Charles Ely

Charles Ely to Orrin Smith March 1912 |Charles Goddard's River Escapade |
Charles Goddard's Eulogy given by Charles Ely, 1868

This page contains a letter about growing up in Winona and the early schools there, and an eulogy delivered by Charles Ely in memory of his friend and comrade in arms, Charles Goddard.

Charles Ely was one of the early settlers of Wabasha Prairie arriving here with his family in 1852 when he was seven years of age. He spent his youth here and as his letters show he loved growing up on the prairie. Ely was a good friend of Charles Goddard who also came to Winona in 1852 with his family. Ely and Goddard both grew up here. Both boys were probably typical of youngsters growing up in a Mississippi River town in mid-century America. Charles Ely was reputed to have caused the destruction of a few buildings in Winona when a fire he started on the prairie got out of control. Ely describes one of Goddard's pranks in his Goddard's eulogy. The other two letters written to Orrin Smith describe Ely's love for Winona as an idyllic boyhood experience and a description of early school days in Winona. Orrin Smith was Charles Goddard's "little" brother.

In 1861 Ely and Goddard both joined Company K of the 1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. Both lied about their age. Ely and Goddard fought with the 1^st Minnesota in most of the great battles of the Civil War including Antietam and Gettysburg. Both were seriously wounded at Gettysburg and spent a long time recovering before they returned to their regiment. In the spring of 1864 the 1^st Minnesota was mustered out and Ely and Goddard returned to Winona where they engaged in a number of business enterprises. Goddard ran for public office in 1866 and was elected County Recorder but soon after his election he died after a short illness. Ely later left Winona and worked in the Dakota's which was his home when he wrote these two letters.

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Charles Ely to Orrin Smith March 29, 1912
DeSmet So. Dak. Mar 29^th. ñ12
To: Orrin F. Smith, Winona, Minn
When you ask me about the teachers and schools of those early days, you bring me back to life again with a flood of pleasant memories.
Only sixty years ago Winona and the surrounding country was a vast game preserve, owned by the Indians.
They lived dirty and happy, the weird music of the Tom-Tom could be heard upon most any pleasant evening.
Nature had run riot for ages and spread the good things with scenery thrown in; help your self, and go to it.
The day of the white man had come, and among others a bare footed boy, parted the grass and waded through it on the levee that was to be Winona.
The river bank was lined with luxuriant verdure and to the mind of the youth, the march of civilization had reached a beauty spot that put to shame the Garden of Eden itself.
Youth: what is the Glamour of it? The man who wrote of heaven did not know what he was telling about. He was not a youth, nor was he at Winona in 1852.
In 1854 on Front street about 300 feet east of the Railway bridge; was a school of sunburned, barefooted, one suspendered doughnut eaters; presided over by a lady whose name is to memory lost, She wore glasses gracefully, and "made good". She landed on the craniums of the youth with the map of everyplace, and the multplication table set to music.
Her sweet voice and pleasant smile tastes good after these long years.
In 1854 Winona grew like a mushroom, and Miss Almeda Twitchell came to bat; she fought the main springs of deviltry in the youth of that day.
She had a hard job, the town had grown; and fifty or at times more fighters and their sisters, had to be shown the road to civilization. Almeda did not have any time to spare, to crimp her locks, or play with the powder puff.
Her Temple of learning, was on Front street south of the site of Porter Milling Co.
That was during the days that front street or the spot between the two flouring mills was the center of gravity.
It was there you that found the Post Office the Land Office, and near by, not 300 feet away the Swell Café conducted by one of the best women on earthóyour mother.
The Banks and the Booze vendors were not far away, they were after the tenderfootís money; now they all sleep peacefully side by side in the Cemetery quite forgotten.
But with the teachers it was different, Where they handed you what they knew either by a smile or a slate frame it stayed.
Henry Bolcom had several terms on second street, most any old place was good enough; but you had to make good because Bolcom was good with a ferule.óHe did business in his court.
At an old ramshackle building near Fifth street and between Lafayette and Walnut, the first attempt was made to establish a graded school. Primary and intermediate below, and the more advanced scholars above.
Deacon Thomas was the first principal; he opened school every morning with prayer. He had a very bad habit, he would open his eyes during the devotion; some of the bad ones thought it irreverent, it put a handicap on any diversion that might be going on, as often at the conclusion of the service some derelect was due for a trimming; which was administered in public.
The boys, well they were not angels, made his tutorship very strenuous.
V.J. Walker, who followed Thomas, was a scholar and a very conscientious man; one whom the boys of the present day would call easy. He eased off somewhat on the prayer, but got hold of the better instincts of the youth and made good progress considering the large attendance and lack of proper facilites.
Goodie Hubbell, Herbert Hubbell, Rodie Randall, Mrs. Bogart with Euphremia Law, and Lottie Newman were all star students at that time, scholarship and deportment of a high order. They should be able to help you in building pictures of the past better than I can do.
However I am glad you asked me, for it is a real pleasure to run wild over those bluffs and hills again as they were before civilization despoiled them.
Truly Yours, Charles E. Ely

