Have You Heard of the Three Guardsmen? ~ D. K. Deters

I thought you might enjoy reading about the Three Guardsmen. In all honesty, I’d never heard of them, but after diving in, I found several terrific articles.

In 1889, U.S. Marshal Evett Dumas “E.D.” Nix assembled three deputy U.S. marshals to combat the growing outlaw problem in the Oklahoma Territory. The trio, known as the Three Guardsmen, included Bill Tilghman, Henry Andrew “Heck” Thomas, and Chris Madsen.

Bill Tilghman is often regarded as one of the finest lawmen of the Old West. He had previously served as a marshal in Dodge City, Kansas. Known as an exceptional tracker, he was respected enough that many outlaws surrendered rather than fight him. In early 1896, he captured Bill Doolin alive without firing a shot.

Bill Tilghman (1854-1924)

Henry Andrew “Heck” Thomas was known for his relentless determination and marksmanship. He ultimately tracked down and killed Bill Doolin in August 1896 after Doolin escaped from jail. He also played a major role in pursuing the Dalton Gang.

Heck Thomas (1850-1912)

Chris Madsen (1851–1944), a Danish immigrant and former soldier, was known for his orderly approach to tracking outlaws and often organized posses and investigations. He participated in numerous posses and was instrumental in eliminating the remaining members of the Doolin Gang.

Chris Madsen (1851-1944)

Together, the Guardsmen earned a reputation as three of the most effective frontier lawmen in American history. They became famous for relentlessly hunting outlaw gangs, especially the Doolin Gang (sometimes called the Doolin-Dalton Gang and the Wild Bunch).

For a time, the Doolin Gang was one of the most powerful outlaw gangs in the Old West. They focused on bank, train, and stagecoach robberies in Arkansas, Kansas, and the Oklahoma Territory, but also ventured into neighboring states such as Missouri.

Some of the best-known members included:

Bill Doolin (1858 -1896)

Bill Doolin – Leader of the gang. Born in Arkansas, he worked as a cowboy before turning to outlawry. He was killed by Deputy U.S. Marshal Heck Thomas in 1896.

William M. “Bill” Dalton – Younger brother of the Dalton brothers. He survived the Coffeyville raid because he wasn’t there and later joined Doolin before being killed in a gunfight in 1894.

George “Bitter Creek” Newcomb – One of the gang’s most feared gunmen. He escaped numerous posses before being killed in 1895.

Roy Daugherty – Better known as Arkansas Tom Jones, was a skilled marksman. He survived a famous shootout at Ingalls, Oklahoma, was later captured, served prison time, and outlived most of the gang.

Dan Clifton – Participated in robberies with the gang and later disappeared from the historical record.

Richard “Little Dick” West – A trusted member who continued robberies after Doolin’s death until he was killed by lawmen in 1898.

William F. “Little Bill” Raidler – Joined the gang after the Coffeyville raid. He was eventually captured and served time in prison.

George “Red Buck” Waightman – An experienced horse thief and robber who was killed by Deputy U.S. Marshals in 1895.

Oliver Yantis – Rode with Doolin early on and was killed during an attempted train robbery in 1895.

Other men associated with the gang at various times included:

Tulsa Jack Blake

Dynamite Dick Clifton

Charley Pierce

By 1898, nearly every major member had been killed, captured, or imprisoned, bringing the gang’s era to an end.

Four major members were killed by posses led by or including the Three Guardsmen:

Bill Doolin

Bitter Creek Newcomb

Red Buck Waightman

Little Dick West

At least two other prominent members were captured alive by the Three Guardsmen:

Arkansas Tom Jones

Little Bill Raidler

By the end of the 19th century, the Guardsmen had hunted some of the most notorious outlaws in the Oklahoma Territory, paving their place in frontier history.

Although Bill Tilghman, Heck Thomas, and Chris Madsen became widely known as the “Three Guardsmen,” the exact origin of the nickname remains uncertain. The earliest known published use appeared in a 1911 St. Louis Post-Dispatch article by Grant Richardson. A long-standing tradition claims the outlaws they pursued coined the name, but historians have found no evidence to confirm that story.

