Readers of the Purple Sage
Edward S. Ellis
[1840-1916]
| short profile | ![late-in-life portrait of Western author Edward S. Ellis [1840-1916]](images/EdwardSEllis-whitehair.jpg "late-in-life portrait of Western author Edward S. Ellis [1840-1916]") |
author Edward S. Ellis [1840-1916] wrote over 200 novels, mostly Western adventures for young male readers
P R O F I L E
t e x t
h e r e
Edward S. Ellis entry at Wikipedia
Edward S. Ellis credits at Internet Movie Database
Western Fiction
52 free etexts online at Project Gutenberg
38 free etexts online at NIU’s ‘Nickel & Dime’ archives
Besides the one hundred fifty-nine books published under his own name, Ellis' work was published under various pseudonyms including: Captain Bruin Adams (68 titles); Seelin Robins (19 titles); Charles E. Lasalle (16 titles); Emerson Rodman (10 titles); Boynton M. Belknap (9 titles); Lieut. J.H. Randolph (8 titles); Lieut. Ned Hunter (5 titles); Capt. R.M. Hawthorne (4 titles); H.R. Millbank & Billex Muller (3 titles each); Captain Latham C. Carleton, Lieut. R.H. Jayne & E.A. St. Mox (2 titles each); and J.G. Bethune & Frank Faulkner (1 title each).
Variations used on short stories include Edward G. Ellis and J.J. Bethune.
"Seth Jones: or, The Captives of The Frontier" [1860]
by Edward S. Ellis {under pseudonym James Fenimore Cooper Adams}
 | Said to be one of Abraham Lincoln's favorite stories; jump-started the 'dime novel' industry, selling an estimated 60,000 copies in its first week and 450,000 copies in its first six months! {Book blurbs on Amazon and other sites spell out the history of the "Seth Jones" story, but nowhere is the story/synopsis to be found.}
Kindle Edition from FastForward Publng [12/2013] for $5.99 CreateSpace 9x6 pb [2/2013] for $8.99 1888 Center 7¾x5 pb [9/2016] for $10.00 available as free online etext at Internet Archive |
"The Life of Colonel David Crockett" [1861; John C. Winston rev 1884]
The original story of Davy Crockett giving a speech usually called ‘Not Yours To Give’ was first published in the January 1867 issue of Harper's Magazine as "Davy Crockett's Electioneering Tour" by James J. Bethune {an Ellis pseudonym}; the tale was added by Ellis to the 1884 edition of the Crockett book. It describes how Crockett was inspired upon meeting farmer Horatio Bunce, a much-quoted man in Libertarian circles, but one for whom historical evidence is non-existent. The speech opposes awarding money to a Navy widow on the grounds that Congress has no Constitutional mandate to give charity; no such vote took place while Crockett was in Congress.
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Kindle Edition from Leeaf Classics [1/2013] for $5.99 Leopold Classic Library 11x8½ pb [4/2016] for $17.95 Univ Press of the Pacific 8x5 pb [10/2004] for $24.95 Porter & Coates Alta Edition 9½x6 hardcover [1884] long out of print/used 1884 Porter & Coates edition available as free online etext at Internet Archive |
"The Riflemen of The Miami" [1862]
"The Boy Patriot" [1863]
"The Minnesota Captive" [1863 or 1864]
"Indian Jim: A Tale of The Minnesota Massacre" dime novel [April 1864]
"The Hunter’s Escape" dime novel [Nov 1864]
 | "The Huge Hunter: or, The Steam Man of The Prairies" [1868] by Edward S. Ellis [1840-1916] The first literary reference to a mechanical man; 'so popular that it inspired a number of sequels'; a teen inventor's road test of his mechanical man includes guiding a party of gold prospectors across Indian country . . . book entry at Wikipedia • available as free online etexts at Project Gutenberg Kindle Edition from Amazon Digital Services [5/2012] for FREE {sic} Kindle Edition facsimile of 1916 edition from Yurita Press [2/2016] for 99¢ {sic} CreateSpace 9x6 pb [2/2013] for $5.99 Dover Publns pb [7/2016] for $4.95 CreateSpace 9x6 pb [10/2016] for $15.00 |
"Old Zip" dime novel under the pen name Bruin Adams [1871]
"The Life and Times of Col. Daniel Boone: Hunter, Soldier, and Pioneer
with Sketches of Simon Kenton, Lewis Wetzel, and Other Leaders" [1880]
