Alexander Eliel

Born 1857

Born in Illinois

Occupation Merchant

 

Herman Eliel

Married to Lulu

Born 1846 or 1848

Born in Germany

Occupation Clerk and Salesman

 

Lulu Eliel

Married to Herman

Born 1862

Born in Missouri

Occupation Housekeeper

 

E F Eliel

Born 1862

Born in Illinois

Occupation Booker at House

 

The Eliels were merchants involved in Leadville from 1879 to 1886.  Herman was born around 1846 and hailed from Germany.[1]   He had two brothers, Alexander and E. F. ,[2] both from Illinois, born in 1857 and 1862 respectively.[3]

The Eliels arrived in Leadville in 1879; they set up their shop and residence on the corner of Chestnut and Loomis streets.[4]   In 1880 they moved their store to 112 W. 2nd Street.[5]   The 1880 City Directory reveals their business was involved in the liquor and cigar industry.[6]   The Eliel residence was listed at 112 W. 2nd Street until 1881.[7]   The store was owned by Alex, his brother Herman worked with him as a  salesman and clerk.[8]   In 1881 E.F. began working with his brothers as a book keeper for the store.[9]   In 1882 E.F. disappears from Leadville records and it appears he may have left the city.[10]   That same year Alex and Herman moved their shop to 514 Harrison Avenue.[11]   The shop moved yet again in 1883 to 123 E. 6th Street.[12]   Alex continued to reside at the shop, but Herman began living at room 17 of the Union Block.[13]

 

By 1884 Alex had left Leadville and Herman began to reside at 226 ½ E. 6th Street.[14]   A Lulu Eliel also appears in the 1884 City Directory running a fruit and confectionery store at Herman’s address.[15]   The 1885 Census reveals Lulu was Herman’s wife.[16]   Lulu was born in 1862 and was from Missouri.[17]   Sometime between 1880 and 1885 she married Herman Eliel.

The Eliels were active in more than just business in Leadville, they often appeared in the Leadville papers attending or hosting various social events.  In October, 1880, Herman attended a ball thrown by the Standard Club, “The affair was very select and quite dressy… A great many of Leadville’s best known society people were there.”[18]   Herman was also active in politics, acting as chairman for a meeting of the German Republicans in November 1882.[19]

 

Lulu Eliel also appeared a few times in the papers, sometimes hosting or attending social events.  One event hosted by Lulu was a Taffy pull in June 1884, her guests were “Irma Levy, Lottie and Eva Schloss, Blanche Kraft, Tillie Kahn, Carrie Kahn and Carrie Beman… Simon Schloss, Alex Shoenberg, Jake Kahn and others.”[20]   After the event the guests “[pronounced] Miss Elial a most excellent hostess.”[21]   In October, 1884, she also attended the sixth annual ball of the Ladies’ Hebrew Benevolent Association.[22]   Lulu appeared in the paper again in 1886, but not for a social event.  Mrs. Elial was in an unfortunate accident including an overturned sleigh in January, luckily she escaped without serious injuries.[23]

 

In 1885 the Eliel’s residence changed to 136 W. 6th Street[24]  and then 202 W. 5th Street in 1886.[25]  After 1886 the Eliels cease to appear in Leadville.