Most everyone knows that February is Black History Month – a story that began more than 100 years ago – in 1915 – 50 years after the 13th Amendment abolished slavery in this country.

For years it was known as Black History Week – effectively the second week of February, which coincides with the actual birthdate of Abraham Lincoln (Feb. 12) and Frederick Douglass (born February 1817 or 1818, died February 20, 1895). Douglass is remembered as a social reformer, orator, writer and statesman – a slave, who escaped from slavery in Maryland and became a leader in the abolitionist movement.

Black History History week grew throughout the decades with schools and communities organizing celebrations, establishing history clubs, hosting performances by noted black entertainers and lectures by prominent black citizens.

Here in Excelsior Springs, blacks have had their mark on the little valley of vitality from the beginning.

It is believed that in 1880, black farmer Travis Mellion was the first to discover the miraculous healing waters in Excelsior Springs as he bathed his daughter, who was suffering from scrofula, in the waters of Siloam Spring. (Scrofula is a form of cervical tuberculosis) The healing of Mellion’s daughter set the ball in motion that established the town and put it on the world map as a place of healing.

According to “The History of Excelsior Springs” on the Excelsior Springs Area Chamber of Commerce website, Mellion is credited with discovering the medicinal value of Siloam Springs. His discovery was followed by other testimonials from area residents who partook of the spring for healing of assorted dysfunctions such as arthritis and digestive disorders, just to name a few.

Nevertheless, it is not surprising that blacks figured into the boom of bath houses, hotels, boarding houses and such that made up Excelsior Springs in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Excelsior Springs was home to Dr. D.A. Ellett, his brother Fred, and W.A. Doxey and his wife, Alice, who owned and operated highly successful bath houses here, which provided services to white clientele, as well.

Members of Ellett’s family also worked at the Elms Hotel for many years.

Dr. Dee Amos (known as “D.A.”) Ellett was born to slaves on Sept. 14, 1850, in King William County, Va., and as a youngster, escaped captivity – fleeing to Massachusetts where he became the body servant of Col. Francis Washburn, who commanded the 4th Massachusetts Cavalry. After Washburn was mortally wounded during the Battle of High Bridge in northern Virginia in 1865, a Rev. Gray took charge of the 15-year-old boy.

After the war, Ellett attended college in Virginia and became a teacher. Ambitious, he then studied theology and literature at Howard University in Washington, D.C. As if that wasn’t enough, the young man thirsted for more knowledge and went back to Howard where he earned a medical degree, graduating in 1885.

Ellett came to Excelsior Springs with some family members in 1888 and practiced medicine for a time before being placed in charge of the Elms Hotel’s bath facilities. A man of many talents, Ellett had been trained as a masseur while attending Howard, so he brought some much-needed skills to the Elms facility.

In 1892, Ellett opened his own bath house, which was so successful that two years later he built and opened the first Star Bath House. He eventually opened a newer one opposite Siloam Spring in the early 1900s. The 1900, 1910 and 1920 U.S. Census records lists Ellett as the operator of a bath house on Broadway in Excelsior Springs. Ellett passed away Jan. 13, 1926 from lobar pneumonia. Ellett’s death certificate indicates his profession as “physician and bath house proprietor.”

An early advertisement – date unknown – spelled out just what kind of treatments a customer could receive at the Star Bath House: “The Star Bath House, D.A. Ellett, M.D., Prop. Gives all kinds of BATHS, Including mineral, plain, mud, vapor, Turkish, shower, douche, electric, magnetic. Chalybeate water (also known as ferrous or iron) used if desired. Magnetic treatment, oil rubs and massage. Everything first class.”

Ellett did have some troubles during those years. News articles mention his penchant for drink, which caused him, at one point, to sell his bath house for a mere pittance of what it was worth to W.W. Helm of Jacksonville, Ill.

A Jan. 26, 1905, Daily Call article reported that the Star Bath House was sold to Dr. Bogart that afternoon for $11,000. Dr. Ellett had remained in charge, while Helm had held a mortgage of several thousand dollars.

“The Star Bath House was sold yesterday to Dr. Bogart, but before the Dr. went home to supper, he sold it again to W.W. G. Helm, who is now the owner and is now in possession. Mr. Helm has not decided what he will do with the place, but it is not expected that he will continue it as a bath house … The Bath house is one of the well known places of the town and in earlier days, Doc Ellett did a splendid business at the old place.”

Ellett must have redeemed himself, as an article from 1913 attests. The Friday, Aug. 1, 1913, Excelsior Springs Daily Journal reported: “D.A. Ellett is Pioneer Bath House Man of Town – Has Served and Cured Scores. Dr. D.A. Ellett was running a bath house here when many of the town’s present leading business men were mere boys in knickerbockers. He is eminently the pioneer of the business here. Years ago … Ellett had the biggest bath house in the city on the site now occupied by the auditorium. Then for many years more he was established on Broadway … The number of persons who have been bathed and rubbed by the trusty hands of Dr. Ellett and his capable corps of assistants runs into the thousands … By all means visit the Star Bath House and be convinced for yourself that Dr. Ellett is the champion bath man of the town.”

Note: the auditorium, according to a June 1909 Sanborn map of downtown Excelsior Springs, was located where the current Gallery Off Broadway is (downstairs) and the Masonic Lodge (upstairs) on South Main Street.

Dr. Ellett never did marry, but he continued to practice medicine and work at the bath house until he died at the age of 76.

Blacks worked in every sector of the community of Excelsior Springs. They were teachers, bartenders, operated or worked in bath houses; they worked at the Elms, they practiced medicine – they were a huge part of what established the city of Excelsior Springs.

More articles recounting the influence of blacks in the history of Excelsior Springs will be forthcoming in the next edition of The Standard.