355:. In the fall of 1870, a man named Charles Kennedy was being held in the local jail in Elizabethtown, accused of going mad and suspected in the disappearance of several strangers and his own son. A mob, led by Allison, broke into the jail, took Kennedy from his cell, and hanged him. When Kennedy's house was later searched, the bodies of those missing (including his son), were found. Allegedly, Allison cut off the man's head and carried it in a sack for 29 miles (47 km) to Cimarron, where he placed it on display on a pole in front of the St. James Inn. He believed himself fast with a gun, but this changed when he was outdrawn in a friendly competition with Mason Bowman. Bowman and Allison became friends, and Bowman helped Allison to improve his 'fast-draw' skills.
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398:. During their meal, Colbert suddenly drew his pistol and attempted to shoot Allison; however, the barrel of his gun struck the dinner table, allowing Allison to quickly draw his own revolver. He fired one shot, which struck Colbert in the head. Asked afterward why he had accepted a dinner invitation from a man likely to try to kill him, Allison replied, "Because I didn't want to send a man to hell on an empty stomach." Allison's reputation as a gunman grew, as did his notoriety.
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340:– story relates that a corporal from the 3rd Illinois Cavalry arrived at the Allison family's farm with the intention to seize it. After a confrontation and the breaking of his mother's vase (which had been an anniversary present to her from his father), Allison took a rifle from the house and killed the man. Whatever the reason, Clay Allison, along with his brothers Monroe and John, and sister Mary and her husband (Lewis Coleman), soon moved west.
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713:; Note: this report may be simply a legend, as the 3rd Illinois Cavalry officially had one officer killed in action (1863 at Vicksburg) and seven other officers who died from non-combat causes. Also, although the regiment was in Tennessee in 1864-65, the only enlisted men killed were from skirmishing. The regiment was not in Tennessee postwar – as it was mustered out in October 1865.
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told the
Allisons they needed to surrender their pistols, as an ordinance made it illegal to carry weapons inside the town limits. When the Allisons refused, Constable Faber left. He deputized two men and returned with them to the saloon. When the posse stepped inside, someone yelled, "Look out!" The
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circuit-rider. The mob hanged the man from a telegraph pole near
Cimarron. On November 1, Vega's family members, led by his uncle Francisco Griego, began making threats of revenge. They went to the Lambert Inn (now the St. James Hotel), where they confronted Allison and accused him of taking part in
312:'s artillery battery. Three months later, however, he was medically discharged due to an old head injury hindering his ability to serve. On September 22, 1862, Allison re-enlisted, this time in the 9th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment, where he served under the Confederate "Wizard of the Saddle," General
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Clay
Allison died on July 1, 1887. He was hauling a wagon load of supplies when the load shifted, and a sack of grain fell from the wagon. Allison fell from the wagon as he tried to catch it, and a wagon wheel rolled over him, breaking his neck. He was 45 years old. Allison was buried the next
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confronted
Allison and his men in a saloon, and that Allison backed down before them. However, Masterson was not in town at the time and there is no evidence the encounter ever took place. Earp did not make his claim until after Allison's death. According to contemporaneous accounts, a cattleman
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the lynching. Griego reached for his revolver but
Allison was faster and shot Griego twice, killing him. On November 10, Allison was charged with the murder of Griego, but after an inquiry, the charge was dropped and the shooting was ruled self-defense.
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constable and his men promptly opened fire. John
Allison was hit three times (in the chest, arm, and leg). Clay Allison fired four shots, one of which killed Faber. The two deputized men fled. Both Allison brothers were arrested and charged with
394:, where they sat down together for dinner. Colbert had quarreled with Allison years earlier, as Allison had physically beaten Colbert's uncle, Zachary Colbert, when he tried to overcharge Allison for a ferry ride across the
268:. A drunken Allison once rode his horse through town nearly naked—wearing only his gunbelt. Later most reports stated that he was dangerous not only to others but to himself, accidentally shooting himself in the foot.
479:, had witnessed the incident and left a written account. Siringo's account relates that it was McNulty and Beeson who ended the incident; He further wrote that Earp had not even approached Clay Allison that day.
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In a special ceremony held on August 28, 1975, Clay
Allison's remains were re-interred at Pecos Park, just west of the Pecos Museum. His grave marker (which has the incorrect birth date of 1840), reads:
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Clay and his wife had two daughters: Patti Dora
Allison (born August 9, 1885; Cimarron, New Mexico), and Clay Pearl Allison (born February 10, 1888; Pecos, Texas — seven months after her father's death).
