In 1871 he took over as the marshal of the tough cow town of Abilene, Kansas. Many historic sites and monuments commemorate his life, and he has been depicted numerous times in literature, film, and television. Hickok was killed August 2, 1876, at the age of 39, and Calamity Jane died of illness on August 1, 1903, at age 51; both died in South Dakota.. During his life, Hickok was a soldier, scout, stagecoach driver, lawman, gunfighter, showman, marksman, gambler, and more. Wild Bill Hickok is remembered for his services in Kansas as sheriff of Hays City and marshal of Abilene, where his ironhanded rule helped to tame two of the most lawless towns on the frontier. 3. 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. Thus began the reputation that Mulvey angrily declared that he had come to town to kill Hickok. After the fact, there was much speculation as to whether romantic rivalry had had a role in the incident: Hickok was apparently involved with a woman who had also been involved with the married McCanles. He usually sat with his back to a wall so he could see the entrance, but the only seat available when he joined the game was a chair facing away from the door. In any case, Hardin appeared to have thought highly of Hickok. The identity of the fifth card (his "hole card") is also the subject of debate. "Dead man's hand" was an established poker. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. The hand of cards which he supposedly held at the time of his death has become known as the dead man's hand: two pairs; black aces and eights. Wild Bill - Tom Clavin 2019-02-05 The denitive true story of Wild Bill, the rst lawman of the Wild West, by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dodge City. [a][8], In 1855, at age 18, James Hickok fled Illinois following a fight with Charles Hudson, during which both fell into a canal; each thought, mistakenly, that he had killed the other. Hickok moved west in 1855 to farm and joined General James Lane's Free State. Overall, it was reported that Hickok had killed over 100 men during his lifetime. Few could help her verify the truth, and Jean McCormick was of little help. Circa 1890. [citation needed], From 1871 until his death in 1876, Hickok had vision problems. Even in death Hickok's legend grew. The Bull's Head Saloon in Abilene had been established by gambler Ben Thompson and Coe, his partner, businessman, and fellow gambler. James Butler Hickok (May 27, 1837 - August 2, 1876), also known as "Wild Bill" Hickok was a legendary figure in the old west. By the age of 17, he was an excellent marksman. McCall shot Hickok from behind as he played poker at Nuttal & Mann's Saloon in Deadwood, Dakota Territory on August 2, 1876. Famous Cowgirls. In 1866 Hickok helped guide Gen. William T. Shermans tour of the West, and in 186768 he scouted for Gen. Winfield Scott Hancock and Lieut. He was involved in several notable shootouts during the course of his life. A month or so later, he left their honeymoon in Cincinnati for the goldfields of the Black Hills in the Dakota Territory, where he hoped to make enough money to send for her. But Coe "reckoned without his host". In reality, Janes first verified child was born in November 1882 when she was living with rancher Frank King near Miles City, Montana. James Butler Hickok arrived in Springfield, Missouri . When Varnes could not be found, McCall then implicated Tim Brady in the plot. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. [citation needed], Henry M. Stanley, of the Weekly Missouri Democrat, reported Hickok to be "an inveterate hater of Indian People", perhaps to enhance his reputation as a scout and American fighter, but separating fact from fiction is difficult considering his recruitment of Indians to cross the nation to appear in his own Wild West show. Hickok then tried acting in Wild West shows, which were growing in popularity. Classmate Mary Connolly remembered Jessie, saying, we all played hopscotch and jumped rope on the playground. But mother and daughter eventually left town again. [24], In late 1863, Hickok worked for the provost marshal of southwest Missouri as a member of the Springfield detective police. All Rights Reserved. [69] In 1979, Hickok was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. When Kyle's weapon misfired, Hickok shot Lonergan, wounding him in the knee, and shot Kyle twice, killing him. He seemed to have respect for Hickok's abilities and replied, "If Bill needs killing, why don't you kill him yourself? Hickok left home at age 17 and worked as a canal boat pilot in Utica, Illinois, before heading west in 1856 to Bleeding Kansas, which was embroiled in a violent conflict over whether slavery should be permitted there. [13][14] He was also known before 1861 among Jayhawkers as "Shanghai Bill" because of his height and slim build. Macintosh of irregularities and misconduct during the election. The episode correctly relates Hickok's vision problems late in his life, and also includes his murderer, Jack McCall, in a highly fictionalized role. In July, 1865, in Springfield, Missouri's town square, Hickok killed Davis Tutt, an old friend who after personal grudges escalated became an enemy. He was holding two pairs: black aces and black eights (although there is some dispute as to the suit of one of the aces, diamond vs. spade) as his "up cards", which has since become widely known as the "dead man's hand". Last, there is Jessiethe most credible of Calamity Janes daughters. [66] McCall was acquitted of the murder, which prompted editorializing in the Black Hills Pioneer: "Should it ever be our misfortune to kill a man we would simply ask that our trial may take place in some of the mining camps of these hills." Jane claimed that James Butler Hickok was the father of her child Jean . [20], On July 12, 1861, David McCanles went to the Rock Creek Station office to demand an overdue property payment from Horace Wellman, the station manager. Coe claimed that he was shooting at a stray dog,[g] and then suddenly turned his gun on Hickok, who fired first and killed Coe. Did Wild Bill Hickok have a child? Hickok lost his re-election bid to his deputy. ", Rosa, Joseph G. (1982). Hickok said he had "tried to restore order". There, again, he killed several men, including his deputy marshal, whose deaththe result of an accidental shootingled to Hickoks dismissal. Hickok saved Cody from getting beaten by another man and the two became longtime pals. 