Foxs visit coincided with the few weeks Jessie actually attended St. Edwards Academy in Deadwood. In court she presented the judge with a doctors certificate indicating she was in a rather delicate condition, an early euphemism for pregnant. In July, Hickok told a newspaper reporter that he had led several soldiers in pursuit of Indians who had killed four men near the fort on July 2. There, the freight company had built a stagecoach stop along the Oregon Trail near Fairbury, Nebraska, on land purchased from David McCanles. [82], At the time of this affair I was at a station farther west and reached this station just as Wild Bill was getting ready to go to Beatrice for his trial. 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. Prairie Schooners is a 1940 American Western film directed by Sam Nelson, which stars Wild Bill Elliott as Hickok. Calamity Jane (1852-1903) was a well-known American frontierswoman and entertainment who was well-known for her marksmanship and acquaintance with Wild Bill Hickok. 1. But Coe "reckoned without his host". Some said the two men fought over a card game, while others attributed the duel to competition for the attention of a woman named Susannah Moore. Some contemporaneous reports of his exploits are known to be fictitious, but they remain the basis of much of his fame and reputation. 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. The event haunted Hickok for the rest of his life. If James Butler "Wild Bill" Hickok had an eye disease, present-day experts believe that, like many others of his time, he may have suffered from trachoma. Hickok joined the antislavery Free State Army of Jayhawkers and, having already become skilled with a gun as a youth, served as a bodyguard for Gen. James H. Lanes. The bear attacked, crushing Hickok with its body. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. [46]:pp.5456[47], In August 1871, Hickok sought to arrest Hardin for killing Charles Couger in an Abilene hotel "for snoring too loud". McCall tried to . In 1859, he joined the Russell, Majors and Waddell freight company, the parent company of the Pony Express. B. Hickock [sic] (Wild Bill) formerly of Cheyenne, Wyoming. Calamity Jane was reported to have been buried next to Hickok according to her dying wish. They even did a stint abroad, performing for one season in Germany in 1862. "[49], Hickok and Phil Coe, a saloon owner and acquaintance of Hardin's, had a dispute that resulted in a shootout. Six months later Jane visited friends in Deadwood, stating Jessie had married and was living in North Dakota with two children. Nick McGlashan had two children, Lennyn Annette Richardson of Unalaska (7) and Kane Wilder Hammond of Port Townsend, WA (1). That winter, writer M.L. Hickok ordered him to be arrested for firing a pistol within the city limits. Neither claim was true. Omissions? "[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. To be entitled to acquittal on the ground of self-defense, he must have been anxious to avoid a conflict, and must have used all reasonable means to avoid it. In reality, Janes first verified child was born in November 1882 when she was living with rancher Frank King near Miles City, Montana. By the end of the night most of the money had been spent, and Jane was roaring drunk. This angered the buffalo and panicked audience members, causing the animals to break free of their wire fencing and chase audience members, some of whom were trampled. Did Old West houses have outhouses, and were public facilities available? Hickoks growing reputation for fairness and courage earned him, in 1858, a position as a constable in Monticello, Kansas. [51], Hickok was relieved of his duties as marshal less than two months after the accidental shooting, this incident being only one of a series of questionable shootings and claims of misconduct during his career. He was the fourth son of William Alonzo and Polly Butler Hickok. [12], While in Nebraska, Hickok was derisively referred to by one man as "Duck Bill" for his long nose and protruding lips. Did Wild Bill Hickok have children? 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. It was at this time that Hickok came across a bear blocking a road, an encounter that would become part of the lore surrounding him: Hickok shot the bear, which only angered it, and a struggle ensued, during which Hickok used a knife to slit the bears throat, but not before he was nearly crushed to death. For more on American historysubscribe to All About History for as little as 26. Hickok was of English ancestry. When Jane arrived in Deadwood, South Dakota in 1895, she told others that she needed money to enrol Jessie in a convent school at Sturgis. Despite his reputation,[70] Hickok was buried in the Ingelside Cemetery, Deadwood's original graveyard. McCanles may have been the first man Hickok killed. [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. [44] In his 1895 autobiography, published after his death, Hardin claimed to have been befriended by Hickok, the newly elected town marshal, after he had disarmed the marshal using the road agent's spin, but Hardin was known to exaggerate. Later, after bragging of his murder of Hickok, McCall was retried in Laramie, Wyoming Territory, found guilty, and hanged on March 1, 1877. On August 2, 1876, Wild Bill Hickok died a sudden, violent death while gambling in a saloon in Deadwood, South Dakota. No other woman in the American west possesses a more enigmatic legacy than Martha Calamity Jane Canary. In 1855, at the age of 18, he left to become a part of thegrowing American West. In 1876, Wild Bill Hickok was suffering from glaucoma. Best Known For: Wild Bill Hickok was an American frontiersman, army scout and lawman who helped bring order to the frontier West. The glorification of Wild Bill Hickok began in Springfield, Mo., on July 21, 1865, when he killed gunman Dave Tutt. Wild Bill Hickok, byname of James Butler Hickok, (born May 27, 1837, Homer [now Troy Grove], Illinois, U.S.died August 2, 1876, Deadwood, Dakota Territory [now in South Dakota, U.S.]), American frontiersman, army scout, and lawman who helped bring order to the frontier West. [28] Tutt's shot missed, but Hickok's struck Tutt through the heart from about 75 yards (69m) away. Just weeks later, on her deathbed in Terry, South Dakota, Jane confessed that she and Jessie were now estranged and declined to say where her daughter was living. Hickok had a large impact on American history because of his life and death. He told Clemmons (Hardin) to stay out of trouble in Abilene and asked him to hand over his guns, and Hardin complied. Burke she had enrolled Jessie in the school. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. He told Mrs. McCanles he was sorry he had to kill her man then took out $35 [$1,056 in 2021 dollars] and gave it to her saying: "This is all I have, sorry I do not have more to give you." [73], Hickok's favorite guns were a pair of Colt 1851 Navy Model (.36 caliber) cap-and-ball revolvers. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Wild Bill Hickok's Revolver James Butler "Wild Bill" Hickok's (1837-1874) pair of ivory-handled revolvers were as legendary as he was. He was released on $2,000 bail and stood trial on August 3, 1865. Brink, were tried for killing McCanles, but were found to have acted in self-defense. A young drifter named Jack McCall walked in and approached Hickok from behind. This was during the Indian Wars, in which Hickok sometimes served as a scout for General George A. Custer's 7th Cavalry. Within a month of the birth, newspapers tracked her to a hurdy-gurdy house in Livingston. Although the show brought Hickok some much-needed income, he was unhappy, began drinking heavily, and returned to the West in March 1874. As the scene unfolded, McCanles entered the station, and, from behind the curtain that divided it in two, either Hickok or Wellman shot McCanles. Lonergan pinned Hickok to the ground, and Kyle put his gun to Hickok's ear. Hickok waved his hand past Mulvey at some onlookers and yelled, "Don't shoot him in the back; he is drunk." Hickok said he had "tried to restore order". McCall was tried and acquitted of murder as a result of his dubious claim that the killing was in revenge for Hickoks murder of his brother in Abilene. He twice asked another man at the table, Charles Rich, to change seats with him, but Rich refused. Michelle Renes novel, Hour Glass, is a moving, revealing picture of the legendary Calamity Jane., A bar in Hays City, Kansas, on July 17, 1870. As a result, calcium carbonate from the surrounding soil had replaced the flesh, leading to petrifaction. Hickok accused a J.V. Wild Bill Hickok was born on May 27, 1837 in Troy Grove, Illinois. [d] The jury voted to clear Hickok, resulting in public backlash and criticism of the verdict. It is believed that McCanles arrived at the station with his son, Monroe; his cousin, James Woods; and James Gordon, a man in his service. Wild Bill Hickok was one of the early "Heroes of the West." He had built a reputation as an extraordinary gunfighter with a sense of fairness and justice. 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. In the melee that followed, Hickok shot Woods, who, most historians agree, was then attacked and ultimately killed with a hoe by Mrs. Wellman. They had ivory grips and nickel plating, and were ornately engraved with "J.B. Hickok1869" on the backstrap. All rights reserved. [i][68], Jack McCall was hanged on March 1, 1877, and buried in a Roman Catholic cemetery. Hardin was in town under his assumed name Wesley Clemmons, but was better known to the townspeople by the alias "Little Arkansas". 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. [citation needed], Buffalo Bill claimed that he encountered Hickok disguised as a Confederate officer in Missouri in 1864. Then in 1996, a second daughter was revealed. ", Hermon, Gregory (1987). [77][78] A print of the film is maintained in the Museum of Modern Art film archive.[79]. In an 1871 account that changed his life, Hickok was reportedly involved in a shootout with saloon owner Phil Coe. He was sentenced to death on January 3, 1877 and on March 1, 1877 he was executed by hanging. The murderer escaped. She appears to have finally learned the truth by the time she died in 1980, for her death certificate correctly lists her mothers maiden name as Canary. Di Certo is the author of ten books and composer of three albums of children's songs. Hickoks father moved his family from Vermont to Maine to Homer (now Troy Grove), Illinois. [9], In 1865, Hickok recruited six Native Americans and three cowboys to accompany him to Niagara Falls, where he put on an outdoor demonstration called The Daring Buffalo Chasers of the Plains. Brady, like Varnes, had disappeared from Deadwood and could not be found. And though it is difficult to picture her in the domestic arena, Jane was also a mother. He is now at Yankton, D.T. In one show, he shot the spotlight when it focused on him. 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. [citation needed], On August 1, 1876, Hickok was playing poker at Nuttal & Mann's Saloon No. James Butler Hickok was born in Troy Grove, Illinois, on May 27, 1837, to William Alonzo Hickok and Polly Butler Hickok. On December 9, Hickok and Lanihan both served legal papers on Macintosh, and local newspapers acknowledged that Hickok had guardianship of Hays City. 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. Calamity Jane. Hickok encouraged McCall to quit the game until he could cover his losses and offered to give him money for breakfast. setTimeout(function(){var t=document.createElement("script");t.setAttribute("src","https://sample.dragonforms.com/getEmbeddedClientScript.do?embeddedsite=TW_dispatch_nl"),t.setAttribute("type","text/javascript"),document.body.appendChild(t)},5); Become a subscriber today and youll recieve a new issue every month plus unlimited access to our full archive of backlogged issues. His own show, The Daring Buffalo Chase of the Plains, did not fare well, but in 1873 he joined Buffalo Bill Codys The Scouts of the Prairie, which was based in Rochester, New York. A legend during his life and considered one of the American west's premier gunfighters, James Butler ("Wild Bill") Hickok was born May 27, 1837, in Troy Grove, Illinois. For the next several years, Hickok worked as a stagecoach driver. Hickok never fought in another gun battle. 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