John Wesley Hardin | Biography, Wild West & Quick-Draw Gunman (2024)

John Wesley Hardin (born May 26, 1853, Bonham county, Texas, U.S.—died Aug. 19, 1895, El Paso, Texas) was the most notorious killer and quick-draw gunman of the Texas frontier. He killed at least 21 men in gun duels and ambushes in the period 1868–77.

Reaching adolescence as the defeated South entered the Reconstruction period, Hardin was virulently antiblack and anti-Yankee and, in 1868 at the age of 15, killed his first man, an ex-slave. From then on he led a life of gunslinging, dueling, gambling, and drinking. In the course of his career he outgunned and killed at least eight Union soldiers and four black policemen pursuing him on various murder charges. Finally, in flight from Texas, he was caught in a Pensacola, Fla., train depot and returned to Austin, Texas, for trial in September 1877. He was sentenced to 25 years at hard labour in the state prison at Huntsville. In 1894 he was pardoned and retired to a peaceful life in Gonzales, Texas, with his three children (the wife whom he married in 1872 had died while he was in prison). He married again but then abandoned his wife and moved on to El Paso, where he began a life of dissipation and thievery. On Aug. 19, 1895, while standing at the bar of the Acme Saloon, he was shot in the back of the head by John Selman, Sr., an El Paso policeman and thief, with whom he had had a long feud. Subsequently tried, Selman was acquitted of murder.

Hardin’s career and exploits were self-advertised in an autobiography published posthumously, The Life of John Wesley Hardin as Written by Himself (1896).

This article was most recently revised and updated by Encyclopaedia Britannica.

John Wesley Hardin | Biography, Wild West & Quick-Draw Gunman (2024)

FAQs

What happened to John Hardin? ›

On Aug. 19, 1895, while standing at the bar of the Acme Saloon, he was shot in the back of the head by John Selman, Sr., an El Paso policeman and thief, with whom he had had a long feud. Subsequently tried, Selman was acquitted of murder.

How tall was John Wesley Hardin? ›

In 1892, Hardin was described as 5.9 feet (1.8 m) tall and 160 pounds (73 kg), with a fair complexion, hazel eyes, dark hair, and wound scars on his right knee, left thigh, right side, hip, elbow, shoulder, and back.

What did John Wesley Hardin do for a living? ›

While in prison he had studied law, and after his release he was admitted to the Texas bar. In 1895 Hardin testified as a defense witness in a murder trial in El Paso, and after the trial was over he decided to stay in that city and open up a law practice.

Did Wild Bill Hickok ever meet John Wesley Hardin? ›

John Wesley Hardin, one of the deadliest men in the history of the Old West, arrives in Abilene, Kansas, where he briefly becomes friends with Marshal Wild Bill Hickok. Hardin revealed a tendency toward violent rages at an early age.

Who was the meanest outlaw in the Old West? ›

Who was the most intimidating outlaw of the Old West? John Wesley Hardin was known as the man so mean he shot a man for snoring. Hardin had a reputation for killing 42 people before he was 24 years old.

Did John Wesley Hardin have a wife? ›

In January he married the 15 year old Callie Lewis but she left him soon after. A kinsman, Jim Miller, asked Hardin to come to Pecos in far West Texas to give legal assistance in his feud with the Pecos County Sheriff, Bud Frazer.

Who was the most feared cowboy? ›

William Preston Longley (October 6, 1851 – October 11, 1878), also known as Wild Bill Longley, was an American Old West outlaw and gunfighter noted for his ruthless nature, speed with a gun, quick temper, and unpredictable demeanor. He is considered to have been one of the deadliest gunfighters in the Old West.

What gun did John Wesley Hardin carry? ›

He appears to have preferred Colts and Smith & Wessons and was an early adopter of double-action revolvers for serious business. Marohn found explicit records showing Hardin killed Deputy Webb with a “Smith & Wesson Model 3 Russian First Model … . 44 S&W caliber, nickel plated, with …

Did they make a movie about John Wesley Hardin? ›

The Lawless Breed is a 1953 American biographical crime Western film produced and distributed by Universal-International, directed by Raoul Walsh, starring Rock Hudson and Julie Adams. The film is a romanticized story based on the life of outlaw John Wesley Hardin.

Who was the fastest gunfighter in the West? ›

More than 30 years ago Bob Munden told KCCI. viewers he was the fastest gunslinger who ever lived.

Which gunfighter has the most kills? ›

One — John Wesley Hardin

Hardin was one of the most notorious gunslingers of the Wild West. He is said to have killed over 40 men, including his first victim at 15. He was known for his quick draw and his willingness to shoot first and ask questions later.

What was John Wesley Hardin's bounty? ›

This incident proved to be the straw that broke the camel's back as Texas declared they had had enough of John Wesley Hardin and posted a $4,000 bounty on his head. And sent the Texas Rangers out to hunt him down. John was captured by Rangers on August 24, 1877.

Did Wild Bill Hickok have syphilis? ›

In 1876, Hickok sought treatment from an eye specialist in Kansas City, Missouri. No definitive diagnosis has survived, but speculation ranges from secondary syphilis to glaucoma.

Who is buried next to Wild Bill Hickok? ›

The grave and monument for Hickok remains the main attraction, with the graves for fellow local celebrities Calamity Jane and Potato Creek Johnny nestled right next to Hickok.

How old was Wild Bill Hickok when he was shot? ›

Will Bill Hickok was only 39 years old when he died. James “Wild Bill” Hickok was wildly known as a deadly gunfighter, former Kansas sheriff, and for the iconic hand of cards he was holding when he was killed — The Dead Man's Hand.

What ever happened to Ty Hardin? ›

From 1962 to 1966, he was married to the 1961 Miss Universe, German beauty queen Marlene Schmidt, who later worked in the movie industry; they had one daughter. At the time of his death, Hardin lived with his eighth wife, Caroline, in Huntington Beach, California. Hardin died on August 3, 2017, aged 87.

Where is John Hardin buried? ›

In August 1895, Hardin was shot to death by John Selman, Sr. in an El Paso saloon and was buried the following day in Concordia Cemetery, in El Paso, Texas.

What happened to John Selman? ›

After leaving the Wigwam Saloon late one night, he met United States deputy marshal George Scarborough, and the two fought. Scarborough shot Selman four times, and he died on the operating table on April 6, 1896. Scarborough was acquitted of murder.

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