"With Friendly Folk" by Geo. F. Fullinwider: Illinois Families Made Butler Home

From Warner album

(Della Mae made a photocopy of this clipping from the Butler Co. News or the El Dorado Times, date unknown.)

With Friendly Folk

by Geo. F. Fullinwider

Illinois Families Made Butler Home

On On Washington's birthday, Febr. 22, 1900, James Franklin Ellis and Joseph Condell and their families left the old home on the farm near Chicago Heights, Ill., with their families and belongings and entrained for Kansas. Two days later they landed in Butler County, and this has since been home to both families. Mr. Ellis bought the old Bishop farm at Hopkins Switch and for years engaged in farming and stock raising. He still owns the farm. He and Mrs. Ellis now reside with their daugher, Mrs. C. L. Cook, and family at 801 South Alleghany, in El Dorado.

Mr. Condell located near El Dorado and engaged in farming and stock raising. He reared a fine family. Of these, Miss Elizabeth Condell is a nurse in the city schools; William Condell, the eldest son, ahs for years been superintendent and manager of the fine Hereford interests for Robert H. Hazlett at Hasford Place and has faithfully conducted the responsibilities of that position; the youngest son, Robert is connected with the C. E. Powell Grain Company. The parents passed away several years ago.

Mr. Ellis has attained prominence in Fairview Township, after more than thirty years residence as farmer and stock raiser, and always commanded the respect and confidence of the entire township.

He has been quite unfortunate, however. On July 29, 1916, a lighted cigarette stub thrown into a wisp of hay, started a disastrous fire that burned a fine new barn, and nine other outbuildings; in fact, cleaned up the barnyard and all improvements except the dwelling and besides the buildings burned several horses, a mule and all his farm equipment, entailing a loss of several thousand dollars, with comparatively light insurance. Mr. Ellis was alone on the place, except for a boy hand on the place. Mr. Ellis tried to extinguish the fire and worked until he was exhausted and fell in the yard where he was found. It nearly cost him his life.

Later, in October the same year, his aged mother was taken ill in the old home in Illinois and he went to her bedside. At that time he had 60 hogs, most of them just ready for market. While he was with his mother, the hogs were taken sick and began dying. He was called home to attend them but lost the entire herd. Hogs at that time were worth about $17 per cwt. on the market, so this item was a heavy loss. The passing of the years, however, has in large measure restored his broken fortunes and he rejoinces today in good health and a disposition to take matters easier than for many years.

On Nov. 39, 1882 [sic], Mr. Ellis and Arvilla Melvina Warner were married and began life in the Illinois home. Theirs has been an ideal home life. To them have been born four children, three sons and one daughter. They are Verne L. Ellis, Divide, Colo.; Mamie, now Mrs. C. L. Cook; Nelson O. Ellis, both of El Dorado, Kans.; and Harry W. Ellis of Peabody, Kansas.

(The photocopy of the article was not complete from this point on, but the final paragraph continues--referring to Mrs. Ellis and her broken hip).

------the age of seventy years usually experiences a serious time with such an injury and she did suffer greatly but the injury healed nicely and Mrs. Ellis and the whole family rejoice over her complete recovery.