| Notes |
- RESEARCH_NOTES:
1. Censuses:
1790: FHL Book 929.273EL54h "George Michael Eller and Descendants of His in America," compiled by James W. Hook, 1957, also on FHL film 896571, item 2, p. 5: "Of the 11 Eller families shown in the Fed. Census of Rowan Co., NC in 1790, 8 of them can be identified as sons either of Jacob, Christian or Melcher. The other three were named Leonard, John and George. That Leonard was a son of George Michael Eller who died and left a will in Frederick Co., MD that was probated 25 Aug 1778 is substantially proved. That John and George were Leonard Eller's brothers appears reasonably certain to this writer. Another brother of Leonard was Peter Eller, who lived first in that part of Rowan Co. that, in 1777, became Wilkes and 1799 Ashe Co., NC... Peter Eller is listed in the 1790 census (original list) of Wilkes Co., NC and is the only person of the Eller name outside of Rowan Co., NC who is shown in the 1790 census of North Carolina…" [Current thinking is that Jacob, Christian, and Melcher were probable brothers and that Leonard, John, and George were a separate group of brothers (sons of George Michael). The relationship between both groups are undetermined but believed to perhaps involve earlier relationship in Germany.]
2. FHL book 929.273 EL54ejg "John Jacob Eller and His Descendants with Other Pre-1800 Eller Immigrants to America...," by J. Gerald Eller, Edward K. Eller, and Janine Eller Porter (The Eller Family Association, 1998), pp. 22-27; the following is a partial excerpt from the full transcript which I place in the notes of George Michael Eller:
"George Michael Eller.
Many gaps in our knowledge of the genealogy of descendants of George Michael Eller are revealed in Table VI. Until new information was reported in the Eller Chronicles, the published genealogy of this immigrant and his descendants came exclusively from Hook (1925, 1955, 1957, 1957A). His genealogies were limited largely to descendants of four sons: Peter, Leonard, Jacob, and George. His listing of Jacob, as a son (1957, pp 53-63), has been questioned; this point is discussed further in chapters 8 and 10. Other researchers have now contributed extensively to the genealogy of this line, as shown in the bibliography at the end of the chapter. As can be seen in Table VI, little is known of the descendants of the daughters of immigrant George Michael Eller.
Table VI
George Michael Eller married (1st)? (2nd)? (3rd) Eva Maria. Frederick County, Maryland. Their children and grandchildren:
1. Peter, married Elizabeth Dick, children John, Catherine, Peter Jr., Elizabeth, unnamed daughter, Jacob, Mary, Henry, George.
2. Elizabeth married Heinrich Reb. Nothing more is known
3. Leonard married Elizabeth Mast, children: Adam, Elizabeth, John, Joseph, Sarah, Mary Lucinda, Jacob, Henry, George.
4. Jacob. No other known record unless he was the Jacob Eller of Chapter 8.
5. George died in Davidson County, North Carolina, before 1841; his wife was Susanna. Children: George Jr., Henry, David.
6. John married Catherine Fight (Fort)? Nothing more is known.
7. Eve. Nothing more is known.
8. Catherine married Peter Lehman? Nothing more is known. (From Hook, 1957, pp. 15-16).
9. Maria (Mary) married Jacob Eller; Children: Cloah (Chloe) "Glory" Eller. (Troutman and File. EC, XI:1, Sp. Ed., Feb. 1997).
Primary centers from which known descendants spread: Frederick Co., MD, Rowan Co., NC, Ashe Co., NC, Wilkes Co., NC, Miami Co., OH, Hamilton Co., IN, Wapello Co., IA. ...
Other records for a Michael Eller, may or may not be for George Michael Eller. This applies to the deed for twenty-five acres to a Michael Eller dated 12 April 1753, and recorded in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania[2] and to the Michael Eller on a 1759 tax list for Rowan County. North Carolina,[3] also to a Michael Eller on a 1772 tax list for Randolph County, North Carolina.[4]
As already mentioned, early Ellers in Rowan County were known to sometimes transcribe the name "Melchior" as "Michael," and more than one Melchior Eller was in that county during the early period. However, the Randolph County record of 1772 may indeed refer to George Michael Eller since land records show that three or four of his sons were in North Carolina in the 1770s, and his son Leonard was a large land owner in Randolph County.
Descendants of George Michael Eller are searching for evidence that he lived in North Carolina before he settled in Frederick County, Maryland in 1773. That same year one report places his eldest son Peter in Rowan County, North Carolina.[5] By 1778 his other sons were in that area of North Carolina.