 

 

Resources:

The Wild West by Bill O’Neal, James A Crutchfield, and Dale L Walker

The West by William C. Davis and Joseph G. Rosa

Wikipedia 

From the Fugio Cent to the Frontier Penny ~ D. K. Deters

It’s hard to believe that the final penny was struck in 2025, marking the end of a 232-year production run. Last week, I looked through some old pennies I’d saved. It made me wonder about the first American penny and what a penny was worth by the 1880s.

The Fugio cent holds the distinction of being America’s first official circulating coin. It was authorized by the Congress of the Confederation and minted in 1787, a few years before the establishment of the U.S. Mint. It is also one of the few American coins associated with Benjamin Franklin. Its imagery is very close to the designs Franklin had used earlier on the 1776 Continental Currency dollar patterns.

 

The front (obverse): A sun shining on a sundial with the word “FUGIO” (Latin for “I flee” or “I fly”), referring to time flying by or the passage of time. Beneath it appears the famous motto “MIND YOUR BUSINESS.” In the 18^th century, it meant to “pay attention to your work and responsibilities.” It serves as a reminder that time is passing, so make good use of it.

The back (reverse): Thirteen linked rings representing the original thirteen states, surrounding the words “WE ARE ONE.”

Some coin collectors consider the Fugio cent one of the most historically significant American coins because it links the Revolution, Franklin, and the birth of the federal government.

Interestingly, many Fugio cents survive today thanks to what collectors call the Bank of New York Hoard. In 1788, the bank stored several thousand Fugio cents in a keg in its basement. The coins were stored away again in 1856 and largely forgotten until the cache was rediscovered in 1926. Because many of the coins had remained untouched since the eighteenth century, hundreds survived in mint-state condition.

The coins were given to clients as souvenirs and keepsakes until 1948. At that time, only 1,641 of the coins remained. From there, many of these coins were donated or sold. The bank retained 819 of the coins.

I don’t have any relatives from New York, but it’s fun to dream that just maybe someone kept one of those coins for their family. But I digress.

Since my WIP takes place in the 1880s, it’s worth noting that by then a penny still had real, if modest, buying power in towns across the American West.

      

By 1880, Americans had seen several variations of the penny, but the Indian Head cent was the penny of the day. Interestingly, the front profile of the Indian Head cent actually depicts Lady Liberty wearing a Native American feather headdress. The Philadelphia Mint produced nearly 39 million Indian Head pennies in 1880, compared to the 398,577 Fugio cents struck in 1787.

On the frontier, a purchase depended heavily on where you were. Remote posts often ran on barter and credit.

While a penny wouldn’t buy a meal, it still mattered in daily exchanges. In that sense, the humble cent wasn’t just currency—it was a measure of the ordinary moments in the Old West.

(The following prices aren’t exact for every town.)

Everyday Small Goods

• Stick of candy – 1¢ to 2¢
• Handful of penny candy – 1¢ to 3¢
• Matches (single or small bundle) – 1¢ to 5¢
• Lead pencil (cheap) – 1¢ to 3¢
• Sheet of writing paper – 1¢
• Envelope – 1¢ 

---

Food Staples (small amounts)

• Cup of coffee (in a town shop or counter) – 5¢
• Hard biscuit or roll – 1¢ to 3¢
• Small piece of cheese – 3¢ to 10¢
• Salt pork (small cut) – 5¢ to 15¢
• Beans (by the scoop) – 3¢ to 10¢

---

Tobacco & Personal Goods

• Chewing tobacco (pinch or plug slice) – 2¢ to 10¢
• Pipe tobacco (small measure) – 5¢ to 15¢
• Basic soap bar – 3¢ to 10¢
• Simple handkerchief – 5¢ to 15¢

These were small comforts, but they were part of everyday life in a cash-poor frontier economy.

