On one side of the county was the mescalero apache reservation. She watched new mexico modernize and become a state. For decades afterward, she ran a successful cattle ranch. Marshall supposedly received it on march 25, 1878, but how he reacted to it is unknown. It was the largest armed battle of the lincoln county war and the climax of that civilian conflict in the new mexico territory.
We started in standford, the county seat of lincoln county, one of the three original counties formed in 1780 from what was then kentucky county, virginia. County of lincoln, nc official website finding lincoln. On april 1, 1878, bonney and others of the tunstallmcsween gang were laying in wait beside the tunstall store for the county sheriff brady, a murphydolan puppet. Tuesday ritchey and i decided to visit several courthouses in the surrounding counties, particularly looking for marriage bonds, but obtained a few wills in the process, too. A day away was an army fort to keep the indians subdued.
Nora true henn was a fortyyear resident of lincoln, nm and was known as the first lady of lincoln county history. The firefight was interrupted and suppressed by united states cavalry led by lt. Lincoln county, kentucky genealogy familysearch wiki. Home central wisconsin digitization project online collections lincoln county and marathon county historical documents and images. This is an excellent book on the lincoln county war. See more ideas about billy the kids, old west and old west photos. The legend of the lincoln county war in new mexico and its most romantic figure, billy the kid, holds a special place in the history of the american west.
The county is located in the south central area of the state. It includes some corrections, updated biographies of several participants and a new foreword. The feud became famous because of the participation of the criminal henry mccarty billy the kid. In the early 1870s, two men by the names of lawrence. Lincoln county series by sarah jae foster nook book. A documentary history was the most complete look at the new mexico fracas and the legends it spawned, including pat garrett and billy the kid. His encyclopedic coverage can be seen from two vantage points. Chisum was a business associate of alexander mcsween, an influential figure in the lincoln county war. It is said that one of these parties is made up of cattle and horse. The missouri county plat books collection, sponsored by the missouri state library, is a selection of county atlases and plat books from all over the state published from 18751930. Lincoln county, new mexico was once one of the largest counties in the united states and was the setting for a famous feud which lit up the horizon of history. The battle of lincoln, new mexico, was a fivedaylong firefight between civilians that took place from july 1519, 1878 in lincoln, new mexico.
When william escorts the lady emily over the mountains and into lincoln, new mexico, he finds her brother john in a battle for survival in the infamous lincoln. Josiah gordon doc scurlock cowboy gunfighter legends. Other notable participants included sheriff william j. Lincoln county, new mexico, united states britannica. In the shadow of billy the kid university of new mexico press. The real power was held by a couple of irish partners, j. Susan mcsween and the lincoln county war, by richard w. During the 1870s a group of merchants and their allies, kn. University of missouricolumbia ellis library special.
Fueled by greed, propelled by religious and racial prejudice, inflamed by liquor and firearms, the war was a struggle to the death for the economic domination of a region where both sides saw. This book will expand the knowledge of the ardent enthusiast as well as the accomplished historian. It began with accusations of cattle rustling and escalated to. Clown william and the lincoln county war a reluctant 1870s gunslinger with tourettes and a quick draw. A cowboy, gunfighter, and founding member of the regulators during new mexicos lincoln county war, scurlock began his life as the sixth of 11 children in tallapoosa county, alabama. Lincoln county was created from wilkes county on february 20, 1796 by an act of the general assembly and was named for general benjamin lincoln 17331810 of revolutionary war fame. Lincoln county, tennessee genealogy familysearch wiki. Fueled by greed, propelled by religious and racial prejudice, inflamed by liquor and firearms, the war was a struggle to the death for the economic domination of a region where both sides saw enormous opportunity for acquiring wealth. Soon, another man named john riley also entered into the business. He was born on january 11, 1850 to priestly norman scurlock and esther ann brown.
On the trail of billy the kid in lincoln county, new mexico. Guns of the lincoln county war hardback or cased book. This murder of tunstall started a spree of revenge killings to be known as the lincoln county war. They owned a giant mercantile store in the town known as the house. This book was a finalist for the new mexico book coop history book of the year. The lincoln county war was an old west conflict between rival factions which began in 1878 in new mexico territory, the predecessor of the state of new mexico, and continued until 1881. Heritage of lincoln county, by the lincoln county heritage book committee. But in guns of the lincoln county war the reader will learn the facts about the firearms of the period and those weapons used in the epic battle on the rio bonito river in southern new mexico. Originally published in the february 2007 issue of wild west. Lincoln county would know many more questionable killings in the months ahead. Here between 1869 and 1881 were all the explosive ingredients for violence. No recent searches yet, but as soon as you have some, well display them here. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. The legend of the lincoln county war and its most romantic figure, billy the kid, holds a special place in the history of the american west.
