867; later an additional 160 acre tract was purchased. All were sold to George M. Eller an 14 July 1869. (Ltr. from Rose Mary Orr, dated 23 Jun. 1991.)

In the early 1880's George Henry M. Eller with his son William Frank Eller, the Penrods and his brother, Michael David Eller and his wife Mary, with their son George David Eller went to Texas. George M. Eller and the Penrods settled in Parker County near Poolville, TX. On 20 Dec. 1887 he married his 2nd wife, Laura Elen Eugene (Shaw) McClendon who was the widow of B. Shaw whom she had married 12 Jul. 1877 and with whom she had one son, Arthur Henry Shaw b. 5 Jun. 1878 in Pennsylvania. Arthur became a step-son of George M. Eller.

George M. Eller remained in Poolville, Texas about twenty years during which time two more sons were born, George Joseph Eller on 19 Sep. 1890 and Jewell Earnest Eller on 12 Dec. 1895. In 1902 he sold his land in Texas and moved to the Indian Territory in Oklahoma which had just been opened for settlement. His trip across the Red River was quite a Journey but he had a new red wagon and team of mules; Old Beck was grey and Bunt was a bay. George J. and Arthur, his stepson, drove the horses and cows. They were old enough to ride the horses across the river, but my Dad, Jewell, complained that he had to ride in the wagon.

They settled in the Red Top Community, Greer Co., OK, where there was a school by the same name which the boys attended. It was one room and offered only the first 8 grades. George, a carpenter, was called upon to make the wooden boxes and coffins; he would always haul the corpse to the cemetery. He was a leader in his community and was loved by all. He was of the Lutheran faith and was a devout Christian who was a strong advocate of devine healing which he practiced in the community. He was a 32nd degree Mason and attended Lodge in Willow, OK. He served on the first Grand Jury ever held in Greer County at Mangum, OK. He asked that the following inscription be placed on his tomb stone:, "I have finished the course, I have kept the faith." He died 6 Dec. 1910 and was buried in the Plainview Cemetery, Greer Co., OK.

[ Winnie Green: "I would give one eye tooth to know if the "M." in my grandfather's name is for Michael, Mikel, Milken, Melchair, or Milton. I have been told there were more than one George Michael Eller."]

DESCENDANT CHART:

3. JEWELL EARNEST ELLER

(See Family Pictures Below)

My father, Jewell Eller, was the strict (Old German) type. He was very kind, loving, caring, a good provider but without the patience of Job. He always said, "I never chew my tobacco twice so you had better be listening."

He was proud of his German heritage. We were taught to count to ten in German and when company came, we were to be seen and not heard. We sat quietly with our dresses covering our knees.

My father played games with us and always read our lessons and made sure that we did them well. He had a baby picture of himself in a dress. We girls would tease him for wearing a dress. I found this poem which fit him to a "T".

He taught us another little song:

He was a scholar of the Bible and a 32rd Degree Mason. We lived on the 160 acre farm where my Grandfather homesteaded in 1902. We raised wheat, cane, maize, cotton, big gardens and cattle. We were taught to work and take pride in whatever we did. " If it is worth doing, it is worth doing right," we were often reminded. Often when I asked questions he would say, "let sleeping dogs lie."

But, with the "curiosity of a cat" and the hard head of a German, I need to know, and need lots of help in researching the Eller line. My mother was a Biffle, also a German, but with much more patience and a very hard worker who was always at my father's side.

DESCENDANT CHART:

2. MICHAEL DAVID ELLER

(b. 24 Mar. 1650, Rowan County, NC; d. 22 Mar. 1940, Illinois)

Michael David Eller was born 24 Mar. 1850, Rowan County, NC, the son of George and Rocena Goodman Eller. He died 22 March 1940 and was buried with his wife in Missenheimer Cemetery, Perks, IL. He was married 31 April 1874, Pulaski Co., IL, to Mary Ann Seals, b. 28 March 1856; d. lB93.

He was a fat,mer and in the early 1880's he and his family, with his brother George M. and the Eddleman's went to Texas. He did not like Texas so he soon returned alone to Illinois. Something happened to his horses so he sold some land, bought new horses, and returned to Texas in order to bring his family back to Illinois. Later he returned to Texas but did not stay.

DESCENDANT CHART: Next page

2. EVA ROSE ANN (Evy Risen) ELLER

(See Pictures Below)

Eva Rose Ann Eller b. 18 Jun. 1852, Salisbury, Rowan Co., NC; d. 1927, buried Ohio Chapel Cemetery, Grandchair, IL; m. 5 Jan. 1871, David Eddleman, b. 4 Jul. 1849, d. 7 May 1902.

[Eds.- Winnie has provided consider-able data on her Biffle line which include Biffle ancestors common to her and the Jacob Eller, Jr.(2) (Jacob(1) line. Rather than give here all of her Biffle data, we will show only a skeletal outline of her and our common Biffle lineage:

Johannes Paulus Biffle: came to America 1738
  Adam Biffle/Catherine Henckel ..dau. Mary m. Jacob Eller Jr.
    Jacob Biffle/ Mary Polly Deaver
      Valentine Biffle/ Margaret Payton/Elizabeth Koonce
    * Henderson Porter Biffle/Mary Winnie Brewer
  * * John Wesley Biffle/Rennie Louise Buchan
          Oliva Etta Biffle/ Jewell Earnest Eller

      Parents of Winnie Eller Green
  *= ( News story & pictures below)
  * *= ( See Pictures Below)

Progenitors of the Ellers of Buncombe, Madison, & Graham Counties, NC; also the Eller,s of North GA. and many in TN, TX, MO, OK, ID, OR and other states.

INTERESTING SPECULATION! Winnie and the Jacob Eller, Jr-. descendants share common Eller ancestors if subsequent research on Winnie's Gr. Grandfather- George Eller reveals he was indeed related to the immigrant Jacob Eller of Rowan County, NC. Such are the unexpected connections that are revealed by research. I hope Winnie, Ethiel or others can provide documentation on the flight of George Eller to Rowan Co., NC from Germany.

We are delighted to publish the results of Winnie's extensive research efforts. We have exchanged letters for the past two or three years and had the happy privilege of meeting her- at the Eller Family Conference in Estes Park, CO last summer. We are especially pleased that she has sent so many excellent photographs for publication along with her story. We are also most grateful for the contributions of Ethiel Bernice Johnson.

An apology: The material inserted above from Ethiel Bernice Johnson was received back in 1989. Because she included picture, which we hoped to publish and because at that time we were not equipped to publish pictures her material was filed away and forgotten until we began to work on Winnie's story. Winnie and Ethiel, together, have provided new Eller information which we suspect will provoke interest and many questions.

RELATED NEWS STORY AND PICTURES FOLLOW ON THE NEXT PAGES

Page 4R � DeLeon Free Press � DeLeon, Texas 76444 � Thursday July 2, 1981