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TALES from the FRONT PORCH
Ringgold County's Oral Legend & Memories Project
August 3, 2009 Road Trip
Leg 2: Ellston, Ringgold County, Iowa
We arrived in Ellston around 10:30 a.m. It has been almost 30 years since I was last in Ellston. Sun Valley,
located east of Ellston, arose out of cornfields and timberland. It is a thriving community, complete with a golf
course. Ellston, however, hasn't fared as well. Precious few of the original buildings remain along Main Street.
A new Legion hall is being constructed between Ellston's Post Office and Darlene's Place. The foundation for the Legion Hall is the cement slab in the right-hand
side of the photograph above.
Ellston Cabin Clipper is a charming little barber shop on Main Street. Willow Shade School No. 9 of Tingley Township,
above right, was moved to Ellston in 1949. It is attached to the back of Darlene's Place and is utilized as a pool hall.
West of Darlene's Place on Main Street is a block which comprises Ringgold County Pioneer Museum, which is a project
of Ringgold County's Historical Society. On the south side of the block is the Ringgold County Pioneer Center, formerly
the telephone maufacturing building, pictured below.
  
The CORNWALL Home at the Ringgold County Pioneer Center and Rural Life Museum once was the home of early settlers Elihue
and Emeline (LUCAS) CORNWALL. Elihue CORNWALL, a farmer, was born in Mansfield, Richland County, Ohio, on December 10, 1829, and died
in Union County, Iowa, on August 14, 1867. Emeline (LUCAS) CORNWALL was born in Richland County, Ohio, on March 25, 1834,
and died in Ringgold County, Iowa, in 1917. Elihue served as a Private during the Civil War, enlisted on October
14, 1862, with Company C of the Southern Iowa Border Brigade. Elihu and Emeline were the parents of:
1) Avery W., born 1852, Ohio; died 1937, interment Ellston Cemetery; married Linda L. (1854-1936)
2) Herbert F., born 1855, Illinois
3) Lasalle, born 18 Sep 1857, Iowa; died 18 Feb 1931; married 1884 Eva HOOVER (1860-?)
4) Arthur L., born 15 Jun 1860, Iowa; died 1929; married Jennie CARTER
5) Lois, born 07 Oct 1862, Iowa; died 02 Dec 1862
6) Celesta, born 06 Apr 1864, Ringgold Co. IA; died 07 Jan 1945, Mount Ayr IA
married James Hugh DOLSON (1854-1938)
Elihue, Emaline, and daughter Lois were interred at Cornwall Cemetery, Pleasant Township of Union County, Iowa.
Left: Sage orange tree "The tree that fenced the prairie" Right: Ellston Elevator
Hazel Glen School No. 8, Washington Township, Ringgold County, Iowa, was moved from its original site to Mount Ayr school
grounds where it was used as a classroom until 1979. It was moved to the Pioneer Center at Ellston where it was restored.
The school is open during the summer on Sunday afternoons from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. and when the museum complex is open, or
by appointment.
Ellston's cemetery is located west of town. Leaving Ellston, we proceeded west on J-20, headed for
Tingley, Ringgold County, Iowa.
CORNWALL family information from WPA Graves Survey, cemetery transcriptions
Photographs by Sharon R. Becker, August 3, 2009
Submitted by Sharon R. Becker, August of 2009
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