During this period, from 1877 to 1885, there are numerous accounts in local newspapers of his activities. When an argument with a soldier over the affections of a dance hall girl named Molly Brennan heated … Bob Nellis Rochester, Minnesota No known photos of Bat Masterson show him with a cane,… Bat Masterson was the real deal. He is buried at the Woodlawn Cemetery in The Bronx with the epitaph ‘Loved by Everyone’. Following his recovery from the shooting which left him with a limp, the resourceful Masterson, soon found uses for his cane other than walking. He was selected as an Under-Sheriff to Charles Bassett in July, 1877. His brother consequently became the City Marshal. His character was included in many of American Westerns, including ‘The Woman of the Town’ (1943), Trail Street (1947), and ‘Santa Fe’ (1951). Masterson captured notorious thieves – Dave Rudabaugh and Ed West, in 1878. Choose a Category. He was well-known as a gunman. Bat Masterson had a custom-made 1885 .45 caliber Colt Single-action Army (SAA) … Bat Masterson, byname of Bartholomew Masterson, pseudonym William Barclay Masterson, (born Nov. 27, 1853, Henryville, Canada East [Quebec]—died October 25, 1921, New York, N.Y., U.S.), gambler, saloonkeeper, lawman, and newspaperman … And though he really would become a legend in his own time, at that point he was just starting to build his reputation. He returned to Dodge City in 1884, and started a newspaper ‘Vox Populi’. His affair with Nellie McMahon Spencer caused troubled between Masterson, and Nellie’s husband Lou Spencer. He used the walking stick to bat down troublemakers. In 1882, he was appointed City Marshal of Trinidad, Colorado. Sign-in to cast your vote. A man may possess the greatest amount of courage possible and still be a pathetic failure as a ‘gun … The series ran from 1958 to 1961, and was very popular. When the opportunity arrived for him to contest as Sheriff in Kansas, he found himself facing an old enemy, Lawrence Deger, as his opponent. By March 1875, Bat was back in Dodge City, where he was listed in the Kansas census as a "teamster.". Bat Masterson spent the first half of his life in what is remembered as the "Wild West" ; During that period, he distinguished himself as a buffalo hunter, Indian fighter during the celebrated Second Battle of Adobe Walls, civilian scout for the US Army, and gunfighter and lawman in Dodge City, Kansas and elsewhere After Denver, he moved to New York City. One of the two men was shot in the gunfire, although who fired the shot could not be determined. Later, with his group which included Wyatt Earp and Bill Tilghman, he caught James Kenedy, son of the wealthy Texas cattleman, who had shot and killed an actress Dora Hand, or ‘Fannie Keenan’ as she was popularly known. Soon, he signed to be a U.S. Army Scout, and participated in gunfights along with Colonel Nelson Miles. After working briefly as buffalo skinners on the plains, Bat took a contract grading a few miles of railroad track for the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad, near Dodge City, Kansas. In 1871 he and his 19- year older brother, Ed, left home seeking adventure on the Kansas frontier. Marshal. Region. • DeArment, Robert K. "Bat Masterson's Rescue of Bully Bill," True West, October 1979. How famous is this person? Reports on the number of people he killed range from one or two, to as many as 26. Among his contemporaries, he was famous as a buffalo hunter, Indian fighter, scout for the U.S. Army, and a renowned lawman in Dodge City Kansas where he and Wyatt Earp worked together as deputy sheriffs of Ford … They met Luke Short, and started working as faro dealers or “look outs” for Tombstone’s Oriental Saloon, an upscale bar at that time. Also Known As: Bartholemew William Barclay Bat Masterson, Born in: Henryville, Montérégie, Quebec, Canada East, See the events in life of Bat Masterson in Chronological Order. In his early 20s, Masterson worked as a buffalo hunter, operating out of the wild Kansas cattle town of Dodge City. By the early 1880s, the name of Bat Masterson was well known in the West. This marked their move to the Western frontier. James Masterson James Masterson, also known as Jim Masterson, (September 18, 1855 – March 31, 1895) was a lawman of the American West and the brother of gunfighters and lawmen Bat Masterson and Ed Masterson. Masterson, one of America’s famous Old West figures, was actually born in Henryville, Canada East, Quebec, in 1853. And yet this is precisely what happened to gunfighter Bat Masterson, born in an age when culture was upon the eastern seaboard and savagery along the frontiers of an expanding country. They lived together, and were assumed to be married later, in 1891. There were numerous contemporary newspaper accounts crediting Bat Masterson