James Earp
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James Earp (June 28 1841-January 25 1926) was the little known older brother to old west lawman Virgil Earp and lawman/gambler Wyatt Earp.
[edit] Life in the shadows of his brothers
James Earp was born in Hartford, Kentucky and, like his brothers, was raised in a tight-knit family environment. In 1861, at 19, he enlisted in the Union army at the outbreak of the American Civil War, joining the 17th Illinois Infantry. His brothers Virgil and Newton Earp also enlisted. His service was cut short when he was badly wounded in a battle near Fredericktown, Missouri on October 31 of that same year. Newton and Virgil served until the wars end. [1]
Following the war, James moved around quite frequently, which was an Earp family trait. He lived in Colton, California, Helena, Montana, Pineswell, Missouri and Newton, Kansas before marrying former prostitute Nellie Ketchum in April, 1873. For a while after that he worked in a saloon in Wichita, Kansas, then he worked as a deputy sheriff in Dodge City, Kansas, under Sheriff Charlie Bassett. [2]
In 1879 he moved with his wife to Tombstone, Arizona, where his brothers Wyatt, Virgil and Morgan Earp were settling. All three of these brothers became involved in law enforcement while in Tombstone, while James opted to work as a manager in a saloon and in gambling houses. Thus, he was not actively involved in the famous Gunfight at the OK Corral in 1881. [3]
Following the murder of his brother Morgan in a pool hall, on March 18 1882, and the ambush and attempted murder of his brother Virgil Earp a couple of months earlier, James left Tombstone serving as an armed escort for his brother Virgil and the rest of the family, as they relocated to Colton, California. Wyatt Earp and James' youngest brother Warren Earp, along with gambler Doc Holliday, gunmen Sherman McMasters, Turkey Creek Jack Johnson and Texas Jack Vermillion then hunted down those they held responsible for the attacks, in what would be dubbed the Earp Vendetta Ride. [4]
James and Virgil Earp returned brother Morgan's body home to Colton, California, where Morgan was buried. James then lived for a short time in Shoshone County, Idaho until settling permanently in California by 1890.
Although present and with his brothers during much of the events that would go on to make them famous, James Earp is little known, and never seemed to mind living in the shadows of the other Earp's. He died of natural causes on January 25, 1926, in California.
