Today In Tombstone History

September

September 1, 1851 - Future Tombstone mayor, newspaperman, and Earp-supporter, John Phillip Clum is born in Claverack, New York.

September 2, 1881 - Nellie Cashman opens the Russ House Restaurant in Tombstone.  She operates it for a few months then sells it.

September 3, 1887 - May and Buckskin Frank Leslie are divorced, May charging that Frank physically abused her but standing her against a wall and shooting at her. 

September 4, 1880 – Future law-man Johnny Behan arrives in Tombstone on or about this date.

September 5, 1900 – The Nome Daily News praises former Tombstone mayor John Clum for his work there as Postal Inspector.

September 7, 1900 - On Friday, September 7^th Parsons made this entry, “With Clum and Earp awhile tonight.  John goes out on St. Paul.”  Clum was returning to Washington from Nome, AK.

September 8, 1881 - The Tombstone-Bisbee stage is robbed. Pete Spence and Frank Stilwell are named as robbers.

September 9, 1880 – Tombstone Hose Co. #1 is organized.  Among the charter members is Wyatt Earp.

September 10, 1880 - Alder Randall is elected Tombstone’s first mayor and Fred White elected town marshal.  Randall would later leave in shame over the Tombstone Townsite scandal.

September 11, 1880 – Men’s pants sell for $2.25 in Tombstone.

September 12, 1865 - Newton Jasper Earp, Wyatt’s half-brother marries Nancy Jane Adams and settles in Lamar, Missouri. 

September 13, 1883 - Working for the Southern Pacific Railroad, Virgil Earp refuses to allow the tracks of the California Southern to cross the tracks of the S.P. in Colton.

September 14, 1876 – Future Tombstone magistrate Wells Spicer represents defendant John D. Lee in the Mountain Meadows Massacre case.

September 15, 1881 -  A stage play is held in Schieffelin Hall, a crime drama called The Ticket-of-Leave Man. 

September 16, 1938 – Former Crystal Palace Saloon proprietor John Speck is buried in Los Angeles.

September 17, 1880 – Breakfast can be purchased at the Grand Hotel for just “four bits.”  It is described by Parsons as, “Best meal yet and best served.”

September 18, 1877 – After quitting the San Carlos Apache reservation, then-future Tombstone mayor John Clum takes up a law practice in Tucson.

September 19, 1870 – John Clum prepares to enter Rutgers College.  He will leave after only one year of study.

September 20, 1879 - Tombstone photographer C.S. Fly marries Mary E. (Mollie) Goodrich.  Each will become photographers in their own right.

September 21, 1861 - Virgil Earp marries Ellen Donahoo in Knoxville, Iowa. The marriage will be short lived.

September 22, 1880 – The Tombstone townsite patent is issued.

September 23, 1880 – Doc Holliday arrives in Tombstone.

September 24, 1886 - The Tombstone economy is in steep decline.  George Parsons has a difficult time collecting rents

September 25, 1886 – A plague of mosquitoes hits Tombstone.

September 26, 1883 – A ride from Tombstone to Benson via horse and buggy is 25 miles made in 3 ½ hours – and is considered “good time.”

September 27, 1931 – The Los Angles Times carries a story about the early days of college football featuring a first-hand account from Tombstone’s own John Clum.

September 28, 1881 – George Parsons explains, “…cowboy is a rustler at times, and rustler is a synonym for desperado, bandit, outlaw and horse thief.”

September 29, 1899 – Wyatt Earp and Charlie Hoxie are operating the Dexter Saloon in Nome, Alaska.

September 30, 1880 – Bob Paul is nominated to run on the Republican ticket for Pima County Sheriff.  He loses to Charlie Shibell.

Also in September:

September 1879 - James McKean and Isaac Knight open the McKean and Knight Mercantile on the corner of Sixth and Allen Street in Tombstone where they sell everything from groceries and fruits to miners equipment to boots and clothing.