A Bible record for Leonard, second son of George Michael Eller, gives his birthplace as Fort (Ford) Litters, North Carolina, but no record of such a place has been found.[6] Another puzzling part of this record says Leonard's father was born in Bebon. Germany. Bebon may have been intended for Baden, but this is not certain. A record cited by Hook (1957, p. 32) says Leonard was born in Germany, but most researchers say he was born in the United States. He married Elizabeth Mast, daughter of John and Barbara Mast of Randolph County, North Carolina. From the late 1770s until after 1821 Leonard Eller owned land in Rowan and Randolph Counties, North Carolina. About 1801 he took his family to Miami County, Ohio, and later to Indiana, where some of his descendants still live. Leonard Eller was a large land-owner in three states. He continued to own land in Randolph County, North Carolina until after 1821.[7]
George Eller, another son, left descendants in Davidson County, North Carolina, where he died before 1841, but the Eller Family Association has yet to establish contacts with descendants of this line. An abstract of George Eller's will from the Division of Lands Book, pp. 32-33, Davidson County, North Carolina was obtained from the Public Library in Lexington, North Carolina. His heirs listed in the May Term 1841 Court Record includes: Caroline Sowers, Katharene Darr(?), Sally Warlow, Dolly Long, David Eller, Christene Waggoner, Elizabeth Reket(?), George Eller, Sally Haines, Polly Reed. We would like to know more about his descendants. Hopefully, other records will appear in future issues of the Eller Chronicles. For more information on this family see Hook (1957), p 64-68.
For John, another son of George Michael Eller for whom Hook (1957, p. 16), found no "identifiable record," and speculated that some of the John Eller records in Rowan County, North Carolina, might be for this John Eller. Hook encountered the problem already mentioned - too many Eller men with only the single name of John living in the county at the same time, making final identifications impossible.
Based in part on an Eller family oral tradition in Rowan County, Maria, youngest daughter of George Michael Eller, a recent report says she married Jacob Eller, a grandson of immigrant (John) Melchior Eller.[8] Louise Barringer File of Salisbury, North Carolina, now in her eighties, has vivid memories of being told by her grandmother, Joyce Delinda Eller Morgan, of her descent from George Michael Eller, and how intermarriages among descendants of four different Eller immigrants enabled her and many other Ellers to claim four immigrant Ellers as ancestors. As previously mentioned, intermarriages among the four lines, taken from the work of Troutman and File (1997), appears as Fig. 2, Chapter 2, p. 10.
The earliest American record that lists the full name, George Michael Eller, is a land deed, dated 14 April 1773, showing he purchased land known as Hammond's Strife in Frederick County, Maryland.[9] There he lived until his death, which came before 25 August, 1778, when his will, written in German, was recorded. The relatively large sum of money (950 pounds) dispersed by his will suggests that he was a wealthy man for his time. His will mentions Children: Peter, Leonard, Elizabeth, Jacob, George, John, Eve, Catherine, Maria and a wife, Anna Maria, who apparently was not the mother of his older children.[10] Some think he was probably named three times, the first being in Germany.
"If all facts were known, they might show that George Michael Eller was married three times and that his eldest son, Peter, was a child of his first wife and the others by a second or third spouse. Peter was a grown man with a wife and child in Rowan County, North Carolina by 6 March 1773.[11] Hook goes on to report that Peter Eller was the only Eller in North Carolina listed outside or Rowan County, North Carolina in the 1790 census. However, by this date, John Jacob Eller Jr. had been living in Sullivan County, North Carolina over a decade, but because census records for 1790 were lost for the Tennessee region his presence there was unknown lo Hook. In 1790. Peter Eller was living on Bones (Roans) Creek in Wilkes (later Ashe) County, North Carolina.[12]
Troutman and File (1997) compiled an extensive genealogy of descendants of four Rowan County, North Carolina Eller immigrants including George Michael Eller, that was based in part on the family tradition, concerning his daughter Maria, described above. This, with the mass of new information previously reported in the Eller Chronicles, and the gaps in his genealogy (Table VI) the need for a new book on George Michael Eller and his descendants is obvious.
A project by the Eller Family Association to develop a computer data base for descendants of George Michael Eller has been under way for sometime. A new book may come from this project in the next few years. Hopefully it will include more genealogy* for each of [the] Children, especially his daughters.
Many questions about George Michael Eller remain to be answered. Where in Germany was he born and who were his ancestors? Did he ever live in North Carolina? If so, where and when? How was he related to other immigrants to America, especially to John Jacob, Christian, and John Melchior Eller of Rowan County, North Carolina and Henry Eller of Frederick County, Maryland? What of his son Jacob? How many wives did he have and who were they? Many of these same questions remain to be answered about all pre-1800 Eller immigrants to America.
When did sons of George Michael Eller Arrive in North Carolina?
Hook (1957, p. 21) "Peter Eller was living in Rowan County, North Carolina as early as 6 March 1773."|
Land Deeds. Rowan County, North Carolina:
"#3068, 1778, Leonard Eller 300 A on both sides of Sheit's Crk., adj Widow Bower. & Valentine Beard, including his improvements." (R. A Enocks, Indianapolis, 1988, p. 233).
