Now Available: Dusty Trails of the Old West Anthology

Now available from Dusty Trails Books;

Dusty Trails of the Old West Anthology.

The Anthology is 88 pages of stories of the wild west

Paperback Edition

$14.99 

(Includes shipping)

Payment

 

Jesses James Wins 3 to 1 by G.C. Stevens

     Note the card on the right, this is known as the "guerilla photo" and is widely recognized as  a confirmed photo Jesse James.

All photos taken by the Author 

*Location: I-35 SB, on the Iowa/ Missouri Border. 

With the weather getting better, from sub zero temps to 55 degrees here in central Iowa. I decided to take a short road trip into Missouri. Just off I-35 on the Missouri Iowa border is a great visitor center with an on duty receptionist. This visitor center is packed wall to wall with travel tourist booklets and brochures. I took a few minutes looked around for stuff on historical sites and civil war battle fields.  Missouri played an important part in the war. As did other historical events.  But I found that once you entered Missouri,  you were in Jesse James Territory. After looking the visitor center room, I found that most historic sites but one brochure.  And Jesse James had three, each for different sites. Jesse's Birthplace, the Jesse James Bank Museum  and the his home in St. JO Where he was killed.

Jesse James : Kin folk by G.C. Stevens

                             The following information was provided by Patrick Meguiar. 

                                       William Martin 

                     Was a Confederate, and he helped (Cousin) Jesse James with 

                                       training his horses He was a 2nd cousin 

                              of Robert Sallee James who was Jesse's father. 

                                 

 

Jesse James and The Great Train Robbery ebook. By G.C. Stevens

      A revised and edited ebook now available on Lulu.com

              -  Jesse James and the Great Train Robbery-

                                                   By

                                           G.C. Stevens

                                  Edited by Holly Michaels

$7.75

 Jesse James and the Great Train Robbery

The Dragoon Trail Epitaph

 Greetings Lawman and Outlaws. I've given our news letter a new title.  "The Dragoon Trail Epitaph." Please feel free to share this page.

Dusty Trails of the Old West Anthology; By G.C. Stevens

 

INFORMATION COMING SOON 

Dusty Trails Anthology

Cattle Annie and Little Britches, Lady Outlaws of Oklahoma. By G.C. Stevens

 

Cattle Annie and Little Britches

Photo from A pictorial history of the Wild West Crown Publishers 1955

Once upon a time in the rugged landscapes of the Oklahoma Territory, where the law was as wild as the land itself, there roamed two notorious outlaws known far and wide as Cattle Annie and Little Britches. Cattle Annie, whose real name was Anna McDoulet, was a fiery young girl with a sharp wit and an even sharper tongue. Born in Oklahoma, she grew up hearing tales of the notorious Bill Doolin and his Wild Bunch, which fueled her dreams of adventure. She was barely in her teens when she decided to join the outlaws, drawn by the thrill of the outlaw life and the freedom it promised. Little Britches, or Jennie Stevenson, was Annie's partner in crime. Younger but equally daring, Jennie was known for her diminutive size and her penchant for wearing oversized britches, hence the nickname. She was an orphan who found kinship with Annie; together, they became an inseparable duo, notorious for their escapades in rustling cattle and running messages for the outlaws.

The two girls met in a small, dusty town where the wind whipped through the streets, carrying whispers of lawlessness and freedom. They bonded over their shared love for the outlaw life, quickly becoming known for their audacity. They would disguise themselves as boys, sneaking into cattle pens to cut out the best steers, which they'd then guide to waiting outlaws who would take the cattle across state lines.

Annie and Jennie weren't just horse thieves or cattle rustlers; they were also lookouts and informants, gathering intelligence on lawmen movements. Their youthful appearances often led people to underestimate them, which they used to their advantage, slipping through the cracks of society where no one expected trouble from children. But their luck couldn't last forever. As the law began catching up with the Wild Bunch, the heat also turned on Annie and Jennie. Marshal Bill Tilghman, known for his relentless pursuit of Doolin's gang, eventually set his sights on these young outlaws. Their capture was as much a matter of legend as their deeds; Tilghman, with his cunning, managed to corner them in a barn, where they were finally arrested.

They would later be featured in a film created by Lawman Bill Tilghman, in his film creation, "The Passing of the Oklahoma Outlaws" made in 1915.

  The passing of the Oklahoma Outlaws. found on youtube

Despite their crimes, there was a certain charm to these young girls, a kind of Robin Hood spirit in the wild west. Their story captured the imagination of many, blending the lines between villainy and the romanticized life of an outlaw. They were sentenced to reform school rather than prison, a testament to their youth and perhaps a nod to the wild spirit of the times. After their release, the stories of Cattle Annie and Little Britches diverged. Annie married, took up a quiet life away from her past, though the tales of her youth lingered in local lore. Jennie, however, faded into history, her later life less documented, but the legend of Little Britches lived on in the tales of the Old West.

Their story, a blend of history and myth, serves as a reminder of a time when the lines between law and lawlessness were as blurred as the horizon over the Oklahoma plains, where two young girls could become legends in their own right.

Passing of the Oklahoma Outlaw; The Story of Lawman Bill Tilghman BY G.C. Stevens

 

        Lawman Bill Tilghman  from the Authors Collection. 

The Legacy of Bill Tilghman: A True Lawman of the American West.  

In the annals of American frontier history, few figures loom as large as Bill Tilghman, a name synonymous with the Wild West's transition from lawlessness to civilization. Known for his roles as a lawman, deputy U.S. Marshal, and even a film director, Tilghman's life story is a fascinating blend of action, justice, and the inevitable march of progress.

