Seth Bullock Continued Mount Roosevelt Tower His Campaign Tour
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James Butler Hickok May 27, 1837 – August 2, 1876 His contemporaries Hickok stood over 6 feet tall, had shoulder called him Wild Bill, length light brown hair and gray eyes. Libbie and the newspaper Custer describes him in her 1890 book, and others made him a Following the Guidon, legend in his own time. He “Physically he was a delight to look upon. was written about by Tall, lithe, and free in every motion, he rode General George and walked as if every muscle was perfection, Armstrong Custer and and the careless swing of his body as he “Buffalo Bill” Cody. moved seemed perfectly in keeping with the But what are the man, the country, the time in which he lived. facts behind the I do not recall anything finer in the way of legend? James physical perfection than Wild Bill when he Butler Hickok was swung himself lightly from his saddle, and born in 1837 in Troy with graceful, swaying step, squarely set Grove, Illinois and spent his formative years shoulders and well poised head...” helping out on the family farm. Most of his adult years were spent in the West, where his ild Bill was murdered in Deadwood exploits included employment as a W detective, scout for the US Army, and as the on August 2, 1876. Wild Bill’s friends Marshal of Abilene, Kansas. buried him in Deadwood’s first cemetery, but three years later he Part of the Hickok legend was built on his ability to handle a pistol with either hand, was reburied at the present site in becoming one of the first so-called “fast guns.” Mt. Moriah Cemetery. He carried his pistols in his belt, in an unusual “butts-forward” position. Although Hickok’s life of adventure ended on his contemporaries were mixed in their August 2, 1876, during a card game in Deadwood’s opinion of his marksmanship, everyone agreed No. 10 Saloon. He was shot from behind by that when he shot at a man, Hickok was in a class Jack McCall, who was by himself. Adding to his greatness was his later hanged for the ability to stay calm while taking very deliberate crime. Although and careful aim. allegedly holding black aces and eights, and a Five months before his death, he married nine of diamonds - Agnes Thatcher in Cheyenne, Wyoming forever known as The Territory. Although this was his only Dead Man’s Hand - the documented marriage, evidence indicates actual composition of that he was a ladies’ man. Wild Bill’s final hand of cards remains an unresolved mystery. Martha “Calamity Jane” Canary May 1, 1856 – August 1, 1903 ontroversy and C Martha Canary would gain regional speculation have and national notoriety through the clouded the life and times newspaper articles, dime store novels, books, of western legend and even an autobiography. Through these “Calamity Jane”. exaggerated publications, Calamity Jane was Stories told about her portrayed as an expert scout, bullwhacker, range from the verifiable teamster, crack shot and western heroine. to far-fetched The reality though was she had many fabrications. The unfortunate faults. Alcoholism is a possible truth of this Deadwood explanation for Calamity Jane’s fanciful legend may never yarns and numerous love affairs including be known, but many one with western gunfighter James Butler historians agree upon Hickok. some facts. When not on the open road, Calamity Jane The future “Calamity Jane” was born could be found at the local saloons drinking, Martha Canary in 1856 near Princeton, Missouri chewing tobacco, and being the boisterous to Robert Willson Canary and Charlotte M. life of the party. Calamity Jane also had a Burge. Martha was the oldest of six children good-hearted and caring side not often seen born to Robert and Charlotte. Little is known by the general public. When the small pox about Martha’s childhood other than the family’s epidemic hit the Black Hills and Deadwood, relocation from Mercer County, Missouri to she helped people with the illness without Virginia City, Montana Territory in 1865. concern for her own well-being. Within two years of this move, Martha and her siblings were left orphans with the passing of her mother in 1866 and father in 1867. Calamity Jane’s life of adventure ended at age 47. Weary and ailing, Parentless in a wild frontier, Martha Martha boarded a train headed for Canary relocated to the Wyoming Territory where she worked as a dance-hall girl, waitress, Terry, South Dakota. Upon arrival, laundress, and prostitute at the railroad she rented a room at the Calloway camps and military posts along the Union Hotel and died on August 1, 1903. Pacific Railroad. By wearing men’s clothing, Martha would disguise her gender. This choice in dress would eventually define her Aged beyond her persona later in life. years, she died of a combination of artha also