Authors who would write about billy the kid or the lincoln county war would always come first to lincoln and visit with nora. Jump ahead nearly 20 years and nolan has updated the book in a revised edition. Lincoln county was one of the first three counties in what would become the commonwealth of kentucky. Clearly, the lincoln county war was not her finest hour, just her best known. I would recommend billy the kid and the lincoln county war to anyone with an interest in the wild west and. They derive from a great variety of sources, such as books, periodicals, vital records, war records, etc. As more settlers moved into the area during the 1770s. See county formations database kentucky land office. Cloth, titles stamped in white on the spine, xvi, 607 pp.
Finding civil war soldiers lincoln county finding lincoln county ancestors. Lincoln county, nm map of cities in lincoln county, nm. Henn arrived in new mexico in 1965 and started researching the lincoln. Publishers weekly at last count there were about 15,000 books on lincoln, not. Long simmering tensions in lincoln county, new mexico, explode into a bloody shooting war when gunmen murder the english rancher john tunstall.
When kentucky county, virginia, was established in 1776, the area the district encompassed was immense and sparsely populated. In the annals of western history, the lincoln county war stands out as a complex and tragic event in which lives were lost, fortunes destroyed, and peaceful citizens transformed into lonely, exiled outlaws. Lincoln county missouri genealogy, history, maps with troy. The legend of the lincoln county war and its most romantic figure. A classic reference work on the era of billy the kid, this fastmoving account brings new meaning to the war and to those individuals who became its victims. The few that were tried in court were all acquitted or pardoned.
Yet, the county has a rich history besides that chapter of lawlessness and violence. The war was propelled by greed, religious and racial prejudice, liquor and firearms and turned out tobe a struggle to the death for the economic domination of a region. This newly published book is a collection of the research of the late nora true henn. Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1914. Revolutionary soldiers of lincoln county, kentucky. Say lincoln county and most wild west aficionados will think war and billy the kid, not necessarily in that order. When billy the kid surrendered to the authorities, he was told he would be charged with the death of. When lew wallace took office as the appointed territorial governor of new mexico on october 1, 1878, he proclaimed an amnesty for all those involved in the bitter feud. Widmers exploration of this historical footnote delivers real depth history buffs will be entertained and enlightened by this unique view of lincoln and the country on the cusp of war. In 1878 a war erupted in lincoln county, new mexico territory.
The lincoln county war was an old west conflict between rival factions which began in 1878 in new mexico territory, the predecessor of the state of new. Known as billy the kid, he fought in the lincoln county war. An informative and historical overview of lincoln county, missouri including two separate books on one cd which include 8 historical maps 1851, 1862, 1899, 1902, 1904, 1911, 1920s and 1929 showing the locations of 42 settlements. Lincoln was in charge of the continental armys southern department and later became president george washingtons first secretary of war. This is the first book to place her in a larger context. The lincoln county war was a conflict between rival cattle barons in 19th century new mexico territory. Combined, these sketches reveal the history of lincoln county, tennessee. When he grew up, he studied medicine for a brief time in new orleans, louisiana where he received his nickname. Lincoln county and its wars by nora henn the dolan house.
Digitized images of 1901 through 1916, 1922, and 1923 are available at the internet archive text archive. History of the lincoln county war maurice g fulton in the annals of western history, the lincoln county war stands out as a complex and tragic event in which lives were lost, fortunes destroyed, and peaceful citizens transformed into lonely, exiled. The town of lincoln was settled in 1849 and became the county seat when lincoln county was established in 1869. The town was the centre of the lincoln county war 1878, fought between rival merchants for economic domination. Most people think of billy the kid and the lincoln county war when lincoln county, new mexico is mentioned. The county was named for major general benjamin lincoln, an officer in the american revolutionary war.
Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. Philip sheridan, a civil war hero, observed that the population of that section is divided into two parties, who have an intense desire to exterminate each other. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. Stanford for animated maps illustrating kentucky county boundary changes, rotating formation kentucky county boundary maps 17761939 may be viewed for free at. It gives an indepth description of the principal people, places and incidents of the war. In later life, elkins moved to west virginia, became secretary of war. Lincoln county, new mexico, tells its stories, edited by marilyn burchett, lincoln county historical society publications, lincoln, n. Out of all the men who killed during the lincoln county war, the kid was the only one to ever be convicted and punished. Book overview many biographical and genealogical sketches of lincoln county ancestors have been collected and presented here.
The legend of the lincoln county war and its most remantic figure, billy the kid, holds a special plae in the history of the american west. Lincoln county and marathon county historical documents and images previous. Find them by typing north carolina directories into the search box. Contributing institutions include the kansas city public library missouri valley special collections. The lincoln county war meet your next favorite book.