Zelda's journey through Photography!
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Tombstone, AZ
Ok, so the first place we went to was Boot Hill graveyard. Hence why we are doing this gallery a little bit different. I'm going to try to add some of the history along with the pictures as much as I'm able. Just keep in mind, There is a lot of history here, and some of it not very good.
This is legit the sign just before you enter the graveyard. Just something funny before we get into the history.
Now, time to dive into the distant past of the Wild West!
Peter Crawley
Killed 1881
There were soooo many Unknown grave markers here. More than I thought there were going to be.
William Alexander
An old prospector who was fatally injured when a blast went off prematurely
Fred White
Shot by Curly Bill
1880
Marshal Fred White was shot and killed by a group of Five outlaws who were shooting up the town. When Marshal White asked the leader to stop shooting the man walked up to him. The man's gun discharged as Marshall White Grabbed the barrel and pulled it towards him.
The suspect was taken into custody by the legendary Lawman Wyatt Earp and his brothers.
The suspect was acquitted of Marshal White's murder after the Marshal provided deathbed testimony that the shooting was an accident. However the suspect and his fellow gang members were all later shot and killed by Wyatt Earp and his posse.
Marshal White had served in law enforcement for 5 years.
(Text is directly taken from the Boothill Cemetary website. If you want to know more. Click the here!)
There was a lot of info on this one.
Heath helped plan with 5 others the robbery of payroll of the Copper Queen Mine from the gold water and Castaneda stores in Bisbee AZ on Dec. 9, 1883. After the robbery they started firing into the streets killing 3 men and 1 woman. (It was later called The Bisbee Massacre.) It was later found out that a local Saloon keeper named John Heath, was an accomplice to the robbery and tried to send the posse on a false trail. All 5 Men were captured and sentenced to death. John Heath who only helped to plan the robbery and had no other involvement with the killings or the like, was sentenced to long prison term.
The following morning, he was hung by a lynch mob from a near by telephone pole. And a local Doctor put down cause of death as Emphysema of the Lungs. (Lack of Oxygen of the lungs). Self induced or otherwise.
The Link is attached to his name and a fair heads up, viewer discretion is advised when following the link.
This one is kinda hard to see. But that was the best picture I could get.
She died during childbirth from an over dose of chloroform which was given to her by her doctor.
Wasn't that much info on this one. Just what you see on the tombstone.
This was a wide view of the Graveyard as we were making our way through.
Six-Shooter Jim
1885
Couldn't find any info on this one either on the website.
This one was one of the ones I thought was interesting.
George Johnson was hanged on the accusation of stealing a horse when he unknowingly bought the horse from the man who stole it. Despite him pleading he had no prior knowledge the horse was stolen.
After his death, they realized he was telling the truth. The Image I have here is the Current gravemarker, which serves to as the exoneration of George.
Mead
1881
Sudden Death
Mead was found dead in the rear seat of one of the coaches.
Old man Clanton Had moved to Tombstone before Tombstone was built. After the McLaury brothers moved in next door, he became the unoffical leader of the Cowboys, who were engaged in roobing and rustling on both sides of the Mexican border. He was killed in an ambush while driving a herd of cattle. His death was blamed on the Mexican Soldiers but many believe that the Earp posse may have done it as they were believed to be in the area as well when he was killed.
This one is a long one but I will summarize it as best I can without losing the important details.
So Billy Clanton, Tom McLaury, Frank McLaury, and Ike Clanton, were the ones involved with the shooting at the Ok Corral. Ike and Tom were fuming from being pistol whipped by the Earps in separate instances they were spotted by the OK Corral Swearing revenge. The Earps heard of it and with the help of their friend, Doc Holiday, they moved to disarm the Cowboys and arrest them. Billy was the first to move which started the Famous fight at the Ok Corral. Billy Clanton, Frank McLaury, and Tom McLaury are killed in the fight. Doc, Virgil and Morgan Earp are wounded. Leaving Ike Clanton and Wyatt Earp to leave the fight unscathed.
If you want the full version of the fight, you can find the account of the fight here.
Following the Murder of Morgan Earp and the Crippling of Virgil Earp, Wyatt Earp went on a warpath against the cowboys. Wyatt and his posse Killed Stillwell in Tucson on March 20th, 1882.
Two days later they rode into Pete Spencer's woodcutter camp in the Dragoon Moutains. While Spencer wasn't in the camp, Florentino was. Wyatt and his posse shot him repeatedly and left him there. He was later taken to Tombstone to be buried in Boothill Cemetery
Ok, here is another long one. I'm going to do my best to summarize it.
Tom Waters went into the Corrigan's Saloon, where he was met with "good-natured gibes" about the black and blue plaid shirt he was wearing. After a while of drinking he finally got annoyed about the jokes about his shirt threatening to knock out the next person to talk about his shirt again. Well sure enough, E.L. Bradshaw entered the Saloon and mentioned the shirt. True to his word, Waters knocked him out and left the Saloon leaving Bradshaw unconscious on the floor.
Bradshaw later met up with Waters and demanded an explanation. Waters, still drunk and abusive from a day of shirt jokes, responded with a severe verbal attack. Bradshaw in turn, responded by shooting him repeatedly.
Bradshaw stood trial but was later acquitted.
Click on his name for more info!
M.R. Peel Was a young Mining engineer who was shot in his office while working late. Possible suspects for his murder, were Zwing Hunt and Billy Grounds
Legit the sign as we were leaving. I find it interesting that People would take stones from boot hill home. Its a cemetery. So I would leave everything as is. But I guess taking home a rock from Boothill is cursed. I wish hope the Image is clear for you guys as that's the only one I have. But essentially great calamity have befallen those who have taken a rock from the Cemetery.
Just an interesting bird I seen while walking around boot hill!