 | "Ned In The Block-House: A Tale of Early Days In The West (Boy Pioneer Series)" [Porter & Coates 1883] Ned Preston and his companion, a colored boy named Wildblossom Brown, live and hunt around Fort Bridgman, encountering wild beasts, Native Americans, and other humans . . . illustrated Kindle Edition from Amazon Digital Services [9/2013] for $2.99 Kindle Edition from The Perfect Library [10/2014] for $2.99 illustrated Kindle Edition from Library of Alexandria [10/2013] for $3.99 CreateSpace 9¾x7½ pb [7/2015] for $7.99 Forgotten Books 9x6 pb [9/2015] for $13.57 Palala Press 9¼x6 hardcover [8/2015] for $26.95 |
"Camp-Fire and Wigwam" [1885]
"Footprints In The Forest" [1886]
"Adrift In The Wilds: or, The Adventures of Two Shipwrecked Boys" [A.L. Burt Publrs 1887]
https://www.amazon.com/Adrift-Wilds-Edward-Sylvester-Ellis/dp/1482373653/
"The Hunters of The Ozark" [1887]
"The Land of Mystery" [1889]
 | "The Cabin In The Clearing: A Tale of The Frontier" [1890] Broadcast live twice as a 5-part BBC-TV mini-series, in 1954 & 1959; Silas Sutherland, wife Polly, and daughter Alice build a log cabin in then-remote Ohio, with their servant Scipio. Scipio is captured by Shawnee Indians and the family is besieged in the log cabin and cut off from all help; then the Indians light a fire under the wall of the cabin. Their only chance of rescue depends on Mul-keep-mo, a friendly Miami Indian, and young Brayton Ripley, a white scout. Kessinger Publng, pb [9/2010] for $30.36 Andesite Press 9¼x6 hardcover [8/2015] for $29.95 Thomas Nelson hardcover [1892] long out of print/scarce |
"Through Forest and Fire" [1891]
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"From The Throttle To The President's Chair: A Story of American Railway Life" [Casshell Publng 1892] Forgotten Books 9x6 pb [9/2015] for $16.57 Cornell Univ Library 7x4¾ pb [12/2009] for $26.99 Palala Press 9¼x6 hardcover [5/2016] for $27.95 more such on the 'Railroads in Fiction' Pages at Spirit of America Bookstore |
"In The Pecos Country" [1894] (as Lt. R.H. Jayne)
"The Cave In The Mountain: A Sequel to In The Pecos Country" [1894] (as Lt. R.H. Jayne)
"The Young Ranchers: or, Fighting The Sioux" [1895]
"The Phantom of The River" [1896]
"Klondike Nuggets, and How Two Boys Secured Them" [1898]
"Two Boys In Wyoming: A Tale of Adventure" [1898]
"On The Trail of The Mouse" [1898]
 | "The Life of Kit Carson: Hunter, Trapper, Guide, Indian Agent, and Colonel U.S.A. On The Extreme Western Frontier" [George M. Hill Co. 1899]
illustrated Kindle Edition from Amazon Digital Services [7/2015] for 99¢ {sic} CreateSpace 9x6 pb [10/2015] for $6.25 CreateSpace 9x6 pb [2/2016] for $6.99 BiblioLife 9¼x6 hardcover [8/2008] for $28.99 available as free online etext at Internet Archive or Project Gutenberg see also 'Readers of The Purple Sage' Western Bookstore's 'Kit' Carson [1809-68] Page |
"The Young Gold Seekers of The Klondike" [1899] by Edward S. Ellis, illustrated by F.A. Carter
https://www.amazon.com/Young-Gold-Seekers-Klondike/dp/1236901509/
"Red Plume: A Tale of A Friendly Redskin" [1900]
"The Launch Boys' Adventures In Northern Waters" [1901]
"Cowmen and Rustlers: A Story of The Wyoming Cattle Ranges" [1904]
"The Last Emperor of The Old Dominion" [1904] by Edward Sylvester Ellis
"Deerfoot In The Mountains" [1905]
"The Story of Red Feather: A Tale of The American Frontier" [1908]
"Lost In The Rockies" [1909]
https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Rockies-Adventure-Mountains-Classic/dp/1330510984/
"The Lost Trail" [1911]
"Oonomoo The Huron" [1911]
"The Ranger: or, The Fugitives of The Border" [1911]
Other Works
52 free etexts online at Project Gutenberg
38 free etexts online at NIU’s ‘Nickel & Dime’ archives
"Thomas Jefferson: A Character Sketch" [1898]
http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Jefferson-Edward-Ellis/dp/1406862800/
"Perils of The Jungle: A Tale of Adventure In The Dark Continent" [1900]
"The Jungle Fugitives" [1903]
"The Daughter of A Chieftain" [short story 1930?]