"#1605, 28 Sep 1778, Philip Sewell 100 A on the headwaters or Reedy Creek & Tinkers Crk [adj] Joseph Mizzell, William Oliver & Lewis Defore, including his Improvements. Made to George Ellor by the Enterer." (ibid, pg. 115.)
"#1608, 28 Sep 1778, William Oliver 100 A on waters of Reedy Crk adj Philip Sewell, Joseph Meizell & Peter Eller, including his Improvements. Made over to Ja's Cheney." (ibid, pg. 115.)
Marriage Records, Rowan County, North Carolina; Hook (1957) p. 16: "This writer's guess is that this was the John Eller (s/o Geo. Michael) who married Catherine Fight (Fort) 10 Aug 1785."
End Notes:
1. Strassburger & Hinke, 1:349, 350, 351 (Geo. Eler); 1:345-346 (1992) (Michael x Eller)
2. Hook (1957), p. 1.
3. Norlh Carolina Department of Archives and History. Tax List Rowan Co., NC, File No. 85.007.1.
4. Ratcliff, Clarence A. North Carolina Tax Payers 1609-1790; ibid 1701-1786, Geneal. Publ. Co., Inc., Baltimore, pp. 61, 63.
5. Hook (1957) p. 21."Peter Eller was living in Rowan County, North Carolina as early as 6 Mar 1773 on which date the Patriarchal Blessing or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints states that Peter Eller's daughter Catherine was born in Rowan County, North Carolina."
6. Hook, (1957) p. 32. William Eller, Bible record of 1819-1894. "William Eller was Born July 26, A.D. 1819 John Eller was mi father he was Born in Ashe County, North Carolina his father was Leonard Eller he was born in at fort (ford, fork) litters, North Carolina and his father came from Bebon (Baden) Co." Note: This enigmatic record, obviously based on memories that were not perfect, has never been verified. No such place as Fort Litters, North Carolina is known. That Leonard Eller ever lived in Ashe County has never been proven; that he was born in Germany in 1690 is untrue.
7. Davidson Co., NC, Deed Bk. 1:257-258. Abstract, 13 June 1821 Leonard Eller, County of Miami and State of Ohio. Land situated in Randolph County on Cariway where he did live and left in the hand of Jacob Hoover. Three tracts in Rowan, one on waters of Lick Creek, other on Sheets Creek in possession of Jacob Hoover, late dec'd. He now appoints Samuel Hoover of Randolph County Attorney for him. Wit John Hoover, Jr., Henry Hoover acting Justice of Peace in Ohio, William Norwood, one of the Judges of Court of Law and Equity and affirmed appointment." Note: For more on the Eller-Hoover relationships, see Lyle (1994). These Hoovers were of the ancestral line of President Herbert Hoover.
8. Troutman and File (1997). This tradition was long established in the Eller ancestral line of Louise Barringer File of Salisbury, North Carolina.
9. Hook (1957) p I, Deed Bk. S96-98, Frederick County Maryland
10. Ibid. Will Book G.M. No. 1, pp. 76-78, Frederick County Maryland Reprinted: EC, V:2:106-107 (1992).
11. Hook (1957), p. 21.
12. Ibid. p. 5.
New Information on George Michael Eller and His Descendants from the Eller Chronicles (EC)... [See notes of George Michael Eller for full bibliographical listing of these articles.]"
3. FHL Book 929.273, film 6005243, "John Jacob Eller and His Descendants with Other Pre-1800 Eller Immigrants to America," by the Eller Family Association, 1998, 817-297-1280; Chapter 4, concerning the George Michael Eller and his children:
"Many gaps in our knowledge of the genealogy of descendants of George Michael Eller are revealed in [the following:]
George Michael Eller married (1st)? (2nd)? (3rd) Eva Maria [Why Eva and not Anna - later in same article they use Anna Maria]. Frederick County, Maryland. Their children and grand-Children:
1. Peter, married Elizabeth Dick; Children: John, Catherine, Peter Jr., Elizabeth, unnamed daughter, Jacob, Mary, Henry, George.
