Buffalo Bill
William Frederick "Buffalo Bill" Cody (February 26, 1846 – January 10, 1917) was an American soldier, bison hunter and showman.
Buffalo Bill | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | William Frederick Cody February 26, 1846 near Le Claire, Iowa, U.S. |
| Died | January 10, 1917 (aged 70) |
| Cause of death | Kidney failure |
| Resting place | Lookout Mountain, Golden, Colorado 39°43′57″N 105°14′17″W / 39.73250°N 105.23806°W |
| Other names | Buffalo Bill Cody |
| Occupation | Army scout, Pony Express rider, ranch hand, wagon train driver, buffalo hunter, fur trapper, gold prospector, showman |
| Known for | Buffalo Bill Wild West shows which provided education and entertainment about bronco riding, handling bovine and equine livestock, roping, and other herdsmen skills seen in present day rodeos |
| Spouse(s) | Louisa Frederici (1843–1921) (m. 1866–1917) |
| Children |
|
| Parent(s) |
|
| Awards | Medal of Honor |
| Signature | |
 | |
Early life
He was born in the Iowa Territory (now the U.S. state of Iowa), in Le Claire but he grew up for several years in his father's hometown in Canada before his family moved to the Kansas Territory.
Career
Buffalo Bill started working at the age of eleven after his father's death. He became a rider for the Pony Express at age 14. During the American Civil War, he served from 1863 to the end of the war in 1865. Later he served as a civilian scout to the US Army during the Indian Wars, receiving the Medal of Honor in 1872.
One of the most colorful figures of the American Old West, Buffalo Bill became famous for the Wild West shows he organized with cowboy themes, which he toured in Great Britain and Europe as well as the United States.
Death
Cody died of kidney failure on January 10, 1917, surrounded by family and friends at his sister's house in Denver. Cody was baptized into the Catholic Church the day before his death by Father Christopher Walsh of the Denver Cathedral.[1][2][3]
Buffalo Bill Media
Portrait of William Frederick Cody, 26 Feb 1846 - 10 Jan 1917
Cody and his four sisters c. 1890
William F. Cody Medal of Honor
Cody in 1864 at the age of 19
Sixth Plate Tintype of a Young Buffalo Bill Cody Posed with Guns and Game. Published in Wilson & Martin's Buffalo Bill's Wild West: An American Legend (p. 9), where it is described as believed to have been taken at Fort McPherson, Nebraska, ca 1871, and illustrates Cody's flair for showmanship even before he became a performer.
Buffalo Bill c. 1875
Buffalo Bill's Wild West, 1890, Italy
Cody (right) standing with Harry Heye Tammen (left) at the Kansas City Rail Depot, 1913
.jpg)
References
- ↑ Russell, Don (1979). The Lives and Legends of Buffalo Bill. Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press. p. 469. ISBN 978-1-4343-4148-8.
- ↑ Weber, Francis J. (1979). America's Catholic heritage: some bicentennial reflections, 1776–1976. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin – Madison. p. 49.
- ↑ Mosesl, L.G. (1999). The Lives and Legends of Buffalo Bill. New Mexico: UNM Press. p. 193. ISBN 978-0-8263-2089-6.
Other websites
Media related to Buffalo Bill at Wikimedia Commons
- "The Papers of William F. Cody". Archived from the original on November 14, 2013. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
- William F. Cody Archive
This short article about a person from the United States can be made longer. You can help Wikipedia by adding to it.