Gunslingers / Outlaws

Infamous tales of survival and courage from the Wild West exposing little-known facts about America’s first villains and heroes.

Gunfighter and gunslinger historically refer to men in the American Old West who had gained a reputation of being dangerous with a gun and had participated in gunfights and shootouts. Gunman was a more common term used for these individuals in the 1800s.

Gunfighters ranged from different occupations including lawman, outlaw, cowboy, exhibitionists and duelist, but are more commonly synonymous to a hired gun who made a living with his weapons in the Old West.

Often, the term has been applied to men who would hire out for contract killings or at a ranch embroiled in a range war where they would earn "fighting wages."

Others were notorious bandits, and still others were lawmen like Pat Garrett and Wyatt Earp.

A gunfighter could be an outlaw, robber or murderer who took advantage of the wilderness of the frontier to hide from genteel society and to make periodic raids on it.

The gunfighter could also be an agent of the state, archetypically a lone avenger, but more often a sheriff, whose duty was to face the outlaw and bring him to justice. There were also a few historical cowboys who were actual gunfighters, such as the Outlaw cowboy gang who participated in the bloody Skeleton Canyon Massacre.

  • John Hicks Adams (1820–1878)
  • Robert Clay Allison (1840–1887)
  • Burt Alvord (1866–??)
  • Charlie Anderson (1844–1868)
  • David L. "Billy Wilson" Anderson (1862–1918)
  • Cullen Baker (1839–1869)
  • Nick Barkley (1860–1915)
  • Seaborn Barnes (1849?–1878)
  • Richard H. "Rattlesnake Dick" Bartar (1833–1859)
  • Sam Bass (1851–1878)
  • "Queen" Ann Bassett (1878–1956)
  • Charlie Bassett (c.1847–1896)
  • Josie Bassett (1874–1964)
  • Tom Bell (1825–1856)
  • Jules Beni (??–1861)
  • John Billee (??–1890)
  • William "Tulsa Jack" Blake (c.1859–1895)
  • Thomas Hamilton Blanek {1861-1895}
  • Dan Bogan (1860–??)
  • Charles "Black Bart" Bolles (1829–??)
  • William H. "Billy the Kid" Bonney (1859-1881)
  • N. K. Boswell (1836–1921)
  • Joaquin Botellier (??-??) (member of the Five Joaquins gang)
  • Charlie Bowdre (1848–1880)
  • William Brazelton {?-1878}
  • Richard M. "Dick" Brewer (1850-1878)
  • William "Curly Bill" Brocius (c.1845–1882)
  • William L. "Buffalo Bill" Brooks (c.1832–1874)
  • Henry Newton Brown (1857–1884)
  • Rufus Buck (??–1896)
  • John Bull (1836–1929)
  • Laura "Della Rose" Bullion (a.k.a. "The Rose of the Wild Bunch") (1876–1961)
  • Seth Bullock (Marshal) (1849-1919)
  • Frederick Russell Burnham (1861–1947)
  • Charlie "Dutch Charley" Burris (??–1881)
  • Reuben "Rube" Burrow (1856–1890)
  • Frank M. Canton (a.k.a. Josiah Horner) (1849–1927)
  • "Laughing" Sam Carey (a.k.a. Laughing Dick Carey) (??–??)
  • Joaquin Carrillo (??-??) (member of the Five Joaquins gang)
  • William "News" Carver (1868–1901)
  • Butch Cassidy(1866–1908)
  • Jose Chavez y Chavez (1851–1924)
  • Ned Christie (1852–1892)
  • Billy Claiborne (1860–1882)
  • Billy Clanton (1862–1881)
  • Ike Clanton (1847–1887)
  • Archie Clement (1846-1866)
  • "Dynamite" Dan Clifton (1865–c.1896)
  • Theodore Clifton (1844–1868)
  • Frank Coe (1851-1931)
  • George Coe (1856-1941)
  • Chunk Colbert (??–1874)
  • Shotgun John Collins (1851–1922)
  • George Contant (1864-?), brother of John Sontag
  • Scott Cooley (1845–1876)
  • Brack Cornett (1859–1888)
  • Gregorio Cortez (1875–1916)
  • Juan Cortina (a.k.a. "The Red Robber of the Rio Grande") (1824–1894)
  • "Longhair" Jim Courtright (1848–1887)