2. Elizabeth married Heinrich Reb. Nothing more is known.
3. Leonard married Elizabeth Mast; Children: Adam, Elizabeth, John, Joseph, Sarah Mary Lucinda, Jacob, Henry, George.
4. Jacob. No other known record unless he was the Jacob Eller of [Botetort Co., Virginia].
5. George, d. in Davidson County, North Carolina before 1841; his wife was Susanna; Children: George Jr., Henry, David.
6. John married Catherine Fight (Fort)? Nothing more is known.
7. Eve. Nothing more is known.
8. Catherine married Peter Lehman? Nothing more is known.
9. Maria (Mary) married Jacob Eller; Children: Cloah (Chloe) 'Glory' Eller (Source: Troutman and File, 'Eller Chronicles,' XI:1, Sp. Ed., Feb 1997)
The book comments on current thinking of the Eller Family Association (EFA) on Hook research into George Michael Eller (GME) which I summarize as follows:
A. The two arrival records, Michael Eller in the ship "Phoenix" and Geo. Eler and Hans Jerg Ohler of the "St. Andrew" continue to lead to some confusion and differences of opinion. Recent analysis has led the Eller Family Association to believe that Geo. Eler and Hans Jerg Ohler were apparently the same individual. The clarification of the misinterpretation is that EFA does not feel that Hook documented where he got an age of 43 for Hans Georg Oehler. According to the actual records as reported by EFA as found in Strassburger and Hinke, Vol. 1, pp. 348-352: List 103A, p. 349, 'Geo. Eler listed age 20 and between Johannes Mayer and Peter Warner; List 103B, p. 350, Hans Jerg Ohler listed between Johannes Mayer and Peter Warner; List 103C, p. 351, Hanes Jerg Ohler listed between Johannes Mayer and Peter Warner. My note: did not the age come from the Oaths of Allegiance taken in 1743 in Pennsylvania right after the 1743 ship arrivals?
B. The 1753 deed in Lancaster Co., PA to 25 acres, the 1759 Rowan County tax list, and the 1772 Randolph Co., NC, tax list for Michael Eller may or may not be for George Michael Eller. Specifically EFA thinks the 1759 tax list may actually be for Melchior Eller whom was in Rowan County at that early date - Melchior sometimes being rendered as Melker or perhaps even Michael. On the other hand, four of GME's sons were in NC in the 1770s including Leonard as a large landowner in Randolph County making the 1772 Randolph Co. tax list a possibility. There is still no concrete evidence that GME was in North Carolina before his 1773 evidence of being in Frederick Co., MD. 1773 was the same year Peter, his eldest son, first shows in Rowan Co. and it wasn't until 1778 that his other sons were in NC.
C. The Bible record of Leonard being born at Fort (Ford) Litters, NC and his father from Bebon (Baden?) continues to puzzle researchers. No record or location of Fort Litters has yet been found. Most researchers believe Leonard was born in the United States and not Germany as reported by Hook on page 32. My note: I don't believe that Hook ever stated one way or the other except to quote what the Indiana history book he cites had quoted.
D. A will for George Eller, son of GME has been located. An abstract of his will from the Division of Lands Book, pp. 32-33, Davidson Co., NC was obtained from the Public Library in Lexington, NC. His heirs listed in the may Term 1841 Court Record includes: Caroline Sowers, Katharene Darr(?), Sally Warlow, Dolly Long, David Eller, Christene Waggoner, Elizabeth Reket(?), George Eller, Sally Haines, Polly Reed.
E. As for John, son of GME, no further record has been found. EFA acknowledges that the name John Eller is too unspecific making it difficult to identify which John Ellers if any of Rowan Co. may be him.
F. "Based in part on an Eller family oral tradition in Rowan County, Maria, youngest daughter of GME, a recent report says she married Jacob Eller, a grandson of immigrant (John) Melchior Eller. Louise Barringer File of Salisbury, NC, now in her eighties, has vivid memories of being told by her grandmother, Joyce Delinda Eller Morgan, of her descent from George Michael Eller, and how intermarriages among descendants of four different Eller immigrants enabled her and many other Ellers to claim four immigrant Ellers as ancestors. …taken from the work of Troutman and File (1997)." A chart accompanies the book showing how children of the original immigrants John Jacob, Christian, Melchior, and GME intermarried over about four generations to produce Joyce Delinda Eller from all four immigrants. The connection with GME purports to be Maria, GME's dau., marrying the grandson of Melchior Eller.
G. Questions still to be answered according to EFA: Where in Germany is he from, how was he related to others original immigrants (John Jacob, Christian, Melchior, and Henry), what of his son Jacob and his daughters, and how many wives did he have and who were they?
H. When did the sons of GME arrive in North Carolina?
Hook (1957, p. 21). "Peter Eller was living in Rowan Co., NC as early as 6 Mar 1773."
Land deeds of Rowan Co., NC:
"#3068, 1778, Leonard Eller 300 A on both sides of Sheit's Crk., adj Widow Bower, & Valentine Beard, including his improvements." (R.A. Enocks, Indianapolis, 1988, p. 233.)
"#1605, 28 Sep 1778, Philip Sewell 100 A on the headwaters of Reedy Creek & Tinkers Crk [adj] Joseph Meizell, William Oliver & Lewis Defore, including his Improvements. Made to George Ellor by the Enterer." (ibid. pg. 115.)