with gunning down his brothers' killers, but such accounts appear to be greatly exaggerated. Bat Masterson and Wyatt Earp were two of the more famous lawmen who patrolled the mean streets of Dodge City, breaking up fights and curtailing further violence by disarming and arresting the drunk, rowdy and contentious revelers that flocked to the saloons, brothels and gambling tables. He later frequented boxing and other sports, picking up a keen interest in them. In a five-day siege on June 27, 1874 in Adobe Walls, Masterson was engaged in one of the most celebrated fights in the Wild West. Bat Masterson responded to the call and arrived back in Dodge City on April 16, 1881. His parents, Thomas Masterson and Irish mother Catherine moved the family of five … Bartholomew Bat Masterson had made a living with his gun from a young age. A Dodge City census from 1880 records that Bat Masterson was living with the 19-year-old Annie Ladue, described to be his concubine. Woodlawn Cemetery. Bat Masterson was a U.S. television series loosely based on the historical character. Bat Masterson was not present at the time of the gunfight, but he quickly rushed to the scene after hearing of his brother's mortal wound. He died on October 25, 1921 from a heart attack while writing at his desk. Bat Masterson, short for Bartholemew William Barclay Masterson, was a professional gambler, U.S. army scout, saloonkeeper, lawman, and Bronx. However, unlike the character portrayed in the Bat Masterson (1958) TV series, he was not noted as a particularly snazzy dresser. Masterson scouted for the cavalry until the spring of 1875, when he returned briefly to buffalo hunting. … The two men involved in the fatal shooting also were severely wounded, and one of them, Jack Wagner, later confessed to shooting Ed Masterson before he too passed away. Bartholomew “Bat” Masterson … His life has been the subject of many television series, books, comics, and other popular media. Current rating: 344 votes. A short distance from Denver, Colorado in the early '80s. Although Emma Masterson largely kept to the background while married to the famous former frontier lawman, she had led a sporting life with her fleet-footed first husband. They were hired by Raymond Ritter to grade a railroad track in 1872, but when cheated of their wages, Bat recovered it at gunpoint a year later. A year later he was involved in his first shootout in Sweetwater… Lewis’s article ‘The King of the Gun-Players: William Barclay Masterson’ was published in ‘Human Life’ magazine. He moved to Creede in 1892 and was the manager of the Denver Exchange gambling club until the town was destroyed by fire in June 1892. His interests outside his county resulted in him losing the re-election to George T. Hinkel. On the streets of Dodge City, famous western lawman and gunfighter Bat Masterson fights the last gun battle of his life. [Bat brandishes a shotgun] In the fight, Masterson was arrested, and released with a fine. His brothers, James and Edward Masterson, were also prominent lawmen. A month later, when his brother Ed was killed on duty by a cowboy Jack Wagner, Bat fired his gun and killed Jack. The changes, which occur in a man’s lifespan, are indeed strange. Bat and his brother Ed camped with hunters working along the Salt Fork River in present Comanche and Barber counties. Bat had proven himself with both the Sharps rifle and the Colt revolver by the early 1870s and his experience as a buffalo hunter and Indian fighter had made him an ideal choice as a U.S. Cavalry Scout. He was a prominent member of the “sporting” crowd, the denizens of the saloons and honky-tonks, the dancehalls and theaters, the gambling halls and brothels, that were the frontier’s playgrounds. ​Bat Masterson was born Bartholomew Masterson on November 27, 1853, in Canada and later changed his name to William Barclay Masterson. He left Dodge City in 1881 to join Wyatt Earp in Tombstone, Arizona. He was only eighteen years old at the time; this was in the spring of 1872. We will also look at who is Bat Masterson, how he become famous, Bat Masterson’s girlfriend, who is Bat Masterson dating now, previous dating & relationships […] For Bat Masterson, the road to legendary status began at a backwater hamlet called Sweetwater in the Texas Panhandle. He maintained his interest in fights, supporting champions, placing bets, and serving as a timekeeper. Why King is called "Sergeant" … During their visits to neighboring hunting camps, the two Masterson brothers met several future Western legends, including Billy Dixon, Tom Nixon, and "Prairie Dog" Dave Morrow. Masterson's ensuing exploits quickly earned him a reputation as a tough and able lawman. The incident became known as the Sweetwater Shootout, and it cemented Bat Masterson’s reputation as a hard man. New