The Okie Legacy

Saturday, 5 June 1999 - Issue #9

Memories at Boot Hill
(Ancestors, Drifters, Troublemakers & Unknowns)

It isn't everday that Oakie finds possible ancestral lead at a famous Boot Hill Cemetery in Dodge City, Kansas. This Memorial weekend I had the opportunity to search a famous cemetery for a link to an alleged ancestor that was buried at Boot Hill.

We arrived in Dodge around 6:00PM with two hours to spare before they closed at 8:00PM. I walked out into what was left of the original NW Corner of the graveyard. I glanced to the left. The first marker that I spotted stuck out and grabbed my attention with the following inscription, "A buffalo hunter by name of 'McGill' who amused himself by shooting into every house he passed. He won't pass this way again. He died March 1873."

The first thing we saw when we drove into Dodge City on hwy. 400 were the "Boot Hill Museum & Exhibits". This "Old Buffalo (Longhorn) Town" was winding down it's celebration of the "Annual Cowboy Heritage Festival" for the third straight year on May 29 & 30, 1999 held at the Boot Hill Museum Complex, Dodge City, Kansas (http://trails.net/dgcity/cowboyfestival.html).

According to a "Boot Hill Museum Publication" written by Darleen Clifton Smith, there were thirty-four (34) drifters, troublemakers and unknowns buried between 1872 and 1878. Most of those drifters and troublemakers were buried with their boots on. Hence, the name "Boot Hill".

The publication also states that Dodge City had no established cemetery of it's own and only those with money and families were buried at the Fort Dodge Cemetery. All the other drifters, troublemakers and unknowns were buried west of town on a hill covered in buffalo grass, prickly pear and soapweed. There were no markers, no ceremonies and wolves would come along later and dig up the graves.

If you get a chance to walk through the remaining section of the Boot Hill cemetery, these are some of the other names that you will find on the engraved markers. Maybe one of these drifters and unknowns could be an ancestor of yours and add some character to your family tree.

Surnames represented on the other markers scattered throughout the NW Corner included the names of J. M. Essington, Barney Cutten, Edward Hurley, Charles "Texas" Hill, Edward Williams, McDermott, John Wagner and Alice Chambers.

Alice was supposedly the only woman buried on Boot Hill and the last burial May 1878. Casey (friend of Ed Hurley) killed McDermott February 1873. Wagner died of wounds from a shootout with Ed Masterson. Dodge City "Vigilance Committee" killed "Texas Hill" and Ed Williams in a dance hall February 1873. Cutten (railroad employee) and Hurley was killed during a shooting spree in the saloon January 1873. The cook shot Essington (carpenter and part owner of the Essington Hotel) November 1872.

Today only the original NW Corner of the cemetery exists with wooden markers engraved from documented 1873 newspaper stories of those that died during 1872 through 1878. It remains as a symbol of our heritage. Wooden markers are the only reminders of those drifters, troublemakers and unknowns who had passed through Dodge City between 1872-1878. In 1879 the City Council ordered the remaining bodies to be removed to make room for a 3rd ward school. In 1916 most of Boot Hill was excavated to make room for a city swimming pool.

Every community has a Boot Hill of unknowns and drifters. On the East End of Main Street in Freedom (small, rural Cow Town of in NW Oklahoma) there is a "Freedom Boot Hill" just next to the jail and the U. S. Marshal's office.

Speaking of Freedom, Oklahoma - Plans are currently underway for the 62nd Annual Freedom Rodeo and Old Cowhand Reunion to be held August 19-21, 1999. Y'all Come and experience the "Biggest Little Rodeo" in Northwest Oklahoma!

Fig. 1 - Freedom Boot Hill, Freedom, Oklahoma, June 1999

Fig. 2 -Freedom Jail, Freedom, Oklahoma, June 1999.

Fig. 3 - Freedom Boot Hill, looking SE, Freedom, Oklahoma, June 1999.

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