Ellen was the only daughter of George H. Ross and Mary Elizabeth Bickley Ross Buffon. She was a very intelligent lady. Her nickname when she was the Holton, Kansas Librarian was "The Walking Encyclopedia." She often called herself "Nellie", the reverse spelling of her name.
Ellen's grandmother, Hannah Bickley immigrated from Liverpool, England to Wisconsin to Illinois about 1850. It is said she was a "lady in waiting" in England. In 1859, Hannah moved her son, Edmund, and daughter Mary Elizabeth, to Kansas. Each of them drove a team and wagon on the trip and settled in the northeast part of the territory of Kansas. There, Mary Elizabeth married George H. Ross. He was a U.S. Government Contractor, hauling freight by wagon across the plains from Atchison, Kansas to the west. He was a wagon master, having charge of wagon trains. One of his friends was Buffalo Bill (William F. Cody). George left on a wagon train one day and never returned. Almost 100 years later, the descendents of George learned that he quietly moved to southern New Mexico to mine for silver. He never contacted his wife or daughter, Ellen who suffered the loss of her father deeply. Ironically, when traveling by train from Kansas to California, she passed very near his actual residence.
Ellen married Charles Lincoln Clayton on December 25, 1889 in Holton, Kansas. About 1893, Ellen, Charles and their daughter, Eunice, moved to Wellington, Kansas, where for ten years, she served as Librarian and Study Hall Director for the Sumner County High School. She was also a member of the Wellington Board of Education and a member of the first Wellington (Carnegie) Public Libarary Board. Ellen's name appears in raised letters on a bronze slate which hangs in the vestibule of the Wellington Public Library. Ellen died in a nursing home in Larned, Kansas. She was ill for many years. The entire town of Wellington mourned her death.
Ellen's grandmother, Hannah Bickley immigrated from Liverpool, England to Wisconsin to Illinois about 1850. It is said she was a "lady in waiting" in England. In 1859, Hannah moved her son, Edmund, and daughter Mary Elizabeth, to Kansas. Each of them drove a team and wagon on the trip and settled in the northeast part of the territory of Kansas. There, Mary Elizabeth married George H. Ross. He was a U.S. Government Contractor, hauling freight by wagon across the plains from Atchison, Kansas to the west. He was a wagon master, having charge of wagon trains. One of his friends was Buffalo Bill (William F. Cody). George left on a wagon train one day and never returned. Almost 100 years later, the descendents of George learned that he quietly moved to southern New Mexico to mine for silver. He never contacted his wife or daughter, Ellen who suffered the loss of her father deeply. Ironically, when traveling by train from Kansas to California, she passed very near his actual residence.
Ellen married Charles Lincoln Clayton on December 25, 1889 in Holton, Kansas. About 1893, Ellen, Charles and their daughter, Eunice, moved to Wellington, Kansas, where for ten years, she served as Librarian and Study Hall Director for the Sumner County High School. She was also a member of the Wellington Board of Education and a member of the first Wellington (Carnegie) Public Libarary Board. Ellen's name appears in raised letters on a bronze slate which hangs in the vestibule of the Wellington Public Library. Ellen died in a nursing home in Larned, Kansas. She was ill for many years. The entire town of Wellington mourned her death.
Ellen was the only daughter of George H. Ross and Mary Elizabeth Bickley Ross Buffon. She was a very intelligent lady. Her nickname when she was the Holton, Kansas Librarian was "The Walking Encyclopedia." She often called herself "Nellie", the reverse spelling of her name.
Ellen's grandmother, Hannah Bickley immigrated from Liverpool, England to Wisconsin to Illinois about 1850. It is said she was a "lady in waiting" in England. In 1859, Hannah moved her son, Edmund, and daughter Mary Elizabeth, to Kansas. Each of them drove a team and wagon on the trip and settled in the northeast part of the territory of Kansas. There, Mary Elizabeth married George H. Ross. He was a U.S. Government Contractor, hauling freight by wagon across the plains from Atchison, Kansas to the west. He was a wagon master, having charge of wagon trains. One of his friends was Buffalo Bill (William F. Cody). George left on a wagon train one day and never returned. Almost 100 years later, the descendents of George learned that he quietly moved to southern New Mexico to mine for silver. He never contacted his wife or daughter, Ellen who suffered the loss of her father deeply. Ironically, when traveling by train from Kansas to California, she passed very near his actual residence.
Ellen married Charles Lincoln Clayton on December 25, 1889 in Holton, Kansas. About 1893, Ellen, Charles and their daughter, Eunice, moved to Wellington, Kansas, where for ten years, she served as Librarian and Study Hall Director for the Sumner County High School. She was also a member of the Wellington Board of Education and a member of the first Wellington (Carnegie) Public Libarary Board. Ellen's name appears in raised letters on a bronze slate which hangs in the vestibule of the Wellington Public Library. Ellen died in a nursing home in Larned, Kansas. She was ill for many years. The entire town of Wellington mourned her death.
Ellen's grandmother, Hannah Bickley immigrated from Liverpool, England to Wisconsin to Illinois about 1850. It is said she was a "lady in waiting" in England. In 1859, Hannah moved her son, Edmund, and daughter Mary Elizabeth, to Kansas. Each of them drove a team and wagon on the trip and settled in the northeast part of the territory of Kansas. There, Mary Elizabeth married George H. Ross. He was a U.S. Government Contractor, hauling freight by wagon across the plains from Atchison, Kansas to the west. He was a wagon master, having charge of wagon trains. One of his friends was Buffalo Bill (William F. Cody). George left on a wagon train one day and never returned. Almost 100 years later, the descendents of George learned that he quietly moved to southern New Mexico to mine for silver. He never contacted his wife or daughter, Ellen who suffered the loss of her father deeply. Ironically, when traveling by train from Kansas to California, she passed very near his actual residence.
Ellen married Charles Lincoln Clayton on December 25, 1889 in Holton, Kansas. About 1893, Ellen, Charles and their daughter, Eunice, moved to Wellington, Kansas, where for ten years, she served as Librarian and Study Hall Director for the Sumner County High School. She was also a member of the Wellington Board of Education and a member of the first Wellington (Carnegie) Public Libarary Board. Ellen's name appears in raised letters on a bronze slate which hangs in the vestibule of the Wellington Public Library. Ellen died in a nursing home in Larned, Kansas. She was ill for many years. The entire town of Wellington mourned her death.
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