She was of a very religious nature, and had a beautiful singing voice. She wanted to become the wife of a minister, and she accepted the proposal of the Reverend Gustav Elley, a young, circuit-riding preacher. They were married in New Braunfels, Texas, on January 31, 1847.
She was a leader in the prayer-meetings, and led the singing in the church choir. She followed her husband wherever his church sent him on the raw frontier. She and Gustav raised 13 children to adulthood: Louise, Mathilda, Emma, Hulda, Auguste, Martha, Henriette, Gustav, Fritz, Johanna, Clementine, Carl, and Louis.
In 1859 the family followed Gustav to the new Fountain Mission which was in dangerous Indian country west of Castroville. One night when Gustav was away, she awoke to find the waters of a nearby creek swirling about her bed, from a flash flood. She shoved some boards over the rafters of their log cabin and helped the little ones climb up to the makeshift loft. At daybreak men of the congregation found the family still huddled in the loft.
Another night when her husband was away, Indians stole all the horses from the village, except theirs.
Gustav and Henriette retired to Sequin. He died in 1897, and she died May 31, 1906.
She was of a very religious nature, and had a beautiful singing voice. She wanted to become the wife of a minister, and she accepted the proposal of the Reverend Gustav Elley, a young, circuit-riding preacher. They were married in New Braunfels, Texas, on January 31, 1847.
She was a leader in the prayer-meetings, and led the singing in the church choir. She followed her husband wherever his church sent him on the raw frontier. She and Gustav raised 13 children to adulthood: Louise, Mathilda, Emma, Hulda, Auguste, Martha, Henriette, Gustav, Fritz, Johanna, Clementine, Carl, and Louis.
In 1859 the family followed Gustav to the new Fountain Mission which was in dangerous Indian country west of Castroville. One night when Gustav was away, she awoke to find the waters of a nearby creek swirling about her bed, from a flash flood. She shoved some boards over the rafters of their log cabin and helped the little ones climb up to the makeshift loft. At daybreak men of the congregation found the family still huddled in the loft.
Another night when her husband was away, Indians stole all the horses from the village, except theirs.
Gustav and Henriette retired to Sequin. He died in 1897, and she died May 31, 1906.
Family Members
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Louise Elley Merz
1848–1940
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Matilda Elley Nagel
1849–1931
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Hulda Elley Vordenbaum
1854–1895
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Augusta Elley Homburg
1855–1906
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Martha Elley Lambrecht
1856–1921
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Henriette Elley
1861–1898
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Gustav Elley Jr
1862–1919
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Fritz Elley
1863–1935
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Johanna Elley Muennink
1865–1928
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Clementine Elley Von Boeckmann
1867–1924
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Carl Elley
1871–1961
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Louis Elley
1874–1959
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