Welcome friends!

Hey Richard if you want to see Neds guns up close just drop down here to Fort Smith and they are in a display case upstairs at the museum.
Six

Thanks for the welcome and I see you're in the Deadwood fan club My favorite TV western,because of it's overall authenticity I'm not that good on the computer and I don't know how to post pictures,but maybe my son can do it for me sometime. If I had the time I could join almost all the clubs I just love the West..

hi Richard, thanks for the welcome, I am envious you are going on the ride around Tombstone, have been there a couple of times and I have to say the best is around Tombstone we thought Apache pass was fantastic and we also visited Johnny Ringos grave and drank a whiskey over him. Love that area but its a long way for us to visit.

Richard,

Thanks for the kind words on the blog post. Too often we glorify folks who committed immoral if not illegal acts, destroying the lives of so many. That's nothing to celebrate.

Per your request for my opinion on a book, sure, I'd be happy to let you know my thoughts (for better or worse). Just let me know what it is and how I can help.

Best,

Mark Boardman

Richard--Let me collect my thoughts on this one. It's tricky, on so many fronts. Among them: Dave is a friend who contributed a chapter to my book REVENGE! And Other True Tales of the Old West, and he lives only about 10 miles from me.

I'll get back to you soon.

Mark

Richard--Regarding David Johnson's book on John Ringo. As you may know, King of the Cowboys is primarily an expansion of his 1996 biography. That particular book was helpful in a number of ways--in clearly stating the Ringo family genealogy (and the family connections are fascinating) and generally telling the story of the historical (not legendary) figure. Of particular import--the info on Ringo's time in Texas and his involvement in the Mason County War.

But where both books flounder is in the telling of the so-called Tombstone years. David is an unabashed critic of the Earps and Holliday, and I'm afraid that colors his writing and analysis. There's much on the leadup to and events of the Street Fight--but Ringo was not involved in any of that, really.

Further, David goes out of his way to attack other authors' work (Jack Burrows, Stuart Lake, etc.), which to my way of thinking hinders the focus of his book. It's not that those writers are beyond reproach; far from it. But I think David would have been more effective in just stating his case, clear and clean.

Beyond those content issues, I find David's writing--at times--less than compelling. It bogs down and relinquishes its grip on the reader.

David, without a doubt, is one of the few real experts on Ringo. He knows his stuff. And his knowledge about the Mason County War is unsurpassed. He has done remarkable research that is vital to our understanding of the man and the events. His books on Ringo are valuable. But one must be careful when approaching them, for all the reasons I've stated.

Does that help?

Best,

Mark Boardman

Richard, Enjoyed your photos!

Richard, Thanks for the comments. About Heck's marker. He had a flat red granite marker with his name and date's of birth and death. A young Lawton police officer visited the grave, Highland Cemetery in Lawton, and thought a famous Indian and Oklahoma Territory deputy US marshal deserved better. He started a fund raiser for the new marker and raised enough money in just a couple of weeks. Descendents of Heck attended the dedication. They appreciated the respect and honor bestowed on their ancestor.

I've read also that Heck received his nick name when he was in grade school. I'll check a website that is dedicated to lawmen and outlaws of the Indian Territory and see if anyone knows why.

Rick, The web address is www.oklahombres.org.