Western Lawman. Born in Hartford, Kentucky, he was brother to James, Morgan and Wyatt Earp. After serving in the Union Army during the Civil War, he was a freighter-teamster in Prescott, Arizona and was Deputy Marshal at Tucson, 1870 to 1879. In 1880, he was elected City Marshal of Tombstone and recruited brothers Wyatt and Morgan as special deputy policemen. Due to the crimes against townspeople and local farmers, the Earp family came into conflict with two families, the Clantons and the McLaurys, who were selling stolen livestock known as the Cowboys. The rising tension led to the fight at the O. K. Corral, October 26, 1881, resulting in Cowboy deaths and Virgil being wounded. In a supposed revenge attempt, December 28, 1881, Virgil was shotgun shot and severely wounded which permanently crippled his left arm. On March 18, 1882, his
brother Morgan was killed in another ambush by unknown assailants. Still recovering, Virgil and the Earp family left for Colton, California. Despite the use of only one arm, he was hired as an agent for Southern Pacific Railroad and was elected as Colton's first City Marshal serving 1887 to 1890. For the rest of his life he traveled in various western states and died of pneumonia at Goldfield, Nevada.
brother Morgan was killed in another ambush by unknown assailants. Still recovering, Virgil and the Earp family left for Colton, California. Despite the use of only one arm, he was hired as an agent for Southern Pacific Railroad and was elected as Colton's first City Marshal serving 1887 to 1890. For the rest of his life he traveled in various western states and died of pneumonia at Goldfield, Nevada.
Western Lawman. Born in Hartford, Kentucky, he was brother to James, Morgan and Wyatt Earp. After serving in the Union Army during the Civil War, he was a freighter-teamster in Prescott, Arizona and was Deputy Marshal at Tucson, 1870 to 1879. In 1880, he was elected City Marshal of Tombstone and recruited brothers Wyatt and Morgan as special deputy policemen. Due to the crimes against townspeople and local farmers, the Earp family came into conflict with two families, the Clantons and the McLaurys, who were selling stolen livestock known as the Cowboys. The rising tension led to the fight at the O. K. Corral, October 26, 1881, resulting in Cowboy deaths and Virgil being wounded. In a supposed revenge attempt, December 28, 1881, Virgil was shotgun shot and severely wounded which permanently crippled his left arm. On March 18, 1882, his
brother Morgan was killed in another ambush by unknown assailants. Still recovering, Virgil and the Earp family left for Colton, California. Despite the use of only one arm, he was hired as an agent for Southern Pacific Railroad and was elected as Colton's first City Marshal serving 1887 to 1890. For the rest of his life he traveled in various western states and died of pneumonia at Goldfield, Nevada.
brother Morgan was killed in another ambush by unknown assailants. Still recovering, Virgil and the Earp family left for Colton, California. Despite the use of only one arm, he was hired as an agent for Southern Pacific Railroad and was elected as Colton's first City Marshal serving 1887 to 1890. For the rest of his life he traveled in various western states and died of pneumonia at Goldfield, Nevada.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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In Loving Memory of my Husband
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