Wild Bill Hickok Gained Fame in Deadwood, But Roots in Illinois

Few people became more famous during the Wild West era than Wild Bill Hickok, but he began his life on a small farm in Illinois.

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When my wife was researching our family tree and tracing our connections back to the original John Henry "Doc" Holliday, I learned some interesting wild west history along the way. Wild Bill Hickok's roots in Illinois were among them.

Wikipedia says that he was born James Butler Hickok on May 27, 1837 in Homer, Illinois which is near Troy Grove. Wild Bill stayed there on the farm until he was 18 years old when he decided to head west to pursue adventures reportedly fleeing the law after a gunfight went bad.

During the mid to late 1800's, Wild Bill Hickok entered a variety of occupations, some legal and others...questionable. The "Wild" part of his nickname was well-earned as he because a stagecoach driver and eventually a lawman. His fame would come from his incredible marksmanship and his gambling activities. The latter would eventually lead to his demise.

Wild Bill Hickok versus a Bear

With every legend comes exaggerated tales, but most are at least rooted in some truth. One story about Wild Bill Hickok contained both. Grunge shared the story of how he came upon a cinnamon bear sow with cubs while driving a stagecoach. He is said to have gotten off the stagecoach, approached the bear and shot it. The problem is the bullet bounced off of the bear's skull enraging it causing the sow to attack him. While Wild Bill suffered major injuries from the scuffle, he is said to have killed the bear with a knife. Or, at least that's the story he told which may or may not have been completely truthful.

Wild Bill Hickok would meet his end in Deadwood, South Dakota on August 2, 1876 shot at point blank range by Jack McCall after a poker game gone bad. Virtually everyone that has a passion for wild west history knows that fact. Not as many remember that his roots began way back on a small Illinois farm.