The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-07-24
THE ELY FAMILY REUNION.

Big Thing OF Its Kind. 81
The following from the Springfield
(Mass.) Republican of July 10th, will
be Of interest to many people i'm this
county where the Ely family have an
extensive connection: M
Between 500 and 600 attended the
! first anniversary of their reunion at
Holyokc yesterday, and had q very
pleasant time comparing notes, relat-
ing anecdotes, showing relics and
posting themselves in regard to their
ancestral positions. In spanning the
little space OF about. 245 years of their
American growth, they find themselves
a numerous aud faithful people, who
by intermarriage for only eight gem
eratiOns have made nearly all the
world their kin. AS one OF the mot
toes that adorned their ball yesterday
said, "rhere are Elys in blood who
are not so i'm name" 1t is very rare
to find a family SO united and peraist.
ent in their eiiort for the good or pos
terity, and their annual reunion will
do much to make the character OF
both families and homes more perma.
nent. Some of the Elys registered
Yesterday from Washington, ID. c.,
Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Pennsylva-
mia and many OF the nearer States,
The national flag suspended bet tween
the HOIyOke House and Parsons. Hall,
bore the words, "Ely Reunion" to in-
dicate the headquarters. ! An Office
was opened under the hotel, W here tho
tribes" OF Nathaniel, Richard and
Joshua could make separate entries
Heman Ely and his son, Charles, of
Elyria, O., presided oyer the Nathan
iel register, and the records could not
have fallen into more careful hands.
Mr.. Ely has prepared genealogical
chart, and reduced his work to such
clear and comprehensive system that
the work of verifying by family re-
cords and gravestones, So is proposed,
will be comparatively simple. Heman
Ely is . son, of the toundeE=pf Elyria,
o., which town has a population of
about 5000, and nearly alfthe appli.
ances and aids to a healthy and pros.
porous growth.
The principal public events of the
Ely gathering were the dinner at Par
sons Hall with its after.speeches, and
the evening celebration at the opera
house. Both places were profusely
decorated with flowers, flags and mot.
toes. The flowers, were large white
lilies, contributed by. Mrs. Moses s.
Beach, of New York, the 'lify" being
the ancient: family emblem. Over the
dinner-stage hung banner inscribed I.
Nathaniel 1926 '1
Richard Ely 1860 t I
Joshua 1888 Si'
And the quaint old verse; se,
"Thp-koiyhtssare dust; sa-
Their good swords rust;
Their souls are wi b '.4s
The saints we trust" sha
Ely, u. Stiles Elv, Moses S. Beach, of
New York /; ex Mayor Smith Fly. Ir.,
sot NewtYork; Iludley p. ,Elyx AZ ex-.
liam &. Ely ,ot Phliad elRhias Pa; He
man Ely of Elyria, O.. Colonel Israel
of Lyme, CT; Rev. Dr.. Adams of
Hoiyoke, and others. 4 bout four
hundred persons sat down TO the ban.
auet, at the close of which Nathan q.
Ely complimented in fitting words
lie .rly everybody who contributed to
tho success of the Holyoke meeting,
and called up u Stiles Ely, the Presi-
dent OF. the Ely Association, Smith
Ely, Jr., Heman Ely. Edward Ely of
Chicago, Moses S. Beach and others.
Smith Ely, Jr., who is a bachelof, oc-.
eupied the most time, and told Of, the
% ,sibilities and expec,ant pleasures
of future meetings, with the pretty
blondes of other families of Elys. He
had found namesakes in various coun-
tries of the old world, and he should
be glad to visit them all, on invitation.
The opera house entertainment in.
the evening was more purely intellec-
tual than The other. Colts band of
Hartford, Conn, Professor +. Zalcht-
man, aud the lIolyOke Choral Union
furnished exquisite music. Rev. DIR.
S. G. Buckingham, of this city. offered
prayer, Judge Pearsoms, of sHolyokc,
in the abeence of the Mayot, Welcom!
ed the Elyites, and n. Stiles ElY. of
New York resnondsd foE shs Ely
pared by Seneca w. Ely, of Ohio, was
read bv Rev. tDr. AGldnlla. of HolvOko: