The early history of the Ellis family is an intriguing tale. In 1880, an American census report revealed that Ike Ellis was born on March 2nd, 1830, in Missouri, and his wife Nancy Ellis, also born in Missouri, shared the same year of birth. Ike and Nancy Ellis had three children named William, Ben, and Leslie Ellis, with Ben being the oldest, born in Iowa in 1855 and William born in Kansas in 1860. In the early 1870s, the Ellis family decided to leave Kansas and journeyed westward, choosing the Santa Fe Trail to travel along the Arkansas River through Trinidad, Colorado, down to the Sugarite River in New Mexico. The Coe family helped the Ellis family settle in Sugarite Canyon.
Frank Coe said,
“We landed in good spirits on the Sugarite River in New Mexico on the 8th day of August 1874. The immigrants who had remained with us settled at the Sugarite River. Among them were Uncle Ike and Nancy Ellis who later figured prominently in the Lincoln County war. They became our close neighbors and friends.”

The Ellis family remained for two to three years in The Sugarite Canyon before moving to Lincoln, New Mexico. The Ellis family possessed a strong determination to prosper and thrive in their newfound territory. By the late spring of 1877, the Ellis family, likely on the Coe’s recommendation, were settled in Lincoln. They purchased some property on the East end of town from Daniel Dow. Despite the onset of a range war, Ike maintained his self-reliant spirit and grew crops such as alfalfa, corn, apple trees, plums, and more. While the Ellis family were busy settling in and remodeling their new home in Lincoln, the seeds of a bloody range war were just beginning to germinate right there in Lincoln. 

The Ellis Family History continues in the next tabs

The following events listed are occurrences involving The Ellis Family during The Lincoln County War
1877 Jesse Evans and his gang steal horses from The Ellis Place
1877: Ike Ellis is fronted his income tax by John Tunstall (Call it a bribe)
February 18, 1878: John Tunstall is killed
February 19, 1878:  Ben Ellis is on the coroner’s jury for John Tunstall

Territory of New Mexico
county of Lincoln
we the undersigned justices of the peace and Coroner’s jury who say upon the inquest held this 19th day of February 1878 on the body of John H Tunstall, here found in precinct number one of the county of lincoln, territory of new mexico, find that the deceased came to his death on or about the 18th day of February 1878 by means of diverse bullets shot and sent forth out of and from deadly weapons and upon the head and body of said John H Tunstall which said deadly weapons were there and then held by one or more of the persons who are here with written to wit, Jesse Evans, Frank Baker, Thomas Hill, George Hindman, JJ Dolan, William Morton and others not identified by Witnesses who testified before the corner jury. We the undersigned to the best of our knowledge and Believe from the evidence of the coroner’s inquest, believe the above statement to be true and impartial verdict.
George B Barber
RM Gilbert
John Newcomb
Samuel Smith
Frank Coe
Benjamin H Ellis
John B Wilson

February 25, 1878: Isaac Ellis was named temporary owner of The Tunstall Estate.
Most citizens in Lincoln saw Ellis as a responsible business man who had earned respect throughout town. Robert Widenmann, who was Tunstall’s best Pal thought this would be their best move temporarily. Ellis put all the legal paperwork into his safe. The ownership soon after changed hands again to Robert Widenmann then to Susan McSween.

April 1, 1878: The day Sheriff Brady was killed, Alex McSween was arrested.
The Tunstall ranch hands and allies turned gunmen (Regulators) then ambushed and killed Sheriff Brady and Deputy Hindman on the street in Lincoln in front of Tunstall’s store. The lawmen were on their way to serve warrants for the arrest of Alex McSween presumably thought to be at The Ellis house as McSween had temporarily moved out of his home for safety. Everyone knew about the warrant and believed that if McSween was arrested, he too would be killed. Two surviving deputies from the ambush on Brady were George Peppin and Billy Matthews who sent a man to Fort Stanton to get military support. In the meantime McSween along with John Chisum, Mantague Leverson and two others arrived in Lincoln by carriage. They passed by the two bloodied bodies that were still laying in the road a few hours after the shooting. The carriage came to a stop at The Ellis home. Shortly after, George Peppin appeared at Ellis’ place and demanded that McSween come outside on an arrest warrant. Peppin was accompanied by Captain Purington and a small detachment of soldiers from Fort Stanton. McSween refused on the grounds that Peppin was no longer deputy now that Brady was dead. While McSween was resisting at Ellis’ place, deputy Billy Mathews, backed by a few of his guys and some soldiers, arrested Robert Widenmann and wanted to look in the Tunstall store for a Regulator who was wounded during the Brady killing. Chisum, a well respected man, talked to Captain Purington and asked if McSween surrendered that he be protected by the army. After some hesitation he agreed and McSween went peacefully.Levenson advised Ike Ellis to allow no one access to The Tunstall store and reminded Peppin that the constitution would not allow any illegal searches without a warrant. Levenson wrote to President Hayes. McSween also wrote to President Hayes that night. Their letters were well received and soon after Hayes made the call to stop legal military assistance in civil matters.
April 24, 1878: A citizens committee was organized in Lincoln. The Chairmen were Juan Patron, John Chisum, and Avery Clenny. Vice chairmen were Saturnino Baca and Jose Montano. Secretaries listed were Ben and Isaac Ellis. The point of this committee was an attempt to inform the unknowing citizens why this little war was really happening and to gain support and create a plan. The committee made no difference 

April 29, 1878: Regulator Frank Mcnab is killed and Ab Saunders and Frank Coe are wounded starting a day-long battle from The Ellis Place.
That Morning the Dolan Posse led by George Peppin and about 20 men set up an ambush outside town to the east and killed Regulator Frank McNabb and injured Ab Saunders. The posse took Frank Coe and Saunders as their prisoners. They waited until after dark to head to Lincoln. They thought they would catch more Regulators off-guard when they arrived, however a mail carrier came by the Fritz ranch and witnessed some things and when he got to Lincoln he spread the word that Frank McNab was killed.

The Regulators posted up in a few spots and George Coe and Henry Brown were at the Ellis store when they became enraged at the news and decided to get on top of the house. Ike Ellis yelled, “Whatever you boys do, don’t fire any guns, these fellows will come here and I will be in the middle of it.”
Waiting on top of the roof, Brown had his Winchester and Coe had his Sharps rifle, in the distance about 400 yards down the river they saw a Dolan man sitting on top of a cow skull. George Coe recalls “each of us got a porthole and I gave the word. We both shot concurrently. One shot fell about 200 yards short and I know it was Henry’s, he had a little Carbine. My bullet cut through the flesh of both of Man’s legs, they were crossed in front of him and cut a gash nearly 6 inches Long through his hip.”

These two shots started up a shootout between the Seven Rivers men and McSween’s Regulators. They exchanged shots all day long. Robert Widenmann recalls the situation, “we poured the lead into them rapidly and in less than an hour, we had them rerouted and had them cut off from their horses. The fighting continued throughout the day and the murderers were trying to regain their horses; we beat them back at every attempt.”

Just before 5 p.m. a unit of soldiers commanded by lieutenant George Smith rode into town from Fort Stanton. He placed a detachment of soldiers in between the two parties to defuse The situation. The Seven Rivers party surrendered, however they were not relieved of their firearms. About this moment Frank and Ab were driven into town by their captors. Frank simply walked away after being greeted by the army. Ab went to the hospital at Fort Stanton. The next morning on May 1st Dr. Ealy, conducted a burial service for Frank McNab alongside Tunstall.

May 2, 1878: Isaac and William Ellis are arrested after George Peppin  rode over to Blazer’s Mill where he found Justice of the peace David Easton who swore warrants out for the arrest of Mr. McSween and his sympathizers who were involved in the shootout for “Rioting.” Peppin was escorted by Lieutenant Goodwin who recorded the event dated May 6th 1878:
“In compliance with standing order 17 from this post dated May 2nd 1878 I accompanied the sheriff of Lincoln County to Lincoln to assist him in arresting certain citizens charged with riot. The following named persons were arrested by the sheriff. Doc Scurlock, Ellis sr, William Ellis, Scroggins, Gonzalez, Corbett and Widenmann these I sent at the sheriff’s request under guard to Fort Stanton. We then proceeded to San Patricio 16 miles from the town of Lincoln and the sheriff arrested Mcsween and with him returned to this post.”

May 12, 1878: Ab Saunders was released from the hospital at Fort Stanton. Saunders goes to The Ellis House to rest and is later driven by Ike to El Paso as Saunders was catching a train or stage to California to be with his parents.

June 19, 1878: Alex McSween mortgaged his wifes organ to Ike Ellis to pay for the room and board of the Regulators at The Ellis Place. The organ was never moved. 

