Boot Hill

What does the term “boot hill” bring to mind?

A mountain of footwear?
The name of a cobbler’s shop?

Or, do you instantly think of the O.K. Corral and gunfighters? If you thought of the latter, then you are correct. Boot Hill is a term used mainly in the American west to define a cemetery.

It signifies a burial place for those who died “with their boots on,” i.e, those who met with violent ends.

The most famous of these, is of course, the cemetery in the infamous Tombstone, AZ.

There are many famous people buried on Boot Hill in Tombstone, the most famous of which are Billy Clanton, and Frank and Tom McLaury; the three men who died at the O.K. Corral gunfight. There are other interesting inhabitants of Boot Hill, however:

Lester Moore
Four Slugs from a 44
No Les
No More
_________________________________________________

Frank Bowles
Born Aug.5.1828
Died Aug.26.1880
As you-pass-by
remember-that-as
you are so-once-was-I
and-as-I am-you
soon-will-be
remember-me

__________________________________________________

Jack Dunlap 1880’s

Shot by Jeff Milton during an attempted train robbery. Lived long
enough to squeal on his friends who left him to die. Aka 3-Fingered Jack.

______________________________________________________

Thos. Fitzhugh 1882

Found dead in a water closet in the back of Mrs. Kings lodging house on Toughnut Street, where he roomed.

________________________________________________________

Billy Kinsman 1883

Shot by a woman who was jealously in love with him.

___________________________________________________________

Hilly Hickson 1882

School boy died of injuries after falling off a pair of stilts.

_____________________________________________________________

Seymour Dye 1882

Shot by Indians with Harry Curry, while driving a hay wagon.

______________________________________________________________

Foo Kee, Row 9

Operated a grocery store, accidentally stabbed by a friend.

_______________________________________________________________

Charles Helm, 1882, “Shot.”

Killed by Wm. McCauley over a dispute about how to drive cattle.

_______________________________________________________________

Mike Killeen, 22 Jun 1880, “Shot by Frank Leslie.”

Leslie shot Killeen, and married his widow.

__________________________________________________________________

Tom Waters, 24 Jul 1880, “Shot.”

Father of Eva Waters, and believed to be T.J. Waters, who was killed because of the color of his shirt.

_____________________________________________________________________

Glenn Efrom Will, Born 1871, Died 1953, “His ashes arrived collect on delivery.”

He was cremated in Oakland, CA, and sent to Tombstone for interment

_____________________________________________________________________

Thank you to clantongang.com  and internment.com for Boot Hill graveyard information.

Image Credit:

Russell Lee [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons