James and Mary Delay Ely, Pioneers

Part 1:  A Pioneer Family, 
James F. and  Mary Delay Ely

The Ely Family of Auburn Nebraska can be traced back to a 25-year-old Civil War veteran with a wounded leg.  While recuperating in a New York facility called the Old York home,  he caught "Western Fever" (his own words) and ventured out in 1868.   We don't know his exact motivation, but we do know that the Homestead Act had provisions for veterans to eventually own land and also we know that southeastern Nebraska was popular for many people from upstate New York.  The young James traveled by train to St. Joseph Missouri and then by steamboat up the Missouri River to Brownville, Nebraska. Most likely he visited the Office of Land Management there and acquired 80 acres in a farm located 2 miles north and 2.5 miles east of what was then Sheridan, Nebraska. The land could have been abandoned by someone (a common occurrence) and thus available for the young New Yorker.   This rich farmland supported the family for the next 141 years.



Although we don't know how James met his future wife, it is fun to speculate that he met her at the Nemaha County Fair!  We do know that the fair was a social event in 1869 and perhaps a few years before then.  We also know that Joseph and Harriet Maddox DeLay family moved from Annapose County Iowa to Brownville before 1870. Mary was probably the 8th of their 12-17 children as records are unclear about their children.  Some are listed twice, and some dates are out of order or perhaps just typo's.   Their ancestry was French.

James Fitz Ely married Miss Mary A. DeLay in 1869 in Rockport, Mo.  At that time there was no bridge at Brownville, so they would have taken a ferry across the wide Missouri to Nemaha County.  Eventually, they built a house on the farm for their growing family.

They had six children, all born on the farm.  Another post will present more information about their children, Warren (died as an infant), Charles (died as a young man), Hattie, Lucile, Edward, and Maude.  Edward, our grandfather, was the only son to carry forward the Ely surname.

Throughout the years, James acquired more land in the area and had a deep interest in the development of the town of Auburn.  As a Methodist they were members of the London (Bethel) Church but later became active in the First Methodist Church in town. Side note:  One day when I about 7,  Dee and I were playing on the steps of the Methodist Church (while walking to Antioch School).  I discovered a plaque saying that the steps were built in memory of J.F. Ely! 

James was a member of the Nebraska State House of Representative from 1895-1897 with his  biographical sketch below.  He reports that his children are "extremely bright."  This would certainly apply to his grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren etc!

Sheridan Cemetery, Auburn

James F. Ely
born May 18, 1843
died Sept 1931  age 88
Civil War Veteran Star

Mary (DeLay) Ely
born July 10, 1852
died Oct 7, 1904  age 52

Below is a copy and a link to the interesting obituary for James F. Ely who died at the age of 88  in 1931.  The writing style was common for that time period.  You'll also note that his funeral was at the Methodist Church in Auburn and a quartet of parishoners sang hymns.  In the quartet was a newcomer to the town, F. L. McPherren.    The six pall bearers were some of his grandsons, including Edward H. Ely, Jr. and Eugene Ely (age 16).

Part 2:  More about where James and Mary lived.
Part 3:  More about James' Civil War injury

Obituary from the Nemaha County Herald link and also pasted below.


Member of the Nebraska State Ligislature 1895-1897