PHILOLOGUS ELY. – This venerable pioneer was born in East Tennessee in 1825, and remained in his native state until 1834. In that year his father moved to Dewitt county, Illinois, and continued his occupation as a farmer through life. In the electric atmosphere of this young giant state of the West, Mr. Ely attained his majority, and in the meantime secured a practical education in the common schools. As a resource for his livelihood, he learned the trade of a plasterer, which, combined with his occupation of farmer, he followed in DeWitt and Knox counties. In the year 1851, he was married to Miss Amanda Mansfield, making their home in Knox county till March, 1853, when they started across the plains, and after a severe journey reached Oregon in the September following, locating near Junction, in Lane county.
In December, 1861, the floods of the Willamette river destroyed most of the property which they had accumulated in the past. In this beautiful valley they made their home until the autumn of 1874, when they removed to Umatilla county. At that time Mr. Ely became afflicted with the rheumatism, and remained an invalid for the next ten years, one year of which he was unable to walk, and will remain a cripple during life. Here he still resides on a good farm with his aged wife, the mother of six children.