"Young People's History of The United States" [Thomas R. Shewell & Co. 1899] by Edward S. Ellis, AM
http://www.archive.org/details/youngpeopleshis00elligoog
"Youth's History of The United States" [Collier & Son, 1900] by Edward S. Ellis, AM
http://www.amazon.com/youths-history-United-States/dp/1236364643/ 2 Volumes 1967
"The Story of The Greatest Nations and The World's Famous Events" [1913-14]
by Edward S. Ellis, AM and Charles Francis Horne, PhD
published by subscription in ten volumes, from 1913 to 1914 by F.R. Niglutch of New York City
also published as Parts 1 thru 82 {for 25 cents each}, with the last two being Contents and Index
and reissued in 1921 by Auxiliary Educational League
http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=Story+of+The+Greatest+Nations+ellis&sort=titleSorter
Volume I: The Ancient World
Volume II: Ancient Nations
Volume III: Ancient Rome & Germany
Volume IV: Modern Nations
Volume V: Modern France
Volume VI: Modern England
Volume VII: Modern Russia & Spain
"Spain: The Story of a Great Nation" (with Charles Francis Horne) ISBN 4-87187-875-9
"Russia: The Story of a Great Nation" (with Charles Francis Horne) ISBN 4-87187-874-0
Volume VIII: Modern China, Japan & United States
Volume IX: The United States
Volume X: Türkiye, Scandinavia, Netherlands
"The History of Our Country Volumes 1 & 2-deluxe Edition [] by edward ellis
https://www.amazon.com/history-country-discovery-America-present/dp/1130100480/ vol 2
https://www.amazon.com/History-Country-Discovery-America-Present/dp/B005ZGR2VO/ vol 3
https://www.amazon.com/History-Country-Discovery-America-Present/dp/B005ZH3V36/ vol 4
https://www.amazon.com/history-country-discovery-America-present/dp/1130371379/ vol 5
https://www.amazon.com/history-country-discovery-America-present/dp/1130851192/ vol 6
https://www.amazon.com/History-Country-Discovery-America-Present/dp/B005ZGYRDU/ vol 7
https://www.amazon.com/History-Country-Discovery-America-Present/dp/B005ZH54XG/ vol 8
http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=%22The%20History%20of%20Our%20Country%22%20ellis
http://www.amazon.com/History-Our-Country-Edward-Ellis/dp/B00QSQ8L38/
http://www.amazon.com/History-Our-Country-Discovery-America/dp/1504256824/
Kindle Editions
Nordell Bookstores Group Kindle Hardware & Content Page
with FREE Kindle Apps for PC, Mac, iPhone/iPod, iPad, Android & BlackBerry
 | "The Essential Edward S. Ellis Collection (24 Works)" [2009] for Kindle
Kindle Edition from Amazon Digital Services [6/2009] for $4.99 "in a single file, with active table of contents"; includes "Adrift In The Wilds, or The Adventures of Two Shipwrecked Boys" [1887]; "The Boy Patriot" [1863]; "Camp-Fire and Wigwam" [1885]; "The Cave In The Mountain: A Sequel to In The Pecos Country" [1894] (as Lt. R.H. Jayne); "Cowmen and Rustlers: A Story of The Wyoming Cattle Ranges" [1904]; "The Daughter of The Chieftain" [1930?]; "Deerfoot In The Mountains" [1905]; "Footprints In The Forest" [1886]; "The Huge Hunter: or, The Steam Man of The Prairies" [1868]; "The Hunters of The Ozark" [1887]; "In The Pecos Country" [1894] (as Lt. R.H. Jayne); "The Jungle Fugitives" [1903]; "The Land of Mystery" [1889]; "The Launch Boys' Adventures In Northern Waters" [1901]; "The Life of Kit Carson" [1899]; "The Lost Trail" [1911]; "Oonomoo The Huron" [1911]; "The Phantom of The River" [1896]; "The Ranger, or The Fugitives of The Border" [1911]; "The Riflemen of The Miami" [1862]; "Thomas Jefferson: A Character Sketch" [1898]; "Through Forest and Fire" [1891]; "Two Boys In Wyoming: A Tale of Adventure" [1898]; and "The Young Ranchers, or Fighting The Sioux" [1895] |
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"The Edward S. Ellis Boys' Adventure Megapack®: 37 Classic Works" for Kindle [2015]