July 15, 1878: The Regulators strong in number and heavily armed creep into Lincoln after dark with intentions of re-taking the town. The crew split up and Regulators Charlie Bowdre, Doc Scurlock, Dirty Steve Stevens, John Middleton and about 5 to 10 New Mexicans took positions at the Ellis home and store. The rest of the men, Billy the Kid and about 20 others, took positions at the Montano home and store and McSween’s house. Pretty quickly after their arrival a gun battle began and lasted for 5 days.
July 16, 1878: Ben Ellis is shot through the neck in Lincoln during the 5-day battle while outside the Ellis home tending to some horses. Dr Ealy had gotten word about Ben and he and his family walked down the road to the Ellis home to attend to Ben who had lost a lot of blood.
July 17, 1878: Ben Ellis is treated by Dr. Daniel Appell of Fort Stanton who arrived with a small squad of officers to assess the town’s dilemmas.
July 18, 1878: Army shows up to town and points a cannon at The Regulators inside Montano’s place. The men inside were forced to vacate and came out with blankets covering their heads to hide their identities. They walked slowly down to the Ellis home led by Martin Chaves who had drawn up the plan of attack at Lincoln to begin with and was now out of ideas. That night some of the men from the Ellis house waded up the Bonito River to try and reach the Mcsween home but were unsuccessful.
July 19, 1878: The Ellis family were likely relieved the next day When The Regulators went out to the Corral and saddled up to leave. The men attempted to ride up the hill on the north end of town and began shooting down at the Dolan faction. But when the Army pointed a howitzer up in their direction they fled. In their absence the last of the men at the Mcsween house were burned out after a man named Jack long had acquired a cup of coal oil. By at least one account the oil came from the Ellis store, but I don’t see how that could have happened. During The Regulator’s last stand Mcsween was killed alongside Francisco Zamora, Harvey Morris and Vincent Romero. Some of the boys slipped down to The Ellis home after the fight. George Coe recalls…
“ As Billy ran, the screams of his pursuers could be heard loud, we’ve got him at last! There goes the kid! Again the kid had cheated death. Not so much for McSween. He offered no resistance, but stepped out from his doorway to face the bloodthirsty gang, stopped and said calmly “Gentleman, I am McSween!” As the words left his lips he fell shattered by numerous bullets, with his Bible still clinched in his hand. The Murphy faction was triumphant over McSweens death and bottles were passed around, men shook hands and congratulated one another and cheered excitedly. One man cried “look boys I’ll be damned if he’s not still holding on to that Bible of his.” “Where’s his gun?” asked another. At the time the kid made his escape Brown, Smith and I decided it would be wiser for us to make a break to safety then to remain and face the entire Army. An 8-foot wall stood between us, but luck was with us… A row of old barrels stood beside the wall, we used these as step ladders. As we went over the top, the bullets zoomed around us from every direction, but once on the other side we were swallowed up in the darkness of the night.”

“We had no sleep for two days and two nights and we were exhausted. So we crept cautiously down to the Ellis house in hope of meeting some of our own party. To our disappointment When we arrived there the family was terrified, for the other faction had threatened to kill anyone seen entering the Ellis house. Uncle Ike Ellis said, “George for God’s sake get out, they will kill us all if they find you here.”
“Well folks, I answered, this is heaven in here compared to what I’ve been through, but it’s alright I’m hungry and tired, but I’ll go! Sam Corbett who was sitting near snatched his hat from his head and handed it to me “alright George here’s a hat for you but hurry or they’ll get us sure as hell.”On the way out, Ike’s wife Nancy handed me some food.”
April 13, 1881: Isaac Ellis appears in court at Billy the Kid’s murder trial under a subpoena to give his eyewitness account for the events that occurred on the day of Sheriff Brady and Deputy Hindmans last watch.  

After that final night of The 5 day battle the remaining Regulators disbanded and stopped coming to Lincoln. But was it over? Violence begets violence.
Not very long after the McSween fire, a large gang of rustlers came through the area, thought to be on Dolan’s payroll. They robbed and looted a few homes as well as burned down one of the Coe Ranches. The gang stopped at The Ellis home with bad intentions but were outnumbered and ran off.
After tensions settled, Ike Ellis wrote to John Tunstall’s Father asking for money to pay for The Regulator’s provisions and Hospitality given during the Lincoln County War. The Regulators spent many nights under the Ellis family home’s roof. Ike figured and typed up the following amounts: $160 for food and corn, $160 for room and board, $50 for horse care and $138 for acting as Estate admin of The Tunstall Estate. Ike Ellis was a business mind who thought just like Tunstall…not a dollar shall be wasted. Or perhaps he needed to distance himself from The Regulators and wanted the paperwork to show for it.
Ike Ellis also asked if he had paid for a much-needed new roof on the Tunstall store, that he could get reimbursed with interest. Ike also offered to purchase the Tunstall store.
As the late Mr. McSween’s life insurance policy paid out to the widow Susan McSween, she hired a lawyer Huston Chapman. Ike Ellis described Chapman as a “Rule or Ruin type of guy who nobody liked”.
Mr. Chapman kept the tensions high while exposing corruption. Chapman would also be successful in gaining the The Tunstall estate from Robert Widenmann, for the widow McSween. She named two appraisers to evaluate the worth of the estate. Susan named Ike Ellis and Jose Montano as appraisers, who gave their combined estimates:
Personal Property- $1,853, Property value at $ 1,910 and in collectable notices-$10,032.21.