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: Died in Deadwood, Black Hills, August 2, 1876, from the effects of a pistol shot, J. Hickok was assigned to bring the men to Topeka for trial, and he requested a military escort from Fort Hays. Hickok's retort is one of the West's most famous sayings (though possibly apocryphal): "Did the crow have a pistol? Hickok was severely injured, with a crushed chest, shoulder, and arm. The bullet emerged through his right cheek and struck another player, riverboat Captain William Massie, in the left wrist. [45], Hickok later said he did not know that "Wesley Clemmons" was Hardin's alias, and that he was a wanted outlaw. They had ivory grips and nickel plating, and were ornately engraved with "J.B. Hickok1869" on the backstrap. Hickok, just a stable-hand at the time, killed the three men, despite being severely injured. Author McClaird theorised that Jessie, who had no birth certificate, said what she had to in order to receive financial assistance at her last residence in California. According to the Harpers account, Hickok, while guiding a detachment of Union cavalry through southern Nebraska, decided to stop and visit an old friend, Wellmans wife, at Rock Creek Station. The couple had a daughter, who also became an accomplished performer and horseback rider. [40]:192, On July 17, 1870, Hickok was attacked by two troopers from the 7th U.S. Cavalry, Jeremiah Lonergan and John Kyle (sometimes spelled Kile),[42] in a saloon. After in inquest where other incidents of Hickoks brand of frontier justice was revealed, he was relieved of his duties. While Hickok claimed to have killed numerous named and unnamed gunmen in his lifetime, his career as a gunfighter only lasted from 1861 to 1871. A second son, named Lorenzo Butler Hickok, was born in October of 1831 but died soon thereafter. The trial did not last more than fifteen minutes.[23]. The son of William Alonzo and Polly Butler Hickok, he was by all accounts a master marksman from an early age. [46]:4558[48] A newspaper reported, "A man was killed in his bed at a hotel in Abilene, Monday night, by a desperado called 'Arkansas'. Joseph J. 2 Revolver on Offer at Bonhams This Fall", "Wild Bill Hickok's Death-Day Revolver Fails to Sell at California Auction", "Wild-Bill-Hickok - Trailer - Cast - Showtimes", "Josh Brolin as James Butler Hickok (aka Wild Bill)", https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0028/2964/7961/files/Deadwood_1876_Rules_English.pdf?4346553514003986582, Black Hills War, or Great Sioux War (1876), Cheyenne-Black Hills Stage Route (18761887), Sidney-Black Hills Stage Road (18761887), Rapid City, Black Hills and Western Railroad (18931947), Fossil Cycad National Monument (19221957), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wild_Bill_Hickok&oldid=1141945329, All articles with bare URLs for citations, Articles with bare URLs for citations from March 2022, Articles with PDF format bare URLs for citations, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using infobox person with multiple parents, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from July 2020, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2019, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2015, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, James B. Hickok, J.B. Hickok, Shanghai Bill, William Hickok, William Haycock, Bird, Roy (1979). Drawn to this ruffian lifestyle, he headed west at age 18 as a fugitive from justice, working as a stagecoach driver and later as a lawman in the frontier territories of Kansas and Nebraska. "The Girl and the Gunfighter: A Newly Discovered Photograph of Wild Bill Hickok. According to Joseph G. Rosa, Hickok's biographer and the foremost authority on Wild Bill, Hickok killed only six or seven men in gunfights. [citation needed], On August 1, 1876, Hickok was playing poker at Nuttal & Mann's Saloon No. Dismounting, he approached the bear and fired a shot into its head, but the bullet ricocheted off its skull, infuriating it. The. "J.B. Hickok, Deputy U.S. The son of William Alonzo and Polly Butler Hickok, he was by all accounts a master marksman from an early age. While at Castle City Jane went to Gilt Edge, some two hundred miles away, where she was jailed for being drunk. All About History is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. The movie The Plainsman (1936), starring Gary Cooper as Hickok, features the alleged romance between Calamity Jane and him as its main plot line. (If said child had actually existed, he or she was said to . [d] The jury voted to clear Hickok, resulting in public backlash and criticism of the verdict. Some contemporaneous reports of his exploits are known to be fictitious, but they remain the basis of much of his fame and reputation. Hickok ordered him to be