370:, Texas. While riding, Allison came upon a small family home being besieged by Indians. After his request for assistance from the U.S. cavalry was denied, he personally collected a group of ranchers and
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was the deputy marshal at the time. One time, several cowboys working for
Allison were purportedly mistreated by the local marshal's office. Earp and his biographer both claimed Earp and friend
690:; Parsons, Chuck; 1983; p. 2; Quote: "It is frequently reported that Clay Allison was born in 1840. A family Bible says, however, that 'Robert C. Allison was born on September 2nd, A.D. 1841.' "
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260:. Allison had a reputation for violence, having survived several one-on-one knife and gunfights (some with lawmen), as well as being implicated in a number of
386:, who was known to have already fought and killed seven men by this time. After first racing their horses, Colbert and Allison entered the Clifton House, an
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A second marker was later placed at the foot of the grave (see above); with the added phrase: "He never killed a man that did not need killing".
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Allison was born on
September 2, 1841. He was the fourth of the nine children of Jeremiah Scotland Allison and his wife, Mariah Ruth (
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Allison maintained his ranch from 1880 to 1883 with his brothers, John and Jeremiah. Their ranch was 12 miles northeast of
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In Mobeetie, on February 15, 1881, Allison married America Medora "Dora" McCulloch (of Sedalia, Missouri).
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minister who raised cattle and sheep to support the family. Allison helped on the family farm near
906:; Santa Fe Trail Research; text: "In June 1875 Griego had killed a soldier and wounded two others"
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to mount a rescue party. They charged at the Indians and killed one of them before the rest fled.
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Once back home, Allison was involved in several violent confrontations. A popular – possibly
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This article is about the gunfighter. For the 1980s band with an alias of the same name, see
324:—along with Forrest's men—on May 4, 1865 (at the war's end). After briefly being held as a
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979:; format: Adobe Acrobat *.PDF document; Western Outlaw online; retrieved December 2015
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244:(September 2, 1841 – July 1, 1887) was a cattle rancher, cattle broker, and sometimes
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By 1883, Allison had sold his ranch and moved to Pope's Wells (a landmark along the
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In March 1877, Clay Allison sold his ranch to his brother, John. He relocated to
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At one point on October 31, 1878, Allison was entangled in a small skirmish with
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Clay Allison of the Washita: First a Cowman and then an Extinguisher of Bad Men
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U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Gageby Creek, Texas
430:, but the charges were dismissed as the constable had initiated the gunfight.
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446:, where he established himself as a cattle broker. When he first arrived in
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Rasch, Philip J., "Chunk Colbert, Clay Allison Dined, Chunk Died."
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An additional tombstone placed at Allison's grave in Pecos, Texas
450:, on business, his reputation had preceded him. Dodge City was a
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796:"Charles Kennedy – Old West Serial Killer – Legends of America"
371:
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DeMattos, Jack, "Gunfighters of the Real West: Clay Allison,"
471:), convinced Allison and his cowboys to surrender their guns.
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1860 US Census; Wayne County; Tennessee; p. 197; family #1347
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crossing of the Texas-New Mexico line (50 miles northwest of
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In December 1876, Allison and his brother, John, rode into
762:; Legends of America online; accessed December 2015; p. 2
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941:; Legends of America online; accessed December 2015; p.1
630:"New Mexico Bad Boy – Clay Allison – Legends of America"
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Some sources cite 1840 as Clay Allison's year of birth.
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Kelsey, Harry E., Jr. "Clay Allison: Western Gunman,"
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True Story of Clay Allison and Wyatt Earp, Dodge City
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1110:
872:; Legends of America online; accessed December 2015
56:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
1081:, Seagraves, Texas: Pioneer Book Publishers, 1983.
927:; Legends of America; accessed December 2015; p. 4
688:Clay Allison: Portrait of a Shootist – a Biography
382:On January 7, 1874, Allison killed a gunman named
1171:"He never killed a man that did not need killing"
1000:; Legends of America; accessed December 2015; p.5
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475:, a cowboy at the time, but later a well-known
206:His violence, and for being implicated in many
1098:Rasch, Philip J., "Sudden Death in Cimarron."
1227:People of Tennessee in the American Civil War
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1084:Parsons, Chuck, "Clay Allison, Vigilante,"
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840:"Clay Allison: 'Good-Natured Holy Terror'"
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304:On October 15, 1861, he enlisted with the
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116:Learn how and when to remove this message
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1067:, New York: New American Library, 1961.
1053:. Attica, Indiana: G.M. Williams, 1922.
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765:
1232:People from Colfax County, New Mexico
434:Alleged confrontation with Wyatt Earp
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1187:Gunslingers of the American Old West
1079:Clay Allison: Portrait of a Shootist
838:Cunningham, Sharon (July 30, 2013).
647:
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54:adding citations to reliable sources
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1072:Brand Book of the Denver Westerners
655:Encyclopedia of Western Gunfighters
195:Cattle rancher, cattle broker, and
16:Texas cattle rancher and gunfighter
13:
1237:People from Hemphill County, Texas
1065:The Life and Death of Clay Allison
546:, showing the incorrect birth year
495:and Gageby Creek in what was then
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1222:People from Waynesboro, Tennessee
1212:Confederate States Army personnel
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280:Brown) Allison. His father was a
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658:. University of Oklahoma Press.
