efa_121009 - Eller Family Association

ELLER FAMILY ASSOCIATION presentation of ASWELL PETER ELLER and his son CLEVELAND ARTHUR or ASHLAND ELLER By Gerald H. Eller

Aswell Peter Eller Born November 21st 1834 Died July 5th 1906

Pictured on the left with his brother Hansford

Married Nancy Dixon On October 21st, 1857 (Some records say the 22nd)  There is no information on the date of Nancy’s birth but she died on January 2nd 1879. There are also different spellings of her last name but I will go by the spelling as in the family Bible and not Dixson or Dickson.

Aswell and Nancy had a total of nine children.  The first was Milton Lafayette in 1858. He died in 1859 as an infant.  Their second was Ludemy Isabella in 1859.  The third child was Victoria Adelade in 1861.

The complete list of their 9 children and the different spellings of their names through my research.  Milton Lafayette Eller 1858-1859  Ludemy Isabella Eller (1859-1944) in the family Bible. Isabella in the 1860 census 8 months old, Ludeema in the 1870 census other names include Irabella, Ladeema or Ludemy Married Dr Manley Blevins  Victoria Adelade 1861-1934? or 1935? or Addie Eller Married James Vannoy  Mary C. Eller 1866-1899 Married Henry Campbell but original Descendants of George Michael Eller says married a Dr Bevins (Blevins) Had 7 children, 5 boys, 2 girls  William Hansford Eller 1868-1931 Lived in Cripple Creek in early 1900’s Went by Willis, Willie or Bill

Aswell and Nancy Eller Children continued 

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James Luke Eller 1870-1949 Married Mary Bertha Thorpe on 25-AUG-1909 Went by Jim and lived in Cripple Creek as well Sarah A. Eller (Sally) 1872-? Married Jacob Eller Ennis Eller (Eunice) 1874-? Married Obe Hayes had 2 daughters. Had a son named Bob Eller prior to marriage who was raised by Lula Eller, her younger ½ sister, daughter of Aswell and Mary Ann Elizabeth E. Eller or Lizzie 1876-? Married Blaine Brooks Had 3 children 2 girls and 1 boy

Jim Eller

The 1860 Census 

The 1860 Census has Aswell listed as 25 years old and living next to his father Luke. It is assumed that Luke gave Aswell some of the land that had been passed down to him from Jacob.

The Civil War 1861-1865  Aswell’s first record of the Civil War is as enlisting on July 8th, 1862 in the Confederacy and then mustering in on August 17th, 1862.

Aswell’s Civil War Records  Aswell’s Civil War records as found in the Historical Data base

Historical Data Base Record    

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Enlisted on July 8th, 1862 at Ashe County, NC as a 1st SGT with his 21 yr old brother Hansford who was a PVT Mustered into “D” Co. NC 5th Battalion Cavalry Was reduced from 1st SGT to SGT around January 31st, 1863 Was transferred out on August 3rd 1863 into “B” Co. NC 6th Cavalry (no date, method of discharge or place stated). Hansford was transferred the same day as well but was listed as AWOL Aswell was listed as Deserted on June 29th, 1863 at Big Creek Gap TN and again on September 12th, 1863 in Dalton GA and returned on September 30th, 1863 at an unknown location. Hansford was listed as Deserted on July 23rd, 1863 from Knoxville TN Aswell was reduced from SGT to PVT around December 31st, 1863 Aswell was listed as being on the Rolls on November 30th, 1864 at an unknown location. This is the last known date of his Civil War record

Battles fought by the 5th Cavalry Battalion NC           

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Nov 8th 1862 Big Gap Creek TN th April 6 1863 Roger’s Gap TN th June 9 1863 Brandy Station VA th June 19 1863 Big Creek Gap TN and Wattsburg TN June 20th 1863 Big Creek Gap TN and Hawkins County KY June 22nd 1863 Wilson County NC and Wilson’s Gap TN (June 29th Aswell deserts from Big Creek Gap TN) (July 23rd Hansford deserts in Knoxville TN) July 30th 1863 Big Hill KY July 31st 1863 Bill Hill and Irvine KY August 1st 1863 Big Hill KY, Cumberland River KY, Richmond VA, Stanford KY and Wildcat KY (Sept 12th Aswell deserts in Dalton GA and returns on Sept 30th) Sept 20th 1863 Chickamauga GA

Civil War Concluded 

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Union losses at Brandy Station were 81 killed, 403 wounded and 382 captured or missing Confederate losses were 51 killed, 250 wounded and 132 missing and over 200 captured Union losses at Chickamauga were 1,657 killed, 9,756 wounded and 4,757 missing Confederate losses were 2,389 killed, 13,412 wounded and 2,003 missing When Aswell joined the Confederacy he had two daughters Ludemy who wasn’t even 3 yet and Victoria who was about 8 months old. Aswell and Nancy didn’t have any more children until the spring of 1866 when Mary was born.

Ashe County NC Slavery and the Eller’s 

Total Persons (or population) calculated: 978

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Total Free White Persons including Heads of Families: 839

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Total Persons with the name of Eller: 44 Total Free Colored Persons: 28 Total Slaves: 111 Percent of total Free Colored Persons: 3% Percent of total Slaves: 11.3% Percent of Eller’s: 4.5% Percent of Eller’s with Slaves and Free Colored Persons: 0%

 86% of population was White and 14.2% was Colored and or a Slave

1870 Census 

Aswell’s family after the war in Hilton Township Ashe County NC and photo of his younger brother Joseph and his children?

Back Kirby Luke and Lulu Eller, John and Nancy Eller Welch, Reese and Mary Eller Graybeal Front Joseph L. & Betty Kirby Eller, Robert Eller and Millare Hansford Eller

Photo appeared in Eller Chronicles May 1994

1880 Census  

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January 2nd 1879 Nancy Dixon passes on In May of 1843 Mary Ann Burkett is born to Daniel Burkett and Nancy Catherine Johnston. She is one of 10 children, 7 girls and 3 boys. In August of 1866 she marries Hugh C. Turner in Ashe County. They have 3 sons, Daniel Winston Turner 18691955, William Walter Turner 1873-1946 and John Andrew Turner 1875-1955 who are all my ½ great uncles. A. P. Eller and Mary Ann (Burkett) Turner were married 3-JUL1879 they had 3 children. The 1880 Census has all 8 children living at home and Daniel, William and John as A.P. step sons. Mary Ann must have been pregnant with Rosa at the time who was born in 1880

A.P. Eller and Mary Ann’ Kids  Rosa Eller 1880-1950 Married Jerry Vardiman  Lula Ann Eller 1882-1961 Married James Nichols and had 6 children, 4 girls and 2 boys. Also raised Bob Eller, son of Eunice or Ennis, her ½ sister.  Cleveland Arthur (or Ashland) Eller 8-FEB1885 and died 7-FEB-1927 Married Carrie Johanna (Hansen) Eller 1-JAN-1917 and had 5 children, 3 girls and 2 boys.

Aswell Peter Eller passes on July 5th 1906 

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A letter from Aswell to his three sons, William, James and Cleveland Dated May 20th, 1905 is the last we know. Mary Ann Eller files for Widow’s Pension in Bannock Idaho

Cleveland Arthur or Ashland Eller  Born to Aswell Peter and Mary Ann Eller February 8th, 1885 in Ashe County NC. He is the last and youngest child of both Aswell and Mary Ann

The Early Years  Not much is known of Cleveland Eller including his middle name  In his late teens or early twenties he left for Cripple Creek Colorado with his two older ½ brothers, William and James  It is unclear what year he went but a letter from Aswell to the sons confirms their safe arrival to Victor in the spring of 1905

The Early Years Continued  It is assumed William went out in the early 1900’s and James and Cleve followed  William owned the “Last Chance Saloon” in Victor Colorado  James owned the tobacco store on the same block which also sold candy  Victor city records confirm Cleve tended bar  William was blinded in a mining accident and moved to Denver to still run a grocery store, he died in Virginia in 1931 while on vacation. He never married.  James married Mary Bertha Thorpe in 1909, presumably in Colorado. He later returned to Ashe County and passed away in 1949

Cripple Creek and Victor Colorado

Carrie Johanna Hansen or Hanson  Born in Racine WI on August 14th 1885

Cleveland and Carrie Eller Married on January 1st, 1917 

Cleve and Carrie met in Colo in 1916 and went to Rochester Montana

Rochester Montana

Rochester Montana

The Saturday Night Mine

Rochester Montana  

In November of 1918 Cleve and Carrie had their first child, Eugene In 1920 Mary was born and in 1922 Betty

Carrie, Lena (a Native American girl they adopted) Betty, Gene and Cleve

Rochester Montana

Carrie Betty Gene Cleve Top Right Mary Mary Ann and Cleve (his mother) 1917

Rochester Montana? 

Mary Ann was in Pocatello Idaho in 1909 because that is where she filed for her Widow’s Pension. Cleve, Bill and Jim were in Cripple Creek during this time. It is speculated that she was with one of or her other sons, the Turners. It is also speculated that that is how Cleve and Carrie ended up in Rochester Gulch MT and how Mary Ann ended up living with them.

Tennessee Ridge   

In 1922 shortly after Betty was born, Cleve and Carrie moved to Tennessee It is speculated that the gold ran out and Carrie’s father, John Hansen, was raising sheep in Tennessee and needed Cleve’s help In 1925 their 4th child was born, Mabel

Tennessee Ridge

Tennessee Ridge  In December of 1926 my father, Glenn was born

Cleveland Eller passes on  Not even two months after Glenn was born Cleveland passed away on February 7th, 1927  It is speculated he died of a heart attack  Carrie was left with a new born and 4 more young ones to raise on her own  She worked as hard as she could and sold the family’s assets, like equipment and livestock  She got some help from her father, John but he passed away in 1929, he was found in a ravine between her house and his. It is speculated he was murdered.  She sent Gene and Mary to family friends and eventually got some help from Thomas Agy

End of an Era  

Carrie passed on in April of 1943, it is speculated from tuberculosis but not certain Cleveland and Carrie are buried together in Tennessee Ridge TN

Conclusion? 

The only two remaining children of Cleveland and Carrie Eller are Betty and Glenn (My father passed shortly after this presentation on July 31st, 2009)

Above: Early 80’s All together

Left: Early 70’s