arrested for firing a pistol within the city limits. In an instant, he pulled the triggers again sending two bullets into Coe's abdomen (Coe lived a day or two) and whirling with his two guns drawn on the drunken crowd of cowboys, "and now do any of you fellows want the rest of these bullets?" Hickoks growing reputation for fairness and courage earned him, in 1858, a position as a constable in Monticello, Kansas. Visit our corporate site. ", Rosa, Joseph G. (1984). As the scene unfolded, McCanles entered the station, and, from behind the curtain that divided it in two, either Hickok or Wellman shot McCanles. Later, after bragging of his murder of Hickok, McCall was retried in Laramie, Wyoming Territory, found guilty, and hanged on March 1, 1877. Why were some shotguns called Greeners by cowboys in the Old West. His reputation as a gunfighter gave rise to legends and tales about his life. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Two 7th Cavalry troopers jump, Most people have heard of Calamity Jane, once promoted as The Famous Woman Scout of. 22nd August 2017 [21][22] Hickok, Wellman, and another employee, J.W. The couple had five children besides James Butler, three boys and two girls. A former cavalryman, J.W. McCall was brought to trial the next day. [j] Utter supervised the move and noted that, while perfectly preserved, Hickok had been imperfectly embalmed. He was very famous as a lawman as he established law and order in some of the most notorious towns on the frontier. "George Ward Nichols and the Legend of Wild Bill Hickok. Funeral services will be held at Charlie Utter's Camp, on Thursday afternoon, August 3, 1876, at 3 o'clock P. M. All are respectfully invited to attend. He became a deputy U.S. marshal, and on March 28, 1868, he picked up 11 Union Army deserters who had been charged with stealing government property. [26]:329 Hickok did not enjoy acting, and often hid behind scenery. The cards he was holding at the time a pair of black aces and a pair of black eights became known as "the dead man's hand.". i have been told that Wild Bill Hickok is my great great great (i don't know how many greats) uncle, and i haven' been able to find out if any of his brotherrs had kids. Born in Homer (later called Troy Grove), Illinois, James Butler Hickok . [citation needed] Although he was just 39, his marksmanship and health were apparently in decline, and he had been arrested several times for vagrancy,[53] despite earning a good income from gambling and displays of showmanship only a few years earlier. Calamity Jane never married Wild Bill . Later that year he became a teamster with the great freighting enterprise Russell, Majors and Waddell, creators of the Pony Express, for which he was too tall and heavy to be a rider. How Did Wild Bill Hickok Die? When they returned from overseas, Agnes and Bill Lake decided to start their own circus. Doc Holliday did have a bad cough, as suggested in this episode, from his tuberculosis. "[27], While in Springfield, Hickok and a local gambler named Davis Tutt had several disagreements over unpaid gambling debts and their common affection for the same women. Good bye, Colorado Charlie, C. H. Utter. In fact, William Hickok (senior) was so opposed to slavery that it's been reported that the Hickok house was a station for the Underground Railroad, where black slaves stopped for refuge on their journey north to freedom. Notorious Old West gunmen John Wesley Hardin and James Butler Hickok, also known as "Wild Bill," began as friends. Hardin was in town under his assumed name Wesley Clemmons, but was better known to the townspeople by the alias "Little Arkansas". Entdecke Bill O'Reilly's Legends and Lies: The Real West - Hardcover - GOOD in groer Auswahl Vergleichen Angebote und Preise Online kaufen bei eBay Kostenlose Lieferung fr viele Artikel! Hickok and Brinks were charged with murder but found not guilty. [c] However, if they felt the threat of danger was real and imminent, he instructed they could apply the unwritten law of the "fair fight" and acquit. Citizens of the town complained to Hickok, who requested that Thompson and Coe remove the image. 2, serial number 29963, a .32 rimfire with a six-inch barrel, blued finish, and varnished rosewood grips. 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. Children: Possibly two daughters; . It was here that he supposedly became romantically linked to Martha Jane Canary, also known as "Calamity Jane," but most historians discount any such amorous relationship between the two. 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. [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. [28] Tutt's shot missed, but Hickok's struck Tutt through the heart from about 75 yards (69m) away. [12] The article was controversial wherever Hickok was known, and several frontier newspapers wrote rebuttals. Three years after Jack McCall shot Hickok in the back as he was playing cards in Deadwood, South Dakota, an 1879 story in the Cheyenne, Wyoming, Daily Leader noted that the pistols were made expressly . Hickok and Lanihan, however, remained sheriff and deputy, respectively. McCall was executed for the murder . Lonergan pinned Hickok to the ground, and Kyle put his gun to Hickok's ear. [6], Hickok was a good shot from a young age, and was recognized locally as an outstanding marksman with a pistol. "[56], Martha Jane Cannary, known popularly as Calamity Jane, claimed in her autobiography that she was married to Hickok and had divorced him so he could be free to marry Agnes Lake, but no records that support her account have been found. 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