Colonel Ellsworth, ret. has been an avid coin collector since the age of six. He began buying and selling coins and collections on a part time basis in the early 80's. His Civil war interests were sparked when he studied the Civil War battles as a student at the US Army's Command and Staff College. After graduating from the National War College in Washington, DC he developed a small following giving Civil War Battlefield tours. When he returned to Pentagon in 1994 from oversees active duty with the US Army, he began his full time business in his two favorite fields of study as the Butternut Company. The name was coined from both the coin world and Civil war. It was used to describe a desirable color of an Early American copper coin, as well as the color of the Confederate uniforms during the Civil War.

COL Ellsworth holds diplomas from the Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, the National War College in Washington, D.C. and the National Defense University. His personal library includes over 400 Civil War books. He is a descendant of Colonel Elmer Ellsworth, the first Union officer killed in the War. He has routinely conducted Civil War tours for the most senior levels of the US government. His broad perspective offers valuable insights into tactical, strategic and political aspects of the Civil War. He holds degrees in Business Management, Applied Politics and graduate degrees in International Business and Masters of Business Adminstration.

COL Ellsworth is a life member of: The American Numismatic Association, The American Numismatic Society, The Virginia Numismatic Association, The Maryland State Numismatic Association, The Tennessee State Numismatic Society, the Georgia Numismatic Association, the Alabama Numismatic Society, the South Carolina Numismatic Association, the Blue Ridge Numismatic Association, the Civil War Token Society, Pennsylvania Association of Numismatists, The Michigan State Numismatic Society, the Brentwood-Franklin Coin & Collectors Club, The National War College and the Army War College. He currently serves as governor of the American Numismatic Association 25,000 member association.

He currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee with his wife Gale.