GEORGE F. ELLIS

George F. Ellis was a cattleman, pioneer in the field of beef cattle production, and a published author. Born in Portales, New Mexico, he graduated from the Kansas State Agricultural College (now Kansas State University) in Manhattan, Kansas in animal husbandry. In 1944, Ellis joined the historic Bell Ranch, NM for the ensuing 27 years.

In May 1970, Ellis retired from the Bell co-insiding with the change of ranch ownership from the Keeney family to the William Lane. He lived only two more years but in that time penned the book, "The Bell Ranch As I Knew It". This book went on to win the Wrangler Award for Western Heritage from the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum of Oklahoma City, OK. in 1974 for best non-fiction book of the year.

Bronze Wrangler

The Museum gives the Wrangler, an impressive original bronze sculpture by artist John Free. It's awarded annually during the Western Heritage Awards to principal creators of the winning entries in specified categories of Western literature, music, film and television.

Further reading

"The Bell Ranch As I Knew It" by George F. Ellis, The Lowell Press: 1973, ISBN 0-91350415-7 Illustrated by Robert Lougheed. Photos by Harvey Caplin.