Little Known Facts Of The Legendary Doc Holliday
On October 26, 1881, the most famous Wild West battle took place, and it only lasted 30 seconds. This is thanks to Doc Holliday, a dentist, deputy, and outlaw. His story has inspired many books, music, TV shows, and movies. But how many of these fictional Doc Holliday stories are true?
While it's true that Holliday got into several shootings, legend has it that he didn't do it alone. He teamed up with the Earp brothers to take down cowboys across the West, all while living with tuberculosis. If you like cowboy stories, then dig into the life of Doc Holliday.
A Childhood Of War And Conflict
Doc Holliday was born John Henry Holliday in August 1851. Just before his birth, his father, Henry Burroughs Holliday, served in the Mexican-American War. In his early childhood, his father fought in the Civil War.
In 1862, the threat of Union troops moved the family further south in Georgia, to Valdosta. John Holliday's family became prominent in the community, and his mother made sure that he never had to face the horrors of war. Despite the battles raging around him, Holliday didn't grow up fighting his classmates or neighbors.
Holliday Was A Brilliant Student
Although people may expect Doc Holliday to have been a rowdy student, that was far from the truth. As a child, Holliday suffered from speech impediments and a cleft palate. Through corrective surgery and hours of lessons from his mother, Alice, Holliday recovered from both conditions.
According to historical accounts, Holliday excelled in school. As a teenager, he attended Valdosta Institute, where he learned rhetoric, math, and history. He also became fluent in Latin, French, and Ancient Greek. At age 20, Holliday received his Doctor of Dental Surgery from the Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery.
The Threat Of Tuberculosis
In 1866, Alice Holliday died of tuberculosis. Her death greatly impacted John Holliday, as he and his mother were very close. Three months later, his father married Rachel Martin, who was eight years older than him. John Holliday soon left his family to practice dentistry in Missouri and Georgia.
Sometime in his teenage years, Holliday's adoptive brother, Francisco, also died from tuberculosis. Holliday seemed to escape the tragedy when he began practicing dentistry. However, he soon learned that he suffered from tuberculosis as well. He was given a few months to live.
The Dentist And Gambling King
After Holliday moved to Dallas, he partnered with a friend of his father, Dr. John Seegar. The two won various awards for their dental work. Holliday ended up living far beyond his initial diagnosis, but he suffered from coughing spells at unlikely times. In the 1870s, his dentistry work slowly declined.
However, Holliday discovered another money-making route: gambling. He had such a knack for gambling that he soon relied on it as his main source of income. In May of 1874, Holliday and 12 others were kicked out of Dallas for illegal gambling.
The Start Of A Rough Fighting Streak
There are few historical accounts of Holliday fighting before he left Dallas. After 1875, that changed. Throughout Holliday's gambling sprees, he got into several fights. In 1877, Holliday grew violent with a fellow gambler Henry Kahn. After both men were arrested, Kahn once again beat an unarmed Holliday.
In the Dallas Weekly Herald, reporters incorrectly stated that Holliday had died. His cousin, George Holliday, helped him move west to Fort Griffin, Texas. There, he had his only known relationship with an independent, educated street walker named "Big Nose Kate" Horony.
The True Doc Holliday
Despite his violent tendencies, Holliday's peers described him as a calm-tempered gentleman. In an interview, a newspaper reporter asked Holliday if his conscience ever troubled him. Holliday responded, "I coughed that up with my lungs years ago."
Others who knew Holliday described him as having a "mean disposition" and "ungovernable temper." According to Holliday, he had been arrested 17 times, survived five ambushes, and escaped four hanging attempts. Most of his reputation spread through self-promotion and rumors. But this was enough to cement him as a famous Wild West Cowboy for centuries after his death.
His First Meeting With Marshall Wyatt Earp
Around this time, Holliday ran into the famous rogue lawman Wyatt Earp. The details about their meeting are unclear outside of legend, but what is known is that the pair would become the most feared duo in the Wild West. At the time, Earp was still a deputy U.S. marshal.