Resources:

https://web.archive.org/web/20161017224536/http://www.coins.nd.edu/ColCoin/ColCoinIntros/Fugio.intro.html

https://web.archive.org/web/20140701221227/http://hlrc.com/articles/09132013.pdf

The Wild West of Nicknames ~ D. K. Deters

Names didn’t carry much weight in the Old West, but reputations did. More often than not, a reputation earned a man a new name to match.

I wanted to do something fun this month, so I decided to explore nicknames in the Old West. The following information is based on historical accounts of frontier life and naming practices.

Some nicknames served a practical use. Communities often sprang up fast in mining camps or cattle towns, and several men may have been named “John”. A nickname like “Red,” “Slim,” or “Texas Jack” instantly identified who you meant.

The West drew folks who wanted to reinvent themselves and leave their pasts behind. One way to do this was to create a new identity that fit their reputation better than their given name. One desperado, Harry Alonzo Longabaugh, became known as The Sundance Kid.

In just a few words, “Silent Bill” or “Mad Dog” could tell a story, reflecting personality, appearance, or reputation—useful in rough places where first impressions mattered.

Storytelling, newspapers, and dime novels loved colorful names. Think of Henry McCarty, better known as Billy the Kid, or William H. Bonney. A good nickname traveled faster than a plain one.

Literacy levels varied, and record-keeping wasn’t always consistent. Nicknames helped identify individuals whose names varied in spelling over time.

In the Old West, nicknames were not only plentiful but also useful for recognition, reinvention, and storytelling—where they mattered a great deal.

Would you have recognized these names?

Butch Cassidy (Robert Leroy Parker)

Kid Curry (Harvey Logan)

Black Bart (Charles E. Boles)

Big Nose George (George Parrott)

Curly Bill (William Brocius)

Rustling Bob (Roscoe Bryant)

Little Britches (Jennie Stevenson)

Cattle Annie (Anna Emmaline McDoulet)

Doc Holliday (John Henry Holliday)

Buffalo Bill (William Frederick Cody)

The “Tin Kitchen” ~ D. K. Deters

A pan of biscuit dough rests inside a small tin oven, propped carefully in front of the flames. There is no stove, no kitchen—only ingenuity and necessity. For many early settlers, this simple device, known as a reflector oven, made baking on the frontier possible.

While browsing the Internet for information about cooking tools early settlers used, I happened upon the reflector oven. Curious, I had to learn more.

The portable tin reflector oven appeared in America during the second half of the 1700s. Also known as a “tin kitchen” or “tin oven,” it was likely adapted from European open-hearth cooking. These ovens were typically made of tinplate or sheet iron and had three enclosed sides, with the fourth side left open to face the fire. They came in various sizes, depending on what the user wants to cook.

During Westward Expansion, the reflector oven was ideal for settlers, traders, and soldiers because it only required a campfire. With it, the cook could bake breads and cakes on the trail.

By the mid-1800s, reflector ovens were a standard part of rural American homes, and their design became more refined. Innovations included folding sides, multiple racks, and polished interiors to improve heat reflection and usability.

The tin kitchen represents the resourcefulness of early American settlers. This oven was especially popular in Appalachia, the Midwest frontier, and logging and mining camps.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, as cast-iron stoves became more widely available, reflector ovens fell out of everyday household use. However, they never fully disappeared. Today, their continued use by campers and backpackers connects modern outdoor enthusiasts with early American traditions.

Based on historical sources about early American cooking tools.

https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object/nmah_309723

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reflector_oven

https://www.nps.gov/places/beol_kitchen.htm

Long John Dunn: King of Taos ~ D. K. Deters

The Old West was full of hardened outlaws with tough stories. Many tried to leave their pasts behind, but few succeeded. Long John Dunn, nicknamed for his towering six-foot-four frame, became a legend.

Born in 1857 in Victoria, Texas, Dunn grew up in poverty. After his father’s death, he hired out on a couple of farms, then headed west to work as a cowboy and trail driver, earning a reputation as a skilled marksman.

