Editing Ellsworth, Kansas (section)

===19th century===
[[File:Santa Fe Train passing through Ellsworth, Kansas, 1867. (Boston Public Library) (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|Ellsworth in 1867]]

Once called "The Wickedest Cattletown in Kansas", the city is named for Fort Ellsworth, which was built in 1864.<ref>[http://www.ellsworthkschamber.net/ellsworth_history.htm Ellsworth - History] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080509084130/http://www.ellsworthkschamber.net/ellsworth_history.htm |date=2008-05-09 }}</ref> Due to speculation on imminent railroad construction, the population of Ellsworth boomed to over two thousand by the time it was incorporated in 1867. It has since been said, "Abilene, the first, Dodge City, the last, but Ellsworth the wickedest".

Ellsworth was a bustling cattle town for a time during the late 1860s, when the [[Kansas Pacific Railroad]] had a stop and stockyards there. Cattle were driven up from Texas to this point, and then shipped to major markets. Often cowboys had the run of the town. In 1875 Kansas Pacific closed its cattle pens, moving to another location. The cattle trade dwindled to almost nothing by the mid-1880s.

During the late 1860s into the 1870s, Ellsworth was known for being one of the "wickedest" cattle towns, the scene of numerous killings following shootouts between drunken [[cowboy]]s. The town sported numerous [[Western saloon|saloon]]s, [[brothel]]s and gambling halls, with [[prostitution]] being rampant.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://krex.k-state.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/2097/15686/JessicaSmith2013.pdf|first=Jessica|last=Smith|publisher=[[Kansas State University]]|title=Morality and Money: A Look at how the Respectable Community Battled the Sporting Community over Prostitution in Kansas Cowtowns, 1867-1885|year=2013}}</ref> [[Wild Bill Hickok]] ran for Ellsworth County [[Sheriff]] in 1868, but was defeated by veteran Union Army soldier E. W. Kingsbury. Kingsbury was an effective lawman, but relied on local marshals to patrol the town, as he also had to police the county. Violence in Ellsworth was commonplace among the cowboys and people associated with them.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20051210204100/http://www.droversmercantile.com/history.cfm "Ellsworth, Kansas History"], Drovers Mercantile website</ref> Ellsworth marshal Will Semans was shot and killed on September 26, 1869, while attempting to disarm a rowdy man in a dance hall.<ref>[http://www.odmp.org/officer.php?oid=12026 "Ellsworth Marshal Will Semans"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930055354/http://www.odmp.org/officer.php?oid=12026 |date=2007-09-30 }}, Officer Down Memorial Website</ref>

[[File:Stouffer's Railroad Map of Kansas 1915-1918 Ellsworth County.png|thumb|left|1915-1918 Railroad Map of Ellsworth County]]
For a time during this period, two small-time [[outlaw]]s known only as Craig and Johnson began bullying people around the community, often committing [[armed robbery]]. After Semans' murder, they operated openly. Before long, citizens formed a vigilance squad and captured both men, [[hanging]] them in a lynching near the [[Smoky Hill River]]. Chauncey Whitney,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.odmp.org/officer.php?oid=14118 |title=Chauncey Whitney |access-date=2006-08-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930023705/http://www.odmp.org/officer.php?oid=14118 |archive-date=2007-09-30 |url-status=dead }}</ref> a deputy to Kingsbury, took over following Sheriff Kingsbury's departure. Whitney quickly gained a reputation as being both tough and respectable, and was well liked. The scale of business is shown by construction of the Drovers Cottage in 1872. It could accommodate 175 guests, and stable 50 carriages and 100 horses.<ref>[http://www.legendsofamerica.com/ks-ellsworth.html "Kansas: Ellsworth"], Legends of America website</ref>

Lawman [[Wyatt Earp]] claimed to have served in Ellsworth for a short time. He also later claimed to have arrested [[gunfighter|gunman]] [[Ben Thompson (lawman)|Ben Thompson]] there. But Thompson was arrested by Deputy Ed Hogue after his brother [[Billy Thompson (gunman)|Billy Thompson]] accidentally shot and killed Ellsworth County Sheriff Chauncey Whitney in 1873.{{Citation needed|date=October 2011}} Billy Thompson fled, fearing that he would be [[Lynching|lynched]] for the death of the popular sheriff. Thompson was eventually captured and put on [[trial]], but was [[Acquittal|acquitted]] in the shooting. Sheriff Whitney, a friend to both Thompsons, had told bystanders before his death that the shooting was an accident.<ref>[http://www.imagesofyorkshire.co.uk/famous_people/ben_thompson/billy_thompson.htm "Billy Thompson"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517070115/http://www.imagesofyorkshire.co.uk/famous_people/ben_thompson/billy_thompson.htm |date=2008-05-17 }}, Images of Yorkshire</ref>

By the late 1870s the crime rate had dropped dramatically, as fewer cowboys came through after Kansas Pacific closed its stockyard here. Cattle drives were directed to other market cities, such as [[Dodge City, Kansas|Dodge City]]. Ellsworth suffered economically. {{citation needed|date=March 2011}}

In 1888, the Kansas Midland Railway Company built between Wichita and Ellsworth.<ref name=Frisco /> The line was purchased in 1900 by the [[St. Louis-San Francisco Railway|St. Louis-San Francisco Railway (the "Frisco")]].<ref name=Frisco>{{cite web|url=https://thelibrary.org/lochist/frisco/history/1962history.cfm |title=History of the Frisco, 1962|publisher=TheLibrary.org|access-date=August 26, 2020}}</ref>  The Frisco operated the line for many years,<ref name=Guide>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gDMbAQAAIAAJ&q=train+%22texokla+limited%22&pg=PA626 |title=Official Guide of the Railways and Steam Navigation Lines of the United States, Porto Rico, Canada, Mexico and Cuba, January 1923, p.622|year=1923|access-date=August 25, 2020}}</ref> but it has since been abandoned.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abandonedrails.com/ellsworth-to-wichita |title=Ellsworth to Wichita, KS|publisher=AbandonedRails.com|access-date=August 26, 2020}}</ref>