James Butler Hickok was born on May 27, 1837 in Troy Grove, Illinios. His family were baptists who had very high expectations of James. His parents helped smuggle slaves out of the south in the Underground Railroad. This is how Jame's obsession with guns and the wild west really came through. He and his father were suspected of being apart of the Underground Railroad and were chased by officers of the law. He began target practice on wildlife around their farm. His love for the wildwest, his father didn't agree with to well. Jame's father was killed when James was 14 about his beliefes about slavery.When James turned 17 he got a job as a towpath driver, and a year later he got a job driving a stage coach in Kansas on the Oregon Trail. While in Kansas James met William Cody, whose show called, Buffalo Bill Wild West, would later have major fame. James made quite the reputation for himself while a stage coach driver. He would fight off anything that came along. Later James got a job as a peace officer in Kansas, he also had many different jobs after this one. While working in Nebraska James met David McCanles. McCanles often picked on James for various reasons. McConles had his eye on this one particular girl, Sarah Shull, who James started dating. An angry McConles brought some buddies with him to where James worked to do "business." Words were exchanged and McConles and his friends ended up dead. James was not charged because it was self defense. This was called the "McConles Massacre."
Bill entered the Union army as a scout and wagon master. While in the army he obtained his name, "Wild Bill." While in the army Bill became really good friends with General George Custer. He went in and out of the army and later obtained a lawful position in a city. After having many fights and not doing a very good job he was basically fired. He later joined the show business. He met up with his old friend William Cody and they started a show. Bill got bored and sloppy at his job and quit and then he got married. He later ran away and met Calamity Jane, they shared the same stories of heavy drinking and wild times, they hit it off. Bill was still a gambler and had on particular incident where the man he beat wasn't too happy. Bill had played Jack McCall who he easily beat, and took most of Jack's money. Jack saw Bill sitting in his regular seat playing pocker the next day. Jack had been drinking and went up to Bill and shot him in the back of the head. When Bill died he was holding a pair of eights, and a pair of Aces, which since then is known as the "dead man's hand." Bill had said over the years he had first hand killed over 100 people, so he went down as a national legend.
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