Early Life and the Call to Law Enforcement

Born on July 4, 1854, in Fort Dodge, Iowa, Tilghman's early years were shaped by the very environment of the frontier. His idolization of legendary lawman Wild Bill Hickok set the stage for his own career in law enforcement. By the age of 24, Tilghman had already become a full-time lawman, first serving as a deputy sheriff in Dodge City, Kansas, a notorious hotspot for outlaws and gamblers. His time in Dodge City was marked by his reputation for being both fearless and fair, traits that would define his career. Tilghman's most notable period came when he joined forces with fellow lawmen.

The Three Guardsmen 

Tilghman joined Heck Thomas and Chris Madsen, forming what became known as the "Three Guardsmen." Operating out of Fort Smith, Arkansas, under the stern eye of Judge Isaac Parker, known as "The Hanging Judge," they were tasked with bringing order to the lawless Indian Territory. Their mission was monumental: to capture or kill some of the era's most dangerous outlaws, including members of the Doolin gang. Tilghman's contribution was pivotal in tracking down and capturing several notorious members, significantly reducing crime in the area.

After the territories became more settled, Tilghman did not rest on his laurels. He continued his law enforcement career in various capacities, eventually becoming the Sheriff of Lincoln County in Oklahoma. However, his life took an unexpected turn when he ventured into silent films, directing and starring in "The Passing of the Oklahoma Outlaws" in 1915, which was a dramatized account of his own experiences. This film not only served as an entertainment piece but also as a historical document of the time.

Tilghman's 1915 film

A Tragic End

Tilghman's life ended abruptly and tragically on November 1, 1924, at the age of 70. While serving as City Marshal in Cromwell, Oklahoma, he was shot by a corrupt law enforcement officer named Wiley Lynn, who was later acquitted of the crime. The incident underscored the dangers lawmen faced, even in a supposedly "tamed" frontier. 

According to another source, Tilghman was shot on Halloween night, 1924, and died in the early morning of November 1st, 1924, Cromwell Town Marshal and legendary Old West lawman Bill Tilghman was shot outside of a cafe called "Ma Murphy's", by the corrupt prohibition agent Wiley Lynn. Tilghman died in the early morning hours of the first of November.   Tilghman had been brought in to help bring the town under control. One month later the town of Cromwell was torched, with every brothel, bar, flop house and pool hall burned to the ground, allegedly by friends of Tilghman. There was no investigation into the massive fire, and Cromwell never recovered its former wild status, or size. According to a video produced by the videographer / Vlogger Jerry Skinner, Lawman from around the state, converged on Cromwell and burned the town down.

Legacy and Influence

Bill Tilghman's legacy is multifaceted. He was not just a lawman but also a symbol of the Old West's evolution into the modern United States. His stories, whether through his own films or the countless books and movies inspired by his life, keep the spirit of the West alive. Historians and enthusiasts alike remember Tilghman for his bravery, his dedication to justice, and his role in shaping the narrative of the American West.

Tilghman's life was more than just the pursuit of outlaws; it was about the pursuit of order, peace, and the establishment of law in places where chaos reigned. His contributions to law enforcement in the Oklahoma Territory paved the way for Oklahoma's statehood in 1907, marking the end of an era and the beginning of another.

In reflecting on Tilghman's life, one can't help but appreciate the complexity of a man who lived through one of the most transformative periods in American history, embodying the transition from the lawless frontier to a structured society. His story, filled with action, bravery, and a commitment to justice, remains a captivating chapter in the epic saga of the American West.

References

Marshal Bill Tilghman: The Truth behind the Movie (Jerry Skinner Documentary) - YouTube

Cromwell, Oklahoma - Wikipedia

Bill Tilghman – Long Term Lawman – Legends of America

About the Cowboy by G.C. Stevens

 Underneath the wide brimmed hat, Sits a man where the tumbleweeds roam, With a heart as vast as the prairie flat, And a spirit that calls the West his home. He rides with the dawn, his horse and he, Through canyons of rust where the echoes play, and cactus bloom, Chasing the dreams that are wild and free, Under the endless, starlit sky. His spurs jingle with every step, A melody of freedom, wild and true, He's a poet of the plains, a sage of the steppe, and a gunslinger of olde, With stories as old as the hills. He sings of love lost to the wind's cruel jest, Of cattle drives and the lonesome trail, Of nights by the fire, where he found rest, And the coyote's howl, a mournful wail. So here's to the cowboy, six gun packin, with his lariat and song, To the life he chose, so rugged and bold, May his legend live long, may his spirit belong, To the vast, untamed stories the West wild and free.

GC Stevens 

Dusty Trails Anthology Book update

 

Book update; Over the past year, I've been working a new book, which is compilation of some of my previous works. My book called "Dusty Trails of the Old West Anthology" was edited by Holly Michaels and  I'm trying to publish the book through Publisher "The History Press" The book is an anthology of western themed stories, both fact and fiction. Chapter one is called "The Train Robbery That Shook the Nation" Which is the true story of the first train robbery in the west which was committed by Jesse James and his gang here in Iowa. It tells the story and details about that famous robbery. Chapter two is called "The Gunfighters, Luke Short and Charley Storms. Which is a true story of another gunfight incident that occurred in the wild city of Tombstone Arizona. Chapter three is called" The Lawmen; Dodge City and Ford County, Kansas which talks about the lawman of the western cow-towns. The last chapter is a fictional account based upon a true story and perhaps the truth about the death of the infamous outlaw Johnny Ringo, it's called," Ten Eycke Chronicles Who Killed Johnny Ringo?" I'm hoping to have the book published by this summer.

Gene (Dragoon Trail Bob)