AMS 105- American West: Images and Identities
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AMS 105- American West: Images and Identities |
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Famous People of the West
The American West produced many fictional, legendary and real men and women derived from the Native American and pioneer experiences from 1600 - 1900. Various online sources feature profiles and biographies. In some cases it has been revealed that a person and or events may have been totally made up. In other cases the 'real story' may not be well known is more compelling than the fictional story we know. A few years ago the US Postal Service issued a commemorative sheet of stamps called 'Legends of the West'. One stamp depicting Bill Pickett, a famous African American cowboy was in error and had to be changed. The sheets with the error are worth quite a bit.
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Here is a list of famous people who had a significant role in our memories of the 'Old West' based upon their deeds and character as it influenced images. This list focuses on those that lived in the 19th century and some are provided with a more detailed link profiling their role and contributions.
| NAME | CONTEXT | ROLE |
| James Capen "Grizzly" Adams | 1812-1860 | Captured grizzly bears for show and pets. Favorite was "Ben" |
| James Pierson (Jim) Beckwourth | 1800-1866 | Born a slave in VA went West as a Mountain Man and lived with the Crow. Discovered Beckwourth Pass in 1850. Scout for Chivington's CO Vol at Sand Creek 1864. Died w/ the Crow |
| William Bent | 1809-1869 | Trapper/Trade; w/ brother Charles estab. Bent's Fort 1833 on Ark. R. (La Junta, CO) Friends with Arapaho and Cheyenne. Married Owl Woman and had five children. |
| "Buffalo Bill"/ William F. Cody | 1846-1917 | Soldier, bison hunter and showman. Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show was the most popular and influential show of its kind. |
| James/Jim "Old Gabe" Bridger | 1804-1881 | Mt. Man, Army Scout (Great Salt Lake, Bridger Pass, Oregon Trail) |
| Margaret Tobin/ "Unsinkable" Molly Brown | 1867-1932 | Leadville, CO struck it rich w/ husband, Denver philanthropist, survived the sinking of Titanic 1912 |
| Sitting Bull/ Tatanka Yotanka | 1831-1890 | Lakota/Hunkpapa (Sioux), War Chief, Holy Man, Performed w/ Buffalo Bill |
| Willa Siebert Cather | 1873-1947 | Pioneer settler, novelist: Pioneers and My Antonia! |
| Christopher "Kit" Carson | 1809-1868 | Trapper, guide, army Scout, w/ J.C. Fremont 1846 B. of San Pasqual |
| Ellen "Nellie" Cashman | 1845-1925 | CA Gold Rush prospector, nurse, Business woman in Tombstone, AZ, Klondike Gold Rush 1898 |
| Cochise/ K'uu-ch'ish | 1815-1874 | Chiricahua Apache hereditary chief, helped Butterfield Overland Mail Route |
| John Colter | 1774-1813 | Scout/explorer, Lewis and Clark Exp. 1804-06, explored Yellowstone area, War of 1812 |
| Gen. George Crook | 1828-1890 | West Point 1852, Civil War, Paiute Wars, Sioux Wars and Apache Wars |
| Natawista Culbertson | 1825-1895 | Blackfeet, married A. Culbertson of Am. Fur Co. , Diplomat, interpreter |
| LTC George Armstrong Custer | 1839-1876 | West Point 1858, Civil War, Indian Wars, KIA B. of Little Bighorn June 25, 1876 |
| Wyatt Earp | 1848-1929 | Teamster, miner, buffalo hunter, lawman, U.S. Marshall. Gunfight at the O.K. Corral 1881 |
| Mary Fields | 1832- 1914 | Born a slave, maid to Ursuline Sisters, stagecoach driver/ US mail service |
| John C. Fremont | 1813-1890 | Explorer, soldier, Bear Flag Revolt/Mex.-Am. War 1846, 1st candidate for Rep. Party for US Pres |
| Geronimo/ Goyathlay | 1829-1909 | Bendonkohe Apache, Medicine Man to Naiche of Chiricahua, POW 1886-1906 |
| Charles Goodnight | 1836-1929 | Cattle rancher, Goodnight-Loving Trail |
| James Butler "Wild Bill" Hickok | 1837-1876 | Scout, gambler stagecoach driver, lawman, murdered in Deadwood, SD |
| Crazy Horse/ Thasunka-uito | 1840-1877 | Lakota/Oglala Sioux, War leader, Holy Man, murdered at Ft. Robinson, NB |
| Sam Houston | 1793-1863 | Soldier, Statesman, War of 1812, Pres. of the Rep. of Texas |
| Mary Jane "Calamity Jane" Canary-Burke | 1852-1903 | Frontier woman, prostitute, scout; Deadwood, ND |
| Chief Joseph/Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt | 1840-1903 | Nez Perce, Chief/leader, POW 1877-1890 |
| William Bonney "Billy the Kid" | 1859-1881 | Outlaw, cattle rustler |
| Manuel Lisa | 1772-1820 | Fur trader, explorer, Indian Agent, St. Louis Missouri Fur Co. ; supplied Lewis and Clark Exped. |
| Kitty LeRoy | 1850-1878 | Gambler, shootist, saloon owner, prostitute; murdered 1878 |
| William Barclay "Bat" Masterson | 1853-1921 | Buffalo hunter, scout, lawman in Dodge City w/ Earp |
| Gen. Nelson A. Miles | 1839-1925 | Civil War, Plains and Apache Wars, Spanish Am. War |
| Phoebe Ann Mosey/Annie Oakley | 1860-1926 | Sharpshooter, B. Bill 's Wild West |
| William/Bill Pickett | 1870-1933 | Cowboy, rodeo performer and champion |
| Zebulon M. Pike, Jr. | 1778-1813 | Soldier, explorer of LA Purchase area of S. Rockies |
| Pope' | 1630-1688 | Tewa Pueblo leader and Holy Man, started Pueblo Revolt of 1680 |
| John Wesley Powell | 1834-1902 | Soldier, explorer, geologist; Civil War, Grand Canyon explorer, started and head of USGS |
| Delia Hackett Rawson | 1861- 1949 | Stagecoach driver (at age 14) for Wells Fargo/US Mail in CA |
| Sacajawea | 1788-1812? | Shoshoni, Scout/guide for Lewis and Clark Expedition |
| Jedediah Strong Smith | 1799-1831 | Mt. Man, explorer in CA and Oregon |
| Myra M. Shirley/ "Belle Starr" | 1848-1889 | Outlaw/ "Bandit Queen" |
| John Sutter | 1803-1880 | Pioneer, CA gold rush, trader: Sutter's Fort |
| Bill Tilghman | 1854-1924 | Buffalo hunter, scout, lawman |
| Laura Wilder | 1867-1957 | Pioneer, author of "Little House On the Prairie" series |
| Sarah Winnemucca Hopkins/Thocmentony | 1841-1891 | N. Paiute, educator, reformist and writer |
| Jack Wilson/Wovoka | 1856-1932 | N. Paiute, visionary: Ghost Dance |
| Brigham Young | 1801-1877 | Religious leader to Utah for LDS Church, "American Moses" |