Dr. Taylor Fillmore Ealy
By J. Young  

Dr. Ealy was born on September 12, 1848 in Schellsburg, Pennsylvania. He was a promising student of Washington and Jefferson College and graduated in the fall of 1872. Dr. Ealy pursued his passion for medicine by enrolling at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School and obtaining his medical degree in 1874. Soon after, he married his wife Mary Clark. Dr. Ealy’s desire to become a medical missionary led him to preach at various pulpits, which later resulted in the Presbyterian committee of missions sending him to the Chickasaw Nation to educate black students and help freed-men. Together with his wife, he traveled to Oklahoma, where they had two daughters. Dr. Ealy administered the school for black children at Fort Arbuckle, Oklahoma, from 1874 to 1876, fostering an environment that encouraged learning and was appreciated by his students. After two years, the Baptist church took over the school, and Dr. Ealy moved on to his next mission.
After briefly staying at El Morro, Colorado, the couple traveled by wagon to New Mexico and arrived at the center of a battlefield in Lincoln, NM in 1878. The night before, they stayed at Fort Stanton where they were informed of John Tunstall’s murder and advised to turn back. Despite the warning, Dr. Ealy chose to proceed with his mission to establish a church and schoolhouse in Lincoln, where none existed officially.
Upon nearing his destination, Ealy’s wagon was encircled by Murphy and Dolan’s men who conducted a thorough search for firearms. Ealy was prompt to clarify that teaching, preaching, and administering medications were his only aims. No weapons were found, and the party continued into town, stopping at the Dolan store where Ealy sought guidance on finding Mr. Mcsween and Mr. Shields, two esteemed members of the Presbyterian congregation. However, when the men gathered outside the store became aware of Ealy’s purpose, they began to deride him in a jocular manner.
“We don’t take much stock in your school and church talk, but if you’re sawbones you’ll get plenty to do, hell’s breaking loose in Lincoln and some folks are surely going to get hurt. Do you know anything about gunshot wounds doc?”
The crowd laughed and Doctor Ealy then continued down the street toward the Mcsween house about 150 yards to the east. No doubt with a scared wife and kids.
After meeting with McSween he was briefed on the situation.
“What you are drifting into, is really a struggle of the people to throw off the corruption of robbery and persecution”
barked Mcsween.
Dr. Ealy stated,
“I am ready to serve the community no matter how great the risk is.”
Dr. Ealy was on a mission from God. Except he was in Lincoln, unknowingly, the devil’s-playground.

Approximately one week after their arrival, Dr. Ealy and his wife initiated their mission to enrich the community’s spiritual awareness and gathered a congregation of nearly 20 people for their inaugural Sunday service. While recognizing the challenge of not being conversant in Spanish, Dr. Ealy persevered with the aid of grassroots volunteers who assisted in translation duties. As the following months ensued, Dr. Ealy’s efforts resulted in the establishment of both a school and a church, requiring only the foundation of a dedicated edifice to complete the project.
Dr. Ealy had formed the opinion that Alex McSween was a man of noble intentions, seeking to alleviate economic oppression faced by the Hispanic community at the hands of the Dolan faction. Despite his sympathies, Dr. Ealy remained objective and observed how McSween was directing his group of Tunstall cowboys, now transformed into gunfighters. Their retaliation proved severe, resulting in the deaths of numerous members of Dolan’s posse, including Sheriff William Brady. Such acts led McSween to move away from town and take up residence in the mountains.
Dr. Ealy demonstrated extraordinary courage by staying in town to continue his mission of running the Sabbath School, in spite of the threats of violence he faced. While working in Mcsween’s garden, an elderly man approached him with concerns about the Dolan gang’s intentions to harm him. Dr. Ealy remained vigilant in his efforts to carry on with his work, but unfortunately, he was approached by Jack Long, a drunken member of the same gang. Despite the perilous situation, Dr. Ealy conducted himself with great composure and restraint.
Long grabbed Ealy’s arm and said “I hung a preacher once in Arizona, but I won’t hang you…”