According to the story, Earp was pursuing the outlaw "Dirty" Dave Rudabaugh. He asked Holliday about Rudabaugh's whereabouts after Holliday gambled with him. Holliday said that Rudabaugh fled to Kansas, and Earp followed. But the two would end up meeting again.
Saving Earp's Life
According to stories, Wyatt Earp had either two or five cowboys. In the summer, these cowboys rode into the Long Branch Saloon in Dodge City. Holliday, who was looking for a dentist position in Dodge, was gambling in the back room. Meanwhile, the cowboys were harassing customers and vandalizing the room.
Upon hearing the commotion, Earp burst through the door. The cowboys pointed their weapons at them. But Holliday stood and pointed his pistol at the men's leader, forcing them to disarm. No newspaper reports back up this incident. But either way, Earp credited Holliday with saving his life.
Chasing Silver
In October 1879, Earp arrived in Las Vegas (New Mexico) and met up with Holliday. He told Doc that he was heading toward the silver boom in Tombstone, Arizona. Holliday had tried chasing the gold rushes in Dakota and Wyoming before but reaped nothing. Nonetheless, he eventually joined Earp in Tombstone one year later.
In these new Western territories, there weren't many government forces to prevent crime so Earp and his brother took up the role. Initially, county sheriff Johnny Behan turned a blind eye to their shenanigans. But after Holliday joined the team, Behan viewed them as criminals.
Becoming "Doc" Holliday
During his time in Fort Griffin, Texas, Holliday engaged in a mixture of fighting, gambling, and dentistry. He developed a reputation for refunding customers for less-than-satisfactory business, which is where he gained the nickname "Doc." Around 1878, Holliday permanently stopped working as a dentist.
Through his several shootings, Holliday became known for his skill with a weapon. But he still suffered from tuberculosis. For one year, Holliday moved to Las Vegas, New Mexico, for the alleged healing properties of the 22 hot springs. Anti-gambling laws sent him back to Dodge City, but he later returned to Vegas to build saloons. That's where he reunited with Wyatt Earp.
The Accused Stagecoach Robbing Of 1881
In March 1881, three cowboys robbed a stagecoach that was headed to Tombstone. Rumors flew that the new outlaw, Doc Holliday, had led the robbery and slayings. At some point, his ex-lover Horony told authorities that Holliday did attempt to rob the stagecoach.
Holliday was arrested and convicted of assault. Fortunately, the Earps found witnesses who proved that Holliday was nowhere near the incident. Later, Horony said that Sheriff Behan had influenced her to confess and sign a document that she did not understand. This lead to rising tensions between Holliday, Earp, and Behan.
The Duel With Ike Clanton
On October 25, 1881, Holliday was enjoying some beverages in the Alhambra Saloon. There, he entered a heated argument with fellow outlaw Ike Clanton and challenged him to a duel--only to discover that Clanton was unarmed. Rather than let it go, Holliday taunted his opponent by saying that he had recently done away with Clanton's father.
The next morning, Clanton gathered his weapons and searched the streets for Holliday. Clanton woke up Holliday and his common-law wife, Mary Horony, with loud threats. Reportedly, Holliday famously said, "If God will let me live to get my clothes on, he will see me."
How A Single Duel Became A Battle
Before Holliday could enter the fray, the Earp brothers disarmed Clanton and took him to court. But while Clanton remained behind bars, his fellow cowboys arrived to back him up. This included his brother Billy Clanton as well as Frank and Tom McLaury. Holliday faced the outlaws with the Earp brothers, Wyatt, Virgil, and Morgan.
What happened next is up for debate. We know that the field erupted in a blaze of shots. Half a minute later, all fell silent. The men managed to fire 30 bullets throughout the brief but bloody battle.
The Showdown At O.K. Corral
In the end, the McLaury brothers and Billy Clanton died on the spot. Ike Clanton fled. Reports state that Holliday may have shot each of the three men dead. Although he, Morgan, and Virgil received wounds, they emerged as the victors.
This shootout became known as the fight at the O.K. Corral since it occurred a few doors down from the Corral. As one of the most famous battles of the Wild West, it has been depicted in many movies and TV shows. But the fight was far from over for Holliday and the Earp brothers.