In 1879 Ike Ellis and his son Ben got involved in politics at Lincoln. Ike was named chairman of county commissioners and Ben named county clerk.

In April 1879 Ike Ellis served as the grand jury foreman and had turned in around 200 indictments, mostly for The Dolan crew but also for two Regulators Sam Smith and Tom Folliard for horse theft. Sam and Tom were dismissed under an earlier amnesty plan set forth by Governor Wallace. Most of the Dolan men were let off the hook as well.
In the spring of 1879 Governor Wallace established an armed militia called The Lincoln County Rifles. Ben Ellis was one of those men. The Rifles attempted to track Jesse Evans and Campbell after they killed Huston Chapman and escaped their prison, but had no success.

In April 1880 Isaac Ellis was subpoenaed to court along with Bonnie Baca and Billy Mathews in the murder trial against Billy the Kid for Sheriff Brady’s death. Ikes part may have been for the events that unfolded later that day with the arrest of Alex McSween.

In December Ben Ellis was deputized as a US Marshal alongside Pat Garrett, Johny Hurley, Captain Lea and Frank Stewart through the efforts of Special Agent Azariah Wild and US Marshal John Sherman. They made their plans and Ben would set to be on the reserve list if needed. He was never called upon.

In 1882 the newspapers reported that Ben Ellis had eloped with a lady named Ella Murphy and had stolen 1,200 from county funds. This report was submitted to the Las Vegas Gazette by Ira Leonard who had a place in Lincoln. Ben was actually out of town on business and when he returned he confronted Ira Leonard with a shotgun.

In 1882 Ben Ellis was still active as county clerk and Isaac Ellis was then chosen as election judge.

In January 1883 Isaac Ellis leased the store and warehouse rooms at The old Murphy store which was then The Lincoln County Courthouse. The lease was for for 2 years for $300 per year. His son Will was clerk of the store and also sold alcohol there. The Ellis’ employed a clerk named Charley Buford, who was very popular with the locals.

In 1884 Ike Ellis was appointed as Lincoln’s school director as well as to The Democratic County Convention. Other members included Pat Garrett.

In 1884 Ike was constructing a section of buildings next to the Ellis house when his son Ben vandalized them after a family feud. Ben was sued by his father for $700 in damages.

In 1885 Ben and his wife acquired The Lincoln Hotel. The Ellis family now had hotels and stores on both ends of town. A competitive move by son Ben. 

In 1885 Ben Ellis became president of Lincoln’s new baseball team, The George Barber Nine!

In 1885 Ike Ellis sold all of his dry stock goods to Mr. Rocco Emilio who owned the saloon and building directly across from The old Murphy store then Courthouse. This spot was also next door to Ben Ellis hotel on the west end. Ike even helped Rocco set up shop.

In 1890 Isaac Ellis put in for a land patent where Ruidoso Downs is today. Likely next to Frank Coes place which is where the racetrack at Ruidoso sits today. Ike continued his quest to grow apples and the biggest and juiciest plums. A Santa Fe newspaper claimed that Isaac’s 120 acre ranch was worth at least $120,000.  
Ike Ellis was said to have grown over 500 apple trees which his apples sold for about four cents a pound. Ike also grew very large Damson trees, producing massive plums. 

In 1903 Leslie Ellis put in a patent for 160 acres just north of Baca Spring Creek which is north of Lincoln. The newspapers reported that Leslie was indeed the leading goat raiser in the territory.

Ben Ellis had a land patent in 1920 for some land about 60 miles southwest of Fort Sumner for about 300 acres.

In 1922 a Mr. William Ellis put in a patent of 320 acres Northwest of Lincoln.

Benjamin Harry Ellis moved to Bakersfield California. Ben died in Los Angeles, California on June 21, 1923 and is likely buried there.
William Riley Ellis died at Las Cruces, NM on January 17, 1938 and is buried there.
Leslie Carl Ellis moved to Huntington Beach, California. He died in Los Angeles on November 15, 1943
If you have any information about their exact burials, please contact us!

At some point The Ellis house offered tuberculosis patients room and board in wood shacks that were added on to the property later. An old mill house once resting along the Bonito was pulled up the hill onto The Ellis property. A second story was added and used as nurses quarters. The nurses house stands behind The Ellis house and is said to have the names of the nurses carved or written on one of the walls inside.