The message was clear, Dr. Ealy had better watch his back. Some of the Dolan gang had been talking about stringing Ealy up from a tree. He wrote, to his religious superiors,
“Did I tell you about Jack long? He Said he helped hang a preacher in Arizona? Do you know anything about a minister being hanged in Arizona?.Dolan’s men are prosecuting Mcsween, partly because he is a Presbyterian. They are a dirty set of Irish cutthroats and you know what their religion is?… They drink whiskey and Gamble and nothing is too bad for them.”
On April 1st 1878, Ealy witnessed the ambush of Brady
“I saw some men with guns pass our house, the corral door swung open and after gunfire the Sheriff fell mortally wounded, I didn’t not hear him groaning but the women in our house said they did. George Hindman, Brady’s Deputy, fell and he called for water and someone helped him up and as he was being helped towards Stockton’s Saloon he received another wound and fell dead”
Ealy went up to the rooftop to see the action and was shot at, so he went back inside. Later that day, Colonel George Purington from Fort Stanton came to Lincoln and called Ealy out of the house to question him about the shooting. Purington said,
“I believe you all know about this murder of the sheriff.?!”
Dr. Ealy responded pointing to his daughter saying,
“Sir I am as innocent of the sheriff’s death as that little child. I am sure it is as much of a surprise to me as it is to you! I am not pleased at all that you have accused me of knowing anything about this murder.“
Over the course of several months, conflicts between opposing factions escalated. Ealy expressed his condolences by delivering funeral sermons for those who had fallen on either side. There was a glimmer of hope that Ealy could have acted as a mediator during this time. Despite tensions, the Ealy family continued to host Sunday church meetings where individuals from both the McSween and Dolan gangs were present. The men respectfully joined in on hymns and other religious practices. However, Ealy’s allegiance was still questioned and he was viewed as a supporter of the McSween gang.
On a Monday morning in July, Dr. Ealy was preparing for school when tensions suddenly rose. One of the children came in and announced that both gangs had come into Lincoln. For safety reasons, Dr. Ealy canceled his class and barricaded himself and his family inside the Tunstall store. The family heard shooting, yelling, and screaming for days and suffered from a lack of water by Wednesday. To get water, Susan Gates went out with Ealy’s wife under the assumption that they would not be shot at because they were women.
On July 19, 1878, Sheriff Peppin’s posse with the assistance of Colonel Dudley’s troops, burned down the McSween home. Alex McSween and four others were killed. However, the Ealy’s were escorted to safety by soldiers from Fort Stanton near the end of the five-day battle. Unfortunately, the Ealys had nearly no friends left in Lincoln, and they decided they could no longer stay in the town. After spending a few days at Fort Stanton, the family left since Dr. Ealy was not getting along with Colonel Dudley.
Dr. Ealy wrote to his superiors before taking on a new missionary post among the Zuni Indians in western New Mexico. In May of 1879, both Taylor and Mary Ealy were summoned to return to Fort Stanton to testify in a military court-martial against colonial Nathan Dudley for his actions during the five-day battle. Unfortunately, Mrs. Ealy was unable to attend, as she was unwell.  Ealy remembers the moment he took the stand,
”Dudley sat in front of me when I was to testify, he had his thumbs in his vest armholes, looking me directly in the eyes. Dudley’s lawyer asked me, “don’t you know the Bible speaks of ingratitude sharper than a serpent’s fang?”
Ealy responded
“The Bible does not say that you’re quoting from a book you are not familiar with…
The lawyer objected. In the end, Dudley was dismissed and cleared of all charges.

Following Ealy’s testimony, he received a warning note about a potential plot to harm him. The note advised him to take a roundabout route back to Zuni in order to avoid danger. In adherence to the warning, Ealy altered his route and headed towards Roswell before returning to Zuni.
Dr. Ealy and his family resided with and provided service to the Zuni tribe in Zuni Pueblo, NM for a period of four years.

After leaving New Mexico in the late 1880’s, Dr. Ealy went back to his hometown in Pennsylvania where he previously went to school, college and med school. Working with his father and some other doctors, sometime in 1892-93 he created a new formula for baby powder and marketed it as Talc powder. The brand was named T.F. Ealy Baby Powder Company.
Ealy’s baby powder formula was either sold or capitalized on through patents.
An acquaintance of Ealy’s from med school about the same age, was also working on remedies. He was Frederick Kilmer. Fred Kilmer became the director of scientific laboratories at Johnson Johnson from May 1889 to 1934. History names Kilmer as the inventor of baby powder.
Dr. Ealy’s death was on February 19, 1916, in Schellsburg, Pennsylvania. His unfortunate passing was due to throat complications that may have preexisted or developed upon his return to Pennsylvania. Dr. Ealy was an accomplished individual who made remarkable contributions to society. He was given a proper interment at the Schellsburg Cemetery and his legacy lives on. The University of Arizona has been fortunate enough to secure valuable historical pieces, including Ealy’s family papers, documents, and diaries that showcase an excerpt of Billy the Kid’s recollection and the events that transpired during the Lincoln County War. These items are of great significance to those interested in history and will undoubtedly serve as a source of inspiration for many generations to come.

Note: Talc deposits are found in New Mexico and also on the Eastern slopes of the Appalachian mountains. It was recently discovered that baby powder causes cancer. Dr. Ealy died in 1916 from throat “problems” .