JONAS ELY, MD, although one among the comparatively young men in professional life, has reached an eminence for scientific attainments as well as thorough scholarship that is attained by few even of those who have devoted a long life of patient toil in the work of their profession. He is a native of Greene County, Penna, born March 2, 1853, near Waynesburg in Whitely Township. His ancestry were of Germany from which country the great-grandfather emigrated at an early date to America; on the voyage he was so ill that at one time he was thought to be dead and was about to be cast into the sea, when signs of life were discovered in him happily in time to save him from a watery grave. Jonas Ely, grandfather of our subject, came to Washington County from Berks County, Penna, when a young man and followed farming and stock raising in Franklin Township; he married Miss Euphen Wilson, and they both died in Greene County, same state. George Ely, father of Dr Jonas Ely, was born in Washington County, Penna, September 5, 1818, and was married to Mary Warrick, also a resident of Washington County. After their marriage they moved to Greene County, same state, where they made their home, having born to them seven children—four sons and three daughters. They were both members of the M. E. Church from early life, and were zealous, conscientious Christians. Mrs. Ely passed away December 29, 1887, aged sixty two years. She died as she had lived, leaving testimony behind that her work was well done. Mr. Ely is still living and has been one of the successful farmers and stock raisers of that county. He has more than an ordinary mind, and has characteristics worthy of example, always living up to the "golden rule." He was frugal, industrious, patient and upright in all his dealings. He has the respect and esteem of all who know him. A neighbor made the remark to an attorney when riding past Mr. Ely's farm, that if all men were like him we would have no use for lawyers. Dr. Jonas Ely was reared on his father's farm. He received his education at select schools and Waynesburg College, studying all the branches required there for graduation. However, from the age of fifteen, his ambition was to become a follower in the footsteps of Hippocrates and Galen, and all his spare time was assiduously devoted to the private study of medicine till 1883 when he entered Cincinnati Medical College, from which he graduated in the class of 1887 at the head of his class. In March of that year he came to Washington, this county, and commenced the practice of his chose profession in which he has been deservedly successful. On December 25, 1873, Dr. Ely was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Jacob and Jane Schriver, of Greene County, Penna, where the former is a successful farmer. To this union two children have been born: John R and Tillie S. The Doctor has been a member of the M. E. Church since the age of sixteen years, and has been steward in the same for some time.

Text taken from page 213 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed November 1997 by Martha Burns of Anaheim, CA as part of the Beers Project. Published November 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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