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Details
EARP, Wyatt Berry Stapp (1848-1929).
Farmer, section hand, buffalo hunter, horse thief, saloon keeper, gambler, bunko artist, law officer, prospector.
WYATT EARP'S FIRST BADGE
Autograph endorsement signed ("W.S. Earp"), on the verso of a partly printed document signed, and apparently completed in autograph by another relation, N.P. Earp (probably not the father) as Justice of the Peace, Lamar, Missouri, July 22, 1870, being a subpoena. 2 pages, recto and verso, oblong octavo, a little rough at some edges, but quite fresh and fine overall. The recto of the document deals with the witnesses to be served in a case, while the verso provides that said witnesses were indeed served. Loyd [sic] Brummett Hatfield, and three others are herewith commanded as witnesses to appear before the elder Earp on July 22, 1870, in the matter of Missouri v.s. Theodore Edwards, Samuel Jones, and Joseph Graham. Wyatt writes: "I have served the within Subpoena upon the within Names Herein mention by Reading the same to them this July 22, 1870. W. S. Earp Constable". The item is also docketed and lists the Justice and Constable fees. Accompanying the lot is a certification of authenticity signed by Charles Hamilton, and dated August 18, 1996.
Because of the widely variant versions of his career, no more controversial character can be found in Western lore than Wyatt Earp. His father, N.P. was a wandering frontiersman who named this son after his Mexican War Company commander, Captain Wyatt Berry Stapp. He moved his family from Missouri to Iowa to California and back. It was in Lamar at the time this, ostensibly earliest Earp document extant, was written that Wyatt got his first job with the law. The family later drifted into Kansas, and Texas (in Griffin, Texas he met 'Doc' Holliday), Nevada, New Mexico, and eventually Arizona where the brothers along with Holliday settled in Tombstone. It wasn't long before bad blood started with the McLaury's and Clantons. Some chroniclers suggest the feud began because they were infringing on the Earp's moonlighting activities. But more likely it was because all the brothers were involved with the law, and the McLaury/Clanton faction were decidedly of the opposite temperment.
What was destined to become the most famous shootout in the history of the old West, began with an incident the night before. Virgil was in a card game with Ike Clanton, Tom McLaury and two other men, when a dispute arose. Deputy Marshal Earp drew his gun, clubbed Clanton with the barrel and dragged him off to night court. By the next day matters had reached the point of no return. Wyatt approached McLaury, pulled his gun and challenged him to a fight. McLaury declined, in response to which Wyatt slapped him, then clubbed him to the ground with the 12-inch barrel of his Buntline Special. Next, Virgil along with his 'deputies', Morgan, Wyatt, and 'Doc' Holliday, came face to face with Ike and Billy Clanton, the McLaury brothers and Billy Claiborne outside the O.K Corral. Sheriff John Behan tried to stop what followed, but no one paid attention. Virgil ordered the other men to throw up their hands, and Morgan opened fire, shooting Billy Clanton. Wyatt drew his gun and shot Frank McLaury. After that firing became general. Ike Clanton fled with Billy Claiborne through an adjacent photography studio, but when the shooting stopped Billy Clanton and both McLaury brothers were on the ground dead or dying. Of the Earp party, Virgil, Morgan and 'Doc" were all wounded. Only Wyatt was unshot. The Earp's were arrested and acquited. But in revenge violence, Morgan was murdered, and Virgil nearly killed in an ambush. After that Wyatt and 'Doc' Holliday went on their own spree eliminating many of the others' associates.
Provenance: Ronald J. Atlas collection.
Farmer, section hand, buffalo hunter, horse thief, saloon keeper, gambler, bunko artist, law officer, prospector.
WYATT EARP'S FIRST BADGE
Autograph endorsement signed ("W.S. Earp"), on the verso of a partly printed document signed, and apparently completed in autograph by another relation, N.P. Earp (probably not the father) as Justice of the Peace, Lamar, Missouri, July 22, 1870, being a subpoena. 2 pages, recto and verso, oblong octavo, a little rough at some edges, but quite fresh and fine overall. The recto of the document deals with the witnesses to be served in a case, while the verso provides that said witnesses were indeed served. Loyd [sic] Brummett Hatfield, and three others are herewith commanded as witnesses to appear before the elder Earp on July 22, 1870, in the matter of Missouri v.s. Theodore Edwards, Samuel Jones, and Joseph Graham. Wyatt writes: "I have served the within Subpoena upon the within Names Herein mention by Reading the same to them this July 22, 1870. W. S. Earp Constable". The item is also docketed and lists the Justice and Constable fees. Accompanying the lot is a certification of authenticity signed by Charles Hamilton, and dated August 18, 1996.
Because of the widely variant versions of his career, no more controversial character can be found in Western lore than Wyatt Earp. His father, N.P. was a wandering frontiersman who named this son after his Mexican War Company commander, Captain Wyatt Berry Stapp. He moved his family from Missouri to Iowa to California and back. It was in Lamar at the time this, ostensibly earliest Earp document extant, was written that Wyatt got his first job with the law. The family later drifted into Kansas, and Texas (in Griffin, Texas he met 'Doc' Holliday), Nevada, New Mexico, and eventually Arizona where the brothers along with Holliday settled in Tombstone. It wasn't long before bad blood started with the McLaury's and Clantons. Some chroniclers suggest the feud began because they were infringing on the Earp's moonlighting activities. But more likely it was because all the brothers were involved with the law, and the McLaury/Clanton faction were decidedly of the opposite temperment.
What was destined to become the most famous shootout in the history of the old West, began with an incident the night before. Virgil was in a card game with Ike Clanton, Tom McLaury and two other men, when a dispute arose. Deputy Marshal Earp drew his gun, clubbed Clanton with the barrel and dragged him off to night court. By the next day matters had reached the point of no return. Wyatt approached McLaury, pulled his gun and challenged him to a fight. McLaury declined, in response to which Wyatt slapped him, then clubbed him to the ground with the 12-inch barrel of his Buntline Special. Next, Virgil along with his 'deputies', Morgan, Wyatt, and 'Doc' Holliday, came face to face with Ike and Billy Clanton, the McLaury brothers and Billy Claiborne outside the O.K Corral. Sheriff John Behan tried to stop what followed, but no one paid attention. Virgil ordered the other men to throw up their hands, and Morgan opened fire, shooting Billy Clanton. Wyatt drew his gun and shot Frank McLaury. After that firing became general. Ike Clanton fled with Billy Claiborne through an adjacent photography studio, but when the shooting stopped Billy Clanton and both McLaury brothers were on the ground dead or dying. Of the Earp party, Virgil, Morgan and 'Doc" were all wounded. Only Wyatt was unshot. The Earp's were arrested and acquited. But in revenge violence, Morgan was murdered, and Virgil nearly killed in an ambush. After that Wyatt and 'Doc' Holliday went on their own spree eliminating many of the others' associates.
Provenance: Ronald J. Atlas collection.