It is a brand New Year, and a brand new chance to do better; to improve ourselves. Let's make some new resolutions that we are actually able to keep.
We have several extremely interesting articles this month: Chuck Connors 1991 speech, 100+ Rare photos from the past 100 years, the Jail Tree, my standard "Call to Action" on the wildlife protection front, and others. These took a lot of work to provide here. I hope you enjoy them.
I just came in contact with a wonderful man from Patriot Mobile. This company goes a long way in helping our veterans. For those of you who are tired of the garbage our current cell phone carriers cause us, this is the company for you. If you are interested, contact Ruben Diaz (PatriotMobile.com) or you can reach him at 817-318-8165. It will be well-worth your time. Make sure you mention Robert Lanthier when you speak to Ruben.
~Charles P. Scott
FEATURED ARTICLE
Wild Horse in Oregon Killed During Illegal Roundup
~William E. Simpson II
It's really heart-breaking and disappointing that a beautiful protected American wild horse was needlessly killed by the BLM during its illegal roundup during the D.C. Court's delay. And what message does the Court's delay in this matter send to the law students in this case as to timely justice?" said Deb Ferns, president of Wild Horse Fire...
SPECIAL ARTICLE
Chuck Connor's Speech
~provided by Debbie Peters & Louise Barr
In 1991, Chuck Connors was inducted into the "Western Hall of Fame" at Oklahoma City's "National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum." Here is the speech he gave at the event...
Texas Ranger Captain Frank Jones had guts—nobody questioned that. He had fought outlaws for decades, bringing an untold number to justice (and a few to a bloody end). But that courage eventually led to his death on June 30, 1893.
Jones, 37 at the time, had been a Ranger for 20 years and was well respected by all. He and a detachment of four Rangers (accompanied by a young Tejano man) were looking for members of the Bosque Gang along the Mexican border. The outlaws had...
Billy the Kid's First Kill
~History.com Editors
Though only a teenager at the time, Billy the Kid wounds an Arizona blacksmith who dies the next day. He was the famous outlaw’s first victim. Just how many men Billy killed is uncertain.
Billy himself reportedly once claimed he had killed 21 men—“One for every year of my life.” A reliable contemporary authority estimated the actual total was more like nine: four on his own and five with the aid of others. Other western outlaws of the day were far more deadly. John Wesley Hardin...
Rare Moments
~~Riley Brown
Photographs often serve as a visual memory bank. They have emotional and sentimental significance. From the viewpoint of an artist, photography can depict the world in a new light with a fresh perspective. Other times, it can perfectly capture a pivotal memory or moment of historical significance.
Above all else, photographs help us record events for later review. They help connect the past to our present and future. We hope that the historical gallery we have prepared for you today will help you learn something new...
Western actor John Wayne was in for quite the change of scenery when Clint Eastwood stepped onto the scene. They will forever be compared for the type of movies they made and the characters they played within the same genre. However, there was one role that Wayne admitted he made a “terrible mistake” rejecting that ultimately went to Eastwood. That role would make its mark on the world of...
The 200 Year Old Jail Tree
~David Goran
A place to keep captured outlaws seems like a pretty important thing to have, especially given how notoriously lawless the West was. In the 19th century there wasn’t any jail in the town of Wickenburg, Arizona until 1890, so outlaws were chained to this large Mesquite tree instead; until they could be transported out of town. The now-200-year-old mesquite tree, which is located right in the center...
John 'Liver-Eating' Johnson
~The Wild West Facebook Group
John "Liver-Eating" Johnson was a mountain man in the very best traditions of the Old West. Born John Jeremiah Johnston, Johnson lived a very full life. He started off as a sailor, but his seafaring career ended after he floored his commanding officer while enlisted in the Navy. At times he was a scout, soldier, gold seeker, hunter, trapper, woodhawk, whiskey peddler, guide, deputy, constable, and log...
In 1991, Chuck Connors was inducted into the "Western Hall of Fame" at Oklahoma City's "National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum." Here is the speech he gave at the event...
