Clay Allison (September 2, 1840 - July 3, 1887), was a gunfighter and well known historic figure of the American Old West. is the 245th day of the year (246th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1840 is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... is the 184th day of the year (185th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1887 (MDCCCLXXXVII) is a common year starting on Saturday (click on link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. ... Categories: Stock characters | Stub ... The cowboy, the quintessential symbol of the American Old West, circa 1887. ...

Early life

Born Robert Clay Allison (some historians have confused him with Robert Andrew Allison), known as "Clay", September 2, 1840, the fourth of nine children, to Jeremiah Scotland Allison and Mariah R. (Brown) Allison (not to John and Nancy (Lemmond) Allison).^[1] His father, a Presbyterian minister, also worked in the cattle and sheep business and died when Clay was only five. Clay was said to have been restless from birth, and as he grew into manhood, he became feared for his wild mood swings and quick temperament. is the 245th day of the year (246th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1840 is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Presbyterianism is a tradition shared by a large number of Christian denominations which is most prevalent within the Reformed branch of Protestant Western Christianity. ...

Civil War

Allison worked on the family farm near Waynesboro, Tennessee, until he was 21. When the American Civil War broke out, he joined the Confederate States Army on October 15, 1861, as a member of the Tennessee Light Artillery division. On January 15, 1862, he received a medical discharge from the army, because of an old head injury that caused mood swings. That same year, his brother Monroe was reported as a deserter. ^[1][2] Waynesboro is a city located in Wayne County, Tennessee. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... Some Confederate soldiers The Confederate States Army (CSA) was organized in February 1861 to defend the newly formed Confederate States of America from military action by the United States government. ... is the 288th day of the year (289th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1861 (MDCCCLXI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 15th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about 1862 . ... Desertion is the act of abandoning or withdrawing support from someone or something to which you owe allegiance, responsibility or loyalty. ...

However, on September 22, 1862, Clay reenlisted as a member of the 9th Tennessee Cavalry, where he remained until the end of the war, and where he served under General Nathan Bedford Forrest. On May 4, 1865, he surrendered with his company at Gainesville, Alabama. He was held as a prisoner of war for a few days, until the war's end on May 10, 1865. is the 265th day of the year (266th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about 1862 . ... For the World War II general, see Nathan Bedford Forrest III. Nathaniel Bedford Forrest (July 13, 1821–October 29, 1877) was a Confederate Army general during the American Civil War. ... is the 124th day of the year (125th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1865 (MDCCCLXV) is a common year starting on Sunday. ... Gainesville is a town located in Sumter County, Alabama. ... Geneva Convention definition A prisoner of war (POW) is a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict. ... is the 130th day of the year (131st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1865 (MDCCCLXV) is a common year starting on Sunday. ...

After the war

After returning home from the war, Allison became a member of the Ku Klux Klan. During this period, he was involved in several confrontations before he left Tennessee for Texas. One report was that when a Union officer, a member of the 3rd Illinois Cavalry, arrived on the family farm with intentions of seizing it, Clay retrieved a gun from the house and killed the officer. Following this, Allison, his brothers Monroe and John, sister Mary and her husband Lewis Coleman, moved across the Brazos River in Texas to settle. Members of the second Ku Klux Klan at a rally during the 1920s. ... Official language(s) No official language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Largest metro area Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... In this map:  Union states prohibiting slavery  Union territories  Border states on the Union side which allowed slavery  Kansas, which entered and fought with the Union as a free state after the Bleeding Kansas crisis  The Confederacy  Confederate claimed and sometimes held territories During the American Civil War, the Union... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (140,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... The Brazos River, originally called, the Rio Brazos de Dios which can be translated as The River of Gods Arms. is the 11th longest river in the United States at 2060 km (1280 miles) from its source of Blackwater Draw, Curry County, New Mexico[1] to its mouth at...

In the towns of Cimarron, New Mexico, and Elizabethtown, New Mexico, Allison began to develop a reputation as a dangerous man. He and his brothers began running with local cowboys and became known for their hard drinking and regularly drawing their handguns while riding down the main streets shooting out lights. Cimarron is a village located in Colfax County, New Mexico. ... Elizabethtown is a very small community in Colfax County, in the U.S. state of New Mexico. ... For other uses, see Cowboy (disambiguation). ...

In the Fall of 1870, a man named Charles Kennedy was being held in the local jail in Elizabethtown, suspected of robbery and murder.^[3][4] Allison and other men broke into the jail, pulled Kennedy from his cell, tied a rope around his neck and dragged him from a horse down the main street until he was dead. Allison then cut off the man's head and carried it in a sack 29 miles (47 km) to Cimarron, where he demanded it be placed on display in front of the Lambert Inn. But, since the hotel was built in 1872, it is more likely the head stayed in Elizabethtown.^[5][6] Year 1872 (MDCCCLXXII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...

