From a young age he had numerous responsibilities in maintaining the farm, including carrying wood, churning butter, picking up rocks out of the fields, and milking the cows.
Family and Education
Ely's father, a devout Presbyterian who strictly observed the rules of a Christian life, was a powerful influence on his eldest son. Because of his beliefs, he would not grow hops, even though the crop suited his land well, because they were used for brewing beer. He disdained tobacco and other vices, and permitted no work or play on Sunday. Academically minded, Ezra Ely would have preferred an academic career, but his parents' poverty forced him to forego his studies. Still, Ely grew up in a home that honored the importance of learning, where his father read poetry, studied Latin, and maintained one of the largest libraries in the area. His father's deeply serious, sometimes gloomy, nature was countered by his mother's gentle kindness. Although Ely inherited his father's work ethic, he was emotionally closer to his mother, to whom he turned for support and advice. Often in fragile health, Harriet Ely nonetheless possessed abundant energy and vitality. As an amateur artist, she won numerous local prizes and added to the family income by teaching art at the Fredonia Normal School.
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