  • George "Flatnose" Curry (1864–1900) (not to be confused with George Manuse a.k.a. "Big Nose George Parrott")
  • Kid Curry
  • Bob Dalton (1868–1892)
  • Emmett Dalton (1871–1937)
  • Gratton "Grat" Dalton (1861–1892)
  • William M. Dalton (1866–1894)
  • John Daly (1839–1864)
  • Pancho Daniel (??–1858)
  • Ben Daniels (1852-1923)
  • Roy Daugherty (a.k.a. Arkansas Tom Jones) (1870–1924)
  • Jackson "Diamondfield Jack" Davis (1879–1949)
  • Capt. Jonathan R. Davis 
  • Pat Desmond (1842–1890)
  • Charles "Pony" Diehl (??–??)
  • Cornelius "Lame Johnny" Donahue (1850–1879)
  • Bill Doolin (1858–1896)
  • Mart Duggan (1848–1888)
  • Rose "Rose of the Cimarron" Dunn (1879?-1953?)
  • William B. Dunn (??–1896)
  • Morgan Earp (1851-1882)
  • Virgil Earp (1843-1905)
  • Warren Earp (1855-1900)
  • Wyatt Earp (1848–1929)
  • Frank "Pistol Pete" Eaton (1860–1958)
  • Chris Evans (1847–1917)
  • Jesse Evans (1853–??)
  • John Fisher "King" (1854–1884)
  • Juan Flores (1834 – 1857)
  • Friedrich "Plug" Fluger (a.k.a. "Colonel Fluger") (??–c. 1868)
  • Charles Wilson "Charley" Ford (1857–1884)
  • Robert Newton Ford (1862–1892)
  • Jim French (??-??)
  • Lige Gardner (c.1846–c.1901)
  • Pliney Gardner (c.1835-1893)
  • Patrick "Pat" Floyd Garrett (1850–1908)
  • John Joel Glanton (1819–1851)
  • Crawford "Cherokee Bill" Goldsby (1876–1896)
  • Dick Gosset (?-1869)
  • John Wesley Hardin (1853–1895)
  • Pearl Hart (c.1871–??)
  • Haskay-bay-nay-ntayl "The Apache Kid" (c.1860–??)
  • Marion Hedgepeth (1856–1909)
  • Boone Helm (a.k.a. "The Kentucky Cannibal") (1828–1864)
  • James "Wild Bill" Hickok (1837–1876)
  • John "Pink" Higgins (1848–1914)
  • Robert Woodson "Wood" Hite (c.1850–1881)
  • Thomas J. "Tom Bell" Hodges (a.k.a. "The Outlaw Doc") (1825–1856)
  • John Henry "Doc" Holliday (1851–1887)
  • Tom Horn (1860–1903)
  • Rufus Henry Ingram (1834–??)
  • John "Red" Irving (?-1851)
  • Frank Jackson (1856–1930?)
  • Frank James (1843-1915)
  • Jesse James (1847-1882)
  • Henry Jerrell (1845–1868)
  • Thomas "Black Jack" Ketchum (1863–1901)
  • Henry "Billy the Kid" McCarty (1859–1881)
  • Ben "Tall Texan" Kilpatrick
  • Jeff Kidder (1875-1908)
  • Sandy King (1852?–1881)
  • John Kinney (1847–1919)
  • Elzy Lay (1868–1934)
  • Buckskin Frank Leslie (1848?–1930?)
  • James Andrew "Dick" Liddil (1829–1905)
  • William Sidney "Cap" Light
  • Pío Linares (??–1857)
  • Harvey "Kid Curry" Logan (1867-1904)
  • "Steve" Long (?–1868)
  • Harry "Sundance Kid" Longabaugh (1863–1908?)
  • "Wild Bill" Longley (1851–1877)
  • Frank Loving (1860-1882)
  • Chris Madsen (1851–1944)
  • George "Big Nose George Parrott" Manuse (a.k.a. "George Warden") (??–1881)
  • Alfred Marlow (1862-1889)
  • Boone Marlow (1864-1889)
  • Charles Marlow (1850-1941)
  • George Marlow (1865-1945)
  • Lewellyn Marlow (????-1889)
  • Martha "Calamity" Jane Keeton Marlow (1827 - 1907)
  • John Mason (??–1866)
  • Bat Masterson (1853–1921)
  • Mysterious Dave Mather (1851–1886?)
  • Benjamin Mayfield (1831–187?)
  • Lucas McCain (1838-1899)
  • Tom McCauley a.k.a. James "Jim" Henry (??–1865)
  • William J. McClosky (????-1878)
  • Sherman McMaster (1853–c. 1892)
  • Frank McNab (??-1878)
  • William McWaters (1844-1875)
  • Bob Meeks (??-1912?)
  • John Middleton (c. 1854–c. 1885)
  • Michael "Texas Tom" Miles (1866–1888)
  • Jim "Killer" Miller (1866–1909)
  • Jeff Davis Milton (1861–1947)
  • Bill Miner (1847–1913)
  • John J. Moore (1847–1868)
  • William "Outlaw Bill" Moore (??–??)
  • Sylvestro "Pedro" Morales (c.late 1850s-??)
  • Jim Murphy (1861–1879)
  • Joaquin Murrieta (c. 1830–1853)
  • L.H. Musgrove (??–1868)
  • George "Bittercreek" Newcomb (1866–1895)
  • Joaquin Ocomorenia (member of the Five Joaquins gang)
  • Tom O'Folliard (c. 1858 — 1880)
  • Edward Capehart O'Kelley (1858–1904)
  • "Cool Hand Conor" O'Neill (1865–1888)
  • Michael "Johnny Behind the Deuce" O'Rourke (1862–1882)
  • Commodore Perry Owens (1852-1919)
  • Tom Pickett (1858–1934)
  • Salomon Pico (1821–1860)
  • Charley Pierce (c. 1866-1895)
  • Thomas Bell Poole (1818 - 1865)
  • Jack Powers (1827–1860)
  • Procopio (c. 1841–c. 1880)
  • Queho (1880–c. 1940)
  • James C. Reed (1845?–1874), husband of Belle Starr
  • Nathanial "Texas Jack" Reed (1862–1950)
  • Bass Reeves deputy U.S. Marshal (1832-1910)
  • Frank Reno (1837–1868)
  • Simeon Reno (1843–1868)
  • William Reno (1848–1868)
  • James "Jim" Riley (1853–??)
  • Johnny Ringo (1850–1882)
  • Porter Rockwell (1813 or 1815–1878)
  • Vincente Romero (??-??)
  • Charles Roseberry (1843–1868)
  • Dave Rudabaugh (1854–1886)
  • Charles L. Ruggles (1870–1892) and John D. Ruggles (1859–1892), the "Ruggles Brothers"
  • Yginio Salazar (1863-1936)
  • Ab Saunders (1851-1883)
  • George Scarborough (1859-1900)
  • John Scroggins (??-??)
  • Doc Scurlock (1849–1929)
  • John Selman (1839–1896)
  • Luke Short (1854–1893)
  • Cyrus Skinner (??–1864)
  • George "Reelfoot Williams" Skinner (??–1856)
  • Jack Slade (1831-1864)
  • Adelbert Denton "Bertie" Slye (1856-1940)
  • Jefferson Randolph "Soapy Smith" Smith (1860–1898)
  • "Tiger Sam" Smith (??-??)
  • John Sontag (1861-1893)
  • Frank Sparks (1841–1868)
  • "Little Bill" Standifer
  • Myra Maybelle Shirley Reed "Belle Starr" Starr (1848–1889)
  • Henry Starr (1873–1921)
  • Tom "Uncle Tom" Starr (1813–1890)
  • Matt "Steiny" Steinmueller (??-??)
  • "Dirty Steve" Stephens (18??-??)
  • Frank Stilwell (c 1856–1882)
  • Charlie Storms (18??-1881)
  • Dallas Stoudenmire (1845–1882)
  • William "Russian Bill" Tattenbaum (1853–1881)
  • Jack Taylor (1884–1887)
  • Heck Thomas (1850-1912)
  • Ben Thompson (1842–1884)
  • Billy Thompson (1845-1897)
  • Tom Threepersons (1889—1969)
  • Bill Tilghman (1854–1924)
  • Harry Tracy (1874–1902)
  • Dangerous Dan Tucker (1849-??)
  • Francisco Ulibarri (??-??) (Comanche Indian)
  • David "Big Dave" Updyke (1830–1866)
  • Joaquin Valenzuela (??–1856) (member of the Five Joaquins gang)
  • Tiburcio Vasquez (1835–1875)
  • Henry Clay “Hank” Vaughan (1849–1893)
  • "Texas" Jack Vermillion (1842–1911)
  • José Doroteo “Pancho Villa” Arango Arámbula (1878-1923)
  • Fred Waite (1853-1895)
  • William "Bronco Bill" Walters (1869–1933?)
  • John Joshua Webb (1847–1882)
  • Richard "Little Dick" West (1860–1898)
  • Henry Clay White (??–1900?)
  • Lucius R. "Dink" Wilson (??-1894)
  • Milt Yarberry (1849-1883)
  • Bob Younger (1853–1889)
  • Cole Younger (1844–1916)
  • Jim Younger (1848-1902)


Article Index:

Billy the Kid (c. 1856-1881)

Billy the Kid was an outlaw who became a legend in the Wild West. While  his real name was actually Henry McCarty, at different times he was known by aliases such as Billy Antrim, Henry Antrim, Kid Antrim, Billy Bonney, William H. Bonney, and the most famous, Billy the Kid.

Burt Alvord (b. 1866–D. After 1910)

Burt Alvord (1867-after 1910), or Albert Alvord, was a lawman and later outlaw of the Old West. He began working as a deputy under Cochise County Sheriff John Slaughter in 1886, but he turned to train robbery about the beginning of the 20th century and escaped  to Central America, where he was last seen about 1910.

Three Fingered Jack Dunlop

Three Fingered JackDunlop was the most famous member of the Alvord-Stiles Gang at the end of the 1800s. They were train robbers.