John Wesley Hardin
John Wesley Hardin (May 26, 1853 – August 19, 1895) was an American Old West outlaw, gunfighter, and controversial folk icon. Hardin often got into trouble with the law from an early age. He killed his first man at the age of 15, claiming he did so in self-defense.
John Wesley Hardin | |
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This ferrotype photograph is a mirror image of Hardin. | |
| Born | May 26, 1853 Whitewright, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | August 19, 1895 (aged 42) El Paso, Texas, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Gunshot wound |
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| Occupation(s) | gambling/card sharp, cowboy, cattle rustler, lawyer |
| Known for | very young outlaw and prolific gunfighter |
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| Parent(s) | James Gibson "Gip" Hardin Mary Elizabeth Dixson |
Pursued by lawmen for most of his life, in 1877 at the age of 23, he was sentenced to 24 years in prison for murder. At the time of sentencing, Hardin claimed to have killed 42 men, while contemporary newspaper accounts attributed 27 deaths to him. While in prison, Hardin studied law and wrote an autobiography. He was well known for exaggerating or fabricating stories about his life and claimed credit for many killings that cannot be corroborated.
Within a year of his 1894 release from prison, Hardin was killed by John Selman in an El Paso saloon.