Herbert R. Ellsworth (Biography)

[genealogynut]

Taken from Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Embracing events, institutions, industries, counties, cities, prominent persons, etc......., edited by Frank W. Blackmar, Vol. III, part one, pages 530-531

Herbert R. Ellsworth---Among the many Eastern men who have become helmsmen of affairs along industrial and commercial lines in Kansas, and through their energy and ability have contributed so largely to the marvelous development of this great commonwealth, is Mr. Ellsworth, vice-president of the Moline National Bank and one of the sound and capable business men of Elk County.  Born in Franklin county, New York, April 16, 1841, he is a son of Ralph D. Ellsworth and Evaline Ryan, both born in Fort Covington, N. Y., the former in 1812, and the latter in 1818.  The parents remained residents of New York state throughout their entire lives.  Ralph D. Ellsworth was a well educated man for his day and was a wide and intelligent reader.  Earlier in his career he was a lumberman and floated lumber rafts down the St. Lawrence river.  Later he took up farming, to which he thereafter gave his attention until his death, in 1866.  The mother died in 1884.  Sullivan Ellsworth, the grandfather, was born in Charlestown, N. H.  In 1810 he removed to New York and settled in a section where there were a great many Indians, this necessitating the building of a fort for the protection of his family.  He served in the war of 1812 and participated in the battle at Plattsburg, N. Y.  The Ellsworth family is of English extraction and was established in this country by emigrants who left the Mother Country and came to America during the early Colonial period.  William Ryan, the maternal grandfather of Mr. Ellsworth, was a large contractor in New York. His people came from Ireland.

Herbert R. Ellsworth was reared in the state of his birth and was educated at Fort Covington Academy, Fort Covington, N.Y.   After his student days he went to Springfield, Mass., where he was employed in a gun shop, and during the Civil war was kept busily engaged in straightening guns for the United States government.  From there he went to Providence, R. I., where he was employed in a United States lock shop for two years.  At the expiration of that period he returned to New York and there made all preparations for a voyage to Japan, but the death of his father at that time caused him to abandon his plans in that direction.  He then engaged in the mercantile business at Brashen Falls, N. Y., where he remained for thirteen years and conducted a very profitable business.  In 1879 he went to Leadville, Colo., as a foreman for the Eagle Mining Company, of New York, and was employed in that capacity two summers. In 1884 he came to Kansas, of which state he has now been a resident over a quarter of a century.  He and his brother bought 1,400 acres of land in Elk County and continued in possession of it until 1904, when they sold it.  He dealt extensively in cattle and also engaged in the mercantile business for a number of years.  He was one of the organizers and later president of the Moline State Bank, which is now the Moline National Bank, of which he is vice-president.  Aside from his bank duties, he is also a director of the Moline Lime, Stone & Cement Company, of Moline.  This concern does an extensive and very profitable business in the production of lime and concrete, and crushed stone for concrete and macadamizing purposes and for railroad ballast.  The plant has an average output of twenty-five or thirty-five car loads per day, and employs a working force of 115 men.  It was organized in 1907, with a capital of $150,000, and is incorporated under the laws of Ohio.  Its corps of Officers are H. Ackerman, of Marion, Ohio, president; William Carlisle, of Toledo, Ohio, vice-president; S. M. Hall, of Moline, Kan., general manager; L.V. Uncapher, of Marion, Ohio, secretrary; and J. W. Thew, of Marion, Ohio, treasurer.  Mr. Ellsworth is interested in the company as a stockholder and as a director.  He is also interested in the development of the natural gas field of southern Kansas and, in 1907, opened the largest well that Kansas has yet produced in that section.

In 1870 Mr. Ellswaorth was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Dr. Isaac Tilden, who was a native and life-long resident of New York state, where he died at the advanced age of ninety-two.  Mr. Ellsworth and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.  Politically, he is a Republican and fraternally he sustains membership in the Masonic order and the Modern Woodmen of America.  Elk county numbers Mr. Ellsworth as one of its strongest and influential men.

[ddurbin]

from THE MOLINE REVIEW  November 17, 1899

THE EAGLE PARK RANCH

Owned and Operated By The Ellsworth Brothers

By Nature the Best Ranch Anywhere in the West, and by Improvement the Most Convenient

Kansas has for the past few years, ranked first among the cattle states of the nation, and while Elk county cannot claim first place in the state, it does point with pride to the Eagle Park ranch as the finest stock ranch in the West, not one excepted.  True, it is not so large as many but in point of natural adaptation and modern conveniences for an all-around stock ranch we claim it has no equal.

