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A collection of fifty-six letters from the family of James Butler ("Wild Bill") Hickok. The letters describe the adventures of the Hickok children (including Wild Bill) in California, Kansas, Missouri and elsewhere, and their parents and family in Troy Grove, Illinois. After Wild Bill's death in Deadwood, Dakota Territory, in 1876, the letters mostly concern his burial, the maintenance of his grave, and his reputation. Correspondents also include Agnes Hickok (Wild Bill's wife), William "Buffalo Bill" Cody, and Charlie H. Utter ("Colorado Charlie"). Ethel Ann Hickok, the last surviving niece of Wild Bill, donated fifty-four letters to the Kansas Historical Society and two letters to historian Joseph G. Rosa in the 1980s. The two Rosa letters (June 6, 1861; March 23, 1880) are included here by permission. The William F. Cody letter to Horace Hickok dated March 23, 1880 originally owned by Joe Rosa was donated to the Kansas State Historical Society on January 9, 2017. Ethel Hickok passed away in 1985 eight months before her 100th birthday. Ethel's niece Edith Harmon and historian Joseph G. Rosa assisted with the donations.
Creator: Hickok family
Date: 1851-1904
Item Number: 219335
Call Number: Hickok Coll. #806
KSHS Identifier: DaRT ID: 219335
Business and Industry - Occupations/Professions - Law enforcement officers
Collections - Manuscript - Hickok Family
Date - 1800-1819
Date - 1854-1860
Date - 1861-1869
Date - 1870s
Date - 1880s
Date - 1890s
Date - 1900s
Military - Wars - Civil War
Objects and Artifacts - Communication Artifacts - Documentary Artifact - Letter
People - American Indians
People - American Indians - Indian lands
People - Notable Kansans - Cody, William F. "Buffalo Bill", 1846-1917
People - Notable Kansans - Hickok, James Butler, 1837-1876
Places - Cities and towns - Leavenworth
Places - Cities and towns - Monticello
Places - Cities and towns - Olathe
Places - Counties - Johnson
Places - Counties - Leavenworth
Places - Other States - California
Places - Other States - Colorado
Places - Other States - Illinois
Places - Other States - Kentucky
Places - Other States - Massachusetts
Places - Other States - Missouri
Places - Other States - New Mexico
Places - Other States - Ohio
Places - Other States - South Dakota
Thematic Time Period - Civil War, 1861 - 1865
Thematic Time Period - Immigration and Settlement, 1854 - 1890
Thematic Time Period - Indian Territory, 1820 - 1854
Thematic Time Period - Trails, 1821 - 1880
Type of Material - Unpublished documents - Letters
http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/219335