Around 1885, he stepped into a violent quarrel to defend his sister from her abusive husband. During the scuffle, Dunn’s brother-in-law struck him. Dunn swung back. The man fell, hit his head on a hitching rail, and died. Dunn was handed a life sentence in the Texas State Penitentiary.

Transferred to a prison farm, he received a smuggled file, sawed through his leg irons, and escaped by jumping into a nearby river and floating to freedom. On the run, he eventually reached Mexico.

After a stint as a smuggler and a gambler, Dunn returned to Texas. He entered a rodeo, but one of the horses he’d sold to pay his entry fee turned out to be stolen property, which led to his second arrest. As a judge was about to sentence him, Dunn stepped forward, leapt through a window, and rode off on another stolen horse. A friend helped him to enter the New Mexico Territory.

By 1887, he’d made his way to Taos Valley, where he became an entrepreneur, gambler, and transportation pioneer. In Taos, he opened four saloons, a gambling hall, and a livery stable. He bought the bridges spanning the Rio Grande, and after floods destroyed them, he built a new toll bridge. Dunn operated stagecoach and mail routes and later purchased one of Taos’s first automobiles, launching a taxi service as the town modernized.

Though a professional gambler, Dunn became a respected community member. People liked him despite his flaws. Folks described him as a “lovable rascal” with a sharp tongue and broad humor. He became a local legend known as Juan Largo de Taos and as the King of Taos.

Texas never forgot his prison escape, but in 1942, the Texas governor granted him a pardon.

Long John Dunn died on May 21, 1953, at the age of ninety-six. The outlaw who once leapt through a courtroom window and rode out of town on a stolen horse was laid to rest as one of Taos’s most colorful and respected citizens.

Resources:

Long John Dunn of Taos: From Texas Outlaw to New Mexico Hero by Max Evans

John Dunn: The Man and His Legacy by Cindy Brown

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/72943405/john_harris-dunn

https://discovertaos.com/john-dunn/

https://johndunnshops.com/

A French Star and the Frontier ~ D. K. Deters

On the American frontier, theater wasn’t some fancy Eastern luxury imported for elite tastes. It was a vital and popular form of entertainment. By the 1870s and early 1880s, most established towns like Dodge City, Tombstone, Deadwood, Virginia City, and Cheyenne boasted an opera house or theater.

Smaller towns made do with what they had. Touring companies often performed in saloons, lodges, or rooms converted into stages. Performances were lively, loud, and deeply social affairs. Audiences shouted, laughed, drank, flirted, and argued through the show. In many boomtowns, live theater was more than entertainment. It was proof they were becoming “civilized.”

Touring was the lifeblood of frontier theater. As railroads pushed west, 1881 became a golden year. Eastern and European stars traveled aggressively. One observer put it, “Touring companies followed mining booms and cattle trails like prospectors followed gold.”

Among the most celebrated stars of the 19^th century was Sarah Bernhardt. Born Henriette-Rosine Bernard in Paris in 1844.

Sarah Bernhardt 1844-1923

Mark Twain famously summed up her reputation: “There are five kinds of actresses: bad actresses, fair actresses, good actresses, great actresses – and then there is Sarah Bernhardt.”

Bernhardt organized her own tours of England, the U.S., and Canada. She played Western venues for practical reasons. The money was good and the crowds enthusiastic.

In 1881, Bernhardt appeared to a full house at the Tootle Theatre (also referred to as the Tootle Opera House) in St. Joseph, Missouri. The Tootle Theatre was considered one of the finest theaters west of the Mississippi, with fifteen hundred seats, three balconies, and opulent boxes. Its stage hosted figures as varied as Buffalo Bill Cody, Edwin Booth, and Oscar Wilde.

The Tootle Theatre in St. Joseph, Missouri.

