Ellen was married twice, first to Dennis Sullivan and later on December 17, 1867 to Francis Shanley, whom she divorced in 1884. He was arrested for robbery and burglary several times in the early 1880s and finally convicted in June 1884.

In 1867, she ran a saloon in Wheeling and lived at 3 Main Street. By 1875 Ellen had moved across the river to Bellaire and had opened a saloon and boarding house there. She was fined numerous times in both towns for operating without a liquor license and selling on Sundays. By 1880 Ellen was living on Union Street in Bellaire with her three youngest. Her saloon/rooms served as the election polling place for Bellaire's 2nd ward for the 1884 and 1885 election.

At her death, she bequeathed nominal amounts to her son Dennis C. Sullivan and daughters Ellen T. Sullivan Smith, Hanna Sullivan Rufer, and Elizabeth Shanley Somers and the bulk of her estate, summing to $1,200, to her widowed daughter Mary R. Sullivan Sherry.

Ruth Scott, granddaughter of daughter Ellen T., recalled stories Mary Sullivan Sherry told about this matriarch, whom Mary called a strong woman. One involved Ellen riding a horse across a river to get to the capital to pay taxes because they were late.

1. Ellen SULLIVAN b: 1855 in VA
2. Mary R. SULLIVAN b: 21 JUN 1857 in WV
3. Johanna Delores SULLIVAN b: 22 MAR 1859 in Charleston, Kanawa Co., WV
4. Dennis SULLIVAN b: 1861 in WV

• Married: 17 DEC 1867 in Wheeling, Ohio Co., WV
• Divorced: APR 1884 in Belmont Co., OH
• Note: Ellen was granted custody of minor children.

1. Elisabeth SHANLEY b: 1869 in WV