Allison was involved in numerous altercations during this period, often with him using a knife against the other during a fight. He reportedly believed himself to be fast with a gun but changed this attitude after being outdrawn in a friendly competition with a man named Mace Bowman. Bowman and Allison became friends, and Bowman is alleged to have worked with Allison to improve his "quick draw" skills.

Notoriety as a gunfighter

On January 7, 1874, Clay killed a gunman named Chunk Colbert, after the two reportedly raced their horses and had dinner,^[7] Colbert had picked a fight with Allison. The two men entered the Clifton House, an Inn located in Colfax County, New Mexico, where they sat down for dinner. Colbert had allegedly already killed 6 men and had quarrelled with Allison several years earlier. Some say that nine years earlier, Allison had killed Colbert's uncle in a gunfight. As to whether that claim is fact or legend is unknown beyond some doubt. What is known as fact is that at some point during the dinner Colbert attempted to raise his gun to shoot Allison, but the barrel hit the table as the pistol came up. Allison fired one round, hitting Colbert in the head, killing him. Allison was later asked why he accepted a dinner invitation from a man who would likely try to kill him, to which he replied "Because I didn't want to send a man to hell on an empty stomach". Over the next few years, Allison's reputation as a gunman expanded, and he became fairly well known. is the 7th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1874 (MDCCCLXXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link with display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Chunk Colbert (18??-1874) was an Old West gunman, known mostly for having been killed in a gunfight with noted gunfighter Clay Allison. ... Inns are establishments where travellers can procure food, drink, and lodging. ... Colfax County is a county located in the state of New Mexico. ...

On October 30, 1875, Allison is alleged to have led a mob to capture Cruz Vega, who was suspected of murdering a Methodist circuit rider. The mob hanged the man from a telegraph pole near Cimmaron. On November 1, family members of Vega, led by Vega's uncle Francisco Griego, began making threats around town about the lynching. They wandered into the Lambert Inn (now the St. James Hotel), where they came across Allison and accused him of involvement in the lynching. An argument began, and Griego pulled his gun. Allison also drew his gun and shot Griego twice, killing him. On November 10, Allison was charged with murdering Griego, but the charges were later dropped and the shooting ruled justifiable. is the 303rd day of the year (304th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1875 (MDCCCLXXV) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... For other uses, see Methodism (disambiguation). ... is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 314th day of the year (315th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

With that shooting, Allison's reputation grew. In December 1876, Allison and his brother John rode into Las Animas, Colorado, where they stopped at a local saloon for drinks. The local sheriff, Charles Faber of the Bent County Sheriff's Department,^[8] instructed the Allisons to relinquish their guns, as evidently there was a town ordinance making it illegal to possess guns inside the town limits. When the Allisons did not, Faber left, deputized two men, and returned to the saloon. When they stepped back inside the saloon, someone yelled "Look out!", and shooting began. Who fired first is not certain, but it is believed that the sheriff and his men fired the first shots. John Allison was shot three times, once in the chest, once in the arm, and again in the leg. Clay Allison spun around and quickly fired four shots, killing Sheriff Faber. The two newly deputized men fled, with Allison in pursuit, but they escaped. Both Clay and John were later arrested on charges of manslaughter, but the charges were later dismissed. John survived his wounds and recovered. It was this gunfight more than any other that launched Clay Allison to legend as a gunfighter. Las Animas is a city in Bent County, Colorado, United States. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Look up Sheriff in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Bent County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. ... For other uses, see Legend (disambiguation). ...

Alleged confrontation with Wyatt Earp

In March 1877, Clay sold his ranch he had acquired to his brother, John. He then ventured to Sedalia, Missouri, birthplace of his wife and sister-in-law. Then moved to Hays City, Kansas,^[6][4] where he established himself as a cattle broker. By the time Allison arrived in Dodge City, Kansas, his reputation had reached such that he was a feared man. Evidently, men in his employ were reportedly mistreated by the local marshals office. Dodge City at that time was a bustling cattle town, and laws were enforced with force. The Dodge City deputy marshal was famed lawman Wyatt Earp. Sedalia is a city located in Pettis County, Missouri, at the intersection of U.S. Highway 50 and U.S. Highway 65. ... Official language(s) English Capital Jefferson City Largest city Kansas City Largest metro area St Louis[1] Area  Ranked 21st  - Total 69,709 sq mi (180,693 km²)  - Width 240 miles (385 km)  - Length 300 miles (480 km)  - % water 1. ... Hays is a city in Ellis County, Kansas, near the intersection of Interstate 70 and U.S. Highway 183. ... Official language(s) English[2] Capital Topeka Largest city Wichita Area  Ranked 15th  - Total 82,277 sq mi (213,096 km²)  - Width 211 miles (340 km)  - Length 417 miles (645 km)  - % water 0. ... For the 1939 western movie, see Dodge City (1939 film). ... Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp (March 19, 1848–January 13, 1929) was an American farmer, teamster, sometime buffalo hunter, officer of the law in various Western frontier towns, gambler, saloon-keeper, and miner. ...

