Rare Victorian Forum

     Kennedy`s Auction Service is pleased and honored to have been chosen by the family of legendary collector and Auctioneer, Colonel Don Ellis of Henderson, Tennessee, to sell at absolute unreserved public auction his antiques and personal property. The auction will be held onsite at his mansion located at 1142 White Ave., Henderson, Tennessee. This “once in a lifetime” auction begins on Saturday, April 28th at 10:00 AM, Rain or Shine under the Big Top tent. Don collected a little bit of everything and after lunch we will be selling from two auction rings to insure everything is sold in one day. Reggie’s BBQ of Jackson, TN will be on hand auction day with some of the best barbecue in the area. Handicapped parking will be available for those who need it.
     Don’s love of collecting has resulted in 1,000’s of items to be sold. Colonel Don`s 20 car collection in its’ entirety, including a 1956 Thunderbird, 1914 Ford T Model Speedster, 1930 REO Flying Cloud and 17 more great antique cars will be sold at the auction. In honor of his love of antique cars there will be special VIP parking for anyone attending the auction and driving a car at least 25 years old with an official antique car license plate. Don would have loved it!
     Don Ellis was born and lived in Chester County and Henderson his entire life. He graduated from Chester County High School in 1959 and attended Freed-Hardeman College. Beginning in 1966 he was elected to seven consecutive four year terms as the Chester County Register of Deeds and held that position for 28 years before retiring in 1994.
     He was owner and operator of Ellis Auction Company, licensed May 28, 1970 Tennessee license # 196. Colonel Ellis served Chester and surrounding counties for many years holding estate auctions large and small. Just weeks before Colonel Ellis`s accident he sold a Memphis amber stomach bitters bottle for $5,300 for the National Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors. The bottle was auctioned during the 2011 National Bottle Show at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis, Tennessee. Don loved auctions and always said it was the fairest way to sell anything. He also operated Ellis Bookkeeping and Tax Service. Don was a member of the Tennessee National Guard and retired as a specialist E-5 in the cook division, after 20 years of service.
     As a young man Don spent countless hours fishing with his uncle, N.B. Hardeman, co-founder of Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tennessee. In the 1950’s Henderson was a wonderful small town to grow up in, a lot like growing up in Mayberry, N.C. with Andy, Opie, Barney and Aunt Bea. Don loved Henderson and Henderson loved Don and he never wanted to live anywhere else. The last several years of Don`s life he held an annual Christmas party at Arnold`s Steak House. Don and 360 friends enjoyed the food and festivities at his last party in 2010.
     Colonel  Don loved body building and weight lifting throughout his life and worked out with 350 lbs. every other day well into his 60`s. In a conversation with him when he was 65 years old Don said he was going to drop his lift weight 100 lbs,  not because he couldn`t lift it, but because in Don`s words “I`m afraid I might tear something loose at my age!” Don trained as a wrestler but never wrestled professionally. His wrestling skills did become useful when he landed the part of a bar room brawler in the original Walking Tall movie starring Joe Don Baker based on the life of legendary McNairy County Sheriff Buford Pusser. If you get a chance to see the movie Don is the guy with a crew cut who throws a guy across the bar like he’s a toy and breaks a table down.
     Margret Mitchell`s Gone with the Wind was one of Don`s favorite movies and in the 1970`s Don built his Greek Revival version of Tara, the beautiful two story, white columned brick with entrance lions at 1142 White Ave., Henderson, Tennessee. Don literally had friends everywhere including Cammie King Conlon, who played Eugenie Victoria "Bonnie Blue" Butler, Scarlett and Rhett Butler`s daughter in the movie Gone With The Wind. Don spoke with her weekly until her death in 2010.
     Just weeks before Don`s accident The History Channel`s American Pickers came to Colonel Don’s home and filmed an episode (Jurassic Pick 11/28/2011). Don had a great time showing pickers, Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz, his collection. Don sold them a few items but saved all the best for what will be his last auction. A preview will be held from 10:00 AM until 7:00 PM, Friday, April 27th for inspection of auction items collected over the last 50 years.
PREVIEW PARTY 5:00 – 7:00 PM, Friday, April 27, 2012 at 1142 White Ave, Henderson, TN
     Colonel Ellis loved to get together with his friends and tell stories about hilarious things that had happened to them over the years. Because Don would want us to tell the old stories one more time and because we want to remember and preserve them for future generations, we will have a preview party with an open microphone for anyone with an old story about Don. These funny stories will be compiled into a CD and sent to all his old friends and our new auction friends who want a copy. Many of the stories you hear won`t seem real or you might think it is an episode of The Andy Griffith Show that you missed, but it’s not, it’s Don and his buddies and things that really happened around Henderson starting in the 1950`s. We encourage all of Don`s old friends to come and help celebrate the life of one of West Tennessee`s most unforgettable and beloved people.
     Kennedy’s Auction Service brings over 50 years of combined real estate, antique and personal property auction experience to work for you. Go to our website www.kennedysauction.com and click on Auctions to see over 700 photos of items to be sold at the absolute estate auction of Colonel Don Ellis.


1956 Ford Thunderbird Convertible                           Ford 1710 Diesel Tractor
1970 Chevelle Malibu w/ 350 V8 & Turbo 350 AT        Bush Hog FTH 720 6 foot Finishing Mower
1930 Reo Flying Cloud Four Door Sedan                    19th Century Log Kitchen from Bethel Springs, TN
1914 Ford Model T Speedster                                 Classic Southern Outhouse Complete w/ Mannequin
1929 Ford Model A Pickup Truck                              Oak Coin Operated Phonograph Case, Circa 1900
1928 Ford Model A Coupe                                      Burl Walnut Four-Piece Bed Set, attr. to John Jelliff
1952 Chevrolet Bel Air 2-Door Hardtop                     Oversized Victorian Renaissance Walnut Pier Mirror
1948 Chevrolet Fleetmaster Business Coupe              Victorian Renaissance Hall Tree with Marble Top
1949 Ford 2-Door Sedan Police Car                         Lillian Russell Four-Piece Walnut Bedroom Suite
1964 Rambler American Convertible                         Globe-Wernicke Co. Four-Stack Lawyers Bookcase
1956 Nash Metropolitan                                         Kuchins Kitchen Cabinet w/ Stained Glass Doors
1985 Chevrolet Silverado 10 Truck – Low Miles          Belgium Browning Auto-5 Light Twelve Shotgun
1981 Jeep J-10 4WD “Bad Boy” Pickup Truck             Casey Jones Pedal Train – Tools – Antique Car Parts
1968? Excalibur 2-Door Kit Car with 350 Motor           Texaco, Gulf, Esso and Lion Gas Pumps
1965 Ford Thunderbird Coupe                                 Collection of Indian Artifacts - Advertising
1901 Oldsmobile Replicar                                       Antique Bottle Collection – Toy Collection
1978 Chevrolet Scottsdale 20 3/4 Ton Truck            Collection of Vintage Televisions and Radios
1964 Ford Falcon Ranchero                                   Thousands of Items Please Visit our Website