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Charles Goddard's River Escapade

Selections from Charles Goddard's Eulogy given by Charles Ely, Dec. 15, 1868.

Born in Union County Pennsylvania May 14, 1845, he removed with his parents to this State in May, 1852, his father having for sometime previously been engaged in searching for a suitable location in which to settle.The family left their Eastern home in two Indian Canoes, lashed together and went first to Missouri, Mr. Goddard, Senior, having formerly been occupied in teaching, the exposures incident to frontier life proved too severe for his feeble health, and brought on the disease of which [he] died soon after removing to this city. Upon his death his family, consisting of his wife and three children, were left almost wholly dependent upon their own exertions for support. Soon after the death of the father, two of the children, a little girl and boy, died, leaving but Charles--then a bright lad of eight years. At this early age the deceased evinced a certain reckless disregard of danger seldom noticed in one so young. Indeed it was the chief characteristic of his boyhood; and he seemed to delight in frightening the staid villagers by bold and daring pranks. To use an old expression, it was said that his success in getting into scrapes was excelled only by his ability to get out of them. It was about this time that he one day went quietly to where the upper end of the levee now is, and proceeded to swim the river, which was very high.
The movements of the daring lad were not discovered until he had nearly reached the bar, when some person noticed the swimmer tossing upon the waves. The news spread rapidly through the village and the utmost consternation prevailed, which was no means abated when it was noticed that instead of landing on the bar the swimmer passed below and was striking for the Wisconsin shore. This was too much, boats were at once launched and men rowed rapidly to the rescue. Before they could reach him, however, Charlie had gained the other bank, and was heartily enjoying the tumult he had created.

Our comrades war record was indeed one of which to be proud. He participated in all the actions in which his regiment was engaged, some twenty-three in number. On one occasion, when a battle was impending, he had been detailed for guard, but insisted upon getting a substitute for the guard duty that he might share the dangers of his regiment. On that bloody day, at Gettysburg, he received a pistol shot in the shoulder and a minnie ball through his leg above the knee. Nothing daunted, he even then assisted a wounded comrade from the field. During the short time he was in the hospital he wrote many interesting letters. From one of these, to show the unbounded patriotism and fidelity to cause with which he was inspired, I will read a few lines. "If you have been led to believe by my letters that I am anxious to get home before the rebellion is crushed, or that, in the hasty letters I have written you, I thought the soldier's life an unbearably hard one, it is something I never intended you should do. I acknowledge we do have hard times, and that if we would give way to the impulse of a moment, one would feel as if he could work for anybody but 'Uncle Sam?" But when we get into camp, and have time to get a cup of warm coffee and a slice of corned beef, we feel as if we were able to stand it a little longer. If there was anything more than another that would tempt me to go home, it would be the thought-which sometimes suggests itself--that we are fighting to protect the homes of black-hearted Northern traitors, who are trying to bring ruin on their country."

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Pioneer Settlers