The entire ranch comprises 1090 acres, 200 of which is in cultivation, 300 in fine meadow and the remaining 590 in pasture.  The pasture is abundantly supplied with water, by small streams and large pools fed by springs which have never failed.  One of these pools has never been so low that it would not swim a horse to cross it.  There are other smaller pools in the pasture that have never failed.  Being fed by strong springs the water is always clear and cool.  The stock finds plenty of good shade in nearly any part of the pasture.  The trees are not confined to the streams and pools alone, which is true of so many pasture and ranches of this state.

The proprietors, understanding well the result of an over-crowded pasture, have governed themselves accordingly and today their pasture is clear of weeds, and not a barren spot is to be found anywhere.

The meadow is kept in the best possible condition and 400 tons from the 300 acres is the usual yield, altho a second cutting would easily add 150 tons, and is always make.

The corn land yields 35 bushels per acre or 7000 bushels for the 200 acres in cultivation.

Three hundred head of native cattle, to say nothing of a large drove of hogs, are full-fed on the Eagle Park each year, and for them the best of shelter, feed and water is furnished without stint.

The ranch is less than a mile from Moline, giving excellent accommodations for both shipping and getting feed ground.

The principal farm house, the home of S. Z. Ellsworth, one of the brothers, is all that modern conveniences can make it, while the barns and other out buildings furnish all the shelter neccessary for beast, fowls, machinery and feed of all kinds.

We might also add that in the streams are plenty of fine fishes.

But few such ranches as above described-and we have not exaggerated in the least-can be found anywhere when all in all is considered, but we have still more good points to urge in its favor.

Besides the abundance of pure water, good grass and excellent shade above mentioned, it has the most nearly perfect natural shelter that can be found.  There are two, almost parallel, walls of solid rock between which a farm wagon could be driven that furnishes shelter for 300 head of cattle.  These walls stand up fifteen feet perpendicularly, and cattle once between them would be as secure from a Kansas blizzard as their owner when in his house sitting  beside his grate.  By the aid of a few boards or poles and sufficient hay a covering can be made for this natural shelter which would absolutely keep out all rain and snow, and admit only enough air for breathing purposes.

Adding several well kept and heavy bearing orchards, representing the best varieties of apples, cherries, pears, peaches and smaller fruits and berries, we have in a blunt way, given the principal features of the Eagle Park, by nature the best and by man's improvements the most convenient stock ranch in the West.

[genealogynut]

I enjoyed that news article, Dan! You can sure come up with some good ones!

[Janet Harrington]

So, where was the Eagle Park Ranch, exactly?

[ddurbin]

I'll have to get out some of my old maps to pinpoint it exactly, but basically it was SE of Moline.  East of hwy 99 and south of the road that goes out to the new quarry.  Not sure where the headquarters were, but will do some checking with some of the 'old-timers' from Moline.

[Janet Harrington]

Okay.  Thanks

[ddurbin]

from THE MOLINE MERCURY, August 24, 1888
H. R. and S. Z. Ellsworth, owners of Eagle Park Ranch, have 100 acres of good corn.  Saturday they gathered from a 40 acre field where one row 80 rods long yields a wagon load.  From the top of a load they filled a bushel basket heaping full which counted out on our streets only 39 ears, and without special selection of large ones.  One ear was selected from the basket which showed by actual count 1062 grains.  Old Kansans who have been through the field estimate the yield at 90 bushels.  It is probably  as well that Mr. Thatcher went East as he would be of little account in the field, not being of sufficient height to reach the ears, some of which are eight feet from the ground on stalks thirteen feet high.  We have samples of the thirteen feet corn, also of the 39-ears-to-the-bushel corn.  Stop and see it.
*note from poster:  The Mr. Thatcher referenced in this article was a brother-in-law to the Ellsworth brothers and had been a partner is some of their business endeavors.

[Roma Jean Turner]

  Great info Dan.  I know from my gggrandfather, J D Dunlap, obituary, that he was very much involved in that Modern Woodsman group as well.  I haven't taken the time to learn about it.  I had never heard of it until I saw it mentioned in his obit.  The day my gggrandfather died, a check for 100.00 was given to my gggrandmother by the Woodsmen. That was in the paper as well.