Elise Dubach Isely


Elise was married in 1861 to Christian H. Isely. Here is information about their family.

Elise was born in Courrendlin, Canton Bern, Switzerland on June 21, 1842. Soon after her birth, her family moved to a dairy farm on the southern slope of Montagne d'Orvin in Switzerland. She immigrated to American in the 1853, landing in New Orleans. She traveled up the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers in steam powered paddle ships to St. Joseph, Missouri. There she met Christian Isely and they married in 1861.

Elise went with Christian to Kansas and lived there until 1936. The story of her life is told in her autobiography, Sunbonnet Days, written with her son, Bliss Isely.

Here is Elise's obituary published by the Wichita Eagle on 10/27/1936.


Here are photos of Elise.

A daguerrotype of Elise Dubach Isely made in October 1861. One of three photographs [published in Sunbonnet Days] found by Glen Hermsmeier in an evelope with the following undated note from Bliss Isely: "Dear Merrill, In case you do not recognize the pictures, the handsome lady is Grandmother Isely at the age of 19... A Merry Christmas to you and yours. Bliss".

Caption on back, "Elise Dubach Isely" Studio is Chase of Hiawatha, Kansas.

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Here is video of Elise.

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A visit to Wichita in 1935 (18 MByte)
This was filmed without sound by Charles Christian (CC) Isely Jr when he and his family visited Wichita in 1935. He and his wife Mildred added the narration later. The film features (in order of appearance) Elise Dubach Isely, her great-grandson, Trey (CC Isely III), Aunt Jo (Lydia Isely Wellman), Frances Nickerson Isely, James Thornton Isely (with Trey), and Aunt Alice (Mary Alice Isely).

The Kansas Iselys gathering for Elise's funeral in 1936 (6 MByte)
This was filmed without sound by CC Isely Jr. The narration was added more than 50 years later by Katherine and David McGuire.


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