"#1608, 28 Sep 1778, William Oliver 100 A on waters of Reedy Crk adj Philip Sewell, Joseph Meizell & Peter Eller, including his Improvements. Made over to Ja's Cheney." (ibid, pg. 115.)
Marriage Records, Rowan County, North Carolina: Hook (1957) p. 16: "This writer's guess is that this was the John Eller (s/o Geo Michael) who married Catherine Fight (Fort) 10 Aug 1785."
4. The book "The Howard Leytham Stoker Von Dollen Family Histories," FHL 929.273 H833a, by Doris Lewis, 2017 So. 80th Ave., Omaha, Nebraska, 68124, p. 88 [FHL book 929.273 P684pn: "Graybill/Stoker/Eller/Smith/Koons/Pitt Connections," by Norman E. 'Gene' Pitt, 1996, pp. 119-123, has almost the same verbatim except what I note in brackets]:
"...James Hook wrote a history of 'George Michael Eller and His Descendants in America.' Much of the information I have on the Ellers come from this book or a book by Judge Johnson J. Hayes, called 'The Land of Wilkes,' a history of Wilkes County in North Carolina. In the ninth century Alamans, Teutons of Jutland, moved into Westallgan as early settlers. One group, called Ellers, started at the foot of Hirshberg in the Algauer Alp area near Bregenz, on Lake Constance. [They may have stayed in this general area for 600 years. This is the same area of the Palatinate that the Graybill religious refugees from Switzerland had fled and the same time frame. So the Ellers and Graybills may have known each other as neighbors or fellow churchmen.] Alta March, of Herman, Nebraska, has an Eller genealogy based in Germany, which probably connects with our family. In this record a Bartl and Barbara Swartz Eller had three children, Joseph, George and George Michael, the latter thought born in Baden, Sept. 5, 1695 and emigrated to America. He could well have been the father of our George Michael Eller, for he was a bit old to start his family in 1748. [The American Ellers apparently came from the Palatinate of Germany in the first half of the 18th century. The Pennsylvania Archives, 2nd Series, Vol 17, records the arrival of 13 Eller families who took the oath of allegiance between 30 Sep 1740 and 3 Nov 1772.] A Geo. Eller [age 20] emigrated on the ship 'St. Andrew,' and took his oath in Pennsylvania on Oct. 7, 1743 and [a George Michael Eller, apparently this same George Eller,] bought land he called 'Hammond Strife,' in Frederick County, Maryland. A Michael Eller aboard the ship Phoenix, took oath on September 30, 1743, and was on the tax list of Rowan Co. in N.C. in 1759. George Michael Eller, our ancestor, who may be the son or one of the above, was in Rowan County with Jacob, Christian and Melchoir Eller [Pitt book does not say location of the above three Ellers] at that same time and may have been there for a number years since his son Leonard said he was born at Fort Litters, N.C. in 1759. George Michael Eller bought land next to his brother Henry, in Frederick Co., MD in 1773, so he went back to Frederick County. His wife's name was Anna Marie and was the known mother of the last seven children, and may well have been Peter's and Leonard's mother. The Ellers of North Carolina have been connected with education since that state's earliest days. Academies in Virginia and North Carolina were started by Ellers and a list of the public school personnel today in N.C. is sprinkled with Ellers. [In 1790 there were 11 Eller families shown in the Rowan Co., NC census. At that time, members of the Eller family also were in Wilkes Co., NC and in Botetort Co., VA.] Children:
a. Peter, b. [1746/]1748 [possibly in Germany]; d. [bef] 29 Jul 1799 at Ashe Co., NC; m. [abt 1766/7 probably of Frederick Co, MD] Elizabeth Dick.
b. Leonard, b. 20 Mar 1752 at Ft. Litters [20 Mar 1754 probably in NC, possibly in Germany]; d. 1839, [probably] Hamilton Co., IN; m. Elizabeth Mast [Elizabeth ___].
c. Elizabeth, b. 1756; d. 1777; m. Henry Repp [10 Jun 1777 to Heinrich Reb, s/o Caspar Reb of Bucks Co., PA].
d. Jacob, b. 1758; d. 1830 [between 10 May 1830 and Oct 1830, Botetort Co., VA], m. Magdalena [___].
e. George, b. 1760 [d. probably abt 1839, Davidson Co., NC; m. Susannah [___].
f. John, b. 1762; m. [possibly] Catherine Fight [or Fort].
g. Eve, b. 1764.
h. Catherine, b. 1767; m. [probably 27 May 1788, Frederick Co., MD] Peter Lehman.
i. Maria, b. 1769."