Becoming A Deputy
After O.K. Corral, Virgil Earp was crippled for life. In March 1882, Morgan Earp was ambushed, and he died. Virgil Earp survived through several ambushes himself, but Wyatt and his deputies worked to keep him safe. Unable to find justice in the courts, Wyatt deputized Holliday, and the two agreed to avenge Morgan.
As a federal posse, Holliday and the Earps rode out to find Frank Stilwell, one of the Cowboys they believed to be responsible for Morgan's death. They found Stilwell lying in wait on a train as Virgil Earp boarded and took his life.
The True Cowboy Life
After the death of Frank Stilwell, a local sheriff placed a warrant for the arrest of the five deputies, including Holliday. But the posse wasn't done. Just days after the ambush, Wyatt Earp and Holliday arrived at Iron Springs in the Whetstone Mountains.
With Earp, Holliday snuck up on eight cowboys, who drew their weapons and began firing. Holliday and his posse took out at least three of these cowboys. Meanwhile, the only casualty on Holliday's side was a wounded horse. But with a warrant over their heads, the group decided to leave Arizona and head toward Colorado.
Earp And Holliday Part Ways
Holliday and the posse traveled through the New Mexico Territory, hoping to escape their warrant. But in Albuquerque, Wyatt Earp and Holliday got into a fight. Afterward, Earp remained in New Mexico, while Holliday traveled to Colorado.
In 1882, Holliday headed toward Glenwood Springs. Still suffering from tuberculosis, Holliday hoped that the waters would help his ailing health. But as soon as he arrived in Denver, he was arrested. He headed to jail on the Tucson warrant for murdering Frank Stilwell. This time, Holliday had to face prison alone.
Friends For Life
Fortunately, Holliday hadn't entirely cut ties with Earp. When Wyatt Earp heard of the charges, he worried that Holliday wouldn't receive a fair trial in Arizona. Earp asked his friend, Colorado Chief of Police Bat Masterson, to draw up bunco charges against Holliday.
Two weeks after his arrest, Holliday met up with Masterson. The two traveled to Pueblo, Colorado, where Holliday was released on bond. In June 1882, Earp and Holliday met in Gunnison, Colorado. Although the two remained close friends for life, this was the second-to-last time Holliday would see Earp.
Was Holliday Responsible For Johnny Ringo's Death?
Before Holliday died, he may or may not have taken one more life. In July 1882, Holliday's long-time enemy, Johnny Ringo, was found dead in a tree. Initially, his death was reported as self-inflicted. But according to Earp's third wife, Holliday and Earp traveled to Arizona to take Ringo's life.
Historical evidence doesn't clarify whether Holliday was the culprit. In Arizona, Holliday still had a warrant, so it's unlikely that he would enter the area. Some historians believe that this story was a hoax, although we don't know for sure.
An Incredible Scene
The moment where Doc Holliday shoots Johnny Ringo was also a favorite scene on the set of Tombstone. Sam Elliott looked back on the scene, remembering it as one of the best in the entire film. "That thing was just incredible," he said in an interview. “They're both so good, and you just know this moment is coming all the way through the film. You’re salivating by the time it does come.”
The scene may have been one that had fans reeling, but it did bring the whole film together and make for a fitting climactic scene for the movie.
Doc's Final Days
Holliday spent his remaining days in Colorado. During this time, his health rapidly declined. When Earp saw Holliday for the last time in 1886, he noticed that Holliday had a persistent cough and weak legs. Meanwhile, Holliday ran out of money and continually entered saloon fights.
The sulfuric fumes from Glenwood Springs only worsened Holliday's condition. Mary Horony joined him during his final days. During his last moments, Holliday looked at his bare feet and said, "This is funny." He always assumed that he'd die with his boots on.
Holliday's Legacy
Holliday died in November 1887. After his passing, his legendary status grew. "Few men have been better known to a certain class of sporting people, and few men of his character had more friends or stronger champions," read his obituary in the Denver Republican.
Wyatt Earp kept positive memories of his friend, saying, "I found him a loyal friend and good company." Holliday's stories lived on to inspire books, movies, music, and TV shows. He is now one of the most recognizable cowboys of the Old West.
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