Ellsworth History

Ellsworth History

“The Wickedest Cattle Town in the West” by Jim Gray

“Ellsworth was destined for a turbulent reputation from its very inception. Fort Ellsworth had been established at the very edge of the frontier in 1864. The Cheyenne [Indians] had driven everyone off the trails leading to Denver City, Colorado Territory, and it was up to the military to reopen the trails. Fort Ellsworth lay at the point of division between the Fort Riley Military Road which led to the Santa Fe Trail and the Smoky Hill Trail, the most direct but also the most treacherous route to Denver City.

”The Cheyenne would not go willingly. There were raids upon wagon trains, horses were stolen directly from Fort Ellsworth, and ill equipped soldiers were led on wild chases across the sea of grass known as the Great American Desert. In 1866, the fort was renamed Fort Harker and, in 1867, relocated one mile to the northeast.

”Fort Harker would become the major supply post for the military campaigns to subdue the Plains Indians. In this atmosphere the idea of Ellsworth City was conceived. Of course, the idea was to make money from the soldiers and so the city was platted just beyond the Fort Harker Military Reserve. The railroad was nearing the city and the new town overflowed with frontiersmen of every kind. A man could dig a hole in the bluff that bordered the town, set up a table with some cards and a bottle of whiskey within its curtained door, and open for business. In no time, his little dugout would be overrun with soldiers, gamblers, bullwhackers, railroaders, Texas cowboys and the inevitable unruly women that made up the character of doing business in an "end of the line" town.

”Only months in existence, Ellsworth was struck a series of near fatal blows. The Smoky Hill River raged out of its banks leaving the town standing in nearly four feet of water. Cholera struck at Fort Harker and spread to Ellsworth. Those who didn't die fled in fear. Nearby Fort Harker was no deterrent to the Cheyenne who killed railroad workers just west of town, attacked bull trains on the trail to Santa Fe, and even stole horses from Ellsworth itself! A handful of people endured it all and began again on higher ground west of the original townsite.

”The town was soon to prosper once again and a photograph taken by Alexander Gardner in September of 1867 shows a vibrant and active business district. Ellsworth continued its wicked ways. It was said that "Ellsworth has a man every morning for breakfast!" And that it did! Gunfire and revelry in the streets could be heard at all hours of the night or day. Outlaws rode in and took over the town only to be hung on the hangin' tree when the vigilante committee tired of their shenanigans. Wild Bill Hickok ran for Sheriff in 1868, but there were many equal to the calling in frontier Ellsworth. Former cavalry man, E.W. Kingsbury, defeated him, and along with Chauncey Whitney kept the town from complete madness. Tales of gunfights, hangings, and fortunes won and lost are legend. By 1872, the Texas cattle trade had abandoned Abilene. The wild Texas Longhorn trailed through the streets of Ellsworth to the Kansas Pacific Stockyards. The Cowboy reigned supreme, or at least, the gamblers let them think so. The Plaza was filled with men and women from around the world and reporters marveled at the diversity. Nearly every other business was a saloon even though the sign outside might read "Restaurant". The railroad cut the extra wide street in half with businesses facing the tracks, a line on the south and a line on the north. On north main, The OLD RELIABLE HOUSE sold everything a cowboy could ever want or need. The Drovers Cottage was across the tracks and was headquarters for many Texans who could see the stockyards just out their window.

”In 1873, Ellsworth geared up for the largest drive of Texas Longhorns to date. They expected trouble, and beefed up the police force to five men. Four of them were named either Jack or John, the other was Ed Hogue who also served as assistant Sheriff of Ellsworth County under Sheriff Chauncey Whitney. The Cowboys poked fun at the city lawmen referring to them as "four Jacks and a Joker". Sheriff Whitney they liked.

”The season remained quiet; only one killing. One hot August Sunday Ellsworth erupted in gunplay that would in due time mark the beginning of the end of cattletown Ellsworth. City Marshal, "Happy Jack" Morco sided with a gambler against Texan Ben Thompson in a dispute over the winnings of a game. Ben was a notorious gunman with a reputation equal to Wild Bill's. Ben and his drunken brother Billy had moved to the middle of the Plaza near the depot and called to the others to meet them in the open. The city law was out of control and unable to intercede peaceably in the matter, and so Ellsworth County Sheriff, Chauncey Whitney stepped into the street and called to the Thompsons. In short order he convinced them to take a drink with him and as they stepped into Joe Brennan's Saloon, Happy Jack charged down the street guns drawn. Ben wheeled and fired his Henry rifle narrowly missing Morco, Billy stumbled and discharged his shotgun mortally wounding the Sheriff.

”Ben and an army of Texans held off the town as Billy rode away. In the next few weeks 'Hell was in Session in Ellsworth." Happy Jack was fired, Ed Crawford, a new city marshal pistol whipped a Texan to death, Vigilantes roamed the streets issuing "white affidavits" to Texans to "get out of town or else", Happy Jack was gunned down in the streets when he failed to disarm, and a Texan killed Ed Crawford in the dim hallway of Lizzie Palmer's Dancehall.”

Most Texans went home to the "girl they left behind" and family dear. Few if ever spoke of the things they saw and did at the "end of the trail". But, the mementos were there. In Ellsworth they had often purchased the first "store bought" clothes they had ever worn. With saddlebags packed with gifts from the north they triumphantly rode home. And though Ellsworth would close its shipping pens in 1875, the story would be told again and again of "Abilene, the first, Dodge City, the last, but Ellsworth the wickedest".

Ellsworth History Timeline

1844 – Col. J.J. Myers travel through what would become Ellsworth County

1850s – D.H. Page and Joseph Lemon establish a trading center and mail station

1857-1860 – Attempts are made to establish Ellsworth County

1860 – Second and third attempt of settlement

1861 – First white woman in Ellsworth County

1863 – First child is born in Ellsworth County, First Indian attack on settlement occurs

1864 – Fort Ellsworth is established, Indians make first attack on Fort.

1865 – Indians make second attack on Fort, The Smoky Hill Route is created, first wagon train and first stage travel route.

1866 – Fort Ellsworth is renamed Fort Harker, Rev. Levi Sternberg and his sons move to the county, Butterfield sells Stage and Freight Company to Ben Holladay, Cheyenne and Arapaho chiefs assembled at Fort Harker for Council.

1867 – Plans for Ellsworth begin, Ellsworth county boundaries are drawn, Fort Harker is relocated, flooding of Smoky Hill River, Asiatic Cholera breakout, Kansas Pacific Railroad reaches Ellsworth, Ellsworth begins to flourish, first hotel is built.

1868 – Ellsworth becomes a village, E.W. Kingsbury is elected the first town sheriff, first commissioner meeting occurs, first marriage occurs in the county, Seitz Drug Store is built.

1869 – First schoolhouse is built in town, men “stationed” on the Chisholm Trail to lure drovers to Ellsworth, first major fire breaks out, first Catholic church is built.

1870 – General Custer and troops come to Fort Harker

1871 – Ellsworth becomes a city, log barracks on the Fort are considered unfit, Longhorns come to Ellsworth, 3,000 head of cattle is shipped from Ellsworth, Nauchville is created just outside of Ellsworth, Drovers Cottage in Abilene moves to Ellsworth, Pawnee Indians unlawfully killed and captured, Ellsworth newspaper, The Reporter, is created.

1872 – Ellsworth and Wichita become major centers in the cattle trade, Minnick & Hounson build the Cottage Hotel, Livery Stable, 300 foot iron bridge crossing the Smoky, Larkin rebuilds hotel away from original site, 1,000 head of cattle come to Ellsworth, Hittson & Goodnight and Weaver & Chisum sell cattle in Ellsworth

1873 – Cox Trail is created, Courthouse is built, prohibition of firearms in Ellsworth County issued, Fort Harker is abandoned, Kennedy shoots Print Olive, Sheriff Whitney is shot to death, Happy Jack is fired, Ed Crawford is appointed new city marshal and pistol whips a Texan to death, Happy Jack is killed, Ed Crawford is killed, 220,000 longhorn cattle is shipped, first multi-room schoolhouse is built, Rev. Sternberg established First Presbyterian Church in Ellsworth, John Blocker makes his first drive to Ellsworth. Ira E. Lloyd, esq., arrives in Ellsworth, opens law firm, limestone County Jail is built.

1874 – Grasshopper raid, major fire occurs causing $25,000 in damages, George Seitz, Andrew Schmitt, Z. Jackson and Leo Herzig work on erecting new construction after fire, Ellsworth is the headquarters of the cattle trade.

1875 – Cattle market starts to fade from Ellsworth, major fire occurs causing $50,000 in damages, major immigration occurs in Ellsworth, rebuilding after first fire occurs on Douglas Street between 1^st and 2^nd Streets, two additional buildings are built on same block. Billy Thomas shoots Sheriff Whitney.

1877 – Ellsworth County Agricultural Mechanical and Fair Association was organized, another fire hits town, Beebe’s Grocery Store is built, F. Bornschien builds restaurant and bakery, Dr. Seevert builds building, H. Rammelsberg builds dry goods and clothing store, Tom May builds two story building, Larkin builds the Golden Belt Elevator.

1878 – Huge immigration of Bohemians occurs, two elevators are built, John Kelley builds the “American House.”

1879 – First Presbyterian Church is built in Ellsworth, first mill is destroyed by fire, second mill is built, brick building built.

1880 – Latshaw and Brothers erect flour mill.

1881 – Sugar mill is erected, murder of Andrew Weir and son.

1882 – Sugar mill produces 30,000 gallons of amber syrup, buildings left on Fort Harker were sold, Trial for the Weir murder happens, two story building is erected on Douglas, elevator is built, Phillip Angley is murdered by his nephew (Graham), Graham is hung, 400,000 bushels of wheat pass through Ellsworth.

1884 – Powers Bank takes on new ownership and changes name to First National Bank, Farmers & Merchants Bank formed by November by M. Gray, president, J.W. Powers, cashier and L.B. Hail, asst. cashier, First National Convention of Cattle Raisers occurs in St. Louis.

1886 – Farmers and Merchants Bank becomes the Central National Bank.

1887 – The Insurance Building was constructed, Central National Bank moves into the Insurance Building, salt and natural gas discovered in Ellsworth County, the Odd fellows Hall is built, 180 acres of land south of Ellsworth is donated to the State of Kansas to be used for the GAR reunions, Ellsworth is called the first Forest City because of the trees planted along the streets.