York. For several years, he also found employment as an army scout in the Plains Indian Wars. as special policeman" had been paid $25 for the month -- around $2000 in current value. This was based on the life and adventures of Masterson, and chronicled his experiences. Home Famous GamblersBat Masterson Bat Masterson. William Barclay "Bat" Masterson (November 26, 1853 – October 25, 1921) was a figure of the American Old West known as a buffalo hunter, U.S. North America . "Bat" is a nickname for Masterson's first name, Bartholemew. The Masterson family had previously farmed in New York and Illinois. Bat Masterson was born on November 26, 1853 in the Eastern Township of Quebec, to Thomas Masterson and Catherine McGurk. ​Ed Masterson also became a lawman, and in 1878 he was gunned down by a pair of drunken cowboys in a shootout outside a Dodge City saloon. Alfred Henry Lewis widely popularized the legend of Bat Masterson, writing highly imaginative articles about him for national magazines and a novel, The Sunset Trail, which appeared in 1905. His partner, AU Walker, later was released because of Wagner's confession and his own serious wounds. After his stints in Kansas, Texas, and Arizona, he went to Denver. Masterson was introduced to President Theodore Roosevelt by Alfred Henry Lewis, and their friendship resulted in him being appointed Deputy U.S. The gold-headed cane became his symbol of dignity further adding to the mystique of his character. Their younger brother Jim Masterson joined them in their camp along Kiowa Creek southeast of Dodge. Marshal and Army scout, avid fisherman, gambler, frontier lawman, and sports editor and columnist for the New York Morning Telegraph. Bronx County. When calm was restored, Bat Masterson was ordered out of town, and he departed on the train that same night, having fought his last shootout. The two Masterson brothers subsequently tracked down Ritter and "extracted their pay at gun point. They were arrested and released later. For Bat Masterson, the road to legendary status began at a backwater hamlet called Sweetwater in the Texas Panhandle. Masterson left the family farm as a teenage with the intention of hunting buffalo on The Great Plains. When he left the lawman business and became a sportswriter in New York, he was known for wearing a derby. In an attempt to interrupt Robert Gilmore’s arrest in 1877, he fought the city marshal – Lawrence Deger, and let Gilmore escape. Both were special policemen under Ford County Sheriff Charles Bassett; Earp was also an assistant city marshal. He is famous for his escapades, and was involved in several shootouts when he was a sheriff. Though it was closed after printing a single issue, it received a flattering response. Shortly after his arrival, he confronted the two men feuding with Jim Masterson, and a shootout erupted on the streets of Dodge City. Bat Masterson was awarded the ‘Medal of Honor’ upon Colonel Miles’ recommendation for his role in the Indian Territory Expedition at Fort Dodge in 1874. Marshal and Army scout, avid fisherman, gambler, frontier lawman, and sports editor and columnist for the New York Morning Telegraph. Though Nellie divorced Lou, there is no evidence that she pursued her relationship with Masterson. The family moved to a farm outside Wichita, Kansas, when Masterson still was a boy. They were a part of the scandal involving fraudulent ballot casting in 1889. The title character was played by Gene Barry, and the half-hour black-and-white series ran on NBC from 1958 to 1961. William Barclay "Bat" Masterson was portrayed by actor Gene Barry, who also played a lead role in later television shows The Name of the Game and Burke’s Law, among others. ​Masterson s became a lawman, both in Dodge City and the surrounding Ford County. Bat Masterson is best known as a Journalist. Men feared him, and with that fear came respect. In June 1874, he was in the Texas Panhandle hunting buffalo. The show was produced by Ziv Television Productions. He recruited the famous gunmen Ben Thompson, ‘Mysterious Dave’ Mather, John Joshua Webb and Doc Holliday. Bat Masterson and Wyatt Earp in early 1876 became law officers in Dodge City. https://truewestmagazine.com/bat-masterson-wyatt-earp/, https://www.biography.com/people/bat-masterson-9542043, http://thewildgeese.irish/profiles/blogs/bartholomew-masterson-irish-heritage, https://www.sciencesource.com/archive/-SS2689984.html, https://www.kshs.org/index.php?url=km/items/view/216223. Bat began his life of adventure as a buffalo hunter in southwestern Kansas, after recruiting two of his … The Dodge City Times reported on October 06, 1877, that "W. B. Masterson, ser. He soon established himself as a quintessential buffalo hunter, and an Indian scout. He was 67 years old. Bat Masterson was one of the most