Henry S. Ely (1950)

ELY, CLARK, FLOOD

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler (email)
Date: 2/4/2007 at 08:59:54

Winterset Madisonian - October 25, 1950
Winterset, Iowa

HENRY S. ELY RITES HELD HERE

Long-Time Resident Died Last Thursday at Park City, Mont.

Henry S. Ely, one of Winterset's most widely known citizens for many years, died last Thursday, Oct. 19, at Park City, Mont. Since 1947 he had been making his home at Park City with a daughter, Mrs. Florence Flood.

Mr. Ely was 89 years of age at the time of his death. He was a former business man and city official here, but is most widely remembered as the official U.S. weather observer in Winterset for 30 years.

He was born on a farm in Erie county, New York, May 19, 1861, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Enoch S. Ely. He attended high school in Buffalo, N.Y.

Mr. Ely was married Sept. 29, 1883, to Nellie Clark. They settled on a farm three miles north of Winterset. In 1890 they moved to Winterset, where he engaged in the grocery business. Later he was interested in a tannery and a produce business. He served as Winterset's city clerk for 17 years.

In 1943, Mr. and Mrs. Ely observed their Golden Wedding anniversary. A few months later, in February of 1944, Mrs. Ely died. Mr. Ely lived continuously in the same house on North First avenue from 1891 to 1947, when he left here for Montana. He had been a member of the Masonic lodge in Winterset since 1891.

Three of Mr. Ely's six children survive him. They are Mrs. Florence Flood of Park City, Mont., Blanche Ely of Washington, D. C., and Ralph D. Ely of Creston. He also leaves a granddaughter, a great grandson and two half sisters.

Funeral services were held Tuesday from the Anderson home for funerals here, in charge of the Rev. Clement D. Loehr, pastor of the First Presbyterian church. Burial was made in the Winterset cemetery.