417:, where they stopped at a local
401:On October 30, 1875, during the
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518:), purchasing a ranch near the
41:needs additional citations for
1242:People from Dodge City, Kansas
1160:Works by or about Clay Allison
1095:, Vol. II, No. 4, Winter 1976.
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1:
1247:Road incident deaths in Texas
1217:People from Sedalia, Missouri
1202:People from American folklore
1102:, Vol. X, No. 4, Spring 1986.
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542:Tombstone of Clay Allison in
421:. Constable Charles Faber of
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758:September 29, 2007, at the
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343:In the New Mexico towns of
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969:The Allison Clan – A Visit
885:; retrieved December 2015.
881:"Revenge Tech" (episode);
442:, and eventually moved to
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491:, at the junction of the
392:Colfax County, New Mexico
378:Notoriety as a gunfighter
229:Jeremiah Scotland Allison
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923:August 16, 2007, at the
800:www.legendsofamerica.com
634:www.legendsofamerica.com
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292:began, enlisting in the
1169:Footstone which reads:
463:named Dick McNulty and
306:Confederate States Army
221:Medora "Dora" McCulloch
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516:Goodnight–Loving Trail
501:Hemphill County, Texas
314:Nathan Bedford Forrest
238:Robert A. Clay Allison
151:Robert A. Clay Allison
966:Cunningham, Sharon;
814:"Robert Clay Allison"
652:O'Neal, Bill (1991).
553:
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497:Wheeler County, Texas
286:Waynesboro, Tennessee
165:Waynesboro, Tennessee
1137:at Wikimedia Commons
415:Las Animas, Colorado
316:. He surrendered at
252:. He fought for the
50:improve this article
477:Pinkerton detective
362:during the ongoing
264:jail break-ins and
210:jail break-ins and
1207:American cattlemen
996:2007-08-15 at the
975:2007-09-27 at the
902:2011-07-16 at the
868:2007-07-18 at the
710:Illinois Civil War
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469:Long Branch Saloon
448:Dodge City, Kansas
300:American Civil War
1146:Handbook of Texas
1133:Media related to
1031:The Second Marker
1015:Handbook of Texas
782:Handbook of Texas
665:978-0-8061-2335-6
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444:Hays City, Kansas
440:Sedalia, Missouri
403:Colfax County War
353:Colfax County War
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231:Mariah Ruth Brown
161:September 2, 1841
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1164:Internet Archive
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1121:Biography portal
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844:. Retrieved
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822:. Retrieved
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732:. Retrieved
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592:9th TENN CAV
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465:Chalk Beeson
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242:Clay Allison
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184:Pecos, Texas
178:(1887-07-01)
176:July 1, 1887
132:Clay Allison
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106:January 2022
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48:Please help
43:verification
40:
1197:1887 deaths
1192:1841 births
724:"Cryptmag2"
520:Pecos River
507:Family life
452:cattle town
423:Bent County
390:located in
318:Gainesville
308:in Captain
254:Confederacy
21:Opal (band)
1181:Categories
824:2016-01-30
734:2011-03-15
616:References
596:JUL 3 1887
594:SEP 2 1840
563:Cemetery.
456:Wyatt Earp
338:apocryphal
272:Early life
246:gunfighter
197:gunfighter
157:1841-09-02
76:newspapers
1143:from the
1086:Real West
1058:Real West
1012:from the
1010:John Pope
842:. History
779:from the
598:GENTLEMAN
407:Methodist
360:Comanches
290:Civil War
266:lynchings
262:vigilante
258:Civil War
226:Parent(s)
212:lynchings
208:vigilante
994:Archived
973:Archived
921:Archived
900:Archived
866:Archived
756:Archived
567:Tributes
345:Cimarron
250:Old West
1162:at the
1074:, 1957.
777:Allison
559:day in
372:cowboys
322:Alabama
256:in the
90:scholar
1148:Online
1017:Online
784:Online
662:
454:, and
419:saloon
218:Spouse
186:, U.S.
167:, U.S.
92:
85:
78:
71:
63:
896:Oliva
561:Pecos
534:Death
499:(now
483:1880s
97:JSTOR
83:books
848:2015
660:ISBN
590:CO F
347:and
173:Died
147:Born
69:news
587:CSA
526:).
388:inn
366:in
278:née
52:by
1183::
957:^
798:.
767:^
743:^
642:^
632:.
320:,
1035:.
1033:"
1029:"
850:.
827:.
802:.
737:.
668:.
636:.
159:)
155:(
119:)
113:(
108:)
104:(
94:·
87:·
80:·
73:·
46:.
23:.
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