[citation needed], On August 1, 1876, Hickok was playing poker at Nuttal & Mann's Saloon No. The bullet emerged through his right cheek and struck another player, riverboat Captain William Massie, in the left wrist. Am. Two of these early entrepreneurs were P.T. B. Hickok killed by the assassin Jack McCall in Deadwood, Black Hills, August 2, 1876. He reported returning with five prisoners after killing ten. At the conclusion of the incident a woman's voice was heard to shout, "good for you Wild Bill"! The fifth card is debated, or, as some say, had been discarded and its replacement had not yet been dealt. [1]. [10], Hickok 1869. Abilene's town gun laws did not allow this type of activity. This incident had a profound impact on young Bill Tilghman. Hickok became enraged, both at the death of his good friend, and at the mob who had been the cause. We drove on to Beatrice and at the trial, his plea was self-defense; no one appeared against him, and he was cleared. Who Was Buffalo Bill Cody? [citation needed], Leander Richardson, a reporter, interviewed McCall shortly before his execution, and wrote an article about him for the April 1877 issue of Scribner's Monthly. [6][7], In 1857, Hickok claimed a 160-acre (65 ha) tract in Johnson County, Kansas (in what is now Lenexa). There is a very complimentary description of Hickok, by Mrs. Libby Custer, during this time period that further illustrates the friendship between the Custer family and Hickok. Two men walk towards each other across a dusty western town square. Most likely McCall became enraged over what he perceived as a condescending offer from Hickok to let him have enough money for breakfast after he had lost all his money playing poker the previous day. It is difficult to separate the truth from fiction about Hickok, the first "dime novel" hero of the western era, in many ways one of the first comic book heroes, keeping company with another who achieved part of his fame in such a way, frontiersman Davey Crockett. James Butler Hickok (May 27, 1837 August 2, 1876), better known as "Wild Bill" Hickok, was a folk hero of the American Old West known for his life on the frontier as a soldier, scout, lawman, cattle rustler, gunslinger, gambler, showman, and actor, and for his involvement in many famous gunfights. To date, four children have been credited to the lady, although some of the claims have come from the children themselves. The hand Hickok had held, a pair of Aces and a pair of Eights, thereafter became known as "The Dead Man's Hand.". In his 1895 autobiography (published after his own death and 19 years after Hickok's), Hardin claimed to have disarmed Hickok using the famous road agent's spin during a failed attempt to arrest him for wearing his pistols in a saloon. This was claimed after he was killed during a poker game on Aug. 2, 1876. [64], Hickok was playing five-card stud or five-card draw when he was shot. Jane claimed that James Butler Hickok was the father. This time McCall was found guilty. The citizens of Abilene soon learned that they had nothing to fear, from the rowdy trail herd cowboys, with Wild Bill on the job. When asked about the incident by Buffalo Bill, Hickok said "I got lost among the hostiles", drawing a parallel between the pool room thugs and being caught by Indians on the plains. The Kellogg's cereal company was the show's national sponsor. When Varnes could not be found, McCall then implicated Tim Brady in the plot. The first, on 24 was Bill Mulvey, who "got the drop" on Hickok. It is also during this time that Hickok's trademark characteristics are recorded for the first time. At the time of the so-called McCanles Massacre, Hickok was known as Duck Bill because of his sweeping nose and protruding upper lip (covered with a mustache later in life). In June 1865, Hickok was mustered out and spent his time in and around Springfield gambling. Fiction later typified this kind of gunfight, but Hickok's is, in fact, the first one on record that fits the portrayal. Both men are iconic legends and folk heroes of the Old West; Cody as a cowboy, Pony Express rider, stage coach driver, teamster, Union Army soldier, civilian army scout, buffalo hunter, and ultimately the greatest of showmen; and Hickok as a Union . Hickok family papers. While a Jayhawker, he met 12-year-old William Cody (later known as "Buffalo Bill"), who, despite his youth, served as a scout just two years later for the U.S. Army during the Utah War. Hickok was working as sheriff and city marshal of Hays, Kansas when, on July 17, 1870, he was involved in a gunfight with disorderly soldiers of the 7th US Cavalry, wounding one and mortally wounding another. Born in rural Illinois, James Hickok developed extraordinary shooting skills in an otherwise unremarkable childhood. By 1856 James was in Kansas territory with his brother Lorenzo. The family participated in the Underground Railroad before the Civil War and even used their home as a station stop. Guess they weren't fans of The Simpsons. Updated on March 08, 2017. Hickok's term as city Marshal of Hays ended, and in 1870 he decided to visit an old friend in Topeka Kansas. In 1857, Hickok claimed a 160 acre tract of land in Johnson County, Kansas (in what is now the city of Lenexa) where he became the first constable of Monticello Township, Kansas. This too was badly defaced which led to its complete enclosure in a cage for protection. While Horace and Lorenzo took over the regular chores of running the family farm, young James took over the job of furnishing some of the food for the family. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Wild-Bill-Hickok, Spartacus Educational - Biography of Wild Bill Hickok, Wild Bill Hickok - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). The bullet emerged through Wild Bills right cheek striking Captain Massie in the left wrist. This "cousin" she claimed was her father. [6], Hickok was a good shot from a young age, and was recognized locally as an outstanding marksman with a pistol. On July 21, 1865, in the town square of Springfield, Missouri, Hickok killed Davis Tutt, Jr. in a "quick draw" duel. The children of William and Elizabeth are: GENERATION #2 02. During this period Hickok prevented a man from beating an 11-year-old boy, who grew up to become Buffalo Bill Cody, Hickoks longtime friend. The authorities did not consider this to be double jeopardy because at the time Deadwood was not recognized by the U.S. as a legitimately incorporated town (due to federal laws that made it illegal to settle on Indian land; many people did anyway). Russell, Majors and Waddell had not kept up with their payments for the station, and the gun-brandishing McCanles had come to demand his money from Wellman, who insisted that he did not have it and refused to relinquish the property to McCanles, as did his wife. Writing in 1911, he detailed his admiration for Hickok and included a paragraph on the shooting that differs considerably from the reported account: "Phil" Coe was from Texas, ran the "Bull's Head" a saloon and gambling den, sold whiskey and men's souls. Hickoks growing reputation for fairness and courage earned him, in 1858, a position as a constable in Monticello, Kansas. Due to his "sweeping nose and protruding upper lip," Hickok was nicknamed "Duck Bill." Hickok didn't seem to feel comfortable with all the "make believe" and never quite fit in. Mr. Hickok was assassinated in Deadwood, South Dakota on August 2, 1876. When the Civil War began in 1861, Hickok joined the fray as a Union soldier and spy, even fighting in the Battle of Wilson's Creek. On 9 December, Hickok and Lanihan both served legal papers on Macintosh and local newspapers acknowledged that Hickok had guardianship of Hays City. That man was Wild Bill Hickok. She spoke kindly of the Marshal who came to her dad's farm to visit. [d] The jury voted to clear Hickok, resulting in public backlash and criticism of the verdict. Subsequently, McCormick admitted that she had not even been born until 1880, four years after Hickok's death. In 1867, his fame increased from an interview by Henry Morton Stanley. Under the name "Wild Bill Hitchcock" [sic], the article recounted the "hundreds" of men whom Hickok had personally killed and other exaggerated exploits. As the rider approached, she recognized the lone rider. Words were exchanged between Hickok and McCanles, which led to gunplay. Updates? This was done to allow the farmers time to bring their families into town for safety. When the American Civil War began, Hickok joined the Union forces and served in the west, mostly in Kansas and Missouri. Marshal Smith had chosen to enforce the law, in Abilene, with his fists and strength of character. (2) On March 5, 1876, Bill married Agnes Thatcher Lake, the owner of a circus in Cheyenne, Wyoming. A request for any/all information on either the ship or the indicated captain, from the Cunard line, was submitted by Mr. Rosa in 1957. [40]:196, In September 1869, his first month as sheriff, Hickok killed two men. It rests in a peaceful and quite beautiful cemetery known as Mt. He also took a job working for a neighbor with a last name of Carr. The county was having particular difficulty holding sheriffsthree had quit over the previous 18 months. And, that he hadn't "gambled" in two years! Only station employees were allowed to testify at the trial (testimony by McCanless son was barred), and the verdict was that the men had acted in self-defense. 1763, and Unis Kinsley?They were the grandparents of Wild Bill Hickok. This gave all the advantage to the buffalo. Sometime during this incident the name "Wild Bill" was applied to Hickok. [2] Martha Jane Cannary, known popularly as Calamity Jane, claimed in her autobiography that she was married to Hickok and had divorced him so that he could be free to marry Agnes Lake, but no records have been found that support Jane's account. I think not. Hickok and Brinks were charged with murder but found not guilty. Charlie Utter, Hickok's friend and companion, claimed Hickok's body and placed a notice in the local newspaper, the Black Hills Pioneer, which read: Present day gravesite"Died in Deadwood, Black Hills, August 2, 1876, from the effects of a pistol shot, J. In this town there was a young man, in jail, being threatened by an angry lynch mob. [2], Because of his "sweeping nose and protruding upper lip," Hickok was nicknamed "Duck Bill. In a letter to his brother Hickok admitted that this was the first time, under fire, that he was scared. He would put a list on what was called the "dead man's tree" (so called because men had been lynched on it) while constable of Monticello Township. He immediately began to break up all the unfair gambling practices, currently implemented in the saloons. Apparently, this was also the opinion of the local court, that looked into the matter, since no charges were brought against Hickok. Hickok ordered him to be arrested for firing a pistol within the city limits. Hickok returned fire and killed Coe. The family home even had a hidden cellar which they would use to hide the escapees. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. [2] According to Joseph G. Rosa, a Hickok biographer, the shot that felled the elder McCanles came from inside the house, a tale Wild Bill's friends invented to keep the "heat" of both the law and McCanles' extended family off Wild Bill (extended generational member). Hickok managed to fire another shot, wounding the bear's paw. When shot, he was holding a pair of aces and a pair of eights, all black. While wandering around the town of Independence Missouri, Hickok noticed a large crowd gathered outside a saloon. The future character of the one eventually to be known as "The Prince of the Pistoleer's" was slowly emerging. The bear then grabbed his arm in its mouth, but Hickok was able to grab his knife and slash its throat, killing it. After the war, Hickok became a scout for the U. S. Army and later was a professional gambler. Mistakenly thinking he had killed Hudson, Hickok fled and joined General Jim Lane's vigilante "Free State Army" (The Red Legs) where he met 12-year-old William Cody, later to be known as "Buffalo Bill," who at that time was a scout for Johnston's Army. He sometimes meets up with his friend and occasional lover, Calamity Jane. It meant money for shopkeepers, saloon owners and brothels. On September 1, Hickok was in Elkhorn township in Lincoln County, Kansas, where he was hired as a scout by the 10th Calvary Regiment, a segregated African-American unit. It is likely that Hickok was already acting sheriff when elected as a newspaper reported him arresting offenders on 18 August and the commander of Fort Hays praised Hickok for his work in apprehending deserters in a letter he wrote to the Assistant Adjutant General on 21 August. Was he shooting back? After Hardin left town he and Hickok did not meet again. He was now unemployed however, and needed to find a means of supporting himself. The mob didn't utter a sound. The fifth card was either unknown, or some say that it had not yet been dealt. Those who objected or resisted were knocked through, or out, the doors and into the street. After the war, he served as marshall in several rough frontier towns, and as a cavalryman in the "Indian Wars." McCall may have been paid for the deed, or it may have been the result of a recent dispute between the two. The motive for the killing is still debated. It was during this time that Wild Bill got his nickname. Hickok refused to play cards with Tutt, who retaliated by financing other players in an attempt to bankrupt him. William Austin, the cemetery caretaker, estimated 500 lb (227 kg) which made it difficult for the men to carry them to the new site. He was bedridden for four months before being sent to Rock Creek Station in the Nebraska Territory to work as a stable hand while he recovered. If the deceased and defendant engaged in a fight or conflict willingly on the part of each, and the defendant killed the deceased, he is guilty of the offense charged, although the deceased may have fired the first shot. He worked as a technical writer on the Atlas, Minuteman, and Titan missile-launching systems, as well as Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Together, they would produce their first child, Oliver Hickok, who was born in May 1830. Hickok told Williams to stay where he was, and then took off in the direction of the gunshot. The sad, but true, ending to this story is that in the 1940's a woman named Martha Dewey came forth. This is the first known time he was referred to as "William". [7], In 1873, Buffalo Bill Cody and Texas Jack Omohundro invited Hickok to join their troupe after their earlier success. This Hickok did, with the aid of his deputies, although both he and his men were openly cursed for doing their duty. McCall lost heavily. Wild Bill Hickok, is one of the most famous figures of the wild west. The records show that Hickok, master gunfighter, killer of men, scout of the wilderness, eagerly chased bullfrogs all day long with a small girl! In 1641 he married Elizabeth Cole who was born abt. At the end of the trial, Judge Sempronius Boyd gave the jury two contradictory instructions. Hickok was severely injured, with a crushed chest, shoulder, and arm. James Butler Hickok (May 27, 1837 - August 2, 1876), also known as "Wild Bill" Hickok was a legendary figure in the old west. There, again, he killed several men, including his deputy marshal, whose deaththe result of an accidental shootingled to Hickoks dismissal. On April 15th 1871 he was sworn in as Marshal at a salary of $150 dollars a month. [9], Shortly before his death, Hickock wrote a letter to his new wife, which read in part, "Agnes Darling, if such should be we never meet again, while firing my last shot, I will gently breathe the name of my wifeAgnesand with wishes even for my enemies I will make the plunge and try to swim to the other shore. He is now at Yankton, D.T. Mulvey wheeled his horse around to face those who might shoot him from behind, and before he realized he had been fooled, Hickok shot him through the temple. He fought in the Union Army during the American Civil War, and gained publicity after the war as a scout, marksman, and professional gambler. [25] The 1883 History of Greene County, Missouri described him as "by nature a ruffian a drunken, swaggering fellow, who delighted when 'on a spree' to frighten nervous men and timid women. [38], On September 1, 1868, Hickok was in Lincoln County, Kansas, where he was hired as a scout by the 10th Cavalry Regiment, a segregated African-American unit. His gunfighting skills eventually earned him the nickname "Wild Bill". His most famous descendant is James Butler (Wild Bill) Hickok. In 1876, Hickok was shot and killed while playing poker in a saloon in Deadwood, Dakota Territory (present-day South Dakota) by Jack McCall, an unsuccessful gambler. ", Nichols, George Ward (1867). On these visits the Marshal would bring candy for her and her siblings. They had ivory grips and nickel plating, and were ornately engraved with "J.B. Hickok1869" on the backstrap. This was likely exacerbated by the fact that there was a long-standing dispute over Hickok's girlfriend, Susannah Moore. Although McCall accepted the money, he was apparently insulted. In 1954 an episode of Gunsmoke on CBS radio featured John Dehner as Hickok. Melissa Sartore. After his execution it was determined that McCall had never had a brother. Pard, we will meet again in the happy hunting ground to part no more. 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