acquired her nickname inflammation of the M bowels and pneumonia. “Calamity Jane” during this time. The She was buried in Mt. how and why the name was given Moriah Cemetery remain elusive; however, one account beside Wild Bill stated Captain James Egan proclaimed Hickok, reportedly her at Goose Creek, Wyoming, “I name you dying wish. Calamity Jane, heroine of the Plains!” Seth Bullock July 23, 1849 – September 23, 1919 sheriff of Lawrence County. With strength The quintessential pioneer and of character and creativity, more than force, settler of the American frontier Bullock tamed the mining camps and was a has to be Seth Bullock who, contributing force to the permanent settlement ironically, was born in Canada. of the county. With Deadwood becoming a law In stark contrast to the and order town, Seth sent for Martha. She gunslingers, outlaws, and became a pillar of the city, bringing stability desperados that peppered and culture to the community. The Bullocks the history of the were founders of the Round Table Club, the American West, Seth oldest surviving cultural club in the Black Bullock was a strong and Hills. With a thriving hardware business and steady force, bringing a law-abiding Deadwood, Bullock and Star order to a lawless region and diversified their interests into ranching near setting the foundation stones for the community present day Belle Fourche, South Dakota. that endures today. In 1892 US Civil Service Commissioner Born near Windsor, Ontario, Canada and future US President Theodore Roosevelt in 1847, Bullock took Horace Greeley’s advice came to western South Dakota to observe and at a young age headed west to seek his conditions on Indian Reservations. Somewhere fortune. In 1871 he distinguished himself in along the Red Water River Valley, near today’s Helena, Montana where he was nominated Belle Fourche, South Dakota, Roosevelt to the Montana territorial council. While in crossed paths with Bullock before heading to office, Bullock introduced a motion to Congress Deadwood, South Dakota and the reservations. for adding Yellowstone to the State of Montana Roosevelt’s recollection of this chance meeting and supported moving the Montana state appear in his 1910 autobiography. capital to Helena. More importantly, Bullock met and befriended his future business partner, Sol Star while serving in the legislature. After “We had a rather rough trip, ... three years of service, Bullock in 1873 was Seth [Bullock] received us with rather elected and served one term as sheriff of Lewis distant courtesy at first, but unbent and Clark County, Montana and married Martha when he found out who we were, Eccles (b. 1851) in Salt Lake City in 1874. remarking, ‘You see by your looks, In 1876 Bullock and his partner Sol Star I thought you were some kind of a could not resist the temptation to relocate tin-horn gambling outfit, and that I and open a hardware and auction house in might have to keep an eye on you!” the booming gold rush community of Deadwood, Dakota Territory. After shipping his wife and infant daughter back to her family home in Seven years later Bullock and Roosevelt’s Michigan, Bullock and Star loaded wagons path would cross again after both men served with Dutch ovens, fry pans, chamber pots, during Spanish-American War. In 1900 after dynamite, axes, rope, picks and shovels and accepting the vice-presidential nomination headed for Deadwood. They arrived in August during the Republican National Convention 1876 and purchased a corner lot on the junction in Pennsylvania, Roosevelt campaigned in of Wall and Main Streets (present day twenty-four states including North and South Bullock Hotel). Dakota and Montana. Bullock, a prominent Republican, Spanish-American War veteran, Within the year Territorial Governor and former lawman was invited to accompany John L. Pennington appointed Bullock as Roosevelt during the South Dakota leg of Seth Bullock continued Mount Roosevelt Tower his campaign tour. At the conclusion of this Dedicated July 4, 1919 trip, both men forged a strong friendship that remained for the rest of their lives. On January 6, 1919, former US Following the assassination of William President Theodore McKinley in 1901, Roosevelt became the 26th Roosevelt died at his President of the United States. In a home in Sagamore congratulatory letter dated September 24, Hill, New York. As 1901, Roosevelt appointed Bullock as the word of Roosevelt’s forest supervisor for the Black Hills Forest passing disseminated Reserve. Bullock held this federal appointment across the nation, for four and half years. During Roosevelt’s his death came as candidacy, Bullock became one of Roosevelt’s a severe blow to staunchest and valued friends. In the summers longtime friend, of 1903, 1905, 1907 and 1909, Roosevelt’s Seth Bullock. As the Bullock and Roosevelt, circa 1910.