When Bernhardt played Camille in French, the editor of the Atchison Globe, Ed Howe, was in attendance. He recorded the moment with awe and bemusement: “At exactly 8:31 last night, Sarah Bernhardt made her appearance, walking down the centre as though she had but one joint in her body, and no knees. Her dress was of white and costly stuff and cut so low in front that we expected every moment that she would step one of her legs through it.”

Sarah Bernhardt

Many American audiences could not follow her French dialogue, but it didn’t matter. Critics wrote instead about her dramatic stage presence. Her performances became cultural events, bringing European theatrical prestige to towns and cities that rarely saw international stars.

This tour carried her to 157 performances in 51 cities, including New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, and Atlanta. The top price for a ticket was $40, which is about $1,308 today. Box office receipts exceeded $3 million in the 1880s. Her success was such that she returned to the States nine times during her career. Bernhardt passed away in 1923, leaving behind a lifetime of accomplishments.

Cowboy Capital to Ghost Town ~ D. K. Deters

In the early 1800s, Tascosa, Texas, was a campsite beside the Canadian River for hundreds of settlers heading westward. Sheepherders from New Mexico and cattlemen followed this vital crossing into the Texas Plains.

Tascosa School (Courthouse in background)

The town began in 1876, when a blacksmith built a one-room adobe by a creek called Atascosa. Shortly after, more businesses arrived, including a general store, the Exchange Hotel, the Tascosa Pioneer newspaper, and the Equity Bar.

Cowboys standing at bar inside the Equity Bar at Tascosa, Texas.

When local businesses applied for a post office under the name Atascosa, they were told the name was already claimed by a town and county in South Texas, so they dropped the “A” from the spelling.

With the addition of more businesses, the town grew and developed into two sections: Upper Tascosa, home to upstanding citizens, and Lower Tascosa, known as Hogtown, where saloons, dance halls, and soiled doves attracted a crowd.

Back in the day, several well-known ranches existed in the area, including the LS, the KIT, the Frying Pan, and the XIT.  The names of cattle barons Charles Goodnight, John Chisum, and George Littlefield have become legendary. A cattle trail connected Tascosa to Dodge City, and Tascosa soon earned the title “Cowboy Capital of the Panhandle.”

Other famous figures associated with the town include Billy the Kid, Henry Brown, Pat Garrett, and Charlie Siringo, whose names remain intertwined with the Old West.

More than twenty-five people are buried in Tascosa’s Boot Hill cemetery, including four who died from the 1886 “Big Fight at the Jenkins Saloon,” also known as the “Tascosa Gunfight.”

What led to Tascosa’s decline? Several factors over the years played a role, including barbed wire. The Frying Pan Ranch and the XIT fenced in the open range, which blocked cattle trails leading into town. The railroad bypassed the town, further isolating it, and in 1893, heavy rains flooded the Canadian River, destroying most of the buildings.

Tascosa Courthouse

While Old Tascosa is a ghost town, the area is home to Carl Farley’s Boys Ranch. The only sites remaining from Old Tascosa are the courthouse (now a museum), the frame school (converted into a home), and Boot Hill.

Tascosa School

A Marshal, a Bank Robbery, and an Engraved Winchester ~ D. K. Deters

Before signing off for the year, I wanted to provide an update on an article I wrote back in August about one of the Old West’s most complicated figures: Henry Newton Brown. If you missed it, Brown was an outlaw who became a peacekeeper, only to return to his outlaw life again.

Excerpt from Cowboy Kisses: Outlaw Henry Newton Brown

“…by 1882, Brown had made his way to Kansas, and Caldwell officials welcomed him as an assistant city marshal. He was later promoted to marshal. The gunfighter quickly cleaned up the bustling border town. Afterward, the grateful citizens raised his pay to $125 per month and awarded him with an engraved Winchester for restoring law and order.  The inscription read: 'Presented to City Marshal H. N. Brown For valuable services rendered in behalf of the Citizens of Caldwell Kas A. N. Colson Mayor Dec 1882.'

