The Eller Chronicles

Vol. V NO 3.	THE ELLER FAMILY ASSOCIATION	AUG 1991

From Your Editors	i-ii
David Gallaway Eller - Michael A. Reece	127-141
An Eller Family in Nebraska - Raymond Eller	142-168
Ellers West of Miss. River (1900) .... J.G. Eller	169-199
Foreign-born Ellers West of Miss. River (1900)	200-203
Letter from K. Napp-Zinn	204-205
Ellers in the News	137, 203

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From Your Editors:

This issue goes to the printer June 15, 1991 in order to have copies for the 2nd Eller Family Conference, July 18-20, 1991, Estes Park, CO. Because the conference meets in the mid-west, this issue is limited almost entirely to Ellers west of the Mississippi River.

Although the picture on the front cover is about one specific Eller who decided to go west and seek a better life, it is symbolic of many other- Ellers who made the same decision. Julius M. Eller, on the front cover, was the grandfather of David G. Eller of Houston, TX, the subject of one of our two featured family history stories.

On the back cover we find the family of Jacob H. Eller of Clay Center, Nebraska in a photo taken in 1900 or soon thereafter. Raymond Eller, born in 1900 and the author of our- second feature story is shown seated on his father's lap with his four sisters, each pictured and described in the story, standing beside the parents.

Both David and Raymond are expected to be in attendance at the Estes Park Conference. We appreciate their help and cooperation, and that of Michael A. Reece, in the writing of these stories.

The compilation of all households in the U.S. listing Ellers from the 1900 sounde:4 census has been completed. In this issue we offer the results for all states west of the Mississippi Rivet-. Results for eastern states not already published in past issues will be presented in future issues. When results for all states are published, the EFA members and readers of the Chronicles can assess the number and distribution of all Ellers in the U.S. in 1900.

For those not familiar with the soundex tapes from which these data were compiled, a word of explanation: the original of all U.S. censuses were compiled in the same order as the visitations made by the census taker. It is quite laborious to search for individuals on the microfilm made from the original census. To facilitate the process of finding specific individuals from Census data,, a new indexing system, called 5ounde.-@, was invented. This system

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required that each household on the original census be copied on a separate card. The cards were then indexed, not alphabetically, but according to the sounds of the pronounced surname. This brought a conglomeration of surnames together but, even so, one can quickly examine the microfilm and pick out the desired name very quickly. The microfilm tape, E-460, for each state contains all the Ellers for that state.

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CONFERENCE '91: Our president, Bill Eller, is so busy with last minute details that he had no time to compose a letter for this issue. He will catch up in November.

Bill has worked diligently in planning for Conf. '91. He has a great program planned down to the last detail and has a team of EFA members ready to render assistance at the conference. Bill appointed a committee on nominations several months ago and they will be recommending a slate of officers and board members to serve during the next two yea r-s.

The EFA is blessed with a membership which contains a large pool of competent people from which to elect our leaders. We can all feel secure in that the EFA will continue as a strong organization into the future.

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RECRUITMENT OF A NEW EDITOR FOR THE CHRONICLES: We promised Bill Eller to continue to edit the Chronicles until Conf. '93 or until such time as a new editor can be recruited. We continue to enjoy editing the Chronicles and intend to keep our promise, health permitting; but we feel it is time for someone else to bring new perspectives and ideas to bear on this important work. We are quite aware that the newsletter can be improved in style, format and content. Also, we have recommended to the president that the by-laws be amended to include the editor of the Chronicles. At present, the by-laws say nothing about the editor and his or her duties.

A call is issued, with the approval of the president, for volunteers from the EFA membership to take over the editorship beginning with Vol. VI, No. I Feb. 1992. We will be glad to discuss the work with anyone who may consider taking on the task and we will pass on what we have learned to the new editor and continue to lend all possible assistance.

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