Description
Bill Tilghman was a buffalo hunter, scout, lawman and politician. He spent 51 years as a peace officer and in 1875 he became a deputy sheriff in Dodge City, Kansas. Gunfighter and lawman Bat Masterson called Bill Tilghman “the greatest of us all.” In 1896, he tracked down and arrested outlaw Bill Doolin. Beginning in 1908, Tilghman helped produce a series of four moving pictures titled, The Passing of the Oklahoma Outlaws. Scenes were re-enacted by many of those who were originally engaged in hunting down the outlaws. In 1924, Tilghman was persuaded to come out of retirement to clean up the town of Cromwell, Oklahoma where he was shot and killed by Wiley Lynn, a drunken prohibition agent.
Many of the best-known lawmen of the American West had been outlaws before pinning on the badge of a marshal or sheriff. In his early days Tilghman was arrested for theft but later on, he was appointed city marshal of Dodge City in 1884, where he wore a badge made of two $20 gold pieces. Tilghman joined in the Oklahoma land rush of 1889 and staked a claim near Guthrie. He spent the next 20 years cleaning up Hell’s Half Acre in Perry, Oklahoma, which had 110 saloons for a population of 25,000. Tilghman was elected to the state Senate but resigned in 1911 to become chief of police in Oklahoma City.
This Bill Tilghman History Mug is part of our Western series which includes many unique athletes and rodeo stars.
The biographical History Mugs were created to teach and inspire individuals to learn about our diverse and interesting history. The biographies were researched and written by history enthusiast, Robert Compton. He colorized most of the historic photos and images used on the mugs, which were originally black and white or sepia tone. The images and biographies are imprinted on mugs at his studio in rural Vermont.
- Mugs are food and microwave safe.
- To preserve photographic quality we recommend hand washing.
- Mugs are usually shipped within 3-5 days.