On April 30th, 1884, the marshal, in debt and living beyond his means, returned to his outlaw roots. Joined by his deputy and two outlaw friends, they robbed a bank in Medicine Lodge using the rifle the citizens of Caldwell had given to him. Two people were killed, and his gang was captured. Brown was shot the same day, trying to escape. His gang members were lynched.”

After publishing this article, I couldn’t help but dig a little deeper into the fate of the infamous Winchester—one that symbolized Brown’s rise and his ruin. Today, the 2nd Model 1873 Winchester rests in the Kansas Museum of History (part of the Kansas State Historical Society, KSHS) in Topeka, Kansas. My thanks to Boone Dodson, Museum Curator, for helping me follow the trail and for providing the museum photographs you’ll see below.

The Kansas Museum of History, reopened in November after a three-year renovation, is absolutely worth the stop. If your travels take you through Topeka, put it on your must-see list.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

She's dead broke. And eviction looms. On Christmas Eve antique consultant Madison Knight takes a phone call from local rancher Zach Murdock. Through a mix-up at an estate sale, Madison's company purchased his grandmother's beloved painting. He offers double the money for its return.

Madison risks her job to track down the artwork, but success falls short when she's stuck in a blizzard. Stranded, she seeks help from a frontier family. Are they living off the grid, or did she somehow travel through time?

Zach's the only person who knows her plan. He also knows a secret about his gran's painting. It's up to him to rescue Madison, but maybe he's not cut out to be a hero.

Christmas Once Again is available at these eBook stores:

books2read.com/ebook-Christmas-Once-Again

                                                   

Ambushed, Texas Ranger Jake Fontaine's a dead man until a Kansas spinster raises her shotgun in his defense. Despite the rogue lawman's obsession to bring in his brother's killer, duty demands he escort her to the next town.

Kat Collins is a thief, though an honorable one. She's on the run from controlling kin and aims to escape her past. Traveling with Jake offers the perfect cover—until her uncle finds them sharing a campfire and imposes his own kind of justice—a wedding.

Marriage will cost Jake his freedom, but refusing may cost him his life. Kat figures he's bound to recognize her on a wanted poster. Would sharing passionate nights in his arms be worth the peril?

The Texan's Favor is available at these eBook stores:

books2read.com/The-Texans-Favor

Threads of the Frontier ~ D. K. Deters

My latest research for my current work in progress (WIP) carried me back in time, to the days of frontier weddings held under open skies and the gowns that defined them. I thought you might enjoy a few discoveries from that journey.

On the American frontier, a wedding dress often told a story. It reflected the couple’s means, the season, and a moment of beauty in a harsh world. European fashion influenced styles of the day, but life out West demanded practicality.

        

Figure 1, ca. 1868 

Many brides wore their best dress, in various colors—brown, blue, burgundy, gray, or green. If she were fortunate enough to afford it, the bride might order a special dress that could be worn again for Sunday service or a dance. Among the upper and middle classes, white and ivory grew popular, a symbol of refinement slowly spreading West.

Imported materials were available, but local stores were likely to stock calico, wool, and silk. Brides often added lace collars, ribbons, or small brooches for decoration. Some gowns had detachable trains so the bride could reuse the fabric later, perhaps for a baby quilt.

       

Figure 2, Date: 1872

By the late nineteenth century (1870 to 1889), styles shifted with the rise of the bustle, a pronounced, graceful fullness at the back of the skirt. You’ll see a clear difference when comparing Figure 1 to Figures 2, 3, and 4. The bustle style reflected Victorian ideals of femininity and marked one of the most recognizable silhouettes in fashion history.

        

Figure 3, Date: 1879        

      

Figure 4, Date: 1881

For fun, I've added a wedding parasol (Figure 5). The late nineteenth century marked the height of the parasol’s popularity. Considered both essential and fashionable, it was a must for outdoor weddings. A bride’s parasol, often made of fine materials such as silk or lace, could reveal her wealth and social status.

Figure 5, ca.1890

In every gown and accessory lived the hopes and dreams of women forging their futures on the frontier.

Resources:

The MET - Public Domain