5. Mentioned in father's will per FHL book 929.273 P684pn: "Graybill/Stoker/Eller/Smith/Koons/Pitt Connections," by Norman E. 'Gene' Pitt, 1996, pp. 119-123, see George's notes for full quotation:
"George Michael Eller's will, possibly written several years before his death, was proved 25 Aug 1778 (Will Book G M., No. 1, p. 76, Frederick Co., MD) follows: 'In the name of God amen. I George Michael Eller of Frederick County in the province of Maryland living, ...my beloved wife, Anna Maria ...my oldest son Peter Eller ...my son Leonard Eller ...my daughter Elizabeth ...the overplus shall be divided by my Executors among my six youngest children namely, Jacob Eller, George Eller, John Eller, Eve Eller, Cathrine Eller and Maria Eller; further Jacob Eller shall have the Bible..."
6. FHL book 929.273 P684pn: "Graybill/Stoker/Eller/Smith/Koons/Pitt Connections," by Norman E. 'Gene' Pitt, 1996, pp. 119-123 notes that his wife Susanna ___ died about 1840/1 and their children included George Jr., Henry, and David.
7. FHL Book 929.273EL54h "George Michael Eller and Descendants of His in America," compiled by James W. Hook, 1957, also on FHL film 896571, item 2, pp. 64-68:
"George Eller, called 'one of my youngest children' in the will of George Michael Eller may have been and probably was the George Eller who died in Davidson Co., North Carolina before 1841. (Deed Book 7, p. 527, Davidson Co., NC.) His wife apparently was Susanna. The Fed. Census of Davidson Co. for 1840 shows a family, headed by Susanna Eller, aged between 70 and 80, with no other person listed as living with her. The 1830 census of the same county shows the family of George Eller, aged between 70-80 living with a wife, aged between 60-70. She died probably in 1841.
George Eller was granted 150 acres of land, 25 Oct. 1786, on Reedy Creek in that part of Rowan Co. that, in 1822, became Davidson Co. He had entered this land 28 Dec 1778. (Grant 1402, Secy. of State's Office, Raleigh, NC.) This land was near land that, by two grants dated August 12, 1788 and 18 May 1789, was granted to Peter Eller. Leonard Eller, on 26 Nov 1793, also was granted land in what later became Davidson Co., NC. Quite certainly George, Peter, and Leonard Eller were brothers and sons of George Michael Eller.
Some have thought that the George Eller who settled in what later became Davidson Co. was a son of Christian Eller who mentioned a son George in his will, (Will Book C., p. 277, Rowan Co.), but George, son of Christian, quite certainly was the one who with his wife Christina settled in Grayson Co., VA before 1790. (See Supra) This being true then it was the Davidson Co. George, son, doubtless, of George Michael Eller, who is shown in the Rowan Co. Census lists of 1790 and later.
Only three children of George Eller have been proved. That there were others is implied by early census records of Rowan County. The census of 1790 shows George Eller aged over 16 living with a son aged under 16 and four females, including the female head of the family, ages not indicated. The Rowan Co. census of 1800 shows George Eller, aged between 26 and 45, living with four females, one over 45 and three under 16 and with two males both under 10. In 1810 George Eller of Rowan County, aged over 45, is shown living with a female, his wife doubtless, also aged over 45 and with 2 females and 2 males aged between 16 and 26 and with 1 female aged between 10 and 16 and with 3 females and 1 male all aged under 10. Only a much younger George Eller, son doubtless of [this] George Eller, is shown in the 1820 census of Rowan County. The 1830 census of Davidson County (Davidson County was formed out of Rowan in 1822) shows the family of George Eller, aged between 60 and 70. The 1840 census of Davidson County shows a family of Susanna Eller aged between 70 and 80 living apparently alone. She doubtless was the widow of George Eller. These two later censuses of Davidson County also show the family of the much younger George Eller.
In a letter from Estelle Eller Rothrack of Lexington, Davidson Co., NC, dated 30 Nov 1924, it is stated that her Uncle, John Eller (George Jr., George, George Michael) who was living at the time said his grandfather was George Eller and that his grandmother was called Dollie Eller. She said her own grandfather's name was George Eller and her grandmother's name was Mary and that her grandfather had brothers named Henry and David. David, she said, removed to Indiana. Her father was Samuel F. Eller who married Elizabeth Siceloff. Her letter stated that her father had told her that he was related to Adolphus Hill Eller of Winston, Salem, NC, also to the Ellers of Wilkesboro, NC.