Stories from the day state, both by accounts given through Earp's biographer and by Earp, that Wyatt Earp and his friend Bat Masterson confronted Allison and his men in a saloon, and that Allison backed down. However, Masterson was not known to be in town at the time. There is no evidence that an altercation took place between Allison and Earp. William Barclay Bat Masterson (November 27, 1853 [1] – October 25, 1921) was a figure of the American Old West. ...

As reports from the day reflect, a cattleman named Dick McNulty and the owner of the Long Branch Saloon, Chalk Beeson, intervened on behalf of the town and convinced the cowboys to surrender their guns. Earp did not make this claim until after Allison's death, much like Earp's false claim that he arrested gunman Ben Thompson, also made after the latters death. Also, Charlie Siringo, who was a cowboy at the time but who later became a well known Pinkerton Detective, also gave a written account of the incident, as he had witnessed it. He also claimed it was actually McNulty and Beeson who ended the incident, and that Earp did not come into contact with Allison.^[2] The Long Branch Saloon is a famous saloon that existed during the Old West days of Dodge City, Kansas. ... The references in this article would be clearer with a different and/or consistent style of citation, footnoting or external linking. ... Ben Thompson, born in Knottingley, Yorkshire, England on November 11, 1842. ... Charlie Siringo (February 7th, 1855-October 18th, 1928) was an author, lawman, and famous detective and agent for the Pinkerton National Detective Agency during the late 19th century and early 20th century. ... Pinkerton guards escort strikebreakers in Buchtel, Ohio, 1884 The Pinkerton National Detective Agency was a private U.S. security guard and detective agency established by Allan Pinkerton in 1850. ...

Jeffery S. Miller's short story, "Clay Allison Goes to Dodge City", is the most recent interpretation of the day's events.

1880s, death

From 1880 to 1883, Clay Allison ranched with his two brothers, John William and Jeremiah Monroe, 12 miles northeast of the town of Mobeetie, at the junction of the Washita River and Gageby Creek,^[9] in what was then Wheeler County, Texas, and present day Hemphill County, Texas.^[1][4] One day Clay Allison rode through Mobeetie drunk and naked.^[10] Clay Allison married America Medora "Dora" McCulloch in Mobeetie on February 15, 1881.^[1] Mobeetie is a city located in Wheeler County, Texas. ... The Washita River forms in eastern Roberts County, Texas (35°38 N, 100°36 W) near the town of Miami, Texas in the Texas Panhandle. ... Wheeler County is a county located in the state of Texas. ... Hemphill County is a county located in the state of Texas. ...

By 1883, he had sold his ranch in Wheeler County and moved to Pope's Wells (near the Pecos River crossing of the Texas-New Mexico line, became a landmark on the Goodnight-Loving Trail^[11]), about 50 miles northwest of Pecos, Texas, where he purchased another ranch.^[1] Pecos is a city located in Reeves County, Texas. ...

On July 3, 1887, Allison was hauling a load of supplies when the load shifted and a sack of grain fell from the wagon. Trying to catch it, Allison fell from the wagon, and the wheel rolled over him. His neck was broken, and he died. He was buried the next day at Pecos cemetery in Pecos Texas, and it is said that hundreds attended his funeral. is the 184th day of the year (185th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1887 (MDCCCLXXXVII) is a common year starting on Saturday (click on link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. ...

Dora remarried, Jesse Lee Johnson, in Pecos, Texas, on October 23, 1890. They moved to Fort Worth, Texas in 1897. She passed away on January 18, 1926 in Baltimore, Maryland and was enterned in Greenwood Memorial Park, in Fort Worth.

In a special ceremony held on August 28, 1975, the remains of Clay Allison were reinterred at Pecos Park, just west of the Pecos Museum. His tombstone is inscribed, "He never killed a man that did not need killing" is the 240th day of the year (241st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Clay and Dora had two daughters:

• Patti Dora Allison (Byars), born August 9, 1885, in the Peña Flora district of Colfax County, died August 21, 1971, in Fort Worth, Texas.
• Clay Pearl Allison (Parker), born February 10, 1888 (seven months after her father’s death), Pecos, Texas, died November 21, 1962.

Popular culture

Clay Allison is also a character in the computer game GUN. This article is about the video game. ...

References

External links

• True Story of Clay Allison and Wyatt Earp, Dodge City
• Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. - "Clay Allison"
• Headstone which reads: "He never killed a man that did not need killing"