The Mystical Ellis Madstone

Early Kentucky settler, Joseph P. Ellis, carried a mystical stone which had been passed down in his family for generations. The faith of the Ellis’ in this “Mad Stone,” along with their Baptist convictions, propelled them to make a good life for themselves and their community in the face of a devastating disease like rabies which the stone was believed to heal. This stone continued to be used up into the 20th century and impacted the lives of many. But did it work? And why did people think it did? And what does this family heirloom mean to those who carried it?

The Ellis family Mad Stone, in the collection of the Owensboro Museum of Science and History.

Instructions on use of the stone.

From left to right, Charlotte Whittaker, Doug Reardon, Becky Crabtree, Pat Gibson. Pictured at the Whitesville Historical Society.

Joseph Perkins Ellis and his wife.

Austin's dad in a picture on display at the Whitesville Historical Society.

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