The known children of George Eller were:
a. George Eller, Jr., b. 1 Mar 1792; d. 20 Jul 1869; m. 21 Nov 1814, Mary Yokely, b. 22 Mar 1795; d. 27 Nov 1871. David Eller was his bondsman. (Rowan Co. Marriages and Bible Records, the latter copied by the Alexander Martin Chapter of the D.A.R., High Point, NC.) George Eller Jr. was deeded 200 acres of land by George Eller Sr., 2 Dec 1816. This land was located on the 'main road between Salem and Salisbury, NC on the waters of Fry Creek' in what is now Davidson Co. (Deed Book 24, p. 130, Rowan Co.) The will of George Eller Jr. was dated in 1865. (Will Book 3, p. 16, Davidson Co., NC.) It mentioned his wife Molly Eller and all children shown below except Hugh, Eliza and Henry, who had predeceased him. Bible records of the family above referred to and Davidson Co. marriage records also supplied pertinent data. [The book further gives extensive descendancy of this couple.]
b. Henry Eller, b. 1803, m. Elizabeth, b. 1806. (Fed. Census 1850, Davidson Co.) His father, George Eller Sr., on 22 Nov 1828 deeded him 200 acres of land on the road leading from Dansville to Salisbury and on 26 Nov 1828 deeded him 4 acres of land on both sides of Reedy Creek. (Deed Book 4, pp. 119 and 126, Davidson Co.) Henry Eller sold both of these parcels of land, 1 Aug 1832, to Michael Somers, both parcels being described as located on Reedy Creek.) Deed Book 4, pp. 1026/27, Davidson Co. NC.) On 29 Mar 1841, Henry Eller of Davidson Co., NC deeded to Jonathan Long of the same place his undivided share in the dower lands laid off to the widow of the late George Eller, deceased. The land was described as containing 158 3/4 acres situated on Fry Creek on the road from Dansville to Salisbury and as being the residence of George Eller at the time of his death. Obviously the widow of George Eller Sr. was deceased at the time this deed was executed. Henry Eller is shown in the 1850 census of Davidson County as being aged 47, born in North Carolina, living with Elizabeth Eller, his wife doubtless, aged 43 and with one male child named John F S. Eller, aged 2 years. [Biography on this one child of this couple follows in the book.]
c. David Eller. He married 31 Jan 1815 Sarah Leonard. (Rowan Co., NC marriages.) She was a daughter of Valentine Leonard Sr. who lived on a farm of 201 acres in Davidson Co., NC, situated on the waters of Tinker and Abbot's Creek. (Deed, dated 22 Sep 1821, Book 7, p. 128, Davidson County, NC.) David Eller signed the marriage license of George Eller and Mary Yokely on 21 Nov 1814 as bondsman and, according to grandniece, Estelle (Eller) Rothrack, mentioned above, removed to Indiana.
d. There probably were other children."
8. FHL Book 929.273EL54h "George Michael Eller and Descendants of His in America," compiled by James W. Hook, 1957, also on FHL film 896571, item 2, pp. 17-31, clarifies early North Carolina counties and land grant practices:
"Land grants in North Carolina originated with an entry application which was filed in the county where the land was situated and if not lost are now on file there. This was followed, sometimes soon and sometimes years later by an order from the land office for the tract to be surveyed. Sometimes soon and sometimes years later the survey was made and a surveyor's plat filed with the Secretary of State in Raleigh. Then came the grant which may have been issued reasonably near the date of the survey or sometimes several years later. These grants, orders to survey and the survey itself are on file now in the Secretary of State's office at Raleigh...
Many counties were formed from what originally was Rowan County, namely Surry and Guilford in 1770, Burke and Wilkes in 1777, Randolph in 1779, Iridell in 1788, Stokes in 1789, Buncomb in 1791, Ashe in1799, Davidson in 1822, Yancey in 1833, Davie in 1836 and Yadkin in 1850. Some of these counties were grandchildren of Rowan County; for instance Wilkes was taken partly from Burke and partly from Surry, Randolph from Guilford, Buncomb and Yancy form Burke, Ashe from Wilkes and Stokes and Yadkin from Surry. These facts must be kept in mind when tracing early Rowan County families."
BIRTH:
1. Listed as a witness in his sister Elizabeth's wedding per FHL Book 929.273EL54h "George Michael Eller and Descendants of His in America," compiled by James W. Hook, 1957, also on FHL film 896571, item 2, p. 15:
"Elizabeth Eller, m. 10 Jun 1777, Henrich Reb, son of Caspar Reb of Bucks Co., Penna. Her marriage was recorded by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Frederick City, Maryland which gave the residence as Peiff (Pipe Creek) and called her George Michael Eller's daughter. Witnesses were Jacob, George and Joseph Eller, Michael and Barbara Krault, Frederick Reutenbach, Conrad Spohn, Michael Ungerer and Marie Schmausin. She was shown to be a married daughter in her father's estate settlement but her married name was not legible. (Minute Book and Proceedings of the Orphan's Court, 1777-1784, Frederick Co., Md.) Jacob and George Eller who witnessed her marriage doubtless were her brothers. Joseph Eller probably was her cousin, son doubtless of Henry Eller."
Assuming a minimum age of 19 as a witness, he would have been born before 1758.