renowned “Lawmen of the Old West” but was not the cold-blooded killer that so many false legends and counterfeit reports claimed. Upon completion of their work the subcontractor, whose name was Ritter, skipped out without paying them. William Barclay "Bat" Masterson (November 26, 1853–October 25, 1921) was a figure of the American Old West known as a buffalo hunter, U.S. In his final years at Denver, he founded a boxing club, The Olympic, in 1899, and was the sports editor for ‘George’s Weekly’. He was very interested in prizefighting, and became an expert in the sport by attending every major match, betting on fighters, and earned his reputation as a gambler. Although he took occasional peace officer jobs, his major occupation was gambling. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/bat-masterson-42940.php, Top NBA Players With No Championship Rings, The Hottest Male Celebrities With The Best Abs. He was popular throughout the country as a sports writer and a journalist, and his enigmatic reputation is vividly remembered even today. Bat Masterson’s Colt Single Action:Pietta recreates one of the most famous Guns of the Old West -1/3 “Courage to step out and fight to the death with a pistol is but one of three qualities a man must possess in order to last very long in this hazardous business. He was the brother of lawmen James Masterson and Ed Masterson. His tenure however, ended when the new President William Howard Taft came into office in 1909. He defended his outpost successfully. The family finally settled in Wichita, Kansas, in 1871. Though born in Canada to an Irish family, he grew up in the farms in New York and Kansas. In 1874, he was hired by Col. Nelson A. King a woman named Mollie Brennan, and of course the now famous Bat Masterson. For him, the moment of truth involved a gunfight with an undisciplined soldier of the 4th Cavalry known in the legend simply as ‘Sergeant King.’ The Bat Masterson single action pictured is the first of F.lli Pietta’s new Legendary Lawmen series of engraved revolvers based on actual guns carried by famous Wild West Sheriffs and U.S. Deputy Marshals. He was appointed the deputy U.S. marshal for the Southern District of New York by President Theodore Roosevelt, and he spent his final years here. As editor of a slick monthly magazine called Human Life, Lewis published in 1907-08 a series of Masterson articles on gunfighters Bat had known in the West. He was the brother of lawmen James Masterson and Ed Masterson. His was born on November 26, 1854 in Henryville, Canada. Bat Masterson was a famous Canadian-American sheriff and journalist, who was born on November 26, 1853. But by the time he was 18, Masterson’s parents chose to take Bartholomew, or “Bat,” and his four brothers, to live on a Kansas farm, near Wichita. He was also appointed under-sheriff during this period. Discover Bat Masterson Net Worth, Biography, Age, Height, Dating, Wiki. He was raised in family farms in different places, including Quebec, New York, Illinois, and Missouri. Miles. Such undertakings ensured that he was defeated in the elections with a heavy margin. He was later pistol-whipped and had to pay a heavy fine for it. Bat Masterson, short for Bartholemew William Barclay Masterson, was a professional gambler, U.S. army scout, saloonkeeper, lawman, and journalist whose reputation centered on his exploits in the American Old West, in the 19th Century. From gunfighter to newspaper writer in a big city paper is what I refer to. … He had to return to Dodge City to save his brother. USA. ​While Bat Masterson was in Arizona serving as a deputy under his friend, Wyatt Earp, Jim Masterson became embroiled in some trouble in Dodge City and wired his brother for help. He came west in the 1870s and was at… The old TV show said “he wore a cane and derby hat.” There’s plenty of… Marshall Trimble is Arizona’s official historian and the Wild West History Association’s vice president. Bat Masterson was grieved by his brother's death, but he did not have cause to fire his gun in revenge, and although he arrested four men as accomplices to the two gunmen, they later were released. Perhaps the most famous lawman of America's 19th century wild west, "Bat" Masterson was raised in Kansas, and worked as a buffalo hunter, Indian fighter, … For him, the moment of truth involved a gunfight with an undisciplined soldier of the 4th Cavalry known in the legend simply as ‘Sergeant King.’ On the night of January 24, 1876, King and a woman named Mollie Brennan were killed, Masterson was seriously wounded and the essential components of the legend were in place, lacking only the cross-stitches of time to grow from a senseless shooting into Bat Masterson’s rite of passage to fame, abounding with overtones of true love and the triumph of good over evil.