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... • .. ~ \!the QEIIer <!Chronicles VOL. III NO. 4 THE ELLER FAMILY ASSOCIATION November 1989 ,..,. ·-..{\ - 4 .. ~ Vo 1 • I I I , No. 4 November, 1989 CONTENTS PICTURES: MADE AT EFA CONFERENCE ... 92,93,105,130,136,137 THE PRESIDENT'S PAGE ......•.••....•.•...••••....••••• 99-100 REPORT ON THE EFA SALISBURY CONFERENCE .•...•••••••••• 94-98 MICHAEL DEAN PORTER .••.•.....•.•..•...••.••.•..••.. 98 & 104 REGISTRANTS: EFA SALISBURY CONFERENCE .••••••..•.•••• 101-102 CORRECTIONS <Vol. III, No. 3, The Eller Chronicles) ••••• 102 PROCLAMATION <FIRST JAMES W. HOOK MEMORIAL AWARD> •.•.••• 103 LETTER FROM CHARLOTTE ELLER MARSHALL ...•.••.•.•...•••••• 104 THE ELLER EXPERIENCE by Dr. Vernard Eller ...••....... 106-108 THE ELLER MIGRATION TO ROWAN COUNTY by Jo White Linn.109-129 BID-SKETCH: DR. JOHN ELLER ...••.•....•••.•.......•••. 133-135 I.C. ELLER, OTIS R. ELLER, & THOMAS ARNOLD ELLER ..... 131-133 ANNOUNCEMENTS ...................•..•.....•••.•.•.••.••. 137 EFA MEMBERSHIP ••.•...•.••.•...•.....•••....•.••..•..• 138-143 QUESTIONNAIRE ....•..•......••....•••.••....•••..•........ 144 COVER PICTURE: The James W. Hook Memorial Award < Courtesy of Jack Marshall> BACKCOVER PICTURE: Courtesy of the Salisbury Post. ANNOUNCEMENTS Send all CHANGE OF ADDRESS notices and all requests for PAST ISSUES of the CHRONICLES to Charlotte Ellet~ Mat~shall, 605 S.E. Park Ave., Corvallis , OR 97333. Also contact Chat~ lotte if you fail to t~ecei ve yout' copy of the CHRONICLES. In the futut~e Charlotte ~ii 11 maintain the official mailing list. PICTURES: Most of the pictures in this issue were made in color at the Salisbury Conference by Jerri Eller Cathey. We thanks Jack Marshall, Charlotte's husband, for providing black and white copies for the Chronicles, including the front cover picture. We thank the Salisbury Post for the back cover picture. We have other pictures that will appear in future issues and we will appreciate receiving additional pictures made at the conference. We also solicit ( pictures of EFA families, preferably with a family story or ' bio-sketch. We think our readers like to know about living Ellers as well as about the other k ind. EFA SALISBURY COBF. 1989 Front L-R: Dorothy Vaughn Eloise Sperrati Ted Eller Byron Eller Back L-R: Bethel Stolte Lynn Eller Carleton Sperrati Myrr 1 Baldwin Klaus Rapp-Zinn Front L-R: Mary Jean Kiessel, Nancy P. Eller, Ora Lee Eckerle Back L-R: Walton Eller, Margaret Massey, Judy Street~ Beverly Pearce, Joe C. Eller, Ruth (Mrs. Harold) Eller, Jeanice Garrett Charlotte E. Marshall, Harold L. Eller, Inez Smith~ Becky Beafner. Phyllis & Vernard Eller Sarah & Lowell Eller Carol & \layne Spangler Miriam & Ray Mar tind(a 1-e -92- .. Nancy Eller (Crowley) REPORT OF THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL ELLER FAMILY CONFERENCE Eller family history was made in All were lavish in their praise Salisbury, N.C., July 20-23, for the conference and many vowed 1989, when more than 160 Eller to return home and work with family descendants from 22 states greater effort to further the and two foreign countries met in goals of the Association. Respon confet~ence. ses since the conference indicate that many have already begun For descendants of so many work. Approximately 25 new different Eller family lines to members joined the EFA during meet was truly historic as was and after the conference. the meeting for the first time of many of the same family line. To Also, those who worked so long have present an Eller descendant and hard to bring the EFA into from W. Germany and to meet in existence and hold such a historic Rowan County added conference felt that their labors greatly to the sense of were amply rewarded. "t~etut~n i ng to one · s t~oo ts, " especially for those who MINUTES OF THE CONFERENCE WITH descended from Jacob, Christian COMMENTS: <Based in part on notes and Melchoir Eller, mid-18th supplied by Lowell Eller of century immigrants of Rowan Salem, VA.> County. Inez Eller Smith of Ore gon, a descendant of Jacob Eller, Thursday, July 20: At the 6:00 when standing on the grounds P.M. social hour the process of once owned by him, reported matching faces with names and feeling "chill bumps and a sense becoming ac9uainted began. Excit of awe". ment continued to build and was 9uite evident as each person was Some. who had exchanged letters recognized at the buffet dinner for years, also met for the very which followed. Whispered first time. Adding to the comments and exclamations were excitement were new family heard- "so that is our cousin history and new leads to follow Bi 11 ft~om Colorado;" "look at in further research. that lady over there. Doesn't she remind you of Aunt Susie?" Dr. Everyone seemed to enjoy a truly John and Bonnie Eller said that happy and rewarding experience Vance Eller looked just like and went away with a greater John's father (despite the many feeling of kinship and a better generations since they shared a knowledge of the number and common ancestor). ( diversity of U.S. and German E 1 1 e t~ f ami 1 i es. The first meeting of the Board of -94- Directors followed the meal. FRIDAY, JULY 21: 9:00A.M., 1> By-Laws, as previously pub Gerald Eller extended an official lished in the Chronicles, were welcome and introduced Dr. Klaus approved for submission to a Napp-Zinn, Professor of Botany at final vote by the membership at Koln University in W. Germany and the Saturday evening dinner. an Eller descendant <his mother was an Eller). 2) The possibility of incorporat ion of the Association in order Dr. Napp-Zinn presented a capti to gain tax exempt status was vating program of color slides raised, but the matter was left showing Eller men, women and for the new officers and board to children of Germany, some dating take under advisement. from the early 1600's. Also shown were Eller land- marks: houses, 3) Gerald Eller spoke of the uni gravestones, shops, and the que contributions made to Eller villages and towns where these family history by James W. Hook were located. Speaking in perfect and explained his plan for English, Dr. Napp-Zinn gave an initiating the James W. Hook absorbing account not only of the Memorial Award to honor Mr. Hook pictures but of the families and a deserving member of the EFA involved and the historical and who was deemed to have made a geographical setting as to time notable contribution to Eller and place. His remarkable know Family Heritage. ledge of the history of German religions and politics added much 4) The need to reprint or repub to his lecture. Thus began the lish the James W. Hook book on process whereby Dr. Napp-Zinn was George Michael Eller was discus to make many friends during the sed. Many spoke favorably about next days. Many are already in such a project. quiring if he will be back for the 1991 confernce. It is too 5) The need for standing commit early for a decision on that but tees to develop policies and he has promised to send copies of procedures for publicity, member some of the slides for publicat ship, research, and publication ion in the Chronicles. <Some of was mentioned, but no action was the slides were supplied by EFA taken neither on this nor the member, Gears Eller, of Bingen, suggestion for a Historian to W. Germany who sent greetings to maintain a conference scrap book. all in attendance.> (6) Lowell Eller, Chairman of the A relationship between Eller Nominating Committee recommended ancestors of Dr. Napp-Zinn, Georg a slate of officers for the Eller and those of the U.S. 1989-1991 term.The Board approved Ellers has not been established. the slate for submission to a However, the name of "Ellet~" is vote by members in attendance at sufficient to claim cousinship. the Saturday evening dinner. We hope Dr. Napp-Zinn and others from Germany will be able to Recommended were: attend the 1991 reunion. President: A. William Eller After a coffee break, Lowell and Co-Vice-Presidents: Vernard and Sarah Eller of Salem, VA gave an Phyllis Ellet~ interesting and illustrated talk Sec./Treas.: Charlotte Marshall. about the Jacob and Magdalena Eller family of Roanoke County, -95- VA. This was followed by a fine excellent genealogical research presentation on the Ellers of collections.A video show, pre Nebraska and other mid-western pared by Buddy Lovette and ( states by Bill Ellet' of Talmadge Wiggins of Moravian Lakewood, CO. Falls, N.C., on "Ellers and Eller Landmarks in Virginia and North An address by Jo White Linn, Carolina," was shown throughout nationally noted genealogist and the day and proved to be a major lecturer from Salisbury, N.C., attraction. was enjoyed immediately after lunch. The full text of her ad [Buddy Lovette reports that he dt'ess, pt'epared especially fat' plans to reshoot some of the the Eller Conference, is found in footage after which he will begin this issue. editing the tapes. He expects to make them available for sale at Before adjourment four additional some time in the future so watch speakers were heard: Peggy Agner for an announcement in the Troutman of Salisbury discussed Chronicles.] aspects of the tangled genealogy of early Ellers of Rowan County; Approximately 108 Ellers and Dr. Byron H. Eller of Oroville, guests enjoyed an excellent sit CA gave a masterful lecture on down dinner. Gerald Eller recog the roles of North Carolina, and nized Lowell Eller who introduced Ellers from North Carolina, in the speaker: Dr. Vernard Eller, a the Civil War; Joe C. Eller of noted lecturer and writer, and Houston~ TX entertained the group Professor of Theology at LaVerne with an informal talk on the University in LaVerne CA.