2. Mother of this individual and listing of this individual in father George Michael's will is expertly discussed in the following per FHL Book 929.273EL54h "George Michael Eller and Descendants of His in America," compiled by James W. Hook, 1957, also on FHL film 896571, item 2, pp. 6-14:
"George Michael Eller died in Frederick County, Maryland before 25 Aug 1778 when his will, written in the German language and translated and put on record by Thomas Schley, was proved in the Frederick County court. The fact that his will was written in German indicates that he was born in Germany...
The wife of George Michael Eller as given in his will was Anna Maria, but the way the will reads it is apparent that she was not his first wife and very likely not the mother of any of the children named in same. The will bore no date but was proved by its witnesses 25 Aug 1778. This writer suspects that it was written several years before his death. It reads as follows, (Will Book G.M., No. 1, p. 76, Frederick Co., MD):
'In the name of God amen. I George Michael Eller of Frederick County in the province of Maryland living, am for this time sik and not right well but in my sound memory thanks be given unto God therefore seeing my nullity, ordain herein my Last Will and Testament in full love. I recommend my soul into the hands of God that gave it and my body to the earth, to be buried in a Christian like manner at the discretion of my Executors, my Executors shall in the first place pay out of my Estate all my just debts, and the overplus what the Lord gave me in this world I ordain as followith, my beloved wife, Anna Maria I give fifty pounds lawful Money, the small red cow with a white head, thirty bushels of wheat, her bed and her chest she bought (brought) to me, also the small and large Iron Potts, a half dozn peuter plates, one peuter basin, a dozn peuter spoons and a small melt pan, three iron kettles, a small washer tup a water tup and the churn, her spinnin wheel, her lamp, her Bible and Psal mody, one quart tin mog, and a pint do, on quart bottle, and every year fifteen pounds as long as they can live together also her clothing out of my Estate they can agree together, the aforesaid fifteen pounds to be paid to her in the first year only out of my whole estate, and if they can agree to live longer together, then the six younger children shall pay her the same by themselves out of my good consideration I caused to be right and is my last will and Testament that my oldest son Peter Eller, shall have the sum of 97 pounds lawful money, and my son Leonard Eller shall have the sum of 82 pounds and my daughter Elizabeth shall likewise have 82 pounds lawful money; and these said three children shall have that money three years after my decease then my two Executors, namely Henry Eller and Martin Gerber, shall be impowered to sell the Place, wagon and horses, all the creatures and moveables, and shall pay to my beloved wife her part of the same; and the overplus shall be divided by my Executors among my six youngest children namely, Jacob Eller, George Eller, John Eller, Eve Eller, Cathrine Eller and Maria Eller; further Jacob Eller shall have the Bible and to pay to George ten shillings, also shall Jacob have the young colt, if it mare bring the same luky. This is George Michael Eller his x mark and Seal X (Seal) Attested by John Bergers and Henry Schmaus (Smous) - John Bergers, Henry Smouse the above witnesses were sworn Frederick County, 25th August 1778. Then came the above Thomas Schley and made oath on the holy Evangelists of Almighty God, that the within and above writing is a just and true Translation to the best of his knowledge of the original Will of the above named George Michael Eller, which is written in the German language and that he hath not knowingly or intentionally translated any matter of substance contrary to the true meaning of said Will. Certified by George Murdock, Regr.'
The phrases in the above will pertaining to his wife and the things 'she brought to me' and the legacies to her that were made contingent on his six youngest children and her being able 'to live longer together,' indicates that she was not their mother. The name of his first wife was not found. The Evangelical Lutheran Church records of Frederick County, Maryland, records the baptism, on 8 Nov 1756, of Marie Magdalena Aller, daughter of Michael Aller and his wife Salome. (Evangelical Lutheran Church Records, p. 40, Maryland Hist. Soc.) This, doubtless, was another family because in the same year (1756) Carl Aller baptized a daughter Anna Barbara and in 1775 one Michael Aller was recorded as owing money to Mr. Hass, the same probably being for the church. (pp. 42 and 49 Ibid.)
If all facts were known they might show that George Michael Eller was married three times and that his first son Peter was a child by his first wife and all others by his second. Peter was a grown man with a wife and child as early as the late seventeen sixties. His brother, Leonard, was born 20 March 1754. Peter Eller was called 'my eldest son' in the George Michael Eller will and the latter's children, Jacob, George, John, Eve, Catherine and Maria, called 'my six youngest children,' were given the residue of the estate in equal shares. The son, Peter, was given 97 pounds and the son, Leonard, and daughter, Elizabeth, were given 82 pounds apiece. All of this adds up to the fact that Peter, Leonard and Elizabeth were his eldest children and that Peter probably was some years older than the other two, and, maybe, their half-brother."
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Chris & Julie Petersen's Genealogy
1760 - 1840 (79 years)