Kindle Edition from Wildside Press [2/2015] for 99¢ {sic} cover warns that contents are 'not politically correct', such as calling Native Americans 'redskins'; the 37 works (some of which may be short stories) include: "A Battle In The Air"; "A Fool or A Genius"; "A Stirring Incident"; "A Waterspout"; "Adrift In The Wilds" [1887]; "Adrift On The Pacific"; "An Heroic Woman"; "An Unpleasant Compamion"; "Bill Biddon, Trapper"; "Blazing Arrow"; "The Boy Patriot" [1863]; "The Boy Patrol Around The Council Fire"; "The Boy Patrol On Guard"; "Brave Tom"; "Camp-Fire and Wig-wam" [1885]; "The Campers Out"; "The Cave In The Mountain" [1894]; "Cyclones and Tornadoes"; "Deerfoot In The Mountains" [1905]; "Footprints In The Forest" [1886]; "The Great Cattle Trail"; "The Huge Hunter" [1868]; "The Hunters of The Ozark" [1887]; "In The Nick of Time"; "In The Pecos Country" [1894]; "The Jungle Fugitives" [1903]; "Lost In A Blizzard"; "Lost In The South Sea"; "Lost In The Woods"; "Overeached"; "The Ranger" [1911]; "That Hornet's Nest"; "Throwing The Riata"; "Two Boys In Wyoming" [1898]; "Who Shall Explain It?"; and "The Writing Found In A Bottle" |
 | "The Edward Ellis Library: 18 Westerns (Illustrated)" for Kindle [2016] 
Kindle Edition from Amity Ebooks [10/2016] for $1.99 {sic} 18 Western tales by Edward S. Ellis, 1868 to 1930: "Adrift In The Wilds" [1887]; "Camp-Fire and Wig-wam" [1885]; "The Cave In The Mountain" [1894]; "Cowmen and Rustlers" [1904]; "The Daughter of The Chieftain" [1930?]; "Deerfoot In The Mountains" [1905]; "Footprints In The Forest" [1886]; "The Huge Hunter" [1868]; "The Hunters of The Ozark" [1887]; "In The Pecos Country" [1894]; "Klondike Nuggets" [1898]; "The Land of Mystery" [1889]; "The Lost Trail" [1911]; "Oonomoo The Huron" [1911]; "The Phantom of The River" [1896]; "The Story of Red Feather" [1908] "Through Forest and Fire" [1891]; and "Two Boys In Wyoming" [1898] — plus a picture gallery |
Movies & TV, Other Media
Edward S. Ellis credit {just 1} at Internet Movie Database
Edward S. Ellis published the novel "The Cabin In The Clearing" in 1890; it was broadcast twice by BBC-TV as a 5-part mini-series.
'Cabin In The Clearing' TV series fansite page
"The Cabin In The Clearing" [BBC-TV 1954]
live broadcast, film or kinescope copies do not exist {this film is considered lost}
1954 cast members included Shaun Sutton, Peggy Mount, Ann Hanslip, Derek Aylward, Charles Swain, Carl Duering, Ewen Solon, Shaw Taylor
"The Cabin In The Clearing" [BBC-TV Jan 1959]
Episode list: 1) Friends and Foes, 2) Besieged, 3) Ordeal By Fire, 4) A Desperate Plan, and 5) The Break-Out • Directed by Patrick Dowling; teleplay by
Susan Ashman & Felix Felton; starring Thomas Heathcote, Brenda Dunrich, Ann Hanslip, Joseph Layode, Derek Aylward, Ewen Solon
{this film is considered lost} • partial credits at IMDb
Works About Edward S. Ellis
Family & Friends
Edward Sylvester Ellis was born in April 1840 in Geneva, Ohio; he wrote over 200 novels, mostly
Western adventures for young male readers; he died at age 76 in June 1916 in Cliff Island, Maine.
first wife Anna M. Deane (m. 1862–87)
second wife Clara Spalding Brown (m. 1900)
not to be confused with the stage & movie actor Edward Ellis [1870-1952]
Broadway credits [1905-32] •
IMDb listing [1917-42] •
entry at Wikipedia
L i n k s
Edward S. Ellis entry at Wikipedia
Edward S. Ellis credits at Internet Movie Database
search books on keywords 'Edward S. Ellis' {returns over 800 titles} at Amazon
Ellis bio page at Northern Illinois University's Dime Novel Digitization Project
52 free etexts online at Project Gutenberg
official website {parked since 2015}
'dime novels' fansite [est. 2012]
here on the author Edward S. Ellis [1840-1916] Page at 'Readers of the Purple Sage' Western Bookstore
top of page • short profile • Western fiction • other works • Kindle Editions • movies & TV • works about Edward S. Ellis • family & friends • links
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