Ernest ~ Some Family History

Ernest Charles Ely - Late teens or early twenties

Ernest Charles Ely 

I'm not really sure where to begin about my dad.  When I began working on the scrapbook, I realized how much I didn't know about him.  I wish I had known him better.  I wish he could have stayed around longer.

I have always believed that Dad's last 15 years were a gift.  He almost died of a bleeding ulcer when I was three.  He wasn't expected to make it through the night that first night.  I remember Dad was very sick, and I have vague memories of Mom crying and being upset.  I have one memory that is very clear for me having been so young.  I was too young to see Dad in his hospital room, so when he had recovered to the point where he could come and see me, I remember he came into the waiting room or lobby in a wheel chair, and I remember being so excited and I yelled, "Daddy!" and ran all the way across the room to him and jumped up on his lap.  I'm pretty sure dad was in no shape to be jumped on!  Mom rushed over and got me settled down.  I think I was allowed to stay on Dad's lap for a little while.  I also remember Aunt Murt and Aunt Lucy being there, and having lunch with them and Mom while at the hospital.

I feel quite positive that many fervent prayers were said in regards to sparing Dad's life.  Not only were my parents always very much in love, they had a family to finish raising together; two teenage boys, and a three year old little girl who needed her daddy.  Mom needed Dad.  I don't know what she would have done.  We all have to deal with life as it happens to us, but in this case I think God intervened and allowed Dad to stick around for 15 more years, just long enough to get me raised and through high school.  Then the good Lord took him home.  I realized the other day that I am the same age Mom was when Dad passed on.  Mom never dated anyone after Dad.  He was her one and only.

The pictures above are some that were in Dad's photo album.  For so many years I wondered who that pretty little girl was.  I remember asking Mom and she didn't seem to know.  As it turns out, it is my Grandma Ely, Sadie Frances Collins.  When I took the pictures from the photo album, which had been glued on, I was able to make out the writing on the back.  Grandma was writing to someone and had signed her name, Sadie.  I knew her as Grandma Williams because she remarried a few years after Grandpa died to a man by the name of Fred Williams.  I never got to meet my Grandpa Ely.  He died Christmas Day in 1957, and I was born in April of 1959.  I always really missed not having a Grandpa.

The young man in the middle of the page is Gordon Randall Ely, my grandpa, at the age of 16.  Yes, his dog was named Blue Dick.  To the right is a picture of my dad in 1926.  He was eight.  He is the one sitting down on the far right.  His older brother, Gordon, is standing up in the back.  The other two little ones must be neighbors or friends.  The names on the picture are Bob and Dorthy Taner.  The picture in the top left is of Ernest and Gordon.  I think Dad was around three, Gordon, or Uncle Brud as I knew him, was seven.  I don't remember what year Uncle Brud was born.  I don't have access to my Family Tree on Ancestry.com at the moment to be able to verify any dates.  If you have an account, the name of the tree is Michele Ely Family Tree.  I have the Ely's traced back to the 1600's.

Gordon Randall Ely and Sadie Frances Collins Ely - I still have the angel that is on the Christmas Tree!!!

Ernest (Dad), Gordon (Grandpa), Gordon (Uncle Brud), Mary (Aunt Mary), Sadie (Grandma)

                 Gordon (Back), Dorthy and Bob Taner, Ernest - 1926

Ernest and Gordon Ely - 1920

Sadie Frances Collins

Gordon (Brud), Sadie, Gordon, Mary 

Well, this is a start.  I just wanted to get started again.  I haven't added to the blog in months and I do want to get through the entire scrapbook, and so much more.  I want to record all I have learned, as well as stories I remember growing up.

Next time I will write about Dad's Civilian Conservation Corp days... as well as some other random memories I am sure.  If anyone in the family has information